Jones Dail: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Jones Dail: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:620;Page:16090] 
6.  
DAIL JONES (NZ First) 
 to the  
Prime Minister 
: Does she have confidence in her Minister for Trade Negotiations; if so why? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN (Acting Prime Minister) 
: 
 Yes because he is a hard-working and conscientious Minister. 
Dail Jones 
: Is the Prime Minister so confident bearing in mind that her Minister continues to be bullied by Australia in trade matters—for example the Minister cannot even get access to Australia for a few apples—and he is bullied when it comes to the Australian wine industry—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member will leave the Chamber. I said there would be no interjections during question time. The member knows who I am looking at. Janet Mackey will leave the Chamber. I like to be even-handed in these matters. I heard a particular member interject. That was the member I was referring to. 
Janet Mackey withdrew from the Chamber. 
Dail Jones 
: Why does Mr Hawkins not go? It will be the first time he has accepted responsibility for anything this year. If I may restart my question is the Prime Minister confident that her Minister for Trade Negotiations will not be bullied by the Australians in trade matters—for example he cannot even get a few apples exported into Australia he keels over backwards when the Australians put subsidies on wine and as far as the United States is concerned he is weak on the free-trade agreement; what will the Minister do about that weak attitude of the Minister for Trade Negotiations? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: I will just pick out one of those. The ban on New Zealand apples has been in place since 1921—a year before the lakes were not sold to the Crown. We have made significant progress towards achieving the removal of that ban. New Zealand has consistently argued for it to be based on scientific grounds and the Australians are moving somewhat glacially in that direction. 
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith 
: When does she expect the Minister for Trade Negotiations will do more than be just hopeful—as he is quoted saying today—that the Australian ban on the importation of New Zealand apples will be lifted given that the United States has recently won a case at the World Trade Organization against Japan on the same issue using New Zealand research and Australia has been playing with New Zealand for the past 5 years on this current application lodged in 1999? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: Firstly the Americans have not got any apples into Japan yet despite winning the World Trade Organization case. Secondly this Minister unlike the member who asked the question actually did get progress with the Australians. As the member will be aware during the election campaign there was a bit of moving around in the Australian Government position. We are confident that Australia will actually moot a position where science will be allowed to determine the issue and the issue is clear—fire blight is not carried on mature apples. 
Rod Donald 
: Will the Prime Minister tell her Minister for Trade Negotiations that she will not sign any trade deal with any country that refuses to ratify respect and abide by core international labour standards or involves the import of cheap contracted labour from ASEAN countries to New Zealand as suggested by the ASEAN secretary general just last month? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: This country takes a firm position in trying to support labour and environmental standards as part of trade agreements but it is not always possible to get those included. We are certainly not going to cut off our own noses to spite our faces in that respect. 
Dail Jones 
: How can the Prime Minister have confidence in her Minister for Trade Negotiations when we currently have a trade deficit that has blown out to $2.07 billion in the June quarter when we have had the worst August year since 1982—and we know what happened that year—and this Minister has done absolutely nothing to face up to the gravest problem our economy is facing today? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: I was not aware of what the last matter was referring to; if it was the price of oil I think it is a bit much to expect the New Zealand Minister for Trade Negotiations to get international oil prices down. 
Dail Jones 
: I take it then from the Minister’s answer that the Prime Minister expects the Minister for Trade Negotiations to do absolutely nothing? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: I certainly do not expect the Minister for Trade Negotiations to achieve a reduction in the international oil price.