Faafoi Kris; Tolley AnneHon KRIS FAAFOI (Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs): Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker. Can I acknowledge the previous speaker in this debate Melissa Lee who was the chair of the Commerce Committee in the previous Parliament for that select committee's full examination of this treaty to advance it to the stage where we are able to debate it here in the House.It is a pleasure to speak here today in New Zealand's Parliament to the Marrakesh Treaty debate to facilitate access to published works for persons who are blind visually impaired or otherwise print disabled. Due to a new Standing Order if an international treaty is to be implemented by a bill the select committee report on the treaty must be set down for debate as a Government order of the day and that's what we are doing here today.As the Minister responsible for the bill that will implement the Marrakesh Treaty I'm pleased to be speaking on this agreement which will pave the way for 168000—potentially plus—New Zealanders with print disabilities to have greater access to copyright works in accessible formats such as Braille large print and sound. Before I go on can I acknowledge Neil Jarvis of the Blind Foundation and Rose Wilkinson of Blind Citizens New Zealand who I met earlier today who I think are amongst many who are excited to see this treaty being progressed in this House.I also acknowledge two former Ministers in the House Jacqui Dean and Nicky Wagner as commerce and disability Ministers who in the previous Government made sure that this issue was progressed. I'm sure there's willingness across the House to make sure that the legislation that will be introduced as a result of our supporting the Marrakesh Treaty will be progressing through the House as fast as possible.It's estimated that only 10 percent of all written materials currently published worldwide are published in formats accessible to people with a print disability and this lack of access is a barrier to participation in public life and restricts employment educational and recreational opportunities. I just want people at home who may be listening to or watching this at some stage just to think about the simplicity of being able to go to a book store and pick up a book for most New Zealanders and how difficult that would be for the 168000 New Zealanders who are affected if that day-to-day function wasn't available to you—if you couldn't go and pick up a Harry Potter book and give that to your child because they wouldn't be able to read it if you weren't able to study because of your inability to be able to access books.So the Marrakesh Treaty is as many speakers have said a multilateral treaty negotiated by the World Intellectual Property Organization. It was developed to provide an international legal framework for an exception to copyright infringement to facilitate the production and international exchange—as other members have spoken about—of copyright works in accessible formats. This exception allows non-profit organisations such as educational institutions libraries and charities serving print-disabled persons to produce and exchange accessible-format copies of copyright works without permission of the copyright owner.So far we understand around 30 countries have ratified the treaty including Australia Canada Chile and Singapore. The debate today is another step towards New Zealand ratifying the treaty. I understand there are also steps being taken to ratify the treaty in other jurisdictions including the EU and I understand from my conversation with Neil Jarvis this morning that when the EU ratifies this treaty it will essentially double the number of countries that would support this treaty and open up a lot more content to those New Zealanders who are desperate to do that.Ratifying this treaty will bring New Zealand into alignment with international obligations including those under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Most importantly however this treaty will make a real difference to the lives of those who use these resources and their families and the community. But I don't think the status quo is good enough. Our current legislation enacted through section 69 of the Copyright Act has an exception to copyright infringement that allows prescribed bodies as it says in the Act to make accessible format copies of copyright works without the need to seek the copyright owner's permission. However this is inadequate as only a small number of the 168000 New Zealanders with a print disability have access to accessible-format copies of copyright works and this access is limited.We know that only a small number of organisations with limited resources are providing accessible-format copies to a small group of persons. Meanwhile imported materials of copyright works are not subject to the accessibility provisions of domestic works which results in costly and time-consuming duplication of converting works to accessible formats when accessible-format copies of those works may be available from other countries at much lower cost. This is why joining the Marrakesh Treaty is a vital step in the right direction for New Zealand—so we can expect expanded faster and greater access to a wider variety of accessible-format copies to New Zealanders with print disabilities. We hope to see more effective use of resources by schools libraries and charitable organisations that serve people with print disabilities. The provisions of the treaty will also provide greater clarity around what kind of activity is permitted under the existing exception for those producers of copyright works.The next stages for the Marrakesh Treaty to be implemented will come in the form of a bill introduced into this House that will amend the Copyright Act. In addition to providing the minimum amendments necessary for support to the Marrakesh Treaty the bill will make additional amendments to the Copyright Act to further improve the availability of accessible-format works in New Zealand. The proposed amendments to the Copyright Act include amendments that will expand the range of organisations and individuals that may use the section 69 exception to make accessible-format copies for persons with a print disability.Both imported and exported accessible-format copies between New Zealand and other countries party to the Marrakesh Treaty will be included and this will enable content to be accessed much faster and easier by Kiwis. It will mean delays currently experienced will hopefully come to an end. In addition clarity will be provided on the extent to which people with a print disability or someone acting on their behalf can convert copyright works into accessible-format copies for personal use.Once the bill is passed through this House where I hope to see cross-party support New Zealand will be able to deposit its instruments of accession to the World Intellectual Property Organization. The Marrakesh Treaty will enter into force for New Zealand three months later with the amendments to the Copyright Act coming into force at the same time. These changes to the Copyright Act will benefit those with print disability to copyright owners and the rest of New Zealand society. This Government is committed to being a Government of inclusion and disability should never be a barrier from accessing information and material.I commend the work that the key organisations such as the Blind Foundation and Copyright Licensing New Zealand are already doing to improve access to print material for the visually impaired. I thank the involvement of these groups who have been working alongside the Government through the initiatives such as the accessible formats forum to improve access and assist in the smooth implementation of the treaty.Can I go back to the beginning and acknowledge the work of the Commerce Committee in the previous Parliament. I understand there were some concerns raised by the copyright owners and that was around access to digital formats and the fact that they may be disseminated and I believe that those concerns were raised and addressed in the select committee report and hopefully I will see them addressed in the legislation that comes to the House.Away from the technicalities I'd like to acknowledge the exciting step that this is for those 168000 New Zealanders who can see this as a beginning of a legislative process to change their lives. The ability to be able to have access—quick cheap access—to a book to a work or to a piece of literary work which has been difficult for them for some years and some decades is a milestone moment for them. I think it's something simple for most New Zealanders to be able to pick up a book or pick up a text book but for those 168000 New Zealanders who have been waiting for this treaty to pass through this House I think the fact that we're here today and that legislation is imminent is a great day for them and I acknowledge the Commerce Committee from the previous Parliament and all those who have worked to make sure we can get to this stage here today.DEPUTY SPEAKER: Like the member I'd like to go back and insert a piece that I overlooked. The question is that the motion be agreed to.