Media Statement
For immediate release
Wednesday, 10 December, 2003

Ogilvy: UF won't sell out complementary health

United Future today took part in a Health Select Committee walkout and joined protesters on the steps of Parliament in opposition to the Government selling out New Zealand's complementary medicines industry, MP Bernie Ogilvy says.

Health Minister Annette King will later today sign a treaty with Australia as the first step towards setting up a joint agency to regulate a wide range of medicines, medical devices, complementary foods and dietary products on both sides of the Tasman, in direct conflict with the select committee's report.

"United Future and the committee want complementary foods and dietary products removed from that agreement, and the Government's decision to sign this treaty is a flagrant disregard for eight months of work by the select committee.

"The standards set put at least 300 small enterprises out of business in Australia with increased compliance costs, and United Future will not be a party to this being done to an important small business sector in New Zealand," Mr Ogilvy said.

"We have a $2 billion industry made up of mainly small operators.

"We're all for strong standards, but we are against the punitive regime that this treaty signals," he said.

"The Government's approach is an insult to the select committee submitters and runs roughshod over the parliamentary process."

Ends.

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