Andersen VirginiaVIRGINIA ANDERSEN (Labour): Thank you Mr Chair for the opportunity to speak on the amendment to the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act. I think it's important that we look at the role that the dairy industry plays in New Zealand and also how this has changed over time. There was a time in New Zealand when any small farmer had the opportunity of participating in dairy farming and of being able to make a living from dairy farming. Over time we've seen companies grow bigger and a more corporate spread happening while that's benefited New Zealand hugely—and we look at the contribution that our only multinational company Fonterra makes to our economy—we also look at how the average person is trying to make a living in farming. Their first crack really is as a sharemilker not as an owner or an operator. So when we look at the inability of the average farmer to be able to participate and own and take a stake in how this is happening we need to make sure that there is sufficient competition within New Zealand's dairy industry to enable that healthy competition to take place.So what we've seen through the Commerce Commission's inquiry is that this is not sufficient in the South Island that there is not a sufficient level of competition happening in order for us to be satisfied that those provisions should expire and that's exactly why this piece of legislation is being put through under urgency. We need to make sure that there is sufficient knowledge that we do have healthy competition and that we do have a good way of doing this. The Labour Party has a strong record of making sure that we have healthy competition in the market place. When I think back to having Telecom as a single provider in our telecommunications industry the last Labour Government looked at opening the market place for there to be more healthy competition and to enable other providers to give New Zealanders access to fair price products in the telecommunications market. That's also what we need to be reassuring New Zealanders should be happening right here. For that reason we need to make sure that there are good opportunities for those in the South Island to have a fair go.Now one of the things that I remember growing up in parts of rural New Zealand was seeing how much it's important to have a good community and good people who can make ends meet. I remember clearly at A and P show days where kids were struggling out in the farms and where farmers were struggling. We need to make sure that this bill proceeds with urgency in order to give that reassurance. The Government wants to take a strategic view of the dairy industry given its place in New Zealand's economy; 40 percent is a big whack of what we earn and it's about right that we make sure that we do it properly. I think the members opposite would be inclined to rush into this blindly and stamp it and not be too concerned. But we do need to remember that this bill did not proceed to select committee and it does need further interrogation and debate at this point in time. It would be nice if the members opposite actually even paid attention and started listening and contributing to the debate instead of sitting there quietly so it's important that they don't even seem to be that concerned about this piece of legislation which was kicked off initially by their own party. But there's still opportunity tonight for further comment and I encourage the members opposite to read the papers and take part in the debate and talk about some of their own constituents potentially who could benefit from this piece of legislation progressing as quickly as possible.So Madam Chair Williams I thank you for the opportunity and I commend this bill to the House.