Whaitiri MekaMARITIME POWERS EXTENSION BILLFirst ReadingHon MEKA WHAITIRI (Minister of Customs): E Te Māngai o Te Whare tēnā koe otirā e ngā mema katoa tēnā tātou katoa. I move That the Maritime Powers Extension Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee to consider this bill.Today high schools all up this country descend on Palmerston North to compete for the grand national title of secondary kapa haka. So on behalf of this side the Government we extend our warm wishes to every single kapa their tutors their whānau and their supporters over these next few days in the very good electorate of Te Tai Hauāuru and the general electorate of Palmerston North.Back to the bill the Maritime Powers Extension Bill seeks to provide a domestic legislative framework for responding to drug-smuggling activity in international waters beyond New Zealand's territorial seas. New Zealand may be a small country in terms of its land mass but it is responsible for the security of a vast area of surrounding ocean. We have the world's fourth-largest exclusive economic zone just to give an idea of the scale. Historically this vast area of sea has acted as a barrier and protection from many of the ills and threats that affect other parts of the world. New Zealand has simply been too far away. In this regard the tyranny of distance has served us well but distance is no longer our friend when it comes to drug-smuggling.In our long and often isolated coastline is our vulnerability. We can no longer rely on our geographical isolation as a deterrent. We have seen a marked increase in the number of smuggling operations taking place across the South Pacific over the past two years including those targeting or implicating New Zealand. It is critical that our agencies have the tools to respond effectively to organised crime groups using ships on the high seas to bring drugs in large quantities to our part of the world without impeding the legitimate movement of people goods and services.Australia now has the legislative ability to intercept these shipments in international waters. New Zealand is increasingly likely to be seen as a softer target. The fact that illicit drugs tend to attract a high price in New Zealand also makes this country an attractive market. Currently we have no law that explicitly makes smuggling drugs via international waters an offence in New Zealand. We have no legal framework that allows our Customs Service—or any other agency for that matter—to take enforcement action against those who are involved in drug-smuggling on the high seas 24 nautical miles out from our coastline beyond our territorial waters and contiguous zone.New Zealand is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. These conventions provide New Zealand with rights and obligations to supress the smuggling of illicit drugs in international waters. This bill would both address the gap in our legislative powers to deal with seaborne drug-smuggling and help us meet our international obligations under those United Nations agreements.Specifically this bill will give customs the statutory power to board search and if evidence of offending is found take necessary enforcement actions in respect of vessels in international waters beyond the contiguous zone in line with the powers that apply within New Zealand's contiguous zone. That will include in certain circumstances the power to seize the vessel itself. It will also make it an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 to knowingly be involved in an effort to smuggle drugs to or from New Zealand. It will also ensure that these powers can only be exercised where customs have reasonable cause to suspect that a ship is involved in drug-smuggling. Customs will work with other agencies such as the New Zealand Defence Force to exercise these powers far offshore from Aotearoa New Zealand. However customs' new vessel the Hawk V—the launch of which I was fortunate enough to attend as one of my early official duties as customs Minister—also bolsters customs' capability to enforce our powers at sea.I want to acknowledge the support of New Zealand First and the Green Party of Aotearoa / New Zealand for this bill. Collectively we are committed to stopping the flow of illicit drugs that are causing lasting harm to New Zealand whānau and communities. This bill provides an additional option for customs to disrupt and dismantle the networks that are responsible for these harms. I also would like to acknowledge the Hon Nicky Wagner and the Hon Tim Macindoe who as previous Ministers of Customs provided their support during the early development of this bill. Thank you also to the Government departments and agencies who have assisted with the preparation of this bill.It is vital that our law enforcement agencies have all the tools available to combat drug-smuggling activities. As the risk of maritime smuggling is at its highest in the summer season I think that we can all agree that there is a need to enact the bill as quickly as possible. I am therefore grateful for the support indicated by other parties and the chair of the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee in making this happen. I commend this bill to the House.