Woolerton R Doug: State-Owned Enterprises (AgriQuality Limited and Asure New Zealand Limited) Bill — First Reading 
Woolerton R Doug: State-Owned Enterprises (AgriQuality Limited and Asure New Zealand Limited) Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:638;Page:8564] 
R DOUG WOOLERTON (NZ First) 
: 
 When I was on the Primary Production Committee which is the select committee that these two organisations used to—and presumably still do—report to I remember one thing that stood out above all others. These two organisations went at it in the courts. They sued each other. I listened carefully to the words of Shane Ardern—a man I admire and whom I think I would like to call a friend—and some of them did not ring true. They were not the words of the Shane Ardern I know. I know what Mr Ardern thinks and he does not like waste. He does like competition that is true but he does not like waste. This State-Owned Enterprises (AgriQuality Limited and Asure New Zealand Limited) Bill will eliminate waste because in this situation the so-called competition is actually illusory. There is very little competition in real terms between these two companies. There is fighting there are court cases and there are takeover bids—there are all of those things—but I am not too sure that there is true competition in the way there should be. 
I liked the words of Maryan Street who said that this is State-owned enterprise privatisation to an extent that is ridiculous. I think she used the word “atomised”; I would just about go to the word “vaporised” as far as these two organisations are concerned. That is quite true. I think it is eminently sensible that some cooperation and collaboration be brought into it—in other words that common sense begins to prevail again. It is a matter of ideology. I can understand the ideology of both the Labour and National sides when it comes to services—because that is what we are talking about here at the end of the day—and how they are delivered through Government agencies which I think it would be fair to say is Labour’s preferred model; or trading enterprises which is the National Party’s preference. 
If these two companies were to be merged and for some reason or another voters had a hiccup and put National into Government I would be very very surprised if National split asunder these two organisations. I think that would be most unlikely. So I think the competition we are seeing now is illusory and that efficiencies can be made. New Zealand First supports this bill. 
It saddens me that too often when we have a debate like this we forget what it is all about. This bill is about ensuring that the food products that leave our shore the products that set the standard of living for almost all New Zealanders are paramount. It must be and it is essential that these companies that oversee our product quality are absolutely beyond any shadow of doubt when it comes to their efficiency and diligence. Companies overseas and other countries will use anything they can—any little slip-up—to bar our products from their shores. Mr Guy knows that Mr Ardern knows that and Eric Roy who I see is getting ready for a major speech knows that because I have heard them talking in the select committee. 
I think that to regard these operations as services is right and proper and it is right that the Government exercises some control over them. Certainly I think it fits the New Zealand First model because we are interested in one thing: that the products leave our shores in the highest possible bracket as far as finance and quality go so that we can return the goods to this country. I do not think it is excessive to say that when companies are fighting each other are in takeover mode and are in the business of going to the lawyers rather than getting on with their job that must indeed result in them taking their eyes off the prize. It must be a situation that is not conducive to good business. 
I think that New Zealand First will support this bill right through. I will be interested like Mr Ardern and the other speakers to see what comes out of the Commerce Committee. I hope the wise heads on that committee do not overlook the service aspect of this bill and I hope they do not get bogged down in ideology. I know that Mr Guy Mr Ardern and Mr Roy will not do that and I ask them to restrain some of their colleagues who have a bent for that sort of thing. So New Zealand First supports this bill. Thank you.