Gallagher Martin: New Zealand-China Free Trade Agreement Bill — First Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Gallagher Martin: New Zealand-China Free Trade Agreement Bill — First Reading 
[Sitting date: 15 May 2008. Volume:647;Page:16022. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
MARTIN GALLAGHER (Labour—Hamilton West) 
: 
 First of all I acknowledge the previous speaker who is of course the deputy chair of the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee. As chair of that committee I know we are meeting again this afternoon to continue with hearings with regard to the free-trade agreement and it is obviously with pleasure that I rise this afternoon to speak in the first reading debate on the New Zealand-China Free Trade Agreement Bill. I also commend the Minister Shane Jones for what I think was a very good forward-thinking speech.  
Hon Tau Henare 
: Give me a break! Come on! 
MARTIN GALLAGHER 
: I can understand why people when they watch television or come to the gallery say that not even on this issue can we be free of the banter. I also acknowledge that there are obviously other parties in the House that have a different point of view but unlike a particular member at the back and opposite they are listening with respect to views that they will not necessarily agree with. 
I just note the key summary as we see it on this side of the House and I emphasise what Shane Jones said. The Free Trade Agreement between the Government of New Zealand and the Government of the People’s Republic of China has been negotiated with the overriding objective of opening up economic opportunities for businesses in New Zealand. China is New Zealand’s fourth largest export market for goods with current exports to China totalling $2 billion. It is a growing market for New Zealand services and exports. Indeed this agreement represents New Zealand’s largest bilateral trade agreement since the Australia and New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement in 1983 and it is China’s first free-trade agreement with an OECD member. I think that the Minister summed up the huge importance of this bill very well. 
I also acknowledge Dr Mapp’s fulsome praise for the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions. That was nice to hear and I acknowledge that obviously the council and others are having to work intently and look at some of the issues affecting workers and industry in this country. As I come from the Waikato the huge potential for our dairy industry is not lost on me and I note the support of Fonterra. However as the chair of the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee I say—and I know that the deputy who is opposite would agree—that in our role during the hearings process notwithstanding that the two major parties in the House are supportive of this bill and the free-trade agreement we will acknowledge that there is a variety of views which we have to listen to respectfully and we have to include some of those views in terms of the report back to the House. 
Before I conclude I just say that this morning we heard very interesting and fulsome submissions from the Seafood Industry Council and from groups such as the Business Roundtable. We also heard from Dr Norman from the Greens and from Amnesty International. Those are just some examples of the variety of views we are hearing. We will do our best to report those views and nuances back to the House. Also as a committee we look forward to use the vernacular to rolling up our sleeves. Mr Assistant Speaker you are on that committee as well and you are doing the hard yards to have this bill reported back acknowledging that there will be a variety of views in this House with regard to this free-trade agreement and this legislation. Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker.