Williams Andrew: Commerce Commission (International Co-operation and Fees) Bill — In Committee 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Williams Andrew: Commerce Commission (International Co-operation and Fees) Bill — In Committee 
[Sitting date: 29 May 2012. Volume:680;Page:2642. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
ANDREW WILLIAMS (NZ First) 
: 
 I take a call on behalf of New Zealand First on the Commerce Commission (International Co-operation and Fees) Bill. I would concur with the honourable member Chris Hipkins in terms of what was an agreed arrangement at the Business Committee to go this evening until 9 p.m. on the Budget debate. But it was very interesting that obviously the Government members were finding the heat a bit too hot. They did not like the information that was being put on the table and it was very interesting that the “Superman” super-Minister had to leave the House with a great deal of urgency because it was getting a bit too hot for him.  
But getting back to the Commerce Commission (International Co-operation and Fees) Bill I do apologise; I was going to go back to my office as many other members were to get some of my speech notes for later in the evening but as we were not given the courtesy to do that and this bill was brought forward then we will have to explore things on the hoof. It is on the hoof— 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: A bit like their policy—on the hoof.  
ANDREW WILLIAMS 
: And it is a little bit like the National Government—you are dead right. It is a bit like the National Government and how most of its policy is on the hoof. Most of it as a result is of that ilk.  
I would like to raise a few points out of the bill particularly new section 99H in clause 6. It says in new section 99H(1): “Following a request by a recognised overseas regulator made in accordance with a co-operation arrangement the Commission”—as in the New Zealand Commerce Commission—“may do either or both of the following: (a) provide compulsorily acquired information to the recognised overseas regulator: (b) provide investigative assistance to the recognised overseas regulator.”  
This is of great assistance in terms of dealing with particularly our sister nation across the Tasman Australia which already has this in place and has had this in place for a few years. It will help with inquiries in terms of what is happening on both sides of the Tasman in particular but also with many of our other international trading partners.  
But when I get down to new section 99H(2A) it says: “If the Commission considers after consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade that a request for compulsorily acquired information or investigative assistance may have significant trade consequences for New Zealand the Commission must refer the matter to the Minister of Trade.” This is a very interesting provision because it basically means that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is brought into the whole picture in terms of any matters that are occurring within New Zealand or indeed could be occurring in an overseas market where a jurisdiction commission in an offshore market where we operate is similarly inquiring into the activities perhaps of a New Zealand company or a company operating there that has interests in New Zealand as well.  
So that is very interesting and they perhaps would be very interested in making sure that New Zealand does play by the rules—that we do operate by the rules and are certainly above board. It might for instance be such that they would come to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and ask for its opinion on these sorts of things. It is interesting that today the same day we read in the  
New Zealand Herald 
 that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade was stripped of $6 million by the Minister of Foreign Affairs who happened to be the Minister for the Rugby World Cup. He stripped $6 million out of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to pay for party central for the National Party on Queens Wharf to expand it into Captain Cook Wharf.  
I think it is interesting that the very body that could be providing assistance to the Commerce Commission to provide international information across to our Australian counterparts might actually be the same body that had $6 million stripped out of it for other commercial activities to basically promote the Rugby World Cup. If you were an organisation in Australia and you were involved with bidding for the Rugby World Cup were running part of the Rugby World Cup were a tenderer for the Rugby World Cup or were trying to be a big player in the Rugby World Cup you would start to question whether it is fair play that the New Zealand side of things stripped $6 million out of its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade just pulled it out of a hat and sent it across to party central to pay for the upgrade of a wharf. So it starts to move into the area of “How does New Zealand operate here?”. 
More and more under this National Government we are starting to see some very shonky things happening and I think that before we start being the regulator with the Government saying “This is how you will play by the rules.” perhaps this Government needs to reflect on itself and say “Well we will also abide by the rules and play by the rules.” We cannot be judge and jury and we cannot provide international information to our sister commerce commissions and our sister governmental organisations around the world if we ourselves are not squeaky clean and if we ourselves are not providing something that is upfront very clear and very transparent.  
When I as a New Zealander see things such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade having something like $24 million stripped from it—removing our embassies in Sweden downgrading many of our posts greatly reducing our presence in Europe and greatly reducing the efficiency of the ministry in terms of our top international people around the world—it is concerning to read on the very same day in the biggest paper in New Zealand that $6 million was pulled out of our Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in order to pay for Rugby World Cup party central for the National Party. 
So I say to the Minister in the chair the Minister of Commerce let us get in behind this Commerce Commission cooperation let us be a genuine player on the world stage and let us be fair and equal to all. But let us also make sure that back at home in our own backyard we play by the rules.