7. Question No. 7—CustomsHon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson) to the Minister of CustomsQuestion No. 7—Customs7. Hon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson) to the Minister of Customs: Does she stand by all her Government's customs policies and actions?Hon JENNY SALESA (Minister of Customs): Yes. I especially stand by Customs' policies and actions that have led to a decisive response to COVID-19 at our border including the handling of passengers entering New Zealand while enabling the movement of freight in and out of New Zealand. I also stand by the policies and actions that continue to protect New Zealanders from other forms of harm including a record bust of three tonnes of drugs in 2019 and the additional funds that have been invested in the Customs Service to tackle illegal drugs and objectionable material coming across the border. I especially stand by the brave men and women of our New Zealand Customs Service who've worked tirelessly to keep our country safe.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Why is Customs refusing entry to New Zealand for vessels coming here for marine engineering work resulting in the loss of millions of dollars of work and a loss of significant jobs when the COVID-19 risks from crew are negligible and easily managed?Hon JENNY SALESA: The decision about which kinds of craft are allowed in whether they're marine or whether they're cruise ships is basically focused on our actions to deal with COVID-19. And so one of the reasons why our Government actually had alert level 4 and the fact that we closed our border is basically because our first and foremost priority is to protect New Zealand people's lives. We take that advice from the Director-General of Health and from the Ministry of Health and basically in terms of lifting or changing that particular policy it'll be a decision by Cabinet.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Does she stand by Customs' decision to refuse entry of the large fishing vessel the Capt. Vincent Gann for urgent engineering work in Nelson when it has come from American Samoa—where there have been zero cases and they closed their border prior to us—when the crew have been at sea for weeks and when the crew can be tested and quarantined when they arrive in New Zealand?Hon JENNY SALESA: I stand by our Government's record: the fact that we only have one current active case of COVID-19; the fact that we almost have eliminated COVID-19. Cabinet makes these decisions based on the Director-General of Health and the Ministry of Health. I stand by our Government's record on COVID-19. Hon Dr Nick Smith: Does she agree with the advice given by her officials to New Zealand marine engineering companies that these fishing vessels in the Pacific that are normally maintained in Nelson should go to Hawaii or other ports for repairs? Hon JENNY SALESA: I reiterate my response. I stand by our Government's decision to ensure that our borders are safe and until the Director-General of Health and the Ministry of Health gives us other advice in Cabinet I stand by our Government's advice on this.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Why is the Government making an exemption to the closed borders for foreign film workers but not for blue collar workers in the marine engineering industry? Hon JENNY SALESA: In terms of exemptions the member might want to reflect on who that particular question should go to. Those exemptions are given by the Minister for Economic Development. Hon Dr Nick Smith: Does she accept responsibility for the unnecessary loss of jobs in the marine industry in places like Nelson given the Government's refusal to provide exemptions for that important New Zealand industry?Hon JENNY SALESA: Again I reiterate my response. I stand by our Government's response to COVID-19. We have been really successful at addressing COVID-19 and in terms of opening up the border that will be a decision that will be made by Cabinet not by me as Minister of Customs on my own.Hon Dr Nick Smith: I seek leave of the House to table the relevant correspondence over the last three weeks to try and get access for these vessels to New Zealand that has resulted in significant job losses in my Nelson electorate. SPEAKER: Is there any objection to those documents being tabled? There appears to be none. Documents by leave laid on the Table of the House.