Clark David: Customs and Excise Amendment Bill Biosecurity Amendment Bill — Third Readings 
Clark David: Customs and Excise Amendment Bill Biosecurity Amendment Bill — Third Readings 
[Volume:678;Page:1358] 
Dr DAVID CLARK (Labour—Dunedin North) 
: 
 I stand to support the Customs and Excise Amendment Bill. Labour supports this bill. The bill stands in the name of the Hon Maurice Williamson although it is rapidly becoming known as the “Bland Bridges Bill” it seems perhaps unfairly because this is a worthy bill—a very worthy bill. That is why we support it. We support the principle of ensuring that we have a strong Customs Service and that our biosecurity is strong in New Zealand to protect our industries here and to ensure that things function as they ought.  
The sharing of information about goods and people as they arrive in and depart from New Zealand is important to this and it is pleasing to see that the Justice and Electoral Committee substantially redrafted the Government’s regulation-making framework requiring the Minister to consult widely on information sharing including with the Privacy Commissioner affected agencies and the public. The bill it should be noted as well provides the Privacy Commissioner with an obligation to review the department’s data-sharing capabilities after 5 years. That seems a sensible provision and it alludes to the good work that can happen in select committees to make sure that sensible precautions are taken to ensure that the bill does what it says it should do. So I congratulate those people who worked in the select committee on this matter. As Mr Bridges pointed out earlier it is sometimes these more bland bills that achieve useful things and without controversy and we should celebrate the unity across the House on these matters. 
Simon Bridges 
: The aroha. 
Dr DAVID CLARK 
: The aroha.  
The bill makes a number of amendments and it is interesting to consider what would have happened if these did not happen. Householders who produce their own biofuels will be exempt from the duty and that is good to see. I imagine that the intention here is that those who make biofuels at home will be encouraged to do that. The incentive is set up so that we have a more sustainable New Zealand over the longer term bit by bit through these small measures.  
It is also interesting to note there is an amendment that customs officers will be able to use reasonable force to remove people from the customs area. Presumably that amendment was as opposed to the other option that might have been considered—that customs officers were able to use unreasonable force—and surely that is not a good idea.  
Another of the other smaller amendments here that I note is that goods designed to facilitate a crime of dishonesty like card skimmers are banned and as my colleague noted just a short time ago it will be an offence to harm a customs dog. This is something that we worry a little bit less about in Dunedin as it happens. At Dunedin International Airport I have yet to see a beagle but I am comforted to know that those customs dogs will be protected when they visit. 
Simon Bridges 
: They’re undercover. 
Dr DAVID CLARK 
: They are very secretive customs dogs doing their duty alongside those others who are doing their duties to protect our borders.  
It is interesting here also that goods in multiple shipments can be classified as if they were in a single shipment. Again this appears to be an efficiency measure—another sensible step taken in this bill. Likewise in respect of the ability to define when an item of post has been delivered to a customs officer not having this definition might have been problematic.  
Likewise finally on the other amendments providing a method of calculating duty on imported goods that are soon to be used and exported is also a helpful provision to have in the bill. Not providing a method of calculating duty on imported goods that are soon to be used and exported would have meant the bill was a disaster.  
The increasing of fines is something that has also been commented on and it seems a sensible measure.