Mahuta NanaiaHon NANAIA MAHUTA (Minister of Foreign Affairs): I want to thank the honourable member for allowing me to open up the committee stages of the Maritime Powers Bill. Can I just by way of introduction to the committee stage acknowledge and thank the select committee for their careful deliberations and also helpful suggestions to amend the bill the officials in the Parliamentary Counsel Office also in their deliberations. The committee received seven written submissions on the bill from the New Zealand Port Company CEO Group New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties the Privacy Commissioner and the New Zealand Law Society and three individuals. It's evident in many of the submissions and the way in which the select committee discussed elements of the bill that they took on board some of those recommendations and went further to ensure that we are achieving the intent and purpose of legislation that can extend enforcement powers into international waters.When the bill was introduced to the House it was clearly stated by the Government that there was a need to ensure that there was consistency in the way that our domestic laws were being applied in terms of enforcement powers into the international waters. I had to go over many of the initial comments made by members across the House to ensure that we were addressing many of the concerns that had been raised. Can I say that there was a number of issues that were raised by members in terms of the classes of enforcement officers. I note the member the spokesperson for foreign affairs in the Opposition the Hon Gerry Brownlee raised the issue of whether or not Department of Conservation (DOC) officers should be considered as enforcement officers. But when we think about the range of activities that take place in relation to the trafficking of endangered species and the way in which both the Wildlife Act and also the trafficking of endangered species are undertaken not only on terrestrial spaces but in international waters—the extension of enforcement powers seems to be a natural progression.However I see from the range of advice that the committee was provided there was a clear articulation of the range of powers and the subsequent acts that were being recognised in the bill. And I'm anticipating if there are questions of this area it will be based on the advice that the select committee received. Also in relation to the no need for warrants to be issued this is consistent with the way in which search and seizure surveillance powers continue to exist. But again that received a thorough I understand hearing and discussion in the select committee.What I wanted to I guess assure members—certainly of the Green Party because their position was well understood prior to the introduction of this bill—is that there was a thorough discussion around warrantless aspects of the enforcement provisions when the Search and Surveillance Bill was being put through the House. I recall when we debated the Search and Surveillance Act that this was and continues to remain an issue for the Greens. Again I note it because it was a matter that was discussed. Also can I just say at a practical level—and I have to put my practical hat on because the proof of the way in which enforcement powers are intended to exist are based on its application. And it would never be the case in international waters that these powers would exist in isolation. So by that I mean is that the range of enforcement officers Customs officers the police DOC rangers and the like they would be working together and in concert in terms of making a pre-assessment of utilising the powers that are in this particular Act to enable the collection of evidence to undertake stopping a vessel searching a vessel and collecting evidence for the purposes of the prosecution.The other point I would raise is that I understand that the committee fully exhausted the discussion around the criminal nature of the offence and that in itself is a high threshold by which to invoke the powers. Again I thank the committee for their effort and their helpful recommendations to improve the bill.