Hide Rodney: Dairy Industry Restructuring Amendment Bill (No 2) — Second Reading In Committee Third Reading 
Hide Rodney: Dairy Industry Restructuring Amendment Bill (No 2) — Second Reading In Committee Third Reading 
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RODNEY HIDE (Leader—ACT) 
: 
 I rise on behalf of the ACT party to support the Dairy Industry Restructuring Amendment Bill (No 2); it is a good bill. I will respond to some of Mr Woolerton’s comments. It seems to us that this is a good bill because I do not think that farmers’ interests and producers’ interests are served by having only a monopoly exporting into those quota markets. If we look at the history of the world then we will see that it has always been smaller companies with an idea that have come along have innovated and have provided the new markets and the new ways of doing things and they have provided for an increase in prosperity for everyone. That is why we support this bill. 
I have to say that I was somewhat amazed when I listened to Mr Woolerton’s comments. He does know the industry having worked in it but I would suggest to Mr Woolerton that if xenophobia worked as he says it does then countries like Albania North Korea and Cuba would be rich and prosperous. In a country of 4 million people we cannot eat all the cheese we produce we cannot drink all the milk we produce and we cannot use all the primary produce we produce and that is why xenophobia does not work. We have to be open to the world. We have to like people from other countries. 
Mr Woolerton has an idea to build a fortress around our industry where we would not change anything we would not allow any competition or choice and we would not innovate. 
R Doug Woolerton 
: Oh no I didn’t say that. 
RODNEY HIDE 
: Mr Woolerton says he did not say that but the implication of having one buyer and it being run as a farmer cooperative is precisely that. Mr Woolerton said that yes New Zealand First has the view that we should have a fortress around New Zealand and that we should protect ourselves from foreigners. We also learnt that Mr Woolerton thinks that anyone who disagrees with New Zealand First and Mr Woolerton is somehow an idiot who does not understand the issues as well as he does. He would rather say that than debate the arguments and ideas. 
I have also learnt this about Mr Woolerton and I think this is a sad day. When Mr Woolerton disagrees with someone it is because that person has ulterior motives. I think it is a sad day when we attack former members of this House for having ulterior motives for what they do. We might disagree with them but I do not think we have seen people here with ulterior motives promoting legislation. 
I make this point again to Mr Woolerton. Having people who are doing well in business and making money is good for New Zealand it is good for the farming industry and we want a successful and prosperous dairy industry all the way along at every step of the way. That is what will make the dairy industry successful into the 21st century and beyond. The idea that we can somehow have a locked-up little market where one company sells to the world and that will be good for farmers has to be absurd. Like I have said I say to Mr Woolerton that if that worked then Albania would be rich North Korea would be rich and Cuba would be rich. 
Hon David Carter 
: And Doug would be president. 
RODNEY HIDE 
: And Doug could be the president of those countries for life. So the ACT party rises to support this bill. 
I learnt one other thing about New Zealand First members. Here they are railing against this bill and I have learnt that they are xenophobic and proud of it. I learnt that they want to have a fortress around New Zealand that they believe in monopolies that they attack people who disagree with them as having ulterior motives and for being stupid and that this bill is a disaster for the dairy industry. I then learnt one other thing: New Zealand First will vote for the bill along with every one of us. Thank you Mr Chairman.