Parker DavidHon DAVID PARKER (Labour): I rise to take a call in support of this legislation the Brokering (Weapons and Related Items) Controls Bill at first reading. I thank the Government for bringing this bill to the House. It attempts to plug a hole in our law which is that there is currently no law governing the conduct of New Zealanders when it comes to the sale or the brokering of sale of certain weapons to overseas jurisdictions or people even where those exports or those sales or the brokering of those sales are illegitimate.The bill attempts to do this by introducing a requirement that anyone who is involved in this sort of trade has to be registered and then it has various categories of goods that are specified as being controlled as being strategic goods. These are listed in a list of goods and classes of goods the exportation of which are going to be prohibited under section 56 of the Customs and Excise Act 1996 because they have or may have strategic use and strategic use is defined in the Act.It is quite a broad Act. It does not cover just the seller; it covers anyone who is involved in brokering activity and that means those who arrange or facilitate or negotiate the transaction involving the international transfer of weapons or related items. It includes people who act as agents and includes people who do not just acquire those weapons in New Zealand but who acquire or store weapons in a place outside of New Zealand for the purpose of transferring those weapons to a person also outside New Zealand.It takes some care to exclude ancillary services such as administrative services customs broking and financial services so that those people do not have to be part of the registration system.It appears a sensible piece of legislation. Some of the questions that we may have at select committee will include whether the classification of what is covered by this is appropriate. For example when it talks about military end use it is including incorporation into military items that would fall within that specified category that I have already mentioned and also use production or testing of equipment and components for the development production or maintenance of military items and unfinished products for the production of military items.The legislation I am sure will be part of international efforts to try to limit the risk of movement of weapons to illegitimate end-users—that is what the explanatory note says—or undesirable destinations. As I said previously anyone who wishes to engage in this brokering activity or sales activity has to register with the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade and then for each activity that they are carrying out that may be legitimate they have to obtain a permit. The Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade can only grant that permit if they are satisfied that the activity is consistent with New Zealand's international obligations and would not prejudice the security defence or international relations of New Zealand.It is slightly unusual in that this applies to activities outside of New Zealand even if they are not initiated within New Zealand so it applies to the conduct of New Zealanders when they are in overseas countries rather than just in New Zealand. I am sure the select committee will want to have a look at that and how that fits within international law and New Zealand law.I think that is probably all I need to say at this stage. We are supporting this to first reading and look forward to the report of the select committee.