Whaitiri MekaHon MEKA WHAITIRI (Minister of Customs): Thank you very much Madam Chair. I am pleased to report to the committee through the Appropriation (2018/19 Estimates) Bill the fine work that Te Mana Ārai o Aoteroa the New Zealand Customs Service does in terms of both protecting and promoting New Zealand through world-class border management.I want first of all to acknowledge the mammoth effort that the select committee went through—five votes in one day. Some might say it was a calculated option that I got there as the No. 5 vote because there was a bit of tiredness in the select committee. But I do want to acknowledge that they gave the Customs vote a very very thorough examination. So I want to acknowledge the work of the select committee.Getting the balance right over our border in terms of ensuring that we are keeping out illicit drugs from the harm that it causes in our society we're at the same time ensuring that both people and goods—legitimate people and goods—transfer across our borders in a seamless way. And that's why I'm really proud to say that this coalition Government in their grand wisdom decided to allocate another $58.5 million to the New Zealand Customs Service. And I just want to acknowledge and share with the committee what we can expect with this extra investment from an organisation whose four strategic intentions are: protecting our borders by eliminating risk ensuring that New Zealand trade flows efficiently across our borders streamlining experiences for travellers across our borders and of course that we collect all due revenues on behalf of the Crown.So what is this $58.1 million going to get this country in terms of investment into the Customs Service? Well over four years $54.2 million is going to go on enhancing customs' capability to protect our communities by disrupting the international drug-smuggling networks as early as possible in the supply chain. Customs will add an additional 127 staff over the next four years both here and overseas. The funding will build onshore capability through increased border operations staff numbers across the country while also increasing maritime detector dog intelligence and investigation teams.Dedicated intelligence and investigation positions in New Zealand will contribute to our international engagement and operations both directly and through generating leads and information to provide to overseas partners—permanent customs funding for customs' offshore posts in Hong Kong and the international targeting centre in Washington DC plus new posts for the Americas and South-east Asia. So investing in staff as well as ensuring that we have got the tools and equipment through front-line work on additional equipment such as mobile X-ray vans vehicles and kennels for our additional dogs. We're also ensuring by running a full trial on the secure trade lane between New Zealand and Australia that our export and trade facility is also enhanced so that we're making sure that our neighbouring partner—and we are working quite closely with them to ensure that that happens.I also just want to briefly touch on the Maritime Powers Extension Bill. Cabinet agreed in February 2018 to give customs the extra power to stop board and search ships involved in any drug-smuggling. The Maritime Powers Extension Bill will give effect to these decisions by extending customs' existing maritime powers and subsequent amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Act. I am proud to be the Minister of Customs that continuously improves our border management in terms of illicit drugs coming into this country by eliminating harm but we also want to ensure that travellers who see New Zealand as a destination of visit can come and go from our country in a seamless manner. I want to acknowledge the hard work and effort of all customs officers throughout Aotearoa New Zealand but also to acknowledge our international post people who are also working with our Five Eyes nation countries to ensure that our borders are maintained the safety of our borders is uppermost in the way that we portray ourselves—as a country that we want people to come and do business in and visit—but we also want to make sure that we are protecting ourselves at our border. Kia ora tātou.