Brown Peter: Overseas Investment Bill — Second Reading Instruction to Committee In Committee Third Reading 
Brown Peter: Overseas Investment Bill — Second Reading Instruction to Committee In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:626;Page:21607] 
PETER BROWN (Deputy Leader—NZ First) 
: 
 I have to say that I do not know where that honourable member has been during this debate because New Zealand First opposed that clause as strongly and as strenuously as the National Party did. 
Hon David Carter 
: And you opposed everything else. 
PETER BROWN 
: We did but we certainly were not having that bill put through with that clause in it. 
A few speeches ago Clayton Cosgrove said that the average New Zealander does not mind foreign investment as long as there are obligations. 
Clayton Cosgrove 
: And they’re enforced. 
PETER BROWN 
: Actually he did not say that but he is adding to it—and they are enforced. That is exactly New Zealand First’s position. We do not mind people coming here with suitcases of money as long as they make a permanent commitment to this country to participate both economically and socially. 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: Did the member have suitcases of money when he came in? 
PETER BROWN 
: No I probably did not—I had a trunkful. We live in a world where investment does advance the country but there are many organisations in this country. Let me name a few that have taken their money offshore—thanks in large part to the difficulties this Government imposes on them. Electricity lines companies cannot invest in electricity in this country except in a modest way. So what are they looking at doing? They are investing in Australia—as are some of our power companies. Maori corporations—and my colleague Ron Mark will tell people more about this matter in some detail at some other time—are looking at investing offshore because of the difficulties in investing here. Private fishing companies are looking at investing offshore. These are New Zealand entities that are keen to invest in this country yet this Government—helped by its old buddy the National Party—wants to open the door and let in anybody with any amount of money and they can then move out. They can leave the money and move out. The ACT member Deborah Coddington said this afternoon that she did not mind being a waitress in a cafe and that it would do us all good. 
New Zealand First stands for controls and restrictions on foreign investment. We oppose making it easier for foreigners to come into this country leave their money buy the businesses buy our homes and buy our land. 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: Tell them to leave the suitcases and go. 
PETER BROWN 
: The member might make light of it but this is a serious issue and it will be an issue that the average New Zealander will show his or her support for come the next election. In the next few weeks average New Zealanders will show just where their thoughts are. 
Dr Cullen was so hard up in his attempt to substantiate his facts that he had to refer to the French manager of the Arsenal Football Club as a poor example. He had to refer to Arsene Wenger the manager of Arsenal as a poor example. Arsene Wenger has made an absolutely fabulous commitment to Britain. He lives there he has put his life on the line and he is doing a fantastic job for a major football club. I thought that that was actually a poor example to give when one is trying to illustrate where things are going wrong because in fact they have not gone wrong in that instance. [ 
Interruption 
] The members muttering away behind me have confused foreigners coming here with their money with people coming here who want to stay and invest in the country. New Zealand First has no problem at all with anybody coming here— 
Hon Ruth Dyson 
: What did you bring with you to New Zealand? 
PETER BROWN 
: The member has asked a question that would take me too long to answer. [ 
Interruption 
] 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Let the member continue. 
Hon Member 
: The member should answer the Minister for Disability Issues. 
Hon Member 
: Did the member ship the money out of the country? 
PETER BROWN 
: I will answer the member with a disability. Never have I shipped money out of the country for any ulterior motive. This is a serious issue and New Zealand First is very strong on having restrictions on just anybody coming here to take over our businesses and our homes. It raises the cost of business in this country the cost of homes and the cost of land and puts them beyond the reach of the average New Zealander. I think that much has been said in the debate on this bill but after this bill goes through it will make it harder for New Zealanders to buy land homes and farms—and it is hard enough now. [ 
Interruption 
] The member disagrees but I can tell him that he has got it wrong. New Zealand First opposes this bill.