Tuesday, 24th July 2007

Copeland denies King claim re: Therapeutic Products Bill

Independent MP Gordon Copeland today denied the claim made by Labour Minister Annette King (during question time in Parliament today) that he had agreed to a two-tier proposal for natural/alternative dietary supplements etc as part of the Therapeutics Products Bill.

"I did agree to consider such a proposal - in fact I made such a proposal to Annette King - but in the end made a firm decision against it," said Mr Copeland.

"There was a simple way out of this mess and that would have been for Annette King to take the new proposal on a national road show and explain it to the tens of thousands of New Zealanders who, like me, had expressed their opposition. Instead she chose simply to endeavour to stitch a 'we know best' proposal together and then, when that came unstuck, abandon the whole thing."

"I wonder why this Government is so intent on ignoring the voice of the people?"

ENDS