Andersen VirginiaVIRGINIA ANDERSEN (Labour): Thank you for the opportunity to stand and speak on theme four regarding the Customs and Excise Bill—theme four being the mechanics and miscellaneous. The preliminary provisions include definitions for the bill and its application to the mail and the military and it also provides for the transitions between the Acts. In particular Part 6 Subpart 3 includes general regulation- and rule-making powers and that includes the very important border processing levy. Part 5 Subpart 1 establishes the New Zealand Customs Service and states who can exercise customs powers and when they can do that.I would like to look at in particular clause 250 which looks at Authorised persons: individual authorisations" as a part in there. So while the mechanics cover that wider part we also have miscellaneous. It's always quite dangerous to give someone in this House the topic of miscellaneous to be able to speak to. So Part 6 Subpart 4 is a collection of disparate provisions that don't really fit anywhere—there could be some strong correlation with some activities on the opposite side of the House but we won't go there right now. Hon Member: They're here tonight.VIRGINIA ANDERSEN: Ha ha! So all the bits that don't really fit anywhere that don't have any real theme is what we get to speak to under miscellaneous. Those pieces are laid out quite clearly in terms of the regulations at the end.The bill will facilitate the authorisation of classes of suitably trained people to exercise customs powers and functions in specific limited circumstances. This is quite interesting in relation to clause 250 which actually enables a police officer to have the authorisation to act as a customs officer in certain circumstances. I guess this would be a very useful thing—having to act quickly and urgently if there are emergencies in terms of the contiguous zone—that police have seagoing vessels and are able to attend some kind of incursion and be able to respond quickly. So I see that as being an important area to enable the New Zealand Customs Service to be more flexible in responding to issues as they arise. But I'm interested to hear from the Minister in the chair Meka Whaitiri in terms of whether any additional training or requirements will be needed in order for that authorisation from the Comptroller of Customs to police officers acting in that capacity.It's interesting to look at the powers in the contiguous zone. The bill allows customs to exercise certain powers beyond the territorial sea and up to the outer limits of New Zealand's contiguous zone which is 12 to 24 nautical miles from the coast. It's an interesting area to see how New Zealand's powers are operating in that area in a time of increased international issues along the lines of methamphetamine and of bringing in contraband substances and also in a time when we're seeing an increase in human trafficking happening around the world. So looking at how our services here in New Zealand are working together more comprehensively to make sure that our border is secure and protected and that we are aware of any issues happening in that area will be important.I would like to speak in particular also to clause 251 and this is a new provision. I note that the chief executive may authorise specific classes of persons who are suitably qualified and trained to carry out any functions of a customs officer if they consider that that is required and that is within a 30-day period. I'm also interested to hear from the Minister if there's any particular reason why there's a 30-day cap on that. It would be interesting to know what the rationale was behind that particular period of time being tied in there. It says that the authorisation must specify that the incident and the relevant purposes and functions must not be clearly more than 30 days.So in terms of an overall bill that enables New Zealand's Customs Service to be modern to be flexible to move with the times and to make sure that we know our border is special and that we are doing the best to protect New Zealand's economy from the range of issues that are continuing to be of risk to New Zealand's ongoing safety—those I've already outlined in terms of fishing methamphetamine and ongoing trade issues—we have a piece of legislation that fully equips our country to do so."