Heatley Phil: Biosecurity Amendment Bill — Second Reading Instruction to Committee In Committee Third Reading 
Heatley Phil: Biosecurity Amendment Bill — Second Reading Instruction to Committee In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:609;Page:7049] 
PHIL HEATLEY (NZ National—Whangarei) 
: Members will recall that I informed the Parliament that I was on the select committee with various members who are sprinkled around the Chamber tonight that considered this bill 2 years ago. At that time the title “Biosecurity Amendment Bill” appeared to be a fair enough title. Of course we have the original legislation the Biosecurity Act and this bill makes amendments to it. They are smart amendments—I might add having had the fortune of meeting people across the table who were interested in and saw the significance of biosecurity in New Zealand. However a lot has happened since then. We have had a large number of incursions in New Zealand. I listed those earlier and in order for the title to recognise the seriousness of these incursions which it does not do at present I suggest that instead—and I might put an amendment forward later; I am not sure what other members might do—the title should be the “Biosecurity (Stamping Out Recent Incursions) Bill”. 
I say that only because in recent years we have seen cane toads coming into this country as well as the fall webworm crazy ants the Asian gypsy moth the huntsman spider from Australia the redback spider the mosquito larvae the North American ring-necked snake the glassy-winged sharpshooter the Argentine ant—a visitor from Argentina I assume—and the varroa bee mite. 
That is why I talk about recent incursions because in recent years we have had all these visitors from Australia North America and now Argentina. Why should not the title be the “Biosecurity (Stamping Out Recent Incursions) Amendment Bill”? I would be interested in other members commenting on that. This solution should have come before the Parliament a long time before now. As I have said I was on the select committee over 2 years ago. I recall the urgency at the time. We have not seen any since. What we have seen is New Zealanders all around this country trying to stamp out and not with bare feet all these incursions into this country—insects and vertebrates snakes glassy-winged sharpshooters and on the list goes. I would be interested to see whether any other amendments in relation to the title come forward. I would be happy to support any sensible suggestions but I certainly put my suggestion forward and ask that members look at it very very seriously indeed. 
I would be very hesitant to list in the title the names of all these visitors. Imagine doing that! It would be easy though for New Zealanders if they could look up the bill and find out when the Argentine ant or the glassy-winged sharpshooter came to New Zealand. I cannot remember when the cane toads arrived. All I know is that when I go down the driveway they pop. I cannot remember when they came but I would like to look it up in the bill and find out when they visited New Zealand. It would be good if we had them listed in the title. The problem is that the title would be as long as the bill. Imagine that! Imagine having a title as long as the bill and it would be as long as the bill because of all the visitors we have had to this country. I hesitate to go through them again— 
Sandra Goudie 
: But you will. 
PHIL HEATLEY 
: The member should not encourage me. I hesitate to go through them all again.