Guy Nathan: Meat Board Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Guy Nathan: Meat Board Amendment Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:633;Page:4714] 
NATHAN GUY (National) 
: 
 I rise in support of this bill. The Primary Production Committee had quite a few submissions on it and they were wide ranging as well. It was interesting to hear both sides of the argument. There was concern out there amongst the Government members that there could be a bit of a challenge to this bill as it sat in 2004 but I think that in going through the submission process we were able to hear both sides of the argument—the pros and the arguments against—and to understand the bill more fully. 
The Primary Production Committee believes that this legislation will actually clarify the intention of the Meat Board Act as it was passed in 2004. We have gone through quite a robust process of working through all those issues. In particular this amendment bill is about ensuring that the value of quota is apportioned appropriately throughout the industry. We need to be mindful of the actual impact on the small players in the industry and also on the toll processors who are actually killing on behalf of others and taking a headage. Although we had submissions against the amendment and they tended to be from some of the bigger meat companies throughout New Zealand we had submissions in favour of tidying up the bill from some of those smaller processors. I think it was important that we heard both sides of the argument and reacted accordingly. 
I would like to acknowledge the officials who have done a pretty good job I believe in drafting this bill and in working with the select committee to bring it through to where it sits right now. 
The bill is actually tidying up the ambiguity around the Act and that is extremely important. The bill will allow quota to flow through. The value of quota will still be represented right across the board to farmers at the farm-gate level and that is also extremely important. Competition in this industry is rife so it is most important that quota are spread right throughout the industry and that farmers actually get value for money from the quota process. Most farmers did not want to see a legal challenge to the Act and I believe that the select committee having gone through the bill will ensure that it does not happen. 
The key part of this bill fundamentally still allows the Meat Board to act in its own right in allowing the quota process to go forward. The commentary on the bill states: “The Meat Board may allocate quota on the basis of share of production history regardless of how much kill is exported.” We accept that the debate about quota allocation will continue and that other allocation options permitted by law will remain possible. The Meat Board has statutory power to make a choice about how the quota are allocated and that is extremely important. There is a democratic process that the board goes through. It was fortunate that we had on our select committee Mr Colin King who was part of the Meat Board in the last term but has now stood down. He was a great influence and guiding hand as we went through that process. The Meat Board is made up of democratically elected members who come from right throughout New Zealand and it is very important that those people have a say in how the quota are allocated along with the officials from the Crown. 
As we look forward we see that we are tidying up I guess a bit of ambiguity that may surround the legislation. It is important legislation for primary production people in New Zealand particularly for farmers growing meat and veal. It will ensure that money flows through to the farm gate. From this side of the Chamber it is interesting to note that with Mr Sutton standing down recently and being replaced by another list member—