Pettis Jill: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Pettis Jill: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:633;Page:5294] 
7.  
JILL PETTIS (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister of Trade 
: Has he received any response to his approach earlier this year to the Gulf Cooperation Council States to open negotiations for a free-trade agreement? 
Hon PHIL GOFF (Minister of Trade) 
: 
 Yes. Foreign Ministers from the six countries that make up the Gulf Cooperation Council—Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates Oman Kuwait Bahrain and Qatar—yesterday agreed to begin negotiations with New Zealand on a free-trade agreement. Scoping discussions for the negotiations will begin in the next couple of months. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: We will have some order in the House. 
Jill Pettis 
: How important economically to New Zealand will a successful outcome to these negotiations be? 
Gerry Brownlee 
: There are no restriction now. What are they wasting their money for? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: If the windbag on the Opposition side of the House can shut up for a moment I will answer his question. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I know that interjections will inspire further interjections but that remark was not appropriate. Will the Minister please stick to the answer. 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: I will answer two questions—one delivered officially and one by interjection. Firstly New Zealand exports merchandise goods to the Gulf Cooperation Council States to a value of approximately $720 million. That makes those States collectively about the same size as an important market like Germany to New Zealand. Secondly— 
Gerry Brownlee 
: That’s right; there’s no restriction. 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: To answer the member who keeps interjecting I say he does not know what he is talking about. There are tariff restrictions; he should do his homework instead of just mouthing off and wasting the time of the House. The agreement is important because it will strengthen and protect the competitive position of New Zealand’s exports— 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Come on name three of them! 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. Time and time again in the House today members have objected to a continuing barrage from members that is not rare and reasonable is against the Standing Orders of the House and is against the Speakers’ rulings. I ask you to enforce those rulings. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Madam Speaker I take you straight to the Standing Order that is about answers to questions. The Minister is trying to make out that somehow there is a massive gain to be made by New Zealand trade people going over there and entering into some sort of arrangement with the Gulf States. There is no— 
Madam SPEAKER 
: That is not a point of order Mr Brownlee. It is not for the Speaker to judge the quality or content of the answers. However the member is right that if members cannot be heard then one wonders what is the point of continuing with question time. So I ask that the Minister please continue with his answer. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. My point of order goes to the requirements for the answering of questions. Surely Madam Speaker the questions have to be of value to the public—the Standing Orders state they have to be in the public interest. When one knows full well there are no trade restrictions in that part of the world at all and when the Minister cannot stand up and outline one of them—because none exists—I ask what on earth the new public information is in that. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: This is a debating matter. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. During the answer and at the end of the question that was asked by the member the continual barrage from Mr Brownlee was that there were no restrictions now. He did not say it once; he said it 10 times. Then to make up for his ignorance he said “name three”—well there are finance residency and employment restrictions for a start; anybody would know that but of course that buffoon does not—but you did not throw him out for his outrageous behaviour. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Neither was that a point of order. Could we please continue. 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: The member may allege that there are no restrictions but I would invite him to talk to Fonterra to Meat and Wool New Zealand to our wood exporters to the Middle East and to iron and steel exporters to the Middle East. He will find that there are restrictions on entry to the Middle East. What is more at the specific request of those organisations we have entered into these negotiations in order to preserve the competitive position of New Zealand exporters. The member should not speak out of such deep ignorance always. 
Jill Pettis 
: Further to the answer the Minister has just given to the supplementary question could he advise the House which New Zealand exporters have shown a particular interest in the negotiation of a free-trade agreement? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: Dairy products and meat are particularly important exports to the Gulf Cooperation Council. They are facing tariffs of approximately 5 percent. Others countries like those in the European Union for example— 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Tell us about the non-existent tariffs. 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: Madam Speaker he is still doing it. He has ignored your rulings previously. He cannot bear not to hear the sound of his own hollow voice and I ask you to ask him to desist. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: No I am sorry—would the Minister please continue. It is very difficult to hear however. If members wish to remain with us for the rest of question time I ask them to respect other members’ right to be heard. 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: Fonterra and Meat and Wool New Zealand in particular believe a free-trade agreement is necessary to avoid competitors gaining preferential access in this expanding market. But the free-trade agreement will also benefit the forestry horticulture and manufacturing industries. It will also help those emerging industries like information and communications technology construction materials services medical equipment and education.