O'Connor Damien; McClay Todd; Pugh MaureenHon DAMIEN O'CONNOR (Labour): Thank you Madam Chair. I'll take the opportunity just to briefly comment on the two amendments which we support—I understand they're technical amendments—and basically once again just reaffirm our commitment as a country to geographical indications (GIs) and not to have trademarks to try and override what are legitimate GIs certainly recognised in the EU but now by us as well.The Minister for Trade mentioned of course the areas of labour; small medium enterprises; and environment. Animal welfare was one of the discussions that was had and we do run different systems of farming and so as with the UK what we agreed to do was not to direct or make judgment on animal welfare standards or indeed labour standards or environment but to commit to uphold the highest standards that we possibly can and to not lower those standards for any trade advantage. I think that's the critical thing and I think this Government and future Governments will have to be mindful of that. That's why the values that we share for a better world mean that we have to aspire to have higher standards in all those areas. These are areas that are sensitive to our consumers sensitive to the people in our own countries and I think it's a good commitment.The one unique area which followed on from the UK trade agreement was to have a Māori trade and economic cooperation chapter. When we started discussion in this area it wasn't enthusiastically embraced by the EU and they thought perhaps their member States because it was a—I guess it's a new concept to go back and recognise respect and then enhance the opportunities for our indigenous people. But all credit once again to negotiators and I guess the fairly staunch way that I and others tabled the need for this: this is the way that we're moving we have a growing Māori economy we have Māori people right through our communities who are looking for expectations and benefits from trade which is why we have a trade-for-all agenda to ensure that everyone can benefit from this. So we negotiated in an economic cooperation chapter and that just basically says that we'll aspire to try and generate benefits. Actually you know what is good for Māori here what's good for farmers or good for service providers is good for all of New Zealand. So I think that was a really positive step forward.I'm not going to carry on for too long but just say a couple of people—and he was tormented I have to say. Vangelis Vitalis was tormented through this negotiation because one of the things that the Europeans held out for—and the Greeks in particular—was feta a cheese. Passionate cheese close to the heart of all Greeks and the ancestors of all Greeks. I have to say Vangelis was really torn here between trying to respect the rights of the Greek people and their enthusiasm to retain the rights to feta and then of course the opportunities to New Zealand. But thank you to him and to all the others. We got through that. That is something that we are going to have to phase out after a transition period: we won't be able to use that term. But it's just one of the realities.Can I thank Carl and Diana Reaich who were the ambassadors in Brussels through this time. They worked very very hard through COVID through really difficult times the Ukraine war as well. They went out they contacted people all through Brussels—all those people who might have had an influence. It's not easy to get the support of 27 member States. Thank you to them and their officials and all the others. We did it.So look—Rachel Boyack: EU friendship group.Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR: EU friendship group yeah well absolutely and as I say the Hon Kieran McAnulty raised the fact that anyone who went anywhere near Europe had to bang on the door knock on the door and do the charm offensive. So this was a collective effort. We've got there. I won't hold it up any longer and I'll sit down. Kia ora.Hon TODD McCLAY (Minister for Trade): So soon after dinner I have to rise and take the floor to talk about a Greek feta. And Damien O'Connor's right: it can be a very challenging thing. Interestingly many years ago I had lived in Europe for a very long period of time and upon returning to New Zealand went to buy feta in New Zealand that said it was to the traditional Danish recipe which I think to many Greek people would confuse them.But the important point here around geographical indications (GIs) whilst it's not something that New Zealand itself would want to do or do much more of or indeed a lot more of it wasn't asked of the European Union. The way the EU works is it's not a collective decision; each member State has to say yes when it comes to a trade agreement either because of the vote in the European Parliament or sitting around the table in the Council of Ministers which is Ministers from all the States.In a previous Government as trade Minister I visited Greece to talk to them about why we wanted a free-trade agreement as we visited many countries in Europe to persuade them of the importance of a high-quality set of rules that businesses can rely upon and can invest and grow relationships with. Upon visiting Greece the first second and third thing that they raised was the importance of Greek feta—and the name and GI. So as tortured as Vangelis Vitalis is without the recognition of feta as a European GI we would all be tortured because I don't think we would have got a free-trade agreement with the EU.That in mind it doesn't mean we should continue to accept these things because actually you know New Zealand producers produce very high-quality food and I would argue that New Zealand feta—as it's named today—is of an equivalent quality and food safety as it is traditionally produced in Greece. It's just that over the next few years we'll have to come to another name. But rest assured it will still be able to be purchased sold just with a slightly different name and it will still be enjoyed in Greek salads.CHAIRPERSON (Maureen Pugh): Before I take the next call can I just remind members that this is the committee stage and that it is our opportunity or your opportunity to interrogate the detail of the bill with the Minister for Trade. I call the Hon Phil Twyford.