Ardern Shane: Border Security Bill — In Committee 
Ardern Shane: Border Security Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:617;Page:13273] 
SHANE ARDERN (National—Taranaki - King Country) 
: 
 It is with some regret that I rise to speak in opposition to Part 1 of the Border Security Bill tonight on behalf of the National Party. This bill went through the Government Administration Committee and I acknowledge the fine work that was done in that committee. I also acknowledge the fine work done by the officials in advising the Minister on the need for some changes to the way we carry out our border security particularly in relation to events around the terrorist attacks of 9/11 in the USA. 
Unfortunately—and I say “unfortunately” because it is unfortunate—the Minister decided to take this opportunity to slip in without consultation with industry at the eleventh hour in the process a backdoor tax which was an original proposal of about $20 million of extra tax at a time when this Government is experiencing record surpluses. Subsequently the Minister under extreme pressure from not only the Opposition members of Parliament—in particular in response to this legislation—but also from industry has made a minor adjustment now and decided to back down by $4 million on that cost for exporters. In doing so of course he is admitting that he got it wrong in the first place and is actually agreeing with the advice that was given to him which was that the figure was an arbitrary figure that there was no basis for that figure and that proper costing had not been done to figure out what it would cost to implement some of those measures. So now the Minister has announced—and he is hoping that industry will support him which of course it will not—that he is backing down on $4 million on the export part of the cost. 
 In clauses 7B and 8C the Government is proposing to introduce those costs. We will strongly oppose those back-door costs right through this process. I give the Government warning now and I expect some members on the other side of the Committee to take a call and explain to the industry—the exporters and importers and those in between who are in shipping—why it felt the need at this point with these huge surpluses to dump this cost on them. Why did the Government feel the need for that? 
What the Government also needs to explain about Part 1 is how this is in keeping with the statement made by the Prime Minister and many other Ministers at various times that this Government is pro-growth. How this measure ties in with that statement is beyond me—I admit to that. It would be very very interesting to those listening tonight and also to members on this side of the Chamber to hear a member on the Government benches stand up and tell members how dumping $16 million or more of tax on to exporters importers and shipping companies is consistent with the statement in the Speech from the Throne about putting more growth into the economy of New Zealand. What this Government fails to understand—and has failed to understand ever since it has been in power—is that it is our exporters importers and those who are involved in business in New Zealand who actually drive the economy. That is the bit the Government has not been able to understand. It is something that it fails to comprehend and there is no surprise in that if one understands where those members come from. Not one of them has been an exporter an importer or a person who has been in business. 
Hon David Carter 
: All union delegates. 
SHANE ARDERN 
: They are all union delegates. They are all people who have always been price receivers rather than price generators as it were. They have always been out on the end of some pay chain rather than generating the wealth that pays the salaries. So we end up in Parliament tonight debating the Border Security Bill which effectively is a further tax—and a back-door sneaky tax at that—with no consultation. It is an abuse of the select committee process and an abuse of industry. 
Lindsay Tisch 
: Who was the Minister? 
SHANE ARDERN 
: Well there has been a variety of fingerprints all over this one but the Minister is Rick Barker. I invite Mr Barker to take a call. 
Hon David Carter 
: Will he take a call? 
SHANE ARDERN 
: I am sure he will. I am positive he will because he is passionate about this. I am sure he will take a call to explain why it is that tonight in the Committee members are debating this back-door tax.