Capital call for action on palm oil
Palm oil is present in almost half the packaged food we buy at the supermarket, but you wouldn’t know it.
There is currently no legal requirement for palm oil to be labelled in New Zealand, but that could soon change.
One month out from a crucial vote on mandatory palm oil labelling in Australia and New Zealand, more than 6000 Wellingtonians have signalled their support.
The chief executive of Welling- ton Zoo, which is supporting the labelling campaign, and the leader of the Unmask Palm Oil have both called on Food Safety Minister Jo Goodhew to make her position public ahead of her vote.
For campaigners, a successful vote will empower consumers to make decisions about palm oil and support sustainable farming practices. ’’We think there is a strong argument from both health and ethical health side of things,’’ campaign director of Unmask Palm Oil Ben Dowdle said.
‘‘The UN estimates that half of all palm oil plantations are coming at the expense of rainforest.’’
This meant the natural habitat of endangered and indigenous animals such as gibbons, orangutans, tigers and elephants was constantly shrinking, Dowdle said. Four New Zealand Zoos are backing the campaign, with Wellington Zoo receiving more than 6000 signed postcards in support of the campaign.
Dowdle said Goodhew should make her position known. Goodhew, who will cast New Zealand’s only vote on the 10-person Food Standards Australia New Zealand panel on November 25, would not reveal her stance.
Wellington Zoo primate keeper Jacqui Hooper has seen first-hand the destruction caused by palm oil in Sumatra, Indonesia.
Her visit to Indonesia in March this year ‘‘reignited my passion’’ to get clear labelling of palm oil to prevent further habitat loss. She described endless miles of plantations where rainforest used to be.
Zoo chief executive Karen Fifield said: ‘‘I think it would be really good for the minister to tell us how she is actually going to vote.’’ - Fairfax NZ