Brown Peter: Maritime Security Bill — Instruction to Committee In Committee Third Reading 
Brown Peter: Maritime Security Bill — Instruction to Committee In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:616;Page:12206] 
PETER BROWN (Deputy Leader—NZ First) 
: 
 First I understand that the Minister has taken note of my amendments. He is looking at them very seriously and I am genuinely encouraged by that. I have worked closely with the Hon Harry Duynhoven on the select committee and I know that he notes points made by members that are genuine. I know that he would be aware that if Parliament ignores the relevant points in the Supplementary Order Paper put up by myself and something goes wrong with a foreign crew and its ship’s security officer it will reflect very very badly on the people who ignored that. I know that the Minister does not want to be in that category. I would suggest that this method if nothing else is playing extra safe. 
I shall talk about the company representatives in this country. Obviously New Zealanders will be on our ships and there will be a ship security officer who can speak the language will cooperate and what have you. But by not putting the company security officer in the legislation we are telling the industry at large that he is not as important as the security officer on the ship. In many ways right at the coalface that might well be true but we have to aim at consistency of standard over the whole fleet and the company guy is the one who will do that. Although he will be in the regulations he has to be in the legislation. 
My Supplementary Order Paper states that “contracting Government” means a Government that is a party to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974. The reason that that is in there as a definition is that we are talking about Part 1. However it refers to new clause 19A that I suggest should go in Part 2 that outlines the duties of companies in a fairly comprehensive way. “Contracting Government” is an accepted term in the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code and in the International Convention on the Safety of Life at Sea. Therefore I felt that a definition should go in this bill to be able to use the term later on. 
This is a very important bill for this country; it is exceedingly important. New Zealand First is determined to support it. Equally we are determined that it should be as near perfect as we can help make it. As I said earlier on I am encouraged by the Minister’s response at least to Part 1 of my Supplementary Order Paper. He is asking officials to look seriously at incorporating it maybe with some modifications into the legislation. I hope that other members of the House will take it on board. This is not an attempt to play politics. This is a genuine attempt on behalf of New Zealand First to get this legislation correct. 
Phil Heatley 
: This is your first genuine attempt ever. 
PETER BROWN 
: It is not my first genuine attempt but I have to admit that from time to time we do have attempts to have a little bit of fun in this House but this is not one of those times. 
Clayton Cosgrove 
: Winston does and outside the House too. 
PETER BROWN 
: The Hon Winston Peters has been known to have a little bit of fun at someone’s expense. This is New Zealand First being absolutely straight. 
Hon Ken Shirley 
: For the first time. 
PETER BROWN 
: Not for the first time. Some say I have lived my whole life being straight. I will now come back to the bill. 
 I cannot emphasise enough the importance of this bill to this country. The ports are very important for our exports and imports and for the economic well-being of all of us. I point out that 99.5 percent of exports and imports come in and go out by ships. We must have a secure infrastructure in place I would suggest reasonably—ifnot urgently— 
Clayton Cosgrove 
: Soon. 
PETER BROWN 
: Soon; that is the term the Labour Government uses. I am a bit reluctant to use it because when one asks the Minister of Transport about shipping he says “soon” and it never happens. 
Clayton Cosgrove 
: Finish the speech so we can get this passed quickly. 
PETER BROWN 
: If I thought that by finishing now we would get this passed I would cut my speech right to the core. I am encouraged by the Minister’s response on Part 1. I look to the same sort of response when we get to Part 2.