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Does the Minister agree with the Guardian's conclusion that the safety claim of the suppliers of children's sand products became the de facto position of the New Zealand government, despite having no additional evidence to support it; if so, does he find this concerning?

Answered Question 33168 (2026)
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Asked by

Arena Williams

Member for Manurewa · Labour Party

Question

  • Does the Minister agree with the Guardian's conclusion that the safety claim of the suppliers of children's sand products became the de facto position of the New Zealand government, despite having no additional evidence to support it; if so, does he find this concerning?

Answered by

Cameron Brewer

Member for Upper Harbour · National Party · Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs

Answer

No. Product recall notices are provided by suppliers, and suppliers are responsible for any representations made in them. They are not endorsed by the government. Advice to the public on health matters is provided by Health New Zealand, based on expert advice.