假冒伪劣蜂蜜给已经受损的新西兰声誉雪上加霜
工党初级产业事务发言人 达米扬•奥康纳（Damien O’Connor）

英国就假冒伪劣新西兰麦努卡（manuka）蜂蜜发出了消费警示，显示的是新西兰初级产业部在保护消费者及我国出口市场方面的又一次败绩。
还有更多的坏消息。新西兰的品牌声誉岌岌可危。自恒天然肉毒杆菌污染事件之后，新西兰产品质量已经成为国际焦点。
现在我们不得不再次说服全世界我国每年1.2亿纽元的蜂蜜产业并没有什么非法产品或误导消费者。
新西兰初级产业部本来应抢在英国食品标准局采取行动之前就介入此事。
工党对产业部采取产品检验及设立临时标准等措施表示欢迎。
这次事件再次表明这个去年通过合并农林部、渔业部、生物安全及新西食品安全局而形成的超级大部门是一个败笔。
食品安全对于新西兰的经济至关重要。必须为此重新设立一个独立的机构。这是国际上采用的最好办法，我们应该跟上形势。（达米扬•奥康纳议员授权 惠灵顿国会大厦 霍建强议员办公室 供稿 ）

Damien
O’CONNOR
Primary Industries Spokesperson                         
26 August  2013                                                  MEDIA STATEMENT 
  

Fake honey a further blow to New Zealand’s damaged reputation
Warnings from Britain about fake New Zealand manuka honey shows the Ministry for Primary Industries has again failed to protect our producers and assure our export markets, Labour’s Primary Industries spokesperson Damien O’Connor says.
“This is more bad news. New Zealand’s brand reputation is already on the line.  The quality of New Zealand products is already in the international spotlight following Fonterra’s botulism contamination.
“Now we have to reassure the world our $120 million a year honey industry is not making misleading or illegal claims about its products.”
The Ministry for Primary Industries should have stepped in before Britain's Food Standards Agency took action, Damien O’Connor says.
“The Ministry just stood by despite the industry acknowledging New Zealand was selling more manuka honey than it produced.”
Labour welcomes moves to test products and establish interim standards, he says.
“This is further evidence the super Ministry – formed last year through the merger of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry of Fisheries, Biosecurity New Zealand and the New Zealand Food Safety Authority – has failed.
“Food Safety is crucial to New Zealand’s economy. A stand-alone agency must be re-established.  That is international best practice and we must match that,” Damien O’Connor says.