Carter David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Carter David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:628;Page:482] 
10.  
Hon DAVID CARTER (National) 
 to the  
Minister for Trade Negotiations 
: Has he taken any action to gain access to the Australian apple market for New Zealand growers or is he waiting for the Australian import risk assessment which Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer assured the New Zealand Government 4 months ago would be “weeks not months” away? 
Hon JIM SUTTON (Minister for Trade Negotiations) 
: 
 I have taken every opportunity for that including at this month’s APEC meeting where I discussed the issue with Foreign Minister Downer. He told me the import risk assessment will be released imminently. Since June when we took the unprecedented step of formally inscribing the Australian apple issue on the agenda of the World Trade Organization’s Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures the web of World Trade Organization precedents has been closing ever more tightly around Australia in this matter. 
Chris Tremain 
: Has the Minister received any reports on the number of orchardists who will exit the industry within 12 months if this Government does not make any progress on this issue? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: No. As Minister for Trade Negotiations I have received no such reports. I could suggest to the member he may care to put down a question to the Minister of Agriculture. 
Nathan Guy 
: What communication has he or any other Minister inside or outside of Cabinet had with the Australian officials about apple access since the election? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: I have just advised the House about the discussions I have had with Alexander Downer on this matter this month. In that capacity he was standing in for the Australian Minister of Trade Mark Vaile who was indisposed. My colleague Phil Goff was also present and participated in that meeting. Aside from that I have no doubt that every New Zealand Minister who has had official contact with our Australian counterparts in recent times would have referred to this matter. 
Jill Pettis 
: Can the Minister advise the House why New Zealand does not take retaliatory action against Australian imports of agricultural produce? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: It would not be in New Zealand’s interest to engage in a tit-for-tat policy on market access. Such an approach would not be in accord with New Zealand’s commitment to fair rules - based trade and in fact would put us in breach of the very obligations we are asking the Australian Government to honour. We do have a robust and scientific quarantine system which we apply without fear or favour on the basis of science—not I may say political science. 
Craig Foss 
: How many more orchardists need to see their livelihoods disappear while we wait before this Government initiates full World Trade Organization action? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: The industry got very used to waiting while the previous National Government was in power and did not do a blind thing about this matter. Since then however the pressure has been reapplied and Australia is slowly but surely being dragged down by the weight of international law in this matter. 
Hon David Carter 
: Will the Minister take this opportunity to assure the House that over the next few months before the Prime Minister puts that man out to pasture he will give this matter his most urgent attention? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: I am flattered that the member should think that this would be the last opportunity to resolve that question. I can assure the House yet again that the Government is continuing and will continue to do everything within its power to advance our interests in this case. Of course we have very much in mind the interests of every single New Zealand pipfruit producer. 
Hon David Carter 
: Does the Minister stand by his comments in the House on 31 May this year when he referred to New Zealand First’s trade policy as “shonky protectionism”; if not why not? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: I am sure my comments would have been totally apt at that time but New Zealand First has come a long way since then.