Prosser Richard: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeProsser Richard: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 01 July 2015. Volume:706;Page:4979. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]8.RICHARD PROSSER (NZ First) to the Minister for Primary Industries: Is he concerned at the threat posed to New Zealand’s grain industry by the huge volumes of grain being dumped into New Zealand due to EU/Russia sanctions?Hon JO GOODHEW (Associate Minister for Primary Industries) on behalf of theMinister for Primary Industries: I understand the concerns of any industry hit by fluctuating global commodity prices. However there are both positives and negatives in this situation. There is a lot of grain available right now because of Russia’s trade sanctions. Some New Zealand farmers will see this as a low-cost input opportunity. Lower prices will be helpful to those who use maize as a supplementary feed and some comfort to those facing drought conditions. Although not relating to my ministerial portfolios any dumping claims may be addressed through the appropriate channels of the anti-dumping legislation.Richard Prosser: Is he aware that the huge volumes of imported grains being dumped here because of the EU-Russia sanctions is being made into cheaper stock feed than that being supplied by New Zealand’s grain producers; if so what is he doing to ensure the livelihood of the New Zealand grain industry?Hon JO GOODHEW: I believe that the member is suggesting that we should implement trade barriers in response to this particular situation. In general we are a trading nation and we do not believe in artificial trade barriers—Ron Mark: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I would ask you to review that supplementary question. There is no way that the Minister could say that she believes—and thereby read out a prepared statement; she has to answer any question in that same way.Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! I have no idea whether it was a prepared comment or not but the issue was in effect that feed manufacturers are using the cheapest option. The Minister has got every right to respond to that. The Hon Jo Goodhew if she wishes to continue.Hon JO GOODHEW: It is a fact of life that our world-leading farmers compete against many other countries. Some of them even use subsidies and other trade barriers. That is why this Government places such a strong effort on securing new trade deals which we have recently seen from Korea and Taiwan.Richard Prosser: Is he aware that some of the 37000 tonnes of maize imported from Bulgaria in the first quarter of this year was found to be infested with Noogoora burr seeds at the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Te Puke biosecurity transitional facility; if so is he aware that it is an offence under the Biosecurity Act to propagate sell distribute release or spread Noogoora burr in the Bay of Plenty where it was found and in Canterbury where 95 percent of New Zealand’s grain crops are grown?Hon JO GOODHEW: I can understand any concern about Noogoora burr because it is something that would concern farmers. However that is why we have a very strict biosecurity regime in this country. Grain importation into New Zealand is highly regulated. Only approved importers are granted import permits by the Ministry for Primary Industries and all imports must be accompanied by phytosanitary certification. However—Ron Mark: You’re reading out a prepared answer—answer the question.Hon JO GOODHEW: I am answering on behalf of another Minister. It is the reason I am well prepared with notes. However all grain consignments must be examined—[Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! Would the Minister just complete her answer.Hon JO GOODHEW: Yes I would like to. All grain consignments are treated upon import and none of the seeds will be viable after that processing.Richard Prosser: I seek leave to table two photos of Noogoora burr - contaminated maize at—Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Can the member just start the point of order. I cannot quite hear what he is seeking to table.Richard Prosser: I seek leave to table two photographs of Noogoora burr - contaminated maize—Mr SPEAKER: Order! All I now need is the source of those photographs.Richard Prosser: They were sent to someone in our office.Mr SPEAKER: Sorry?Richard Prosser: They were sent to someone in our office by an observer.Mr SPEAKER: On the basis they may well be informative to members I will put the leave and they can decide. Leave is sought to table those two particular photographs. Is there any objection? They can be tabled.Photographs by leave laid on the Table of the House.Richard Prosser: Is he aware that Noogoora burr seed is poisonous to cattle and pigs; if so can he assure farmers that the supplementary grain-based imported feed they buy is free of Noogoora burr?Hon JO GOODHEW: Yes I certainly can assure the member that because of the treatment of this imported grain when it arrives in New Zealand in fact the processing means that the farmers can be assured those seeds will not be viable.Richard Prosser: I seek leave to table a document an AgPest fact page advertising that Noogoora burr seeds are poisonous to stock particularly pigs and cattle.Mr SPEAKER: Again I did not catch the source and the date of the document.Richard Prosser: The source is AgResearch. Again it is a paper prepared by my office.Mr SPEAKER: I presume if it is an AgResearch paper it is easily available to members if they want it. I will not put the leave.Richard Prosser: Can the Minister confirm to the House that any New Zealand grain or cereal exported to Australia has to be denatured because Australia’s tolerance to contamination is zero yet there is absolutely no such requirement like this for grains imported into New Zealand and how does the Minister reconcile that confirmation with the principles of free trade?Hon JO GOODHEW: I have prepared answers to importation requirements as opposed to any answers that I can give you regarding grain going to Australia so I am not going to attempt to answer that question because I do not know the answer.Richard Prosser: I seek leave to table two documents. One is a Bay of Plenty Regional Council brochure describing Noogoora burr as an—Mr SPEAKER: Order! No that is freely available to members if it is produced by a regional council. The next document?Richard Prosser: It is the same source.