Gordon Campbell: On The Dairy Contamination Threats

The sole upside for the government in its release of a three month old threat to contaminate infant formula is that the story knocked Winston Peters off the front pages.

In case that sounds like a conspiracy theory, the government was in a no win situation here. If it went public with every such threat the moment it was issued, it would be creating a pretty dire incentive for every crackpot and attention seeker in the country. That’s why, as Prime Minister John Key said, other countries tend not to publicise threats of this kind.

Yet with the blackmail letter’s end of March deadline looming, a policy of complete silence probably wasn’t still an option, either More>>

ALSO:

• Scoop Business - Market regulators defend disclosure by dairy companies - Taiwanese media criticise delay in revealing 1080 threat - NZ dollar drops to month low on dairy concern, strong USD - No traction yet in Chinese media from 1080 threat - Trading partners learnt of 1080 threat last month - MARKET CLOSE: NZ shares fall; Fonterra fund slips - NZ dollar drops after threats to contaminate dairy products - UPDATE: 1080 threat to dairy products investigated since Nov - 1080 threat to dairy products investigated by MPI, Police - NZX issues trading halts across all dairy related stocks
• Jeremy Wilkinson - Federated Farmers Press Conference on the 1080 Threat
• Parliament Today - More Questions About 1080 Threats
• Out-Link - The ripples of the 1080 scare | Stuff.co.nz
• NZ Police - Update on Operation Concord - 1080 blackmail threat - Police appeal for public assistance in 1080 blackmail threat
• NZ Govt - Extra controls on 1080 - Criminal threat being taken seriously
• Labour - Key overplays hand and puts dairy trade at risk - Blackmail threat a dangerous protest
• NZ First - 1080 Revelation Timing Simply Smells - Peters - Bioterrorism Threat Must Not Be Tolerated - Peters
• Ministry For Primary Industries - MPI supporting Police with infant formula threat response
• 2011 - 1080 must not be banned – Environment Commissioner
• Out-Link - Govt ignored industry advice by giving 1080 scare 'oxygen' – food industry leader | NBR
• Federated Farmers - Federated Farmers confirms contamination threat
• Fonterra - Fonterra Acknowledges Threat Investigation
• Synlait - Synlait Milk confident in its food safety systems
• Westland Milk Products - Westland says its products are safe
• Foodstuffs Limited - Foodstuffs brings security to the infant formula shelf - Foodstuffs infant formula announcement
• Countdown Supermarket - Countdown confirms additional security in place after threat
• Food and Grocery Council - Threat to contaminate food supply
• Game Animal Council - Game Animal Council Condemns 1080 Threat
• Game Animal Council - Game Animal Council Condemns 1080 Threat
• PETA - PETA on the 1080 threat
• Martin Doyle - Martin Doyle Cartoon: Vote the Boss, not the Hoss
• Keith Rankin - Keith Rankin : Sugarnomics
• Lincoln University - 1080 threat will not harm trade but ongoing issues a concern
• Out-Link - 1080, "eco-terrorism" and agendas • Speaker • Public Address
• Massey University - 1080 milk threat likely to be personal, not political
• TV3 Video - 1080 threat: MPI aware of possible exporting issues - Why scientists back the use of 1080 poison - Exporters not told of 1080 threat - Parents vigilant after 1080 formula scare - 1080 formula threat: Why didn't we know sooner? - Fears for 1080 milk scare repercussions - Formula threat a 'kick in the guts' for farmers - Anti-1080 Party: We're appalled too - Dairy exports continue despite 1080 threat - MPI: Infant formula safe as it ever was, despite 1080 threat - Kiwi dollar drops on dairy threat concern - Political fallout from the 1080 threat - Key, Little eye-to-eye on 1080 delay - Parents urged to keep buying baby formula despite threat - MPI 'disappointed' with 1080 threat - Anti-1080 campaigners call blackmail 'ludicrous' - Dairy industry fallout expected over 1080 threat - Fonterra blackmailed over 1080 poison - John Key: Fonterra 1080 threat 'likely a hoax' - Fonterra calls 1080 threat 'a despicable act'

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