Carter John: Tariff (New Zealand - Thailand Closer Economic Partnership) Bill — Second Reading Instruction to Committee In Committee Third Reading 
Carter John: Tariff (New Zealand - Thailand Closer Economic Partnership) Bill — Second Reading Instruction to Committee In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:626;Page:21398] 
JOHN CARTER (National—Northland) 
: 
 I follow my colleague Lockwood Smith and I am sure that Mr Jones will get a call very shortly. I raise this issue in relation to Part 1 and again it is in a similar vein to that stated by my colleague Lockwood Smith and relates to the wording that appears in the agreement. I assume that the wording applies for goods both coming in and going out of New Zealand in regard to the issue under article 15.8 of the agreement relating to the Treaty of Waitangi where it states it deems necessary to accord more favourable treatment to Maori including the fulfilment of its obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi. 
I draw the Committee’s attention to a speech made by Mr Trevor Mallard as Coordinating Minister Race Relations at Victoria University in July last year when he said as the Minister in that capacity that Maori have no extra rights or privileges under the treaty or in the policy of the New Zealand Government. I ask the Minister in the chair Mr Sutton whether he can explain that statement made by the Minister in charge of race relations Mr Mallard. He and Prime Minister gave an assurance to this House that there would be one law for all. Yet the Minister might explain why that clause is in the agreement that gives favourable treatment to Maori including the fulfilment of obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi whatever that means. 
Perhaps the Minister might like to explain to the Parliament how it actually affects goods coming from Thailand into New Zealand. I would be very pleased if the Minister could explain to us what sort of impact that wording in the agreement would have on someone from Thailand who is making some Thai product and then runs up against the favourable treatment for Maori when it comes across our wharves. I wonder what impact that will have on that person’s ability to be able to trade fairly and freely with all New Zealanders. The Minister might like to take a call to explain why he and the Government—Helen Clark Trevor Mallard and Jim Sutton—believe that it is important that that sort of clause is in an international trade agreement. 
For the life of me I fail to see that it will make one iota of difference between us trading with Thailand and Thailand trading with us. I would be very pleased if the Minister could take a call to perhaps enlighten us and in particular enlighten me so that I can explain to the people of Northland why the Government felt that in this particular case it had to abandon its policy of one law for all—if it has that policy and actually I do not think that it does—and put that in this agreement. It will be interesting to know why. 
My colleague Lockwood Smith also raised some other interesting aspects of the legislation and of the agreement. Of course they are issues we raised in the first and second readings and I do hope that the Minister will take a call to explain to us those issues that will be of worry around the matter of negotiation—particularly the issue as my colleague Lockwood Smith has said around the matter of chemicals etc. It is very important that we have a good understanding in this debate so that when we are asked by the rural sector that we represent we can explain to it what impact that will have. I am concerned as my colleagues are that it may well impinge on its ability to have a full and free trade between Thailand and New Zealand. We certainly do not want that to be an outcome of this agreement.