Hayes John: Border Processing (Trade Single Window and Duties) Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHayes John: Border Processing (Trade Single Window and Duties) Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 20 February 2014. Volume:696;Page:16216. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]JOHN HAYES (National—Wairarapa): I have got to say that it is quite difficult and a little awe-inspiring to come into this House and have to follow a man Phil Goff who has just admitted blood on his hands having been a slaughterman for 7 years of his career. [Interruption] Well I think it is the sort of occupation he will be looking to when he faces being in Opposition later on this year because he has clearly got no other skills that are valuable. We are well served by Minister of Customs Maurice Williamson and I think that he is one of the most competent people in this Parliament to be dealing with IT issues. I had a call this afternoon—in fact while I was sitting here in the House—from one Brother John McGeachie who had just jetted in from Papua New Guinea where he had been living. He rang to give me great compliments about the electronic passport system that Minister Williamson has been involved with putting in our airports. Any of us who travel know that that is a very good system and works without glitches.I want to react to the very direct request made by the last speaker for a comment from a National speaker. He was trying to make allusions that this electronic system is not going to work. Well I want to put categorically on record—Hon Phil Goff: I want your assurance that it is working now.JOHN HAYES:—and I give him my personal assurance—that he needs to understand that this package of electronic componentry and system is massive absolutely massive. I have got to tell you that it has taken 5 years to develop and I havegot to tell you that each module is tested and retested and retested before it is introduced and when it is introduced it is working perfectly. I categorically say to the House that this system is working well. There are inevitably little glitches here and there but we are not dealing with the sort of package we inherited with Novopay—quite different.This Border Processing (Trade Single Window and Duties) Bill makes an important amendment to existing legislation to underpin the implementation of the Trade Single Window component of the new $89 million Joint Border Management System. Can I just say that what we are talking about is amalgamating a range of services for people who are involved in bringing product into this country and giving them a one-stop shop. That means you send your documentation in one email to one address and that is all you do. What I can say is that companies like FedEx that have been trialling this system are very very pleased with it. It means that the Trade Single Window will promote more effective protection of New Zealand’s border will facilitate a smoother flow of legitimate trade and is consistent with the Government’s priorities relating to the provision of more joined-up online services. The system will lower traders’ compliance costs over time—in fact I think it should reduce their costs by about $450 million over 10 years. During the pilot with industry partners Mondiale Freight Services achieved faster response times and savings on electronic data transmission costs.Building a more productive and competitive economy is one of the Government’s priorities. The supply chain efficiency from this system as I said is estimated to deliver benefits of at least $450 million over the next 10 years. It has been a pleasure to have this legislation in front of the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee and I thank members from all sides of the House for the contributions they have made to progressing this legislation to this point today. Thank you.