SpeechRt Hon DAVID CARTER (National): Madam Speaker I just want to take a very brief call in the Dairy Industry Restructuring Amendment Bill (No 3). I want to acknowledge the committee stages we've just been through and the contribution from Minister Damien O'Connor. I thought the questions were good but I equally thought his answers were constructive concise and certainly allayed some of the fears I had with some of the legislation and I just want to acknowledge that as well.Can I also acknowledge his third reading speech where it was pleasing for him as a Labour Minister of Agriculture to acknowledge the importance of the primary sector to New Zealand. His speech certainly did that—in fact he gave a far better speech today than he did for the Crown Pastoral Land Reform Bill that was before the House last night. But it is important that this Parliament recognises the importance of the primary sector to New Zealand. Despite the contributions we've just had from Kiri Allan I think—sadly—the primary sector became a kicking ball in the last election. And I think there was an attempt by some political parties in this House to help increase a divide between urban New Zealand and rural New Zealand. Of course now we've had—Greg O'Connor: And one of them's standing right there now.Rt Hon DAVID CARTER: Well if the Minister is suggesting I'm standing and created a divide between rural—or the Minister that was the interjection from Greg O'Connor who suggested I created a divide between urban and rural New Zealand that is absolutely incorrect. I came in here with a passion for New Zealand agriculture. And I want to say to that member Greg O'Connor that whilst we have the challenge in the economy around COVID it is challenging this economy and the thing that has become the foundation for New Zealand's economy is agriculture. It always has been and it will be.Greg O'Connor: Well don't weaponise it.Rt Hon DAVID CARTER: And for that member to suggest that I'm threatening that stability is absolutely wrong. I remember well the campaign last year with the now Government the Labour Party trying to create an issue—particularly around swimmable waters for example. It wasn't the National Party that did this. This National Party has always recognised the importance of agriculture to New Zealand.Greg O'Connor: Weaponised the divide.DEPUTY SPEAKER: That's the fourth time. It doesn't make it any better. Don't bother repeating it.Rt Hon DAVID CARTER: I had the privilege as a former Minister of Agriculture and as a former Speaker to travel overseas on numerous occasions. During my time meeting politicians all around the world there was one word that nearly every overseas politician recognised and it was the word Fonterra". You could be giving a speech which was clearly being interpreted in other languages to people and you could sense that when the word "Fonterra" was mentioned in any language it was recognised as an international brand and a New Zealand brand. I say that because this House needs to continue to recognise the importance of the primary sector in New Zealand's economy particularly in light of COVID; it then needs to recognise that within the primary sector the giant of the New Zealand primary sector is indeed the dairy industry. And within the dairy industry the giant company is Fonterra and the performance of Fonterra affects the standard of living of every New Zealander. So as this 52nd Parliament concludes and we embark on an election campaign I say to the House—although I won't be actively campaigning for re-election—I certainly hope we don't see a repeat of the election campaign of 2017 when some political parties quite deliberately went out of this House to create that urban-rural divide. I think most New Zealanders particularly in light of the effect of COVID-19 on for example our international tourism industry now finally appreciate that the industry that will bring this country back out of trouble is the primary sector. And of that the dairy industry is the giant and within that giant dairy industry Fonterra is one that all New Zealanders should be proud of."