Jones Dail: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Jones Dail: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:625;Page:20453] 
10.  
DAIL JONES (NZ First) 
 to the  
Minister for Trade Negotiations 
: Is gaining access for New Zealand apples and other pipfruit to the Australian market a priority for this Government; if so what actions are being taken to achieve this? 
Hon JIM SUTTON (Minister for Trade Negotiations) 
: 
 Yes the Government has strongly argued and continues to argue New Zealand’s case for apples access at every appropriate opportunity with the Australian Government. This includes recently applying pressure in a multilateral context. 
Dail Jones 
: Has the Minister been aware of a large number of pest interceptions made on Australian fresh produce imports to New Zealand since 2000 including 471 interceptions on ginger 1014 interceptions on oranges and over 2000 interceptions on rock melons; and now that he is aware when will he make a stand on the issue of apple imports by Australia by at least making a retaliatory move in banning imports of such pest-ridden Australian products until the Australians have cleaned up their act? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: I assure every other member of this House that New Zealand administers its biosecurity rules on the basis of honest science not on the basis of school playground tit for tat. 
Hon David Carter 
: How long does the Minister intend to allow Australia to procrastinate; and why will he not do something concrete and initiate a World Trade Organization action to bring this 80-year-old issue to a conclusion? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: The Government is perfectly prepared to take a case to the World Trade Organization for settlement if necessary. However taking such a case is a serious and costly issue and the outcome can never be certain. We may get one shot at that so it would be important to move at the most opportune moment. The pending outcome of negotiations on the implementation of the United States - Japan decision recently may well alter the situation. 
Dail Jones 
: Does the Minister recall making a statement in 2000 with regard to Australian apple protectionism that: “If this is not scientifically based we will take appropriate action.”; and now that he knows that Australia’s grounds for protecting apples are not based on any scientific evidence whatsoever will he stand by his word follow New Zealand First’s policy and refer this matter to the World Trade Organization immediately because in the meantime those Aussie battlers are being prevented from forming a union with a New Zealand Pacific Rose or even with a Braeburn like the one I have here? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: Clearly the member does not know what he is talking about but I can assure the House that the Government will take every feasible practical step to advance our case. For us to initiate litigation when there is a legitimate scientific process under way at this time would be to invite failure. 
Gerrard Eckhoff 
: If a New Zealand Government can take the United States of America to the World Trade Organization over access of our lamb to that country and win why will this Government after 6 years in office not take Australia to that same organisation with likely exactly the same result—a win for the apple growers of this country? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: For us to take a case to the World Trade Organization when there is a scientific process under way would be to invite failure. Of course the member who asked the question is accustomed to failure and apparently thrives on it.