Tony Ryall MP
National Party Health Spokesman

19 May 2007

Trans-Tasman proposal bad for local consumers and business

The proposed Trans-Tasman regulation of natural health products will be bad for New Zealand consumers and business, National Party Health spokesman Tony Ryall told a rally of 250 people in Tauranga this morning.

"The proposed Trans-Tasman agency to control natural health products is costly, bureaucratic and very restrictive.

"Significant businesses have shown that it will have a dramatic impact on the costs of compliance and the price consumers will pay for their natural health products.

"Not only will these products be more expensive there will be fewer choices. The Government's own reports say that 60% of natural health products made in New Zealand for New Zealanders will be taken off the shelves.

"Helen Clark says that this is an issue for only a few fringe, loopy greens. Besides the fact that she is now relying on these people to have a majority in Parliament, she is quite wrong. A significant part of the population takes supplements on a regular basis.

"There are cheaper ways of regulating this sector. The Trans-Tasman proposal is unnecessary.

"National Party leader John Key has made it crystal clear - natural health products must be taken out of the Trans-Tasman proposal".

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