Collins Dishes Out Favours While Other Kiwi Firms Struggle

While many Kiwi firms were left struggling by the Fonterra botulism scare in China, the Government rushed to bail out Oravida in an act of favouritism for Minister of Justice Judith Collins’ husband’s company, says New Zealand First.

“Why did all New Zealand firms not get the same level of red carpet treatment and ministerial access as Judith Collins’ husband’s company Oravida,” asks New Zealand First Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“Judith Collins put herself at the forefront of government action to assist Oravida, after Oravida alerted the Government that the Fonterra milk scare was harming its business.

“Ms Collins personally went into action. She visited Oravida in Shanghai, had lunch with Oravida directors and dinner with the directors and a senior Chinese border official.

“When the Oravida officials met Ms Collins for lunch and dinner they were well aware new procedures had been put in place on China’s borders in response to the botulism scare by China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ).

“Just two days before they had been invited to a New Zealand Government briefing on AQSIQ, which included an understanding of new rules and compliance.

“The official at the dinner with Ms Collins was from AQSIQ – but Ms Collins maintains the official is a ‘friend’ of her Oravida friends and Oravida’s real concerns were never discussed. Ms Collins does not speak Mandarin so her denial is worthless.

“Both Ms Collins and Prime Minister John Key refuse to name the official, saying it is not in the public interest.

“Meanwhile, many New Zealand businesses are still suffering, not only milk companies but meat companies too. Some are still fighting through a bureaucratic nightmare to get goods into China,” says Mr Peters.

“The preferential actions of Ms Collins and the Government are shameful.”

ENDS

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