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| Fiona Nash confirms chief of staff has interest in wife’s food lobbying firm | Fiona Nash confirms chief of staff has interest in wife’s food lobbying firm |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| The assistant health minister’s chief of staff, Alastair Furnival, who intervened to pull down a healthy food rating website, has an interest in his wife’s lobbying firm, which acts for Cadbury’s parent company. | The assistant health minister’s chief of staff, Alastair Furnival, who intervened to pull down a healthy food rating website, has an interest in his wife’s lobbying firm, which acts for Cadbury’s parent company. |
| The assistant health minister, Senator Fiona Nash, confirmed late on Tuesday night that Furnival had a direct interest in Australian Public Affairs (APA) partnership, which is owned by his wife, Tracey Cain. APA acts for snack food giant Mondelez, the owner of Cadbury, and soft drink industry group Australian Beverages Council. Furnival had also once been chairman of APA. | The assistant health minister, Senator Fiona Nash, confirmed late on Tuesday night that Furnival had a direct interest in Australian Public Affairs (APA) partnership, which is owned by his wife, Tracey Cain. APA acts for snack food giant Mondelez, the owner of Cadbury, and soft drink industry group Australian Beverages Council. Furnival had also once been chairman of APA. |
| However, Nash said “arrangements” had been put in place to comply with her ministerial obligations, though she did not specify the details of those arrangements. | However, Nash said “arrangements” had been put in place to comply with her ministerial obligations, though she did not specify the details of those arrangements. |
| Nash said Cain had given undertakings that both she and the company would not make representations to either Nash, health minister Peter Dutton or the Department of Health. | Nash said Cain had given undertakings that both she and the company would not make representations to either Nash, health minister Peter Dutton or the Department of Health. |
| “On the advice available to me these undertakings have been honoured in full,” Nash told parliament. “Indeed, neither my chief of staff nor my office has met with Mondelez – formerly Kraft – the owners of Cadbury, with whom he worked as a chief economist.” | “On the advice available to me these undertakings have been honoured in full,” Nash told parliament. “Indeed, neither my chief of staff nor my office has met with Mondelez – formerly Kraft – the owners of Cadbury, with whom he worked as a chief economist.” |
| The prime minister promised Cadbury $16m prior to the election to upgrade their factory. | The prime minister promised Cadbury $16m prior to the election to upgrade their factory. |
| Earlier in the day, Nash confirmed that Furnival, on her orders, intervened to pull down a healthy food website that rated packaged food on a 1-5 star basis. She said the website had been launched prematurely. | Earlier in the day, Nash confirmed that Furnival, on her orders, intervened to pull down a healthy food website that rated packaged food on a 1-5 star basis. She said the website had been launched prematurely. |
| The voluntary system had been two and a half years in the making and had been approved by the forum of state, federal and New Zealand ministers with oversight of food. The forum even took the unusual step of voting to approve the system at the last December meeting. | The voluntary system had been two and a half years in the making and had been approved by the forum of state, federal and New Zealand ministers with oversight of food. The forum even took the unusual step of voting to approve the system at the last December meeting. |
| All public stakeholder groups were told the website would be published last week but within hours Furnival rang the department to have it taken down. | All public stakeholder groups were told the website would be published last week but within hours Furnival rang the department to have it taken down. |
| The Guardian understands that when staff refused because they were under orders from the ministerial forum rather than the minister, Furnival went to the Department of Health’s senior executive ranks to intervene. | The Guardian understands that when staff refused because they were under orders from the ministerial forum rather than the minister, Furnival went to the Department of Health’s senior executive ranks to intervene. |
| Nash made the unusual move of adding to her question time response in the Senate adjournment debate just before 9pm on Tuesday. | Nash made the unusual move of adding to her question time response in the Senate adjournment debate just before 9pm on Tuesday. |
| “In short, both Mr Furnival and Ms Cain have taken proper and appropriate steps to prevent conflicts or potential conflicts between the private business and his duties as my chief of staff by withdrawing from any work for clients in the health portfolio,” she said. | “In short, both Mr Furnival and Ms Cain have taken proper and appropriate steps to prevent conflicts or potential conflicts between the private business and his duties as my chief of staff by withdrawing from any work for clients in the health portfolio,” she said. |
| “At the time of answering Senator Wong’s question I did not have every detail of this information at hand, but, having made further checks after question time I provide this information to the Senate.” | “At the time of answering Senator Wong’s question I did not have every detail of this information at hand, but, having made further checks after question time I provide this information to the Senate.” |
| APA is a partnership registered with NSW Fair Trading. NSW Fair Trading records show APA’s partners are APA Pty Ltd, Strategic Issues Management Pty Ltd and Centre for Litigation Communications Pty Ltd. | APA is a partnership registered with NSW Fair Trading. NSW Fair Trading records show APA’s partners are APA Pty Ltd, Strategic Issues Management Pty Ltd and Centre for Litigation Communications Pty Ltd. |
| Australian Securities and Investment Commission documents show that Furnival is a director of Strategic Issues Management Pty Ltd along with Tracey Cain, who is also secretary. | |
| The chief executive of the Public Health Association, Michael Moore, said it was clear that some influence had been “brought to bear” and consumer and health advocates would be pushing to have the website reinstated. | The chief executive of the Public Health Association, Michael Moore, said it was clear that some influence had been “brought to bear” and consumer and health advocates would be pushing to have the website reinstated. |
| “We were really appalled and shocked when it came down,” said Moore, who was an independent member in the ACT Legislative Assembly and a former health minister. | “We were really appalled and shocked when it came down,” said Moore, who was an independent member in the ACT Legislative Assembly and a former health minister. |
| “There is clearly politics but we just to get the website back up. We have a voluntary code that some parts of the industry wants to get up. | “There is clearly politics but we just to get the website back up. We have a voluntary code that some parts of the industry wants to get up. |
| “This was a system in place ready to go and some influence had been brought to bear to bring it down.” | “This was a system in place ready to go and some influence had been brought to bear to bring it down.” |