The Chinese Government is being asked to accept products from Alliance Group's Pukeuri meat-processing plant, despite the Ministry for Primary Industries continuing an inquiry into the plant management's breaching of export regulations twice in a month.
About 240 freezing workers remain out of work, having been laid off on August 8, because the plant's certification to export to China was suspended when a breach of Chinese labelling regulations was discovered in July. No date has been set for a return to work.
MPI acting director-general Scott Gallacher yesterday confirmed the plant's certification had been revoked twice.
''The Alliance plant in Pukeuri had two separate and distinct management problems.
''The first, in early July, related to them incorrectly exporting a small part of a consignment to China from a facility that was not listed by the Chinese authorities. The second, later problem, arose due to Alliance not labelling product in accordance with Chinese requirements.
''MPI suspended certification for Pukeuri after the first problem was uncovered and reinstated it after satisfying itself that appropriate corrective actions had been put in place by Alliance.
''When the second problem occurred, we again suspended certification and conducted an audit prior to deciding that certification could be reinstated.
The Chinese authorities were subsequently advised of MPI's decision in mid-August.
''We are now investigating whether any of these problems arose because the plant breached its obligations and responsibilities under the regulatory framework,'' Mr Gallacher said.
Chinese authorities were aware of both problems and the ministry was in discussions with them to find a way to lift Pukeuri's export listing suspension, he said.
The Alliance Group, approached for comment yesterday, declined to answer questions.
Labour Party economic development spokesman David Clark and primary industries spokesman Damien O'Connor called for the Alliance Group to ''come clean'' on the North Otago plant's future and to clarify if the plant would close for the rest of the season.
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy had yesterday ruled out compensation for lost wages for the 240 workers at the plant, Mr O'Connor said.
Dr Clark said workers at Pukeuri were now on ''tenterhooks'', rumours swirling that Alliance planned to shut its doors for the rest of the season. The workers deserved some clarification on their future as closure would leave them ''out of work and out of pocket''.
Otago was suffering its highest rate of unemployment in 22 years, and the impact of a closure on Oamaru ''cannot be underestimated'', he said.
New Zealand Meat Workers Union general secretary Graham Cooke said he was ''very disappointed'' to hear the plant's export licence had been revoked twice, when laid-off workers were still in limbo and struggling.
''They have got to try to rebuild their off-season arrangements, which I'm sure they weren't counting on.''
The Alliance issue is the latest of several high-profile bungles which have led to New Zealand exports being turned away from China.
