Goldsmith PaulGEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS (WINE AND SPIRITS) REGISTRATION AMENDMENT BILLThird ReadingHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs): I move That the Geographical Indications (Wine and Spirits) Registration Amendment Bill be now read a third time. This bill amends the Geographical Indications (Wine and Spirits) Registration Act of 2006 which was never brought into force. The amendments are necessary to clarify some provisions in the Act and to ensure that the registration process provided for in the Act runs smoothly and sustainably. Once the bill is enacted it will be possible to bring it into force once the regulations setting out the registration procedures have been finalised. New Zealand wine and spirit producers will then be able to register their geographical indications in New Zealand such as Marlborough the area that arguably produces the best sauvignon blanc in the world.At this point I do want to acknowledge the effect of the recent earthquakes on particularly the Marlborough region and parts of North Canterbury as well where the wine industry like every other industry has been knocked about badly. So our thoughts and prayers are with them. There has been quite a bit of loss of bottled wine wine in tanks and tanks and so the industry will be battling over the next few months but we wish them all the very best.This bill will make it easier for local producers to register their geographical indications in other countries because most other countries with registration systems for geographical indications will not register foreign indications unless they are registered in their country of origin. The registration of New Zealand's geographical indications in other countries will be of particular assistance to our wine industry. It will help with maintaining the reputation of New Zealand wines as premium wines in overseas markets commanding a higher price than wine in other countries as we do.It is worth talking a little bit about the industry. Many of us here in this House are eager consumers of the product and it is worth just reflecting on an industry that was kicked off by the Mission vineyard in 1865 in Hawke's Bay by the French Roman Catholics. We had many pioneers of Dalmatian extraction out in west Auckland who really got things going and Montana kicking off the sauvignon blanc in the Marlborough region in the 1970s followed by very substantial investment both domestic and international in the last few decades.So we have an industry that is dominated by both large and small producers and it has been phenomenally successful over the last few decades. It was only $18 million of exports that the whole industry produced in 1990. I think it was around 1998 when the industry cracked $100 million in exports. Today that figure is around $1.6 billion and rising fast. The United States is the largest foreign market with about $460 million. Britain is second. They have a particular taste for our wine it seems with $380 million. The Australians are third with $360 million. It is a story of hard work and enterprise by many New Zealanders. We celebrate that industry. We want to support it.Paul Foster-Bell: What about the spirits?Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH: And the spirits. We drink the spirits from time to time and all in good cheer.This bill is essentially about trying to strengthen some of the foundations that we have around the story that lies behind the quality of New Zealand wines. I will just briefly mention some significant amendments made by the bill. It provides for the payment of renewal fees to maintain the registration of geographical indications provides an ongoing source of income to maintain the register which is particularly important given that most applications to register geographical indications will be made in the first few years after the Act enters into force and the income from renewal fees will assist in keeping initial application fees lower than they would otherwise be. Another significant amendment is to incorporate opposition procedures into the Act which will allow interested persons to oppose the registration of a geographical indication and the alteration or removal of such an indication.Finally I do want to acknowledge the work of key stakeholders who are present in the gallery this evening. We have Mr Robert Brewer from Spirits New Zealand and also there has been a great deal of work by New Zealand Wine as an industry led by Nicola Crennan. I am very pleased to commend this bill to the House. I want to acknowledge what is an important occasion for the New Zealand wine and spirits industry. Thank you very much.