Damien O’CONNOR
Primary Industries Spokesperson
8 November 2013                      MEDIA STATEMENT  

Meat workers still left on the hook

An admission today that meat exports to China from Alliance’s Pukeuri works have still not resumed make a mockery of the repeated reassurances coming from Nathan Guy, Labour’s Primary Industries spokesperson Damien O’Connor says. 

“The Minister told the House way back in August that Pukeuri was good-to-go, yet today’s revelation that all is not fine at China’s end prove that MPI is still not doing enough to help New Zealand exporters.   

“Mr Guy had his hand forced in admitting that he gone too far in stripping MPI of staff and resources by senior colleague Tim Groser last month and vowed to increase resources in China, yet clearly not enough to help Pukeuri.

“If the Ministry had not been gutted by the Government in the first place, it would have had the staff in China to help with Pukeuri’s recertification.
“Nathan Guy was quick to blame the Ministry for the massive Chinese meat export blunder back in May.

“He should have been pointing the finger back at himself.  He broke MPI and this latest revelation demonstrates he has done little to fix it.

“Pukeuri should be humming by this point in the season. The Government’s dis-interest is once again letting down the regions.”

ENDS

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