Tabuteau Fletcher: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeTabuteau Fletcher: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 02 July 2015. Volume:706;Page:5069. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]10.FLETCHER TABUTEAU (NZ First)to the Minister of Trade: Does he stand by his statement in respect of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement that “We were never going to start the serious negotiations until it was show time” and will this include the future of Fonterra?Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Acting Minister of Trade):Yes the Minister does stand by his statements on the Trans-Pacific Partnership. This includes the statement that further negotiations are needed to resolve the most difficult issues in negotiation which include market access for dairy. In respect of the second part of the question if the member is referring to the structure of Fonterra the way Fonterra operates established in the dairy industry reforms of a decade ago is not up for negotiation.Fletcher Tabuteau: For clarification how does the Minister then reconcile the US Dairy Export Council’s strong support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement fast-track when its president speaking about Fonterra before a Senate inquiry said: “If this is going to be a high ambitious agreement in the 21st century you need to reform the industry which is creating a 90 percent market share for one company in the global market that the company”—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Supplementary questions must be concise. Bring the question to a conclusion very quickly otherwise I will rule it out of order.Fletcher Tabuteau: Thank you Mr Speaker. The president was suggesting that Fonterra has way too much market power by law and should not be therefore—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Debates occur after question time. If the question can be made out—[Interruption] Order! I am on my feet at the moment. If the Minister can establish a question out of that I invite the Minister to answer it.Tracey Martin: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Unfortunately because that is a direct quote from hearings held on the Trans-Pacific Partnership the Minister would not be able to answer the question of my colleague without hearing the direct quote.Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member needs to study the Standing Orders. Standing Order 380 is quite specific on how questions can be asked. That question is miles too long. I warned the member. He then continued with a long question. I am now giving the Minister the opportunity to answer. If there are further supplementary questions and they are of that length I will simply rule them out of order.Ron Mark: Point of order. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! Would all members resume their seats. This may be a fresh point of order in which case I am happy to hear it. But if it is in any way a relitigation of a ruling I have just made in respect of that question then I will treat it very seriously indeed.Ron Mark: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I fully accept your ruling. The question though is going forward to help us could you give us a word count so that we can check ourselves—Mr SPEAKER: Order! It is the last day before a break so I will on this occasion be a little generous to the member. The published Hansard will be available at about 4.30 p.m. I suggest he just count it for himself. [Interruption] Order! No the member will resume his seat. The question has been asked with some difficulty for me to decipher but I am going to give the Minister a chance to answer. If there are further supplementary questions we will move from there.Hon STEVEN JOYCE: It is not the job of the New Zealand Minister of Trade to reconcile the statements of a US lobbying group whoever they are. I stand by the answer to the substantive question.Fletcher Tabuteau: Would the Minister describe the stand by the US National Milk Producers Federation as shadow-boxing given that it stated after the fast-track was passed that the US dairy industry has been a strong advocate for the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement with it previously telling the US international—Mr SPEAKER: Order! That will do. The question has been asked and again it is too long.Hon STEVEN JOYCE: The answer remains the same. It is not the job of the New Zealand Minister of Trade to reconcile the positions of any other organisation that is lobbying in favour of a particular outcome in regards to a trade agreement. It is the responsibility of the New Zealand Minister of Trade to lead the negotiation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership.Fletcher Tabuteau: Can I raise a point of order and seek clarification?Mr SPEAKER: Yes you can.Fletcher Tabuteau: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I have sought to keep these questions within the bounds and structure of previous questions that I have asked in this House and have been allowed. Your—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member has just summed it up perfectly for himself. I have noticed a habit whereby increasingly the questions that are asked by this particular member are far too long. I have given him the opportunity to shorten them. He has not taken my advice. He may well get the same treatment in the future. Does the member have a further supplementary question?Fletcher Tabuteau: Can the Minister confirm to New Zealand farmers and consumers that under a Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement United States milk and meat products containing wrapped dopamine and recombinant bovine growth hormone both banned here in New Zealand will not enter into New Zealand as stipulated by the EU in its own free-trade agreements with the United States?Mr SPEAKER: Again marginal but I will allow it.Hon STEVEN JOYCE: There are all sorts of things that are being negotiated including such issues as phytosanitary conditions and all the requirements on animal product health and so on. These negotiations are continuing. The Minister is not in a position to comment on individual items except to say in response to the substantive question the member raised that the way Fonterra operates is not up for negotiation.