Moroney Sue: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Moroney Sue: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:634;Page:5946] 
9.  
SUE MORONEY (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister of Immigration 
: Has he received any public comment on the recently announced policies for foreign fishing crews? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Minister of Immigration) 
: 
 I have seen an editorial in the  
Dominion Post 
 of Monday 16 October that warmly welcomes the foreign charter fishing crew policy the Government announced last week. In particular it notes that it was the fishing industry’s failure to drive out the “cowboys” that prompted the Government to act and that we “should not be put off by the squawks of those who cannot see past their own bank balances.” 
Sue Moroney 
: Why will the fishing policy announced by the Government protect and promote the New Zealand fishing industry over the longer term? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: The policy promotes human rights and decent labour conditions thus enhancing the reputation of the New Zealand fishing industry. It also prevents a race to the bottom whereby legitimate New Zealand operators are undercut by cheap foreign labour. 
Peter Brown 
: Can I take it from the Minister’s answer that he shares New Zealand First’s view that foreign fishing crews should be allowed only when it is proved that New Zealand workers are unwilling or unable to undertake the work and does he also agree that adopting industry-wide minimum employment standards will encourage New Zealanders to do the work which will reduce the reliance on foreign crews? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: It is a longstanding tenet of Government immigration policy that jobs should always be offered to New Zealand workers where they are available. Secondly it is a longstanding part of Government policy that terms and conditions for foreign crews should be equivalent to those of domestic ones. 
Tariana Turia 
: Would the Minister agree that the real concern for the minimum wages being paid to foreign fishing crews has more to do with undermining the Maori fisheries industry and assisting the Talley’s family to achieve cheap quotas and control of Maori fisheries because of that family’s relationship with politicians? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: It ill-serves a party that claims to represent some of the lowest-paid New Zealanders to be advocating that iwi fishing companies make a profit from the sweat of Third World workers being paid even less. The officials’ advice is that although there may be some economic impact on firms—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I have my speaker on high I am trying to listen and I cannot hear the Minister who is two benches behind me. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Yes I know. I thank the member and I understand that that is also why the members were rising at the back of the Chamber. I ask the Minister however to just directly address the question. 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: I will directly address the question again. It ill-serves a party that claims to represent some of the lowest-paid New Zealanders to be advocating that iwi fishing companies make a profit from the sweat of Third World workers being paid even less— 
Tariana Turia 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister to address the question. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: So would I. I ask the Minister please do not preface it with statements but just get to the substance of the question. 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: Maori make up a significant percentage of the people working on fishing vessels and it is important that their conditions are not undermined by allowing foreigners to do the work on substandard terms. The officials’ advice is that although there will be some economic impact on some firms there is no evidence that iwi will be disproportionately affected.