Media Statement For immediate release Friday, 17 October, 2003

Alexander: Gullible media swallows Green food fiction

United Future's resident chef Marc Alexander today called upon the media to take a critical look at events such as the Green's Children's Food Awards, which were announced yesterday.

"They got away with murder, and have spent the next 24 hours saying 'oops, we stuffed up', and yet they still get their usual column centimetres," the Christchurch-based MP said.

"They said products contained GE ingredients, then they had to publicly apologise because they were wrong.

"They also had to admit that the so called 'Label Fable' winner listed all its ingredients fully and accurately. In fact, several products in this category were accurately labelled.

"The only fiction to be found was from the Greens - and the media just swallowed it!

"The 'Cleanest, Greenest Food'? Breast milk - and yet these shonky awards are supposed to be about food advertised on television to children.

"It's time the media set a higher standard on these things - just because it comes from the Greens, doesn't mean it's allowed to be flaky," he said.

"I can only echo the New Zealand Nutrition Foundation response that slammed these awards: 'Variety, moderation, balance and enjoyment are approaches that nutritionists have been promoting for years now. It's not about what's good or bad, but rather too much or too little.'

"But then I guess promoting moderation never got Sue Kedgley a headline," Mr Alexander said.

"And my culinary tip: Take everything the Greens say with a grain of salt."

Ends.

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