When Is a Lie Not a Lie?

Thursday, April 1st 2004

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Has the Minister of Health lied to the people of New Zealand? The following question was asked of Annette King, Minister of Health on her chat room online on the 8th October 2003.

Question: We have been informed that despite complete rejection by the dietary supplement industry and well over 35,000 dietary supplement consumers, constitutional lawyers and economists and before the Health Select Committee has submitted its report; you have stated that the Trans Tasman Joint Agency to regulate dietary supplements will proceed as planned. Why are you ignoring the overwhelming opposition in New Zealand to the proposal for a Joint Agency?

The Minister replied: "You have been misinformed."

It later transpired in Parliament in December, when asked questions by Green MP Sue Kedgley that the Minister contradicted her October statement and confirmed that she had already made the decision to proceed with the Trans Tasman Joint Agency in November 2002, virtually 12 months prior. It is yet to be seen if any supporting legislation is able to be passed by the minority Labour government.

If it was good enough for the Minister of Immigration to resign because of perceived lying, surely the same rules must be applied to other ministers. It was stated in the media that politicians, when they have been in Parliament for some time, become unthinking, uncaring and emotionally disengaged from the people they were elected to represent. Does this apply to the Minister of Health?

The bureaucrats in Medsafe (a "business unit" of the Ministry of Health) known internationally as "the regulators" are developing the new rules and legislation. As one regulator stated some years ago, "Governments come and go, but we just ignore whoever is in office and carry on regardless."

Susan Martindale at Medsafe is the bureaucrat who has been attempting to create the new legislation and Joint Agency for over 12 years. Correspondence shows that despite dozens of "consultation" meetings, numerous public submissions and the Health Select Committee Enquiry, she has not changed her opinions since the very first indication in 1992 that she wanted New Zealand to have new legislation. Virtually all submissions over the 12 years have been against Medsafe's proposals but they have been ignored. Medsafe are the regulators that approve drugs that kill thousands of New Zealanders every year.

I suggest you now write to - Susan Martindale, Medsafe, POBox 5013, Wellington and voice your concerns and objections to the proposed Joint Agency and their restrictions on dietary supplements, increased costs and new censorship laws. You could copy your letter to Annette King, Parliament Buildings, Wellington.

Editorial - Gary Mabey, ND

Reproduced unabridged from the April - June 2004 issue of Health and Herbal News, with the kind permission of Health and Herbs International Ltd.

Related articles can be found here:

Bitter pill: Govt surrenders $200m industry to Australian control

Doctors Recommend a Multi-Vitamin a Day

Double standards and tiling at windmills

Good news for supplements

Is low dose Aspirin dangerous?

More unreported health news

Pharmac warns huge fees will price medicines off the shelf

Pharmalert - VIOXX Withdrawal

If you need help or advice, you are welcome to email our naturopathic team with your health question.

Disclaimer: The health information presented here has been written for the New Zealand health consumer. It is of a general nature and is only intended to provide a summary of the subjects covered. The information is not intended to be comprehensive or to provide medical advice to you. While all care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information, no responsibility or liability is accepted, and no person should act in reliance on any statement contained in the information provided. All health ailments should be treated by a qualified health professional.

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