Parmar ParmjeetDr PARMJEET PARMAR (ACT): Thank you Madam Speaker. I'm taking this call on behalf of ACT in support of this bill. We all know the importance of free-trade agreements for New Zealand especially us being a small nation of only around 5 million people. We want to see that our small businesses are growing and becoming medium-sized businesses medium-sized businesses becoming big sized and big sized becoming even bigger sized. That will happen only if our businesses are able to offer their goods and services to bigger populations around the globe and that is what this free-trade agreement is about. It is about giving those export opportunities for our businesses here in New Zealand. Despite this agreement not being exactly what New Zealanders would have desired to see in this agreement the importance of this cannot be undermined. We can see the potential that this agreement offers by looking at the current two-way trade that is there between EU and New Zealand for goods and services at the moment; that just gives us the potential the imagination of the potential that this agreement offers. And as I said we are a small nation of only 5 million people and this gives us access to that high-value $450 million market. That is huge for us.Like previous speakers I also want to acknowledge that yes the dairy and the meat sector didn't get exactly what they wanted. I also wanted to acknowledge that there were some concerns about geographical indicators the regime how that would be handled and some of our names—brand names losing that ability to carry on under the names that they have been trading under but we cannot underestimate the opportunity of economic diversification that this free-trade agreement offers. In one of the opinion pieces that I wrote and was published in National Business Review in August 2022 I said something like this—these are not the exact words but something like this: that currently most of our eggs are in two baskets; that is Australia and China. So it's not just about looking for more baskets but it's also looking for demand for more eggs. So what I mean there is that it's not about just looking for more markets but it's also about looking for opportunities for the sectors that we have through these free-trade agreements giving them the opportunity to grow. So I'm really hoping that yes while I fully acknowledge that our dairy and meat sector is not that happy there are other sectors that are getting quite reasonable and favourable terms in this free-trade agreement and there is this opportunity for these sectors to grow through this free-trade agreement.The ACT Party supports trade deals which are well thought through and as we have heard from the Minister the Hon Todd McClay this has taken over 10 years and I want to acknowledge everybody who has been involved in this trade deal and it started under National Government but given final form by the previous Labour Government. I want to acknowledge that and we all can be sure that all sides involved in getting this free-trade agreement signed did their best to get the best deal that was possible for the time the negotiations were going and for the time being for New Zealand.So we need to acknowledge that and this bill is to align New Zealand's legislations and regulations with what has been agreed in the agreement so that these changes can be implemented to meet our obligations under the agreement so that FTA can come in force. I also want to acknowledge that there are some sectors—they can take advantage of this bill going through Parliament in this speedy manner. And we want to make sure that these sectors—our fresh produce sectors—because of the remaining season in this year those who can take advantage should be able to take advantage. And that is why I want to commend the way the select committee and everybody involved has supported the speedy manner of this bill going through Parliament.We cannot underestimate the impact of COVID on businesses. Because of COVID businesses suffered. It wasn't just the domestic market but international market as well. So it was the export opportunities that also suffered and there are so many businesses we know they have managed to come back on their feet but there are many businesses though who are still trying to work their way back and this bill will facilitate us to tap that untapped potential. It will improve that interconnectedness between New Zealand and EU and also it will provide the opportunity of this environment to have that trade environment which is going to be beneficial for our businesses. And I'm really hoping that this bill will help our businesses position themselves for that long-term success and prosperity. So we support and commend this bill to the House. Thank you.