Mapp Wayne: Civil Aviation Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Mapp Wayne: Civil Aviation Amendment Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:615;Page:11449] 
Dr WAYNE MAPP (National—North Shore) 
: 
 Members will have noted from the Civil Aviation Amendment Bill that Part 2 “Amendments to principal Act and related provisions” which is the substantive part of the bill is extremely complex. I want to point out the practice that the Government has developed of trying to force legislation through the Committee. Part 1 “Preliminary provisions” which consists of the commencement and purpose provisions only has two clauses and in Part 2 one would think on the face of it there are 35 clauses. But there are many more than that because what the Government is doing nowadays—and it is a habit it has been developing over time—is including within a part a whole series of subparts. So for instance Part 2 includes Part 1A “ANZA mutual recognition” Part 5A “Unruly passenger offences” and—oh we do have Ms Coddington here today to continue discussing the interesting point that she made last week on that—and Part 9B “Domestic carriage by air”. Each of those parts has at least 20 clauses in it. So there is the Government’s extraordinary practice of trying to truncate the debate by the way that it structures bills. I would like to have some sort of assurance from the Chair that the Opposition will have a proper opportunity to explore what is really three parts contained within one: Part 1A Part 5A and Part 9B. I want to talk to each of those issues separately because each is substantial in its own right. 
In this contribution I shall refer specifically to Part 1A which is the “ANZA Mutual Recognition Bill” or the Australia - New Zealand aviation mutual recognition provisions. Under those provisions is a goal that has been sought by successive Governments over many many years: to achieve a single trans-Tasman aviation market. I think all members would acknowledge that goal is a desirable outcome and I also note that the Prime Minister is travelling to Australia today— 
Hon David Carter 
: Another jaunt. 
Dr WAYNE MAPP 
: Another jaunt. I understand that one of the objectives of the visit is to develop or expand a common market—if one will the integration of the two economies—and I certainly see these mutual recognition provisions in the light of that. One has to ask oneself however whether the Prime Minister in her discussions with Mr Howard will be proposing a truncation and shortening of the competition provisions of the two nations so as to effectively force Air New Zealand into Qantas. We all know that that is the outcome desired by the current Government and indeed last week when members were discussing this bill the Minister said that issue had to be addressed by his colleague Dr Cullen. Opposition members took the view that that answer implied yes that is exactly what the Government’s intent is and that these provisions are intended to be essentially the cover for that. In the guise of establishing a single trans-Tasman market the Government’s real intention is to establish in essence a truncation of our competition laws so that the merger of the two companies will proceed without a proper examination. So that is the first point I raise. 
The second point I would like an answer on from the Minister in the chair the Hon Harry Duynhoven is this. I note from the commentary on the bill by the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee that the single market is intended to relate to aircraft of a certain size and weight. The bill itself refers to aircraft of I think 15000 kilograms. In short it applies to major transport aircraft that would only be operated by Air New Zealand Qantas and Virgin Blue Airlines I guess as well. I am not aware of any other internal carriers that would wish to operate in both markets and that have such aircraft.