New Zealand’s outspoken Green MP Sue Kedgley will step down from politics before the next election, ending her 12-year career.
Kedgley has been a thorn in the political arena, pushing for disputed policies on clearer food labelling, which detail country of origin. She has also lobbied for healthier school canteens, as well as seeking improved animal welfare.
However, despite her decision to step down, the Greens spokesperson has announced she will continue to pursue the issues over the next year.
Next week her proposed animal welfare bill will be debated in Parliament, but she is not optimistic.
“The National Party says it’s going to oppose my bill to strengthen the Animal Welfare Act—it’s because of the opposition from the farming lobby, from the pig industry and from the poultry industry,” she told 3 News.
Her bill to promote healthy nutrition at schools also met opposition. It was initially passed by the previous Labour government, but scrapped by the National government.
She says that big corporations exert pressure on government policies.
“The reason they scrapped the school food guidelines and are not prepared to have mandatory country of origin labelling is because of pressure from the food industry,” she told 3 News.
Kedgley has a Political Science degree, and is the author or co-author of seven books, the most recent one of which is entitled Eating Safely in a Toxic World.
She was a Wellington City Councillor for 7 years, a TV reporter for 8 years, and worked for 8 years in the United Nations Secretariat, promoting women’s issues and organising international conferences.
Kedgley has been a thorn in the political arena, pushing for disputed policies on clearer food labelling, which detail country of origin. She has also lobbied for healthier school canteens, as well as seeking improved animal welfare.
However, despite her decision to step down, the Greens spokesperson has announced she will continue to pursue the issues over the next year.
Next week her proposed animal welfare bill will be debated in Parliament, but she is not optimistic.
“The National Party says it’s going to oppose my bill to strengthen the Animal Welfare Act—it’s because of the opposition from the farming lobby, from the pig industry and from the poultry industry,” she told 3 News.
Her bill to promote healthy nutrition at schools also met opposition. It was initially passed by the previous Labour government, but scrapped by the National government.
She says that big corporations exert pressure on government policies.
“The reason they scrapped the school food guidelines and are not prepared to have mandatory country of origin labelling is because of pressure from the food industry,” she told 3 News.
Kedgley has a Political Science degree, and is the author or co-author of seven books, the most recent one of which is entitled Eating Safely in a Toxic World.
She was a Wellington City Councillor for 7 years, a TV reporter for 8 years, and worked for 8 years in the United Nations Secretariat, promoting women’s issues and organising international conferences.
