31 October 2016

Why so secret on palm oil, Minister?

The Minister for Food Safety needs to tell the public whether she will vote for mandatory palm oil labelling at next month’s Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) meeting.

Green Party animal welfare spokesperson Mojo Mathers has been campaigning on mandatory labelling of palm oil since 2013. Wellington Zoo and Unmask Palm Oil reiterated the call this weekend for clarity on the Government’s position.

“There is absolutely no reason why the Minister should be withholding from New Zealanders how she is going to vote, it’s just bizarre,” Green Party animal welfare spokesperson Mojo Mathers said today.

“New Zealanders have a right to know what is in their food – this vote is critical to ensuring we get that information.

“New Zealanders are really clear that they don’t want their trip to the supermarket to be supporting rainforest destruction. Thousands of New Zealanders have taken part in our campaigns over the last three years and 92 percent of New Zealanders support palm oil labelling.

“All the way back in 2009, there was a huge public outcry when it was revealed that Cadbury chocolate used palm oil. New Zealanders care about this even more since then.

“Europe, Canada and the US all have labelling rules that mean people know what oils, including palm oil, are in their products. New Zealanders deserve that information too.

“The Minister is representing all New Zealanders, so she needs to front up and tell us all how she is planning on voting on our behalf.

“The only New Zealanders who don’t want mandatory labelling seem to be some in the food industry who obviously have a vested interest,”said Ms Mathers.

ends

Correction: Scoop has been advised that the meeting referred to in this press release is actually the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation – and not a Food Standards Australia New Zealand meeting.

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