Carter David: Border Security Bill — In Committee 
Carter David: Border Security Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:618;Page:13742] 
Hon DAVID CARTER (National) 
: 
 It is interesting that as we move to the Committee stage of the Border Security Bill we have just completed the Budget debate in which the allocations the Government makes to the various Government departments to carry out core Government functions are discussed. My opening comment on the border security legislation is that this Government is shirking a core responsibility of central government. A core responsibility of central government is to provide border security to protect this country so that we hope we never see the sorts of events that occurred on September 11 2001 in New York City. But this Government shirks core responsibilities. It now attempts to pass some of the costs of providing border security on to the importers and exporters of this nation. As my colleague Shane Ardern has said that is just another sneaky attempt to pass a further tax on to New Zealanders. 
We do not need to be reminded that this is tax No. 23 from a Government that came into power promising but one tax increase—the “envy tax” which took income tax to 39c for people at $60000 a level of income that the Government’s own Budget now acknowledges is about the level to which people need Government assistance. There have been 22 tax increases and now this one destined to raise a further $16 million from New Zealand importers and exporters and about to be rammed through the Committee today is tax No. 23. 
I acknowledge that the events of September 11 changed border security for all nations around the world. We clearly now need to put more resources in border security here in New Zealand. We clearly need to acknowledge that other countries around the world are putting more stringent controls on their borders. I fully accept the United States of America has every right to up the ante with regard to imports into that country and to require further stringent checking of any New Zealand goods that go from here to the United States of America. But the point at which I totally disagree with the current policy of the Government is the point at which it shirks its responsibility by passing this legislation back on to the private sector and telling it to pay because the Government will not. 
It is little wonder when the Government can skite about a $7 billion surplus that it is now starting to hand more and more money out in a desperate attempt to buy popularity but in doing so it is putting another tax on the productive sector of New Zealand. I spent yesterday at the Mystery Creek field day where farmers have the chance to show their ability to secure the prosperity of the economy. I can tell members that most of the farmers I spoke to are totally aware of the new tax that is about to be passed by the Government—the “terrorist tax” as they call it—and all of them said to us that that is not a cost that should be passed on to the productive sector of New Zealand but a core Government function. It was interesting to note that at those field days there was a little stand tucked away in a corner—the Labour Party stand. 
Jill Pettis 
: Not tucked away in a corner! 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: I assure Jill Pettis that it was tucked away in a corner but surprisingly— 
Simon Power 
: Anyone there? 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: Yes! That was the surprising thing. There were quite a number of New Zealand farmers there and they were berating the poor volunteers the Labour Party had found to man that— 
Simon Power 
: Any MPs there? 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: I did see one MP. It was Jim Sutton but he was in disguise.