2. Trade China—Free-trade Agreement and Export Sector PerformanceRt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First) to the Prime MinisterTrade China—Free-trade Agreement and Export Sector Performance2. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First) to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements regarding New Zealand's free-trade agreement with China; if so why?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH (Prime Minister): Yes. Our free-trade agreement (FTA) with China has been a success for New Zealand and our exports have more than tripled since the FTA entered into force in October 2008. In fact New Zealand now has a trade surplus with China.Rt Hon Winston Peters: If unqualified—and to quote him the FTA with China has been an enormous success"—why has New Zealand's biggest company Fonterra performed so disastrously in China's supposedly growing dairy market to the extent that Chinese companies have now got control over our high-value infant formula industry in just the last 6 years that he was Minister of Finance?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: That is really a matter for Fonterra and its shareholders. It is a private business. Its track record over time is that it has made decisions that create significant wealth for New Zealand. I am sure there are examples that that member can find where it has made decisions that did not work. That is business.Rt Hon Winston Peters: If the trade imbalance since the FTA's signing is $10 billion—and it is—in China's favour why is the door to high-value chilled lamb exports being opened only after China has got control of New Zealand's largest meat exporter Silver Fern Farms Ltd Taranaki Abattoir Company Ltd Prime Range Meats Ltd Oamaru Meats and Hutton's?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: In the first instance the member's comment on trade balance does not take into account I think tourism because taken as a whole essentially we sell more to China than it sells to us. Secondly the rural sector has waited many years for access of chilled meat to China because it is worth considerably more as a chilled product than a frozen product. I would have thought the member would welcome the opportunity for businesses in the regions including in his own electorate to get better prices for their product. I cannot understand why he is against that.Rt Hon Winston Peters: How can New Zealanders trust that his Government is not selling them out when Chinese media reports such as in the China Daily report that National MP Dr Yang and the president of the National Party himself Peter Goodfellow are donkey deep in a new high-level Chinese business network?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: I would think that our members of Parliament ought to spend some time with people who run businesses and create jobs and investment. That may be a strange new and threatening idea to that member but even the jobs in his own electorate will depend to some extent on the success with which businesses can export to China and other markets. I suggest the member visit a few businesses talk to some of the people who work in them and find out how the workers would like it if the businesses closed down and they did not have jobs.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Why is the Prime Minister preaching to someone who lives in his electorate when he does not; and what degree of—[Interruption] No he does not. He is not called "Double Dipton" for nothing!Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume his seat. [Interruption] Order! Now the member will rise. There are two supplementary questions there. Half the trouble is the tone of the questions that are being asked. I do not want to have to put up with more interjections coming from my right-hand side. If we can have a simple supplementary question in line with the Standing Orders I would be extremely grateful.Rt Hon Winston Peters: What degree of naivety permeates the National Party mind that led to the Australian Government getting a free-trade deal with China far superior to ours and why are we therefore forced to be upgrading it?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: New Zealand's free-trade deal was signed up to in 2008 by the previous Government—with our support because it was a good idea at the time. It has turned out despite that member's opposition to be a very successful free-trade deal including any number of businesses in his own electorate that benefit from it.Hon Steven Joyce: He should visit his electorate.Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: I know he visits a lot of hospitality businesses but he should try some export businesses.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I seek leave to table a translation of the China Daily of 28 March this year about the donkey-deep nature of the National Party's involvement.Mr SPEAKER: On the basis that that would not be freely available to members I will put the leave. The House will decide. Leave is sought to table that—Hon Gerry Brownlee: What was it?Mr SPEAKER: The member wants further explanation. It is a Chinese newspaper article that has been translated and it was dated March this year. Leave is sought to table it. Is there any objection? There is objection."