fbpx
Print this page
Tuesday, 20 August 2013 09:10

Budget cuts 'should be in probe'

Written by 

The Government inquiry into Fonterra's botulism contamination must examine the impact budget cuts at the Ministry for Primary Industries had on the food scare, Labour's Primary Industries spokesperson Damien O'Connor says.

 

"The draft terms of reference should be expanded to include looking at whether there was reduced oversight of food safety because MPI had its budget slashed by $26 million," says O'Connor.

"It also needs to examine whether the super ministry, formed last year, had the capacity to deal with such a disaster for our exporters."
O'Connor says the inquiry must be truly independent.

"There is no guarantee the separate inquiries being conducted by MPI and Fonterra will be completely independent when they may be implicated in wrong doing over the way the contamination was handled."

It is important the inquiry is completed as quickly as possible, O'Connor says.
"Our international reputation is on the line and the longer this inquiry takes, the longer questions hang over the quality and safety of New Zealand's food exports."

More like this

Fonterra's Whareroa Wins Directors Award

Fonterra's Whareroa site took home the prestigious Directors Award at the co-op's 'Oscars of Manufacturing', while Clandeboye led the way with multiple wins at this year's Best Site Cup.

Smith V Fonterra

OPINION: To a chorus of crying greenies, and not a minute too soon, the Government has moved to put the courts back in their place through proposed amendments to the Climate Change Response Act 2002, intending to limit climate litigation claims such as Smith v Fonterra, in the interests of providing greater certainty for vital industry.

Featured

National

Machinery & Products