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Food manufacturers are upping the ante when it comes to using the Health Star Ratings systems on food labels, Minister for Food Safety David Bennett says.

Food manufacturers are upping the ante when it comes to using the Health Star Ratings systems on food labels, Minister for Food Safety David Bennett says.

The House of Representatives passed the Racing Amendments’ Bill through its first reading tonight, during the final sitting week before the election.

The Bill has been referred to the Primary Production Committee.

A project which redesigns and streamlines food safety requirements under the Animal Products Act 1999 is underway, Minister for Food Safety David Bennett says.

The operation of the Veterans’ Support Act 2014 review has been kick-started with the release of a discussion document, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs David Bennett says.

Health Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman and Food Safety Minister David Bennett today launched the finalised New Zealand action plan to address the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

“Scientists, governments and international agencies are united in the approach to combat the rise of antimicrobial resistance,” says Dr Coleman.

“The New Zealand Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan, released today, will underpin our efforts to ensure that antimicrobials are managed carefully.

Minister for Racing David Bennett has introduced the Racing Amendment Bill into Parliament.

The Bill modernises racing and sports betting in New Zealand, amending the Racing Act 2003.

“These changes make it possible to get a return for the information received from betting on New Zealand events and also bets placed by New Zealanders,” Mr Bennett says.

This Bill seeks to return money into New Zealand through information and consumption charges from offshore betting operators.

Minister for Food Safety David Bennett met with Dr Penny Lukito, the chairwoman of Indonesia’s National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) this morning.

BPOM is one of Indonesia’s five main regulators for food safety, animal health, and plant health.

It is responsible for the regulation and product safety testing of all processed foods, both domestic and imported.

Race courses can harness safety with the $1 million Racing Safety Development Fund, the Minister for Racing David Bennett has announced.

There is extra financial support for some veterans and their families coming into effect today, says Minister for Veterans’ Affairs David Bennett.

Veterans receiving lump-sum payments for suffering a service-related permanent impairment and families receiving child care payments for children of a deceased veteran whose death was service-related, under Scheme Two of the Veterans’ Support Act 2014 are amongst those seeing an increase on July 1.

Minister for Racing David Bennett has appointed Bill Birnie to the New Zealand Racing Board (NZRB).

“It’s a pleasure to welcome Bill Birnie to the NZRB. Mr Birnie brings a lot of corporate governance experience and will add value to the NZRB,” Mr Bennett says.

Two students have tied for first place in the Passchendaele multi-media competition, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs David Bennett announced.

Wellington’s Neakiry Kivi and Tauranga’s Amanda Yang were the two year 13 students to jointly take out this year’s Battle of Passchendaele Multi-media Competition.

Minister of Food Safety David Bennett has appointed Teresa Ciprian to the Food Safety Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) board.

“I am pleased someone of Ms Ciprian’s calibre is representing New Zealand on the board. Ms Ciprian has a broad background which includes food safety, food regulation and international trade and a technical background in food science,” Mr Bennett says.

Professor Ron Paterson has been appointed to lead an independent review of the operation of the Veterans’ Support Act 2014, Minister of Veterans’ Affairs David Bennett announced today.

“This review will ensure an external and impartial perspective on how the Act is working”, says Mr Bennett.

“I am pleased that somebody of Professor Paterson’s calibre has agreed to lead this important review”.

There has been a 33 per cent increase in uptake of Veterans Independence Programmes (VIP) over the past year, Veterans’ Affairs Minister David Bennett says.

The VIP enables New Zealand veterans to live independently in their homes

It can help with the cost of house and window cleaning, lawn mowing and garden maintenance, home care, medical alarms, podiatry and home alterations.

“Veterans fought for New Zealand’s independence and now the country can assist in providing for their independence,” Mr Bennett says.

An upgrade to Dunedin’s racecourse ambulance track is amongst the 19 projects the Government has recently contributed towards in racecourse safety, Racing Minister David Bennett announced today.

The various projects, which spanned from Whangarei to Roxburgh, received $313,055 in grants towards improving racecourse safety from the Racing Safety Development Fund.

Projects across New Zealand included track resurfacing, equine pool upgrades, and building construction to help make racecourses safer.

The Ministry of Primary Industries is reviewing part of the Wine Act 2003 to improve the export wine industry, Minister of Food Safety David Bennett says.

“Ministry of Primary Industries is currently reviewing export requirements under the Wine Act 2003 to discover ways it can better serve the $1.6 billion export industry,” says Mr Bennett.

“The Wine Act has served us well, but it is over a decade old so we needed to make some tweaks to it.”

An agreement reached between New Zealand and Australian food safety authorities will see hemp seed legalised as food in New Zealand, Food Safety Minister David Bennett says.

Ministers at the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation in Adelaide today approved a standard to allow safe levels of low-THC hemp seed as a food.

“I stated my support at the Forum today and was pleased a change to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code was approved,” Mr Bennett says.

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman and Food Safety Minister David Bennett have welcomed steps to enhance New Zealand’s ability to respond to the growing global issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

“Like other countries, New Zealand has seen a rise in antibiotic resistant infections and it is important that we develop a clear plan to reduce AMR,” says Dr Coleman.

“Antimicrobial resistance occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses change in ways that render the medications used to cure the infections they cause ineffective.

Work is getting underway to make State Highway 23 — the road to Raglan — safer for everyone who uses it, Associate Transport Minister David Bennett says.

Rumble strips and two flexible roadside barriers will be installed on the 21km section of the highway between Waitetuna and Raglan, ahead of major work getting underway on other parts of the route early next year.

There were 162 crashes on this section of the road between 2005 and 2015. Two people died and 23 were seriously injured.

Associate Transport Minister David Bennett is encouraging all motorists to stay safe when travelling over Easter.

“Many of us are travelling to be with friends and family this long weekend. With the increased traffic and Cyclone Cook hitting, everyone needs to take all the steps to stay safe,” Mr Bennett says.

“Four people lost their lives on our roads over Easter last year, and their families are facing another holiday without their loved ones.

Food Safety Minister David Bennett has welcomed the Ministry for Primary Industries’ release of a proposed scientific definition for mānuka honey produced in New Zealand.

“Overseas regulators and consumers have expressed a desire for an independent, Government-backed definition to safeguard the authenticity of mānuka honey products.

“This Government-backed definition will provide an important starting point for the industry to promote New Zealand mānuka honey in world markets,” Mr Bennett says.

The families of New Zealand military personnel, and their dependants, buried overseas between 1955 and 1971 in Singapore and Malaysia will be offered the opportunity to repatriate their loved ones.

Veterans’ Affairs Minister David Bennett says this decision comes as a result of recommendations by the Veterans’ Advisory Board and the advocacy of the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services’ Association and families affected, and has thanked them for their important contributions.

Annual research released today has highlighted the hidden cost we pay for road crashes, says Associate Transport Minister David Bennett.

The Ministry of Transport’s annual Social Cost of Road Crashes and Injuries report seeks to understand the social and economic cost of road crashes to New Zealand, and the estimated total social cost of fatal and injury crashes rose from $3.53 billion in 2014 to $3.79 billion in 2015.