O'Connor Damien: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeO'Connor Damien: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 27 August 2013. Volume:693;Page:13105. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]5.Hon DAMIEN O’CONNOR (Labour—West Coast - Tasman) to theMinister for Primary Industries: Does he stand by all his statements?Hon NATHAN GUY (Minister for Primary Industries): Yes.Hon Damien O’Connor: Does he stand by his statement: “It is a high-performing ministry. During the recent hiccup MPI stood up. It responded incredibly well. It did a fantastic job.”?Hon NATHAN GUY: Yes.Hon Damien O’Connor: Does he believe that he and his ministry did a fantastic job during thePsa virus infestation the great white moth incursion the dicyandiamide milk scandal in China palm kernel expeller importation and possible contamination the ministry’s recent failure to certify meat for ChinaFonterra’s botulism scare Russia’s blockade of New Zealand dairy productsFonterra’s dicyandiamide issues in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and nitrate levels in Westland Milk Products’ lactoferrin powder?Hon NATHAN GUY: The Ministry for Primary Industries is a high-performing ministry. From time to time there arelearnings and I am sure there will belearnings as a result of the compliance investigation and the ministerial inquiry.Shane Ardern: What reports has the Minister seen regarding the Ministry for Primary Industries?Hon NATHAN GUY: I have seen a range of reports including one that claimed that the Ministry for Primary Industries was subsumed into the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment and that Murray McCully is the Minister of Trade and another that claims that I have cut the Ministry for Primary Industries’ budget by $26 million. Of course all of these claims are factually incorrect and were made by Damien O’Connor.Hon Damien O’Connor: Without getting into debate on that particular answer—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Supplementary question.Hon Damien O’Connor: Given his statement: “Every day I am filled with the purpose of adding value to our economy …” on which particular day in the last 3 months has he achieved this?Hon NATHAN GUY: Every day I am very proud to be a hard-working Minister.Hon Damien O’Connor: Does the Government’s announcement that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade will hire food safety trade specialists amount to an admission that his Government’s cuts to both the Ministry for Primary Industries and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade went too far and has his Government ruled out compensation to those companies affected by its recent ineptitude?Hon NATHAN GUY: No what this shows is that the Ministry for Primary Industries and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade are responding to growing markets.Hon Damien O’Connor: What can the Minister say to the 240 workers stood down on 8 August and now without pay from the AlliancePukeuri meatworks nearŌāmaru because his ministry has been unable to complete its audit following suspicions that it was certifying meat from other works for export which has compromised their ability to get into the China market?Hon NATHAN GUY: I am aware of that issue and I caution the member because there are some issues with that particular plant that the Ministry for Primary Industries is working through.