Grigg Nicola; Whaitiri MekaNICOLA GRIGG (National—Selwyn): Thank you Madam Chair. Can I acknowledge the Minister for the role she has played with her customs portfolio. Obviously it will have ongoing importance to future trade deals and the trade of goods and services.The Minister has acknowledged the importance of trade to New Zealand and we know over 600000 jobs are directly involved and we can feed and clothe 40 million people around the world so it's essential we do have deep and enduring trade agreements around the world in order to get that product to markets; we certainly can't eat and wear it all ourselves.To the Minister this Government through this COVID response our debt is looking at about $100 billion and climbing. The Minister's talked a little about the economic impact that the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership deal will have on New Zealand economy but I'm sure that any traders exporters producers and manufacturers sitting and potentially listening to this—I'm sure they've got better things to do but just in case they are—could you give some more details?In a Government statement it said that this agreement would create more market access opportunities especially for services and investment into China and ASEAN members' states. Minister would you please give us some details on those and what does the Government mean exactly by less red tape for exporters and more streamlined trade"?Hon MEKA WHAITIRI (Minister of Customs): Can I thank that member for that question. In the opening remarks obviously with most trade agreements and which the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership is doing I do understand that there are 14 parties to this agreement. There are some bilaterals that already exist with them but your specific question around how I'm looking to my official so that I can actually answer that question so could I please come back to that member with some more specificity—as far as I can—around the opportunity. Specifically I think you're asking around with China I think that's right so if you would bear with me I will ensure that I come back and answer that more appropriately.NICOLA GRIGG (National—Selwyn): Would the Minister agree with the sentiment expressed by former Minister for Trade my colleague the Hon Todd McClay that we are only as good as the last deal we signed and is it the Minister's view that the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership is as good as it could be?Hon MEKA WHAITIRI (Minister of Customs): Thank you again to that member for that question. Absolutely and I think in my opening statement I talked about the coming together of 15 parties in a region that is really significant to New Zealand. I think we shouldn't underestimate the importance of getting 15 parties to agree. Of course there were opportunities as advised in reading the report back from the select committee where there was more push from our end and obviously we didn't get exactly what we wanted. I would draw member's attention particularly around the environmental chapters which I think we pursued.But your questioning around opportunities of course like with any trade agreements—this is first step. We're presenting this legislation so we then can pursue the opportunities that it will unlock. It's a bit like saying "How long is a piece of string?" I think we all agree that trade agreements are really important for our producers here in New Zealand and I'm pretty sure that we can perhaps—in my opening speeches I talked generally about growth to GDP of somewhere between I think $1.5 billion and $3.2 billion per annum in GDP. So that's where the benefit's going to lie for exporters. And like I said I'm sure we can push those opportunities further once this agreement is ratified through this piece of legislation.NICOLA GRIGG (National—Selwyn): To the Minister I'm sure our sheep and beef producers sitting at home would want to know about market access tariff reduction quotas. Can the Minister please give some detail around what actions the Government is taking to promote the growth of New Zealand's agricultural sector and can you break down that promoted growth in market for dairy horticulture red meat fish and wool that this Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement will enable?Hon MEKA WHAITIRI (Minister of Customs): Again a very good detailed question. I think the bill that we are presenting—I'm presenting—to this House for ratification for agreement obviously addresses or enables our exporters to pursue additional markets to what we currently have. I think the question that the member's posed about specific sectors had I had those questions in advance more than happy to have provided that to her. But this bill will enable like I said in my introductory comments the opportunity for our producers be it in the red meat sector be it in our seafood sector be it in our forestry sector to explore and pursue more markets through this agreement. But in terms of specificity I think the bill touches on enabling that. I don't have the figures in front of me but I do know that we are investing and working very closely with the sector that she has mentioned.NICOLA GRIGG (National—Selwyn): The bill acknowledges an approximately 97 percent reduction in tariff elimination but it doesn't give much detail around the 3 percent where there isn't an eradication of tariff. Can the Minister please outline what that will encompass who it will impact what products and what is the lost opportunity to New Zealand exporters?Hon MEKA WHAITIRI (Minister of Customs): I have got some responses around the earlier question—and I'm sorry I'm going back to your earlier questions around market access examples of what can be achieved for some of our exporters. Can I just report back to the House and that member that one of the examples is that New Zealand goods exporters to Indonesia will see tariff elimination on a number of primary products including sheep meat beef fish liquid milk cheese honey and avocadoes. So the earlier question that the member—some specificity around helping our producers in those areas.In terms of investment under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) a number of parties will provide investment market access commitments to New Zealand for the first time in particular ASEAN countries that are not party to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and China and RCEP will reduce barriers to investment and facilitate the navigation of complex regulatory systems by establishing a consistent framework and a single set of rules for the RCEP region. And like I said earlier bringing 15 countries and having a single agreement I think will be beneficial for our New Zealand producers as we grow our markets internationally and particularly with these 14 other countries.NICOLA GRIGG (National—Selwyn): So therefore what actions is the Government taking to encourage India to rejoin and what meetings or communications has the Minister had with other RCEP trade Ministers on this topic? Hon MEKA WHAITIRI (Minister of Customs): To that member as you will see in the report-back to the House by the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee unfortunately India did leave the discussions. But what I can report to that member and the committee is that the door is left open for India to return should it wish and an obligation as I understand—reading the advice I've got—to facilitate a fast-track of India's return should they choose to come back into the agreement."