Clendon David: Third Readings — 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Clendon David: Third Readings — 
[Sitting date: 16 October 2012. Volume:684;Page:5847. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
DAVID CLENDON (Green) 
: 
 May I just in beginning compliment Dr Prasad on his perseverance in getting through his contribution. It has been a long haul. I am pleased to take a final call on these bills: the Commerce (International Co-operation and Fees) Amendment Bill the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance (International Co-operation) Amendment Bill the Fair Trading (International Co-operation) Amendment Bill and the Telecommunications (International Co-operation) Amendment Bill which have evolved or rather been derived from the original Commerce Commission (International Co-operation and Fees) Bill. We have been happy to support that bill throughout its rather extended journey through this House—some 4 years coming on 5 years. We were happy to support the division into the four bills that we are discussing collectively tonight. It was an appropriate and a sensible thing to do. 
In his opening remarks the Minister of Consumer Affairs on behalf of the Minister of Commerce pointed out some of the features of these bills as they emerged collectively; initially that they are intended to enhance cooperation between our Commerce Commission and its Australian counterpart and indeed the consumer and the anti-competitive regulatory bodies in other countries. That is an entirely appropriate and sensible thing to do. 
It is interesting that the notion of cooperation is emerging much more in business. Competition has its place of course and anti-competitive behaviour ought not to be tolerated but equally in the evolving and emerging language in the business sector there is much more recognition that in a small country a high level of inter-business cooperation and collaboration is a good thing. Indeed I think that notion can extend. That notion of cooperation can even extend across the Tasman given that New Zealand and Australia have some combined economic interests clearly as well as having our independent sovereign interests. But equally we should recognise that the notion of collaboration is an extremely powerful place to start looking to do business and to do well economically as well as in other ways. 
The bills contain the notion of reciprocity—that all participants be they in bilateral or multilateral arrangements should benefit. Again that is entirely sensible and appropriate otherwise what would be the motivation for other countries to participate? The notion of flexibility that these bills allow for both Government to Government and regulator to regulator relationships to be built up over time and for action to be taken at that level was particularly important. It is a long time ago now but I recall that the Commerce Committee looked at the issue of regulator to regulator engagement and to some extent that was based on recognising that otherwise we could find ourselves in the situation where the commission was having to deal potentially with half a dozen different state Governments in Australia. That simply was not feasible. There was no point to not creating this other flexibility and these other flexible arrangements. 
As I said the Greens have supported the original bill throughout its extended journey. Our only concerns initially were about the issue of the regulatory powers that allowed for an exemption in terms of the fees. We had some suspicions about that but I can say that they were allayed through the select committee process. Clearly the intention is that the exemption may be applied to small to medium sized enterprises recognising that it is not appropriate to put on a small to medium sized business the same burden or cost as that put on a larger concern a large corporate that is very likely trading across the Tasman anyway. We think that is a very good thing. 
I hope that that continues—that the Government continues to have regard for the well-being of the small to medium sized enterprises sector. I have to say that within the sector there is a great deal of concern that such support for small to medium sized enterprises seems to be conspicuous by its absence from this Government—notably for example a week or so ago at a gathering of 150-odd small to medium sized enterprises at the Small Business Summit. I was there for the third time and a third year. Labour sent a senior MP; a former Minister. 
Regrettably the Government did not seem to be able to produce a person despite the fact that the organisation organising this event for the 150-plus small to medium sized enterprises actually shifted the date of the event to accommodate the diary of the Minister for Small Business who nevertheless could not manage to be there and nor could one single member of this National-led Government which is quite extraordinary. 
These bills do give some consideration to the small to medium sized enterprises and to the small business sector and that has been as I said notable by its absence in many other contexts. The Government seems to have no interest in this sector which provides over 30 percent of employment in New Zealand and contributes something like 40 percent of value-added production in New Zealand. Small to medium sized enterprises make up something like 97 percent of all of the enterprises in New Zealand so their collective contribution is extraordinary. And we do hope that the contribution or the acknowledgment of the small to medium sized enterprise sector and its special character—which this legislation which is about to become law does recognise; these Acts as they soon will be—will not be entirely overlooked by this Government. 
Having said that it is not entirely an issue because the Greens are very very happy to pick up the cudgels to become the champions of small to medium sized enterprises because after all even our largest companies started out as small businesses. The Greens are very pleased and very happy to be involved in supporting small to medium sized enterprises helping them down a sustainability path and helping them to become contributing members of our economy to our environmental well-being and to our social well-being. 
So although this Government seems to have lost its way in supporting small to medium sized enterprises the Greens are very happy to pick up that task and continue it. So with those few comments as I say we will continue to support the progress of this legislation and we look forward to it being passed into law. Kia ora.