Lotu-Iiga Sam: Patents Bill — In Committee Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeLotu-Iiga Sam: Patents Bill — In Committee Third Reading[Sitting date: 27 August 2013. Volume:693;Page:12983. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA (National—Maungakiekie): It is a pleasure to speak on this the Patents Bill and to support the Minister of Commerce the Hon Craig Foss and the Commerce Committee which did some fine work on this bill in terms of getting it through the House process.Patents are important. I think we have all said that this afternoon. They are important because they are about innovation and advancement. They are about invention new ideas and new processes. That is the future of New Zealand’s economy and New Zealand business. Patents are important in that respect. Patents are important because it is appropriate to balance research and development and the interests of innovators and inventors with the interests of users of that technology or patented technology and patents. Although patents protect business innovators they are also about providing goods and services for consumers and the people of New Zealand. Patents are important because in a small economy like New Zealand which is becoming increasingly reliant on technology—especially in my electorate of Maungakiekie where there are high-tech manufacturing companies that rely on intellectual property rights—patents are important for our economy and they are important for jobs and opportunities in this country going forward.It is pleasing today that for once this year we have the Labour Party supporting a bill that supports jobs and opportunities and supporting a bill that supports families and communities out there that need legislation to support our economy. It may be indicative that the Labour Party is supporting this bill because it is currently leaderless it is currently rudderless and it is currently in need of some direction.The Patents Act is outdated. We have all acknowledged that fact. Patents are not new. In the 1600s the English Parliament passed a Statute of Monopolies that granted new monopoly rights around manufacturing. Our Act was put in place in 1953 so we can see that we are 60 years in the making in terms of changing and updating this Act. I think we on all sides of the House can take credit for that.The bill is about bringing our patents legislation and making it more closely aligned with our trading partners and the people whom we do business with across the world. In particular it is about looking at a single trans-Tasman patents application and examination regime that will bring down the costs of business and bring down the time delays that are involved in patent applications both here and in Australia. So I support this bill because I know that this bill will make a difference to our economy and will make a difference to our communities and to employers and employees out there who rely on this type of technology.May I finally just acknowledge the Minister and the moves that he made around Supplementary Order Paper 237 which has been talked about. There was wide consultation with the industry and close deliberation and I think we have a solution around computer programming that is workable that is realistic and that will bring positive outcomes for businesses and for inventors alike. So I support this bill because this Government is once again bringing legislation to this House that is promoting the economy promoting jobs and opportunities and leading us into the future. Thank you.Debate interrupted.