Mathers MojoMOJO MATHERS (Green): I would like to take a call on this Trade (Anti-dumping and Countervailing Duties) Amendment Bill. As someone who has sat through some of the select committee hearings and heard from the submitters I have to say that it is extremely frustrating to see their concerns—very valid concerns—being completely dismissed and ignored by the Government. Previous speakers have outlined some of the very real risks and threats to local New Zealand industries.They have also outlined very well why dumping is such a damaging practice. It is destructive damaging predatory unfair—it is all of these things. That is why the original law that this bill would amend put in place a system of protections of imposing anti-dumping duties and countervailing duties on the products that are deemed to have been dumped on the New Zealand market. This predatory practice is destructive no matter which way you cut it and as my colleague said once we lose manufacturing expertise in an area it is very difficult to re-establish that at a later date when that product is no longer available at rock-bottom prices.At the moment New Zealand's economy is already dangerously reliant on exporting large volumes of low-value commodity products. The last thing we need is a law that will immediately increase investment risk and undermine other value-added industries especially in manufacturing and construction which are the very areas that we need to help diversify the economy and increase economic resilience. Our largest economic trading bloc is Australia; they have decided against going down this path and it is ridiculous that we in New Zealand being a much smaller economy are instead going ahead and weakening our already minimal protections for industries in New Zealand. It is almost like National is putting up a great big sign saying: Do not invest here. Go to Australia instead."Losing local industries in the manufacturing sector also makes it much harder to monitor issues of quality control and accountability. Cheaper is not always better especially when it comes to building or construction materials when poor quality materials threaten people's safety and homes. That was evident all too recently when 1600 tonnes of steel from China was found to be too weak for four bridges on the Huntly bypass project. Officials have already acknowledged that adding a new public interest test will make the Acts more complex reduce the overall effectiveness of the New Zealand anti-dumping regime and increase uncertainty into the process.It is really important to realise that at the moment right now it is already a high threshold to reach to determine whether dumping is occurring. It is expensive and it is time-consuming. Industries only do that when they really have their backs up against the wall they know they are not going to be viable and they have a rock-hard case to bring. Now when they bring that case what is going to happen? All that effort could go down the gurgler because there has been an extra test introduced that says: "Oh but there could be some benefit to consumers." There will always be some benefit to consumers in the short term.What we have to look at is the long term; what is in the national interest not just what is in the interest of a few consumers buying that product right now. Where are we headed as a country? What is our long-term economic vision for the country? Do we want strong resilient robust New Zealand - based industries? We need that. That is what the Green Party supports. That is why we oppose this bill."