Foss Craig: Commerce Commission (International Co-operation and Fees) Bill — In Committee 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Foss Craig: Commerce Commission (International Co-operation and Fees) Bill — In Committee 
[Sitting date: 29 May 2012. Volume:680;Page:2638. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Hon CRAIG FOSS (Minister of Commerce) 
: 
 I intend to move Supplementary Order Paper 274 during the Committee of the whole House. I note that because of changes to the Standing Orders the amendments set out on the Supplementary Order Paper which was tabled before the last election can now be considered without leave of the Committee of the whole House.  
That Supplementary Order Paper proposes to add new Subpart 4 to Part 1 of the Commerce Commission (International Co-operation and Fees) Bill to amend the Telecommunications Act 2001 to authorise the Commerce Commission to provide investigative assistance and compulsorily acquired information under the Telecommunications Act to assist overseas telecommunications regulators. Incorporating the Telecommunications Act is consistent with the overall intent of the bill to allow the Commerce Commission to assist equivalent overseas regulators in the enforcement of competition and consumer laws. The Supplementary Order Paper will also align the New Zealand and Australian approaches as the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is already able to provide such assistance to the New Zealand Commerce Commission.  
I too acknowledge the rapid way in which we have come to this bill but we are here now. In respect of what a previous speaker said I do acknowledge the general cooperation and collaborative nature around this particular bill. I hope that that continues to facilitate its progress. 
Hon Lianne Dalziel 
: There is no facilitation—not after breaking deals.  
Hon CRAIG FOSS 
: Fine. I am just saying my piece. On that point I acknowledge as I did in my second reading speech that the bill originated with the former Minister of Commerce the Hon Lianne Dalziel under the previous Labour Government. Many of these commerce bills are across Parliament and we fully respect that. I do always make a point of acknowledging that point.  
Did I hear right that the Hon David Cunliffe was off to a monastery or something? I note he has a beard ready to go a monastery or something. But he did raise a very good point about the Supplementary Order Paper and the Telecommunications Act. I respect that we are on Part 1 at the moment but this is just an introductory speech here. It is just an acknowledgment of how things have changed over recent years and in hindsight that probably should have been thought of in the initial stages of the bill. But again there is a collaborative nature across the House with regard to its merits and an acceptance of why that should be included.  
As the previous speaker David Cunliffe noted the bill is relatively small. There is a Supplementary Order Paper that breaks it into four bills later on in respect of the Acts that it amends or impacts upon. Importantly it is a very important part of our single economic market agenda with Australia and it is one of the 28 key points that the Government has signed up to with Australia. We are making good progress on those. As I noted at the start of my speech Australia can already share information with New Zealand. This bill will empower the New Zealand Commerce Commission to share such information with its counterpart over there. We already have cross-sittings of the chairs or representatives of both the Australian equivalent and the New Zealand Commerce Commission. That keeps them aware of what is going on in the two economies. As other members have noted so much of our economy crosses the Tasman in one way shape or form.  
Most of the detail is in Part 1 which we are addressing now. I am looking forward to hearing views and points from members around the Chamber. I do acknowledge the work of the Commerce Committee and the improvements and value that it gave to this bill particularly the sections about what was originally drafted as Government to Government permissions and for Government regulators to also be able to talk to each other.  
I note that although this bill concentrates on New Zealand and Australia in fact it could be empowered to go beyond that subject to some upfront agreements for protections of privacy and protection as members will see of self-incriminating statements etc. They would not be shared. There are strong rules upfront about how information could be shared and members may also note that a lot of the information around Part 4 of the Commerce Act is actually not to be shared. Most of those are domestic energy - type situations in New Zealand. I look forward to hearing members’ views and opinions on this part of the bill.