Choudhary Ashraf: Biosecurity Amendment Bill (No 4) Hazardous Substances and New Organisms  Amendment Bill (No 2) — Third Readings 
Choudhary Ashraf: Biosecurity Amendment Bill (No 4) Hazardous Substances and New Organisms  Amendment Bill (No 2) — Third Readings 
[Volume:646;Page:15359] 
Dr ASHRAF CHOUDHARY (Labour) 
: 
 Aleikum salaam. I will take this brief call in support of this legislation because I believe that the amendments to the Biosecurity Act and the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act are very important to make sure of and clarify the role of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act as well as the Biosecurity Act. In saying so I also add that this Labour-led Government is very proud of taking strong leadership in our biosecurity challenge. This country and the agriculture in this country depend on exports. Our economy is based on exports so we take very seriously any issues to do with biosecurity. Our biosecurity people at our airports and other ports are always alert to any of these potentially harmful organisms arriving in New Zealand whether intentionally imported or entering as passenger organisms. So in this bill we have clarified the role of the Biosecurity Act as well as the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act. 
This matter arose from the pathogen  
Paenibacillus alvei 
 which comes in honey. As has previously been said by a speaker on the other side there are a number of issues here. One of the key issues has been the scientific evidence around whether this organism is a potential problem to honey and honey bees. In Australia scientists have found no problem with this particular organism or its having an adverse effect on honey or honey bees. I understand that a New Zealand scientist made a submission that suggested there are potential problems. We have to be very careful in scientific terms about whether something has a clear defined impact on something else. In this case the scientist has been suggesting there is a potential problem with this organism. It is very important for us to make sure this organism does not have any problems so that is why we have this bill and the amendment suggested through the Primary Production Committee that an independent scientific review panel has to be set up. After the bill has been enacted this panel can look at this issue if the bee industry wants it to and hopefully clarify any problems. In the meantime we have agreed that the honey should not be imported from Australia for 90 days. I think that that is important to give some confidence to the bee industry. Since it won the case in the Court of Appeal the industry has had some fruits from its victory if you like and it will now have the opportunity to present its case and its views about this honey to the panel. 
This bill also validates the import health standards relating to honey and honey bee products during this period. I think that that is a very good amendment and a clarification. Our biosecurity people—the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry the Environmental Risk Management Authority and other agencies—were in a bit of a quandary as to what to do next. But clearly there was advice from the Crown Law Office that this bill had to be put in place to make sure that the issues were clarified for both the honey bee issue as well as for any other potential problems that could occur—for example problems in the pork industry as well. With those few words I commend this bill to the House.