McNair Craig: Misuse of Drugs (Industrial Hemp) Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
McNair Craig: Misuse of Drugs (Industrial Hemp) Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:619;Page:15081] 
CRAIG McNAIR (NZ First) 
: 
 It was very interesting to listen to Mr Eckhoff’s speech. It reminded me a little of watching the New Zealand basketball team compete in the Olympics. At one stage while watching that team I would get all excited because it was ahead and the next thing it would get behind. Then I would become excited all over again when it got ahead once more. Fortunately on a few occasions right at the end the team was able to win but on others it unfortunately lost. I was riveted throughout the whole of Mr Eckhoff’s speech. I was thinking: “Yes he’s going to vote against it!” then “No he’s going to vote for it!” and again “Yes he’s going to vote against it!” and then “No he’s going to vote for it!” We heard quite a bit of confusion from Mr Eckhoff in that speech and I believe from the ACT party. Right up until the last minute it all hinged on whether Mr Tanczos said something good about him after Mr Eckhoff’s rather harsh responses as far as his actions in the Primary Production Committee were concerned. 
 I have a degree of respect for Mr Eckhoff and I am not trying to badger him for any reason but I was very interested in one thing that he said. He did not say that he got his information from any other source but he did say that he had asked Mr Tanczos today whether one could tell the difference between the cannabis plant and industrial hemp if one walked through an entire field of plants. He got his entire information from Mr Tanczos. I am not saying that Mr Tanczos is wrong and I am not questioning what he said to Mr Eckhoff. But having said that I suggest to Mr Eckhoff that especially on the issue of hemp and cannabis and on related issues he should look things up and get both sides of the story. [ 
Interruption 
] Well I disagree with Mr Eckhoff. Mr Eckhoff says that Mr Tanczos is the only authority in the House on cannabis issues. I bitterly disagree with Mr Eckhoff on that. I think a lot of people in this House have a great deal of interest in the repercussions that cannabis hemp and the wider drugs issue have on our nation’s young people and I say that respectfully to people who are on both sides of the argument. 
Turning from that issue I say that back in 1997 when New Zealand First was part of the coalition Government the issue of industrial hemp was raised. At that time a lot of questions came to the forefront regarding the whole issue. One of the issues was the fact that as the plant generations go on—as time goes on—the chemical level in hemp strengthens. That was one of the concerns that a lot of politicians had at that time. There were also a lot of other issues such as the one I have just raised about being able to tell whether cannabis is hemp or hemp is cannabis or of knowing what a plant is—being able to tell the difference between plants in the field. There are lots of other issues in that regard. Also as we saw in the Primary Production Committee and in this current Parliament there is a concern—and this is a concern that I hold personally and I am sure it is no surprise to Mr Tanczos or to anybody else in this House—that if we support this legislation and it does go through the House we may be dumbing down this Parliament and dumbing down the legislation with regard to cannabis law reform. A lot of people especially the ones who are on the pro side of the debate would say that no parallels whatsoever can be drawn between the two plants. They would say one is an agricultural issue and the other is a health issue. But I would say on behalf of New Zealand First and also especially from my own point of view that they are run parallel with each other. They are very close issues. 
Simon Power 
: What? 
CRAIG McNAIR 
: An Opposition member said: “What?”. To a member of the Opposition it is very clear that cannabis and hemp are very closely related. One does not have to be a rocket scientist to figure that out. 
New Zealand First has always stood firmly on its principles and will not support any legislation that supports marijuana in any form. How can we endorse legalising hemp when that plant is a known part of the marijuana family? That is without mentioning that the police as I said are busy enough without having to wander around hectares of hemp fields testing for THC levels. [ 
Interruption 
] Steve Chadwick interjects. After listening to her speech I honestly could not understand why she will be voting against this bill because the whole time she basically supported the fact that it should pass. Then right at the end of her speech she said she had to vote against the bill. I honestly thought that at least she would be voting for it. Steve Chadwick’s speech was unlike listening to Mr Eckhoff’s speech when I was thinking I was watching New Zealand’s Olympic basketball team in the middle of the night and seeing the game go one way and then the other. At least Steve Chadwick was not confused; she spoke in favour of the bill. But right at the end I think she showed that she was confused. 
I will close by saying that New Zealand is the sheep producer of the world. We all know that exciting and innovative things are happening in the wool industry in New Zealand and that they are continuing to happen with regard to that valuable and plentiful natural resource. We have an advantage in terms of wool. As Mr Eckhoff said—and this is one thing that I agree with him on—[ 
Interruption 
] That is right; he is displaying it. New Zealand wool is a very marketable product for which New Zealand is well renowned. New Zealand should concentrate on what it does best and on its best natural resource.