Norman Russel: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers Questions to MembersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeNorman Russel: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members[Sitting date: 25 August 2015. Volume:708;Page:6079. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]9.Dr RUSSEL NORMAN (Green) to the Minister of Trade: Which stakeholder groups have been briefed as to the draft content of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement since the completion of the last round of negotiations in July; and which groups have been briefed as to the process going forward for the agreement?Hon TODD McCLAY (Acting Minister of Trade): The Minister has made a number of public comments on the status of the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations including this week from Kuala Lumpur. New Zealand’s position on the release of the draft text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement has not changed. The text is not being shared with stakeholders as negotiations are still continuing and it and other negotiating proposals are subject to confidentiality undertakings agreed on by all Trans-Pacific Partnership countries. The Government continues to meet with and brief stakeholders about the specific areas of interest in the negotiation. Since the Maui meetings this has included meetings with representatives from business groups agricultural exporters and the IT sector.Dr Russel Norman: Does one of the groups that have been briefed as to the process going forward for the Trans-Pacific Partnership include National Party MPs; and if so can he explain why Dr Shane Reti the deputy chair of the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee told the Northern Advocate that “the agreement comes before Parliament and Opposition parties and select committees for debate and modification.”?Mr SPEAKER: The Hon Todd McClay—either of those two supplementary questions.Hon TODD McCLAY: The Minister has briefed a number of different groups including arranging for negotiators from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to brief the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee of Parliament. I note that the member is speaking of a member of that committee. I am not aware of what information was provided to that committee.Dr Russel Norman: Will Parliament be able to modify the text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement after the Government has signed it?Hon TODD McCLAY: The member needs to be careful not to get ahead of himself. There is still a negotiation under way and the Government has been clear that we will sign the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement only if it is for the overall good of New Zealand and the New Zealand economy. What I can confirm is that should we be successful in negotiating a high-quality agreement that is good for New Zealand it will follow the same parliamentary process as other similar agreements.Dr Russel Norman: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. It is a very simple—Mr SPEAKER: Order! I can anticipate the point of order. I am going to invite the member to ask that question again.Dr Russel Norman: Thank you. Will Parliament be able to modify the text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement after the Government has signed the agreement?Hon TODD McCLAY: The member needs to be careful not to get ahead of himself. There is no agreement under the Trans-Pacific Partnership yet. Should there be an agreement it would have to be in the overall best interests of New Zealand for the Government to sign it and the process will be the same as every other trade agreement that is put before Parliament.Dr Russel Norman: Point of order—Mr SPEAKER: I will allow the member an additional supplementary question.Dr Russel Norman: Will Parliament be able to modify the text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement after the Government signs it?Hon TODD McCLAY: The process that will be followed for the Trans-Pacific Partnership should it be successfully negotiated and concluded will include a national interest assessment followed by enacting legislation. That is the normal process that we follow in this House with all agreements including the New Zealand - Korea free-trade agreement the New Zealand - China free-trade agreement and all other agreements that have been negotiated successfully in the interests of New Zealand.Dr Russel Norman: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. It was a very simple question. The Minister is not answering a very simple question.Mr SPEAKER: Order! It is a very simple question that has now been repeated twice. I see little point in repeating the question a third time but the member certainly has an additional supplementary question if he wants to use it.Dr Russel Norman: Will Parliament be able to modify the text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement after the Government signs it—yes or no?Hon TODD McCLAY: I refer the member to my previous answer. This agreement should it be concluded will follow all other agreements that have come through this House. The agreement will go before the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee which will be able to put a report back to Parliament.Dr Russel Norman: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I seek your clarification and direction. What can the Opposition do when a Minister simply refuses to answer a question?Mr SPEAKER: The Minister did not refuse; he gave an answer that did not answer the question—I agree with that. There is nothing I can do. It is the responsibility of the Minister to answer questions in this House. I judge whether the question has been answered. On either occasion I did not think it had been satisfactorily addressed so I gave the member additional questions to use. It will be now for the public and this House to judge the quality of the answer that has been given by the Minister.Dr Russel Norman: I seek leave to table a statement from Dr Shane Reti with regard to the process for ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement dated—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Is it a statement by Dr Shane Reti or a newspaper article?Dr Russel Norman: It is a press release released to the Northern Advocate and nobody else by Dr Shane Reti dated 15 August 2015.Mr SPEAKER: On the basis that the member has informed me correctly that it was released through a particular provincial newspaper and not released more widely I will put the leave and it will be over to the House to decide. Leave is sought to table that particular statement. Is there any objection? There is objection.