12. KATE WILKINSON (National) Link to this
to the Minister of Consumer Affairs
Does she have confidence in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs; if so, why?
Hon JUDITH TIZARD (Minister of Consumer Affairs) Link to this
Yes; because it is a small but hard-working ministry. But I am sure there is always room for improvement.
Why should we believe that the Minister is concerned about consumer safety when she has not recommended a single product safety standard for 2 years, when only six have been recommended in the last 6 years, and when the formaldehyde content in textiles was raised as a concern in the Australian media 3 months ago yet nothing has been done about it until this week?
Hon JUDITH TIZARD Link to this
Because the legislation under which our consumer law operates—which was described by David Russell, the former chief executive officer of the Consumers Institute, as a fine, elegant standard, which is much admired internationally—has absolute standards. Every good must be safe and fit for the purpose for which it is intended. We have good standards, and those standards are very well managed. However, what we cannot do is stand by every consumer and tell them what to buy and what not to buy. We have to be active, intelligent, well-informed consumers. We have done a great deal. We have had mandatory recalls for hot-water bottles. We have had mandatory recalls for tongue studs. We have had many voluntary recalls, including, I have to say, in the last 2 hours a voluntary recall of blankets by Spotlight Stores (NZ) Ltd, when high levels of formaldehyde were found after voluntary testing undertaken in Australia. That affects 850 blankets. The system is working.
Why should we believe that she is concerned about consumer safety when she has not recalled a single product in the last 12 months, or that voluntary recalling of products is working well, when in the last 12 months only 17 product recalls have been made, compared with over 200 for the same period in Australia?
Hon JUDITH TIZARD Link to this
Wherever goods are found to be unsafe they are subject either to a voluntary recall or to a mandatory recall. The system is working very well in New Zealand, and this Government has properly funded the Commerce Commission to investigate the Fair Trading Act. We have increased the number of staff in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs. We are working closely with other ministries and other countries, and the absolutely independent former chief executive officer of the Consumers Institute say that our system is both efficient and widely admired.
Dianne YatesCould the Minister remind the House when and why the Ministry of Consumer Affairs was established and what its role is?
Madam SPEAKERHon JUDITH TIZARD Link to this
Certainly, Madam Speaker. Since it was established by the fourth Labour Government the Ministry of Consumer Affairs has effectively maintained safety standards. For example, its work covers the development of consumer policy, consumer protection, product safety, and weights and measures. It provides appropriate, accurate, and accessible information, education, and advice to consumers and to businesses on consumer laws and issues. What is more, the New Zealand market overwhelmingly works.
Why is it that we have a product safety standard for toys relating to small parts, yet we have nothing from the Minister on the hazardous chemical residues on children’s clothing and nothing on the lead content of paint used to paint those toys?
Hon JUDITH TIZARD Link to this
All goods sold in New Zealand must be safe and fit for the purpose for which they are intended. We have very good standards, and we see them enforced. The recalls are an example of the system working. I am astonished that the Opposition, which despises all consumer support, is trying to attack us and the Ministry of Consumer Affairs for an excellent system that works.