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By Gianina Schwanecke of RNZ

The Public Service Association says potential plans to privatise New Zealand’s meat inspection service could put food quality and safety at risk.

The Public Service Association (PSA) said the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is looking at allowing meat processing companies to carry out more of their own inspection work with reduced oversight from AsureQuality (AQ), the Government’s meat inspection service.

Vincent Arbuckle of New Zealand Food Safety said MPI has been reviewing inspection and supervision requirements for exported meat with support from industry and AQ, including looking at more flexible and efficient inspection and verification options.

However, Arbuckle said no changes had been proposed yet, and any changes would involve a formal consultation process.

The PSA feared the changes could result in the loss of jobs at AQ, leading current meat inspectors to move to the private sector, with lower wages and poorer conditions.

National secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said independent meat inspectors were important for ensuring high food quality and safety.

“It’s clear there are plans under way for company meat inspection, which is a major departure from the current situation where we have independent meat inspectors employed by AQ.”

She said they had been doing an “excellent job” for many years.

“The work of meat inspectors ensures that disease and defects in products are identified and that meat is fit for human consumption.

“Independent meat inspectors are more rigorous because they have no vested interest in the end product and will not cut corners to increase company profits.

“Our overseas markets and consumers here at home will miss out if we lose the independence of our meat inspection services.”

Arbuckle said instead, along with the support of industry and input from AQ, MPI had been developing a programme of work to review the inspection and supervision requirements for exported New Zealand meat.

“The programme is investigating possible changes to align New Zealand’s requirements for inspecting and verifying exported meat more closely with international guidelines and our own domestic regulatory rules,” he said.

“As part of this, we are investigating models for meat inspection and verification that would allow New Zealand to maintain our high standards for meat products in a more flexible and efficient way.”

Arbuckle said some companies had carried out inspections for more than a decade with no food safety incidents.

Together, they accounted for roughly 17% of all slaughter establishments and had exported millions of kilograms of meat.

Similarly, he pointed to New Zealand’s dairy sector, which performed its own quality and food safety compliance with external verification from MPI-appointed verifiers.

He said nothing would be changed to risk New Zealand’s reputation for food safety.

“New Zealand enjoys an excellent reputation for food safety and suitability – this cannot be jeopardised and will not change.”

Arbuckle said any proposed changes would be subject to a formal consultation process, with the development of any proposals and consultations expected to take the remainder of the year.

“We, and our partner AQ, are doing the right thing by communicating with relevant unions to keep them abreast of developments, even at this very early stage.”

Consultation on possible changes to meat inspection and supervision requirements could start in August.

Any resultant changes would not come into force until next year.

AQ chief executive Kim Ballinger said as no consultation process had yet been undertaken, she could not comment on any potential outcome implications at this point.

She said they were “incredibly proud of our employees for the exceptional meat inspection service they provide” and looked forward to continuing a premium service for New Zealand exports into the future. 

“We’re continuing to prioritise collaboration with our people and unions, customers, MPI, industry bodies and our other partners, to support New Zealand’s red meat sector in providing the high-quality, safe meat products that it’s renowned for globally.”

Richard McColl from the Meat Industry Association, which represented meat processors, said one of the models being explored would give members more control and flexibility.

“The current meat inspection model is resource-intensive and has not evolved along with other parts of the sector.

“This programme is about giving meat processors and exporters responsibility and ownership of their own risks.

“This programme is an opportunity to explore and consider other meat inspection options to achieve the crucial food safety and market access requirements, while also building a more resilient and higher-skilled workforce, with roles that offer greater responsibility, development, and career progression for the thousands of staff employed by red meat processors.”

He said whichever model was chosen, the final inspection would always be done by a government employee.

“Our members’ reputations rises and falls on the back of food safety outcomes.

“New Zealand has one of the highest, if not the highest, reputation for food safety, so none of our members are going to compromise food safety outcomes.”

- RNZ