Smith Nick: Hop Industry Restructuring Bill — Third Reading 
Smith Nick: Hop Industry Restructuring Bill — Third Reading 
[Volume:607;Page:4849] 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH (NZ National—Nelson) 
: 
 I want again to hold Labour members to account for what they said. They said: “Labour opposes deregulation”— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: We have had repetition. I allowed the member to go on and on in the second reading speech. In this third reading speech we will talk about this bill. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. There has been a debate on this side of the House that both Labour speakers have addressed. This bill is about deregulation and I take offence at you saying that I am not allowed to debate issues of deregulation when very clearly this is a deregulation of the hop industry. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member will debate according to the instructions I have given on this third reading; otherwise he will not be speaking. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: In respect of the third reading of this bill I point out what Labour members said prior to the election and what this bill does. I have here a quotation which states: “Labour opposes deregulation of the apple dairy and hop industries because single-desk selling gets the best market returns.” That is what Labour said to the people of New Zealand and what it said to the people of Nelson. The commentary on the bill states: “This legislation follows similar deregulation measures already passed in respect of the apple and pear and the dairy industries.” In spite of all the words and all the fancy footwork the fact is that Labour has flip-flopped. Labour has said one thing and done another. The greatest irony in respect of the third reading of this Hop Industry Restructuring Bill is that the apple and dairy industries have had their single-desk arrangements removed by this Government. Mr O’Connor’s explanation was that it was because of what the growers said. I will quote what he said about the hop industry restructuring in the  
Nelson Mail 
—a process that began in 1998. 
Hon Steve Maharey 
: Whinge moan moan. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: Mr Maharey does not want to be held to account for what was said. Well I will remind him of what he said and members on this side of the House will continue to remind him that the people of New Zealand will not accept the “Maharey principle”. 
Hon Steve Maharey 
: No one cares. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: They do care—and I care because I think people should be consistent. People should say what they do and while Mr Maharey wants to be able to re-invent things all the time and tell porkies we on this side of the House will do our job as the Opposition and hold Government members to account. 
Let us see exactly what was said. In 1998 when National had discussions with the Hop Marketing Board about a cooperative bill of this sort Mr O’Connor said: “The only reason hop growers have asked for reform is that the axe is being held over their head by Mr Luxton.” That is word for word what Mr O’Connor said. How does he explain that today? If the hop growers in 1998 were asking for reform only because Mr Luxton was holding an axe over their head why are they asking for reform now? There is absolute silence because there is no explanation. 
Mr O’Connor owes hop growers an explanation. If the only reason they were asking for reform in 1998 was that Mr Luxton was holding an axe over their head is the Minister holding an axe over their head today? 
Hon Damien O'Connor 
: No. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: He is not but 26 hop growers today agree to reform the hop industry. I simply say to the member opposite that he has done an absolute about-face. What he said to this Parliament in 1998 was absolutely the opposite. I have to compliment him on his speech. His speech then said: “The only way returns could be guaranteed for growers is through a single-desk structure.” But in the speech he has given today he said that a deregulated environment would provide better market signals. I ask Mr O’Connor whether John Luxton wrote that speech for him. He may as well have. I can accept that people might change their views slightly but to do an absolute 180-degree switch as we see from Mr O’Connor shows him to be the flake that he is in saying one thing and doing the complete opposite. Members on this side of the House— 
Hon George Hawkins 
: Tell us about the National Party leadership! 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: I see the incompetent Minister of Police has poked his head up. Why does he not organise some police for the streets of Auckland rather than cutting police colleges? 
I come back to the bill. The hop industry is a wonderful industry and it has a great future. This bill had its genesis in the discussions that occurred between National and the hop industry at the time. I am pleased to see that it has come through but sad to see there has been no reasonable explanation of why Labour has done its flip-flop. The best news is that the hop industry will be able to continue to grow and to control its own future and that is key. 
Bill read a third time.