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Consumer protection consumed by Ryall’s merger
25 March 2010
Consumer protection consumed by Ryall’s state sector merger
Merging the New Zealand Food Safety Authority back into the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry will further undermine the confidence of consumers in the Food Safety Authority, Green Party Food Safety spokesperson Sue Kedgley said today.
The Government today confirmed it was restructuring a number of Government agencies including merging the Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) into the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF).
“Consumers want a credible, impartial organisation looking after food safety issues –an organisation they can trust to always put their health and safety first, rather than the interests of producers and international trade,” said Ms Kedgley.
“When the NZFSA was originally part of MAF its response to almost any food safety issue was to downplay and deny food safety risks, and pacify consumers with the bland reassurance that it will ‘keep a watching brief’ on the issue.”
According to Ms Kedgley there were numerous occasions where it put the interests of international trade, and National and Labour’s free trade liberalisation agenda, ahead of consumer protection. Advocating against country of origin labelling of food was just one example.
The Minister responsible, Tony Ryall, says the merger will result in $20 million savings over the next three years and cost around 20 jobs.
“The NZFSA is a fairly lean organisation right now so losing 20 jobs will have a huge impact this organisation and its ability to protect New Zealanders health,” said Ms Kedgley.
“I predict that the savings will be at the expense of consumers –it will mean even less monitoring and compliance of food safety in New Zealand.
“Already we have next to no safety testing of imported food – cutbacks to staff levels are unlikely to see the testing regime increase.”
Also on the Government’s hit list are Archives New Zealand and the National Library which are being rolled into the Department of Internal Affairs and the Foundation for Research Science and Technology which will be consumed by the Ministry of Research Science and Technology.
ENDS
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