Eckhoff Gerrard: Border Security Bill — First Reading 
Eckhoff Gerrard: Border Security Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:609;Page:6830] 
GERRARD ECKHOFF (ACT NZ) 
: I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak—rather unexpectedly I might add—on this bill. As one of the few members from an agrarian background in this House I believe no other issue affects this country and its farmers—the productive sector as I will call it—as much as border security in terms of both coming into and going out of the country. We need to ensure that our product which is the best in the world is not contaminated by a terrorist activity or even by an inadvertent activity and of course we need to inspect the product coming into this country in order to make as certain as we possibly can that we have ensured it is safe. That is though a major problem to the Customs Service and I am delighted to see that this real problem that the service faces is being addressed and will hopefully be addressed in the select committee process. 
I draw the House’s attention to a television programme that I think has captured the imagination of many people in this country. It screens on a Monday evening. Regrettably I am on a plane at the same time but I refer to   
Border Patrol 
. People sit and watch that documentary which is real-life stuff not a soap opera. 
Hon Tony Ryall 
: I thought you meant   
The Bachelorette 
. 
GERRARD ECKHOFF 
: That is the one.  
Border Patrol 
 contains real-life examples of our border security actually working. 
I would also add that border security is the ultimate public good as distinct from a private good. I do not know whether too much money could be spent on ensuring the security of our country and our people. It is as much a trade issue as a personal security issue. Personal security and terrorism came to this country as some of us with slightly longer memories will recall with the   
Rainbow Warrior 
. That came as a huge shock to New Zealanders at a time when that type of terrorism was not even dreamt of and gracious me what was the source of that terrorism? It was a country that we now seem to be snuggling up to. France is one of the old-timers shall we say in Europe. It is a much-respected country. But it was a huge shock to New Zealanders to see an act of terrorism take place within our coastal waters and in our terrestrial areas as well. So if ever there was an understanding of just how important border security is it should have come at the time of the   
Rainbow Warrior 
 bombing. But the reality is simply that it has taken the appalling events that occurred more recently in America to make people realise that even in this faraway country of New Zealand we are under a threat equal to that facing other countries. 
I suspect the real threat comes not from planes crashing into buildings or from bombs but in the form of bioterrorism. In this country the impact of foot-and-mouth bluetongue or another exotic disease on our economy our people and our well-being would be far greater than bombs or any amount of TNT dynamite or whatever those appalling people who detonate bombs use these days. We are delighted to see that the Government is recognising that border security is and should be right up at the top of the list. I sincerely hope the select committee in considering this bill will ensure that every resource that is needed is available and will make certain that the Minister in charge of the bill recognises the importance that all New Zealanders place on this legislation. 
I see in the preamble to the bill the words “voluntary agreements”. I think that really sums up how we can achieve first-rate results. If by imposing requirements we create resentment in exporters then we will have real problems. But I do not know of any meat or dairy company for example or any other company in the agricultural sector that would not agree that voluntary agreements with the Customs Service and the officials who guarantee—and who effectively do have to guarantee—the security of our product are the appropriate way to go forward. We need to ensure of course that customs officers are able to exercise their authority from time to time when that is needed. 
I return to the problem of bioterrorism and the potential impact of the introduction of viruses such as foot-and-mouth into this country as I mentioned earlier. We saw the devastating effect on the British economy of that disease. It has had an absolutely huge impact. I am not altogether certain after looking through this bill whether enough emphasis is being placed on the detection of those viruses—knowing of course that that is an extraordinarily difficult thing to do. We have to look then at the individuals coming into this country at where they are from and at their reasons for coming here. I am also delighted to be able to say that I fully support individuals’ electronic records being made freely and instantly available to the authorities concerned with this very very vital part of our existence in this little country of ours. 
Another thing that does again concern me enormously is the fact that I do not see very much about extra staffing training and resourcing going in to ensure that the outcomes that we require from our border security are obtainable. It is no good just to have a piece of paper or a bill stating the requirements and the sorts of outcomes that we would really like to achieve and then to say we are sorry but we do not have the resources to put into that ultimate public good. Therefore it is essential that the Minister and the Minister of Finance understand that whatever is required must be made available. If one goes through the rural sector as I have done in recent times—and continue to do—and asks farmers and the rural community what the most important aspect of our life in New Zealand is they will say that security and our border controls are the single most important aspect without question. 
The aspect that makes life very very difficult for our customs people is the fact that we have a huge coastline. It is one of the biggest in the world as I understand it. The opportunity for small craft to come in to one of the outlying islands or other places and conduct illicit acts is obviously quite substantial. I wonder whether aerial surveillance should not be part of our border security. Do we have the capacity in terms of our Air Force to be able to ensure that if any ships—whether they be major tankers or just fishing trawlers—come in laden with illegal immigrants or whatever else they can be detected appropriately? Therefore border security is not just about the Customs Service but also about the Air Force and about having an adequate Navy. All those aspects are totally interrelated so we cannot just look at upping the number of customs officers in order to ensure that our security is adequate. We also have to address the ongoing problem of the resourcing of our armed forces—our Navy our Air Force and our Army—if necessary. Of course recent events to ensure border security in places like the Solomons also highlight the need to upskill and increase the availability of our armed forces.