14Deciding an application for accreditation

14 Deciding an application for accreditation

(1)  The Chief Inspector must consider an application for accreditation made in accordance with section 12 and either grant the accreditation with conditions or refuse the application.

(2)  The Chief Inspector may grant the accreditation sought by the applicant only if satisfied –

(a) that the applicant is a suitable person to hold such accreditation; and

(b) if the applicant is a body corporate, that each director of the body corporate is a suitable person to be the director of a body corporate that holds such an accreditation; and

(c) that the applicant satisfies any requirements for accreditation set out in the food safety scheme applicable to the primary production activity the applicant proposes to engage in.

(3)  For the purposes of determining the suitability of a person under subsection (2) , the Chief Inspector may, without limitation, take into account –

(a) any offence committed by the person against –

(i) this Act or an Act repealed by this Act; or

(ii) the Food Act 2003 ; or

(iii) a prescribed Act; or

(iv) a corresponding law; and

(b) any offence of dishonesty committed by the person.

(4)  If the applicant is required to prepare and implement a food safety program under a food safety scheme, the Chief Inspector may grant the accreditation only if satisfied that the food safety program complies with the relevant food safety scheme.

(5)  If the Chief Inspector grants an accreditation in circumstances where subsection (4) applies, the applicant's food safety program becomes the approved food safety program for the accreditation.