Flip-flop Foss turns Commerce into comedy

Craig Foss has flip-flopped completely on his inept attempt to create an unwanted voluntary code of conduct for supermarkets, says Labour’s Commerce spokesperson Clayton Cosgrove.

“Craig Foss really is the laughing stock of National’s Cabinet, which is quite a feat considering the competition from Hekia Parata and Judith Collins.

“As Shane Jones’ Countdown story snowballed out of the Minister’s control Mr Foss initially tried to laugh it off and call it hearsay. When he realised the Commerce Commission was investigating and he was on the losing side of the argument he flip-flopped and belatedly came up with a voluntary code of conduct for supermarkets.

“Not only was that a weak and pathetic response but negotiating a code of conduct with the company under investigation by the Commission was bizarre at best.

“Now Mr Foss has flip-flopped yet again because the Retailers’ Association, and Food and Grocery Council didn’t support his voluntary code or the strange process he used to make it look as though he was doing something.

“Labour’s preferred option is a compulsory government-mandated code based on the UK model. A model which has teeth and can penalise offenders.

“Labour is doing major policy work on this. If the Commerce Commission is unable to fix this problem, Labour will,” says Clayton Cosgrove.

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