8. Overseas Ownership of New Zealand Property—Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement and Overseas Investment Act ChangesPAUL EAGLE (Labour—Rongotai) to the Associate Minister of FinanceOverseas Ownership of New Zealand Property—Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement and Overseas Investment Act Changes8. PAUL EAGLE (Labour—Rongotai) to the Associate Minister of Finance: What progress has the Government made on protecting the rights of New Zealanders to own existing New Zealand homes?Hon DAVID PARKER (Associate Minister of Finance): Legislation to ban foreigners from buying existing homes is currently before a select committee. We need to have this legislation in force before the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) comes into effect or we will as a country lose for ever the right to control who buys existing New Zealand homes. With confirmation of a slightly delayed signing date for the CPTPP we've been able to provide an additional three months for committee consideration. The ban on foreign buyers is supported by an overwhelming majority of New Zealanders and I would hope that the next Leader of the Opposition admits that National has been completely—SPEAKER: Order! I am going to invite the Minister to review that answer as to what action the Government has taken and what action the Parliament has taken because it is quite different.Paul Eagle: Why is the Government banning foreign buyers of existing homes?Hon DAVID PARKER: This coalition believes that it's the birthright of New Zealanders to own our homes which should be traded on a New Zealand market not an international one. This applies at all levels. Our most expensive homes and farms should be purchased by our most successful New Zealanders and our more modest homes by other New Zealanders. We want as many New Zealanders as possible to achieve the dream of homeownership whether they've been here for a year or for generations. The past Government was happy under the prior trade agreement to sell down the river for ever New Zealand's right to—SPEAKER: Order!Hon DAVID PARKER: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Surely it's a matter of interest to the New Zealand public as to the contrast between the position under this agreement and the last agreement.SPEAKER: If the member had been temperate in his language the comparisons would have been allowed. But the rules of this House are quite clear and they are that you can't receive a donkey drop to attack the Opposition in that tone.Paul Eagle: How is the ban on foreign buyers of existing homes compatible with the CPTPP?Hon DAVID PARKER: One of the many significant changes this Government has made under the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership compared to the past Government is that we have ensured we retain the right to ban foreign buyers of our existing homes. The past Government claimed before the election and I quote A ban would force New Zealand to renegotiate many of our trade agreements … which would harm New Zealand companies and Kiwi jobs." This coalition Government has shown this to be wrong. This significant change under the CPTPP shows the last Government was either disingenuous or incompetent.Hon Todd McClay: Can the Minister confirm that he is the very same person who when previously a Minister allowed record amounts of New Zealand land to be sold to foreigners?SPEAKER: Order! Is the member referring to a Government more than a decade ago?Hon Todd McClay: Well we'll hear from the Minister won't we?SPEAKER: I asked the member a very simple question. It should not be beyond him to answer it.Hon Todd McClay: Supplementary.SPEAKER: No the member will answer my question. Was he referring to a previous Government or not?Hon Todd McClay: I'm referring to this member when he was a Minister previously yes. SPEAKER: And he has as part of this role no responsibility for that and that member is absolutely aware of it.Hon Gerry Brownlee: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Interesting ruling that you've made. Why is it that this Government is able to answer questions about the previous Government freely and often inaccurately yet we can't refer to any other Government in our questions?SPEAKER: I suggest the member has a look at Speaker's ruling 159/3 and that will explain it to him. Hon Gerry Brownlee: I'm wondering if you could come back to the House tomorrow then and explain how your ruling is consistent with that particular Speaker's ruling or are we into some new territory where the Government is free to criticise the past Government but can take no criticism themselves for their involvement in past Governments?SPEAKER: I think if the member listened carefully and listened to how I dealt with objections from the Government to my intervention to the Hon David Parker he will see that in fact the Government is not free to act in the way that he has suggested.Hon Todd McClay: Can the Minister confirm for the House that not a single change has been made to the revised Trans-Pacific Partnership text to enact the provisions that he's speaking to—and Mr Speaker perhaps you'd like to answer this for him as well?Hon DAVID PARKER: No I can't confirm that. In amongst changes are the changes to investor-State dispute settlement (ISDS) rules that rule ISDS clauses—that they can no longer be operated in respect of investment screening decisions."