MAF in denial over bird flu risk

Green MP, Sue Kedgley is questioning MAF's assertion that there isn't even a minimal risk to New Zealand from the bird flu epidemic sweeping Asia, given that it appears confused as to exactly which poultry products from the affected countries are entering New Zealand.

Ms Kedgley has raised concerns over the annual import of over 31,000 tonnes of poultry products - including processed chicken meat, feathers and skin - from the Asian countries hit hardest by the latest strain of bird flu. She called on New Zealand to follow the European Union's lead and suspend imports of poultry products from the affected countries.

"MAF's response that there is 'not even a minimal risk in New Zealand' is yet another example of MAF downplaying the risk and refusing to take a precautionary approach," said Ms Kedgley, the Green Party Health spokesperson.

"Contrary to MAF's assertions, New Zealand is continuing to import processed poultry products that are now banned in Europe."

Ms Kedgley pointed out that the virus had now become a serious human health hazard, with twelve people now confirmed dead and growing fears that it might mutate into a form that was able to pass between humans, triggering a human flu pandemic.

"Why take the risk, however small?" Ms Kedgley asked. "The Europeans are clearly worried enough about the safety of poultry products arriving from infected countries to order a ban and we should be no less cautious."

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>