Whaitiri MekaHon MEKA WHAITIRI (Associate Minister of Agriculture): Tēnā koe Madam Assistant Speaker. Otirā e ngā mema o Te Whare nei. Tēnā tātou katoa. It's a bit rich for the member Nathan Guy who's just taken his seat because when they had their time in bat they didn't do anything with this bill. Now we've got a change of Government and we're doing something to acknowledge the dairy farmers—particularly in the South Island—with this bill. We believe their contribution to the primary industry sector is important. I want to commend the Minister of Agriculture the Hon Damien O'Connor for bringing this bill to the House under urgency simply because of the 31 May expiry date. It's to do with assuring clarity for our South Island dairy farmers that this Government is prepared not only to ensure they've got clarity going forward but we're going to undertake this very comprehensive review that the Minister spoke about. The Dairy Industry Restructuring Amendment Bill (No 2) attempts to amend the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act (DIRA) 2001 to prevent the expiry of certain provisions relating to the South Island in May 2018. It's rich as I started to say because in 2015 the Opposition asked the Commerce Commission to investigate whether the state of competition in the New Zealand dairy industry was sufficient to allow parts of the DIRA regulatory regime to expire in the South Island. I notice that the Commerce Commission's report found that the competition was not yet sufficient to warrant deregulation. So that side had every opportunity to address this issue. They didn't while they were in Government and like I said this side has taken the very important role of bringing this bill to the House to give clarity to farmers in the South Island. I just want to pick up on some of the comments that that previous speaker alluded to—that is what are the terms of reference for this comprehensive review that the Hon Damien O'Connor is going to take? He actually outlined them himself. It may be an opportunity to look at the environmental issues—for example the land use. He also talked about the economic value that dairy farmers contribute to this nation. These are all very good terms which I'm pretty sure the Minister will take on board when he does do this comprehensive review. It is important that we give assurances to all dairy farmers in this bill not just in the South Island but throughout the country so I wanted to respond to that previous speaker. The terms of reference I'm pretty sure will be comprehensive because it's a comprehensive review. In terms of the work that the Opposition when they were last in Government did with dairy farmers up and down the country I'm sure that the review that Minister O'Connor's going to undertake will give those very farmers and key stakeholders in the dairy industry every opportunity to contribute to that review so that we get the system right. I've got no concerns that that's exactly what Minister O'Connor will do. The bill as he has mentioned is a very short bill. There are only eight clauses in it. The key topic that he has indicated is really to ensure that the expiry provisions in the Act remain and I want to just for the purpose of the House reiterate what the expiry date means for major players like Fonterra and Fonterra farmers. I just note that preventing the expiry of the DIRA in the South Island will mean that the current regulatory regime continues in place. The key provisions that will be maintained will be open entry and exit and Fonterra must accept any application. What does that mean? It means Fonterra must accept any application to become a shareholding farmer in Fonterra and it must accept supply of milk from that shareholder. Also there is a milk-pricing monitoring regime that will be maintained as a result of the passage of this particular bill. The concerns of the previous speaker are unfounded. This is a commitment from this side of the House to ensure that we are giving certainty to dairy farmers but also ensuring that the entire dairy industry system is robust is fit for service and is fit for purpose and that as we go forward over the next term and beyond we have got a very robust dairy industry system. I commend Minister O'Connor for the action that he's taken and we will be working alongside him to ensure that the terms of reference and the leadership on this review will ensure that we meet that aim. I commend this bill to the House.