INDEPENDENT NEWS

Practitioners Call for "King's" Head!

Published: Thu 11 Dec 2003 10:05 AM
New Zealand Charter of Health Practitioners Inc.
Practitioners Call for "King's" Head!.
Minister of Health Annette King must be forced to resign before she sells out the New Zealand Health Industry to Australian control.
The arrogance of this dictatorial Ministers intention to sign the Australian Joint Agency Treaty before the Parliamentary Health Select Committee report is presented, displays complete contempt for the democratic Parliamentary process and the rule of law.
The Ministers action will in effect ban thousands of safe and effective dietary supplements that have not caused a single death in New Zealand.
In Australia the implementation of the Therapeutic Goods Authority resulted in the closure of 350 small innovative manufacturers, and no new products were manufactured for a ten year period.
New Zealanders have always enjoyed open access to dietary supplements from world wide sources. Minster King will, by signing the Treaty be closing the door on imported products, apart from those manufactured in Australia.
In view of what has occurred in Australia over the last thirteen years of Therapeutic Goods Authority control, how is it possible for Minster King to suggest in any way that this Treaty will benefit New Zealanders?
The Treaty will only benefit Australian manufacturers with a captive exclusive New Zealand market. This Treaty will create a barrier to trade for non-Australian manufactured dietary supplements.
For Minister King to publicly state that the Joint Agency Treaty will not be regulated by Australians is totally at odds with the Australian Therapeutic Goods Authority - New Zealand/Medsafe Joint Agency Treaty document.
The Question is, "has our Health Minister actually read and understood the Treaty, which operates under Australian Law, or is she only relying on information provided by her inept advisors" ?
A sensible Government concerned with the health of New Zealanders should ensure that Minster King Resigns her position immediately.
ENDS

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