SpeechFORESTS (REGULATION OF LOG TRADERS AND FORESTRY ADVISERS) AMENDMENT BILLSecond ReadingHon SHANE JONES (Minister of Forestry): Tēnā tātou e Te Whare. I move That the Forests (Regulation of Log Traders and Forestry Advisers) Amendment Bill be now read a second time. First I would like to acknowledge the efforts of the select committee led by Dr Duncan Webb and to share with the House that this is evidence that the select committee process works. This select committee process enabled a host of submitters some using cyclostyle submissions; however these submitters were able to bring their concerns forward to the select committee as we sought to refine this piece of legislation—very significant in the post-COVID environment because it addresses a longstanding problem in the forestry sector which is the absence of certainty predictability or quite frankly the ability for the investors in the domestic processing manufacturing segment of the broader forestry community to plan and invest. This bill has been improved through the select committee. There were some concerns that the bill may have interfered with the ability of the owners of commodities to actually sell within an envelope struck by the seller and the purchaser. That in itself was an apocryphal falsehood; however the chair of the select committee and the members addressed that issue by making it very clear to the elements from the forest sector and the broader community who have an interest in the passage of this bill that it was never the intention. A few other things I would like to say that have happened as a consequence of the Environment Committee reviewing this bill is that the Purpose" section has been strengthened. The select committee deemed it appropriate to add the term "equity" into the purpose statement. Now the term "equity" is of incredible importance in any industry but in particular the forestry sector to ensure there is an equitable distribution between the raw material that is required to boost and maintain jobs and fuel industry in our own country and the ability of log mongers on behalf of largely foreign-owned entities to continue to sell to international markets. International trade is incredibly important but of equal importance in the post-COVID environment is us looking after ourselves. The call for this type of regulation has been longstanding from those members of the forest-owning community who are concerned about the quality of advice they have been receiving from forest advisors. Log mongers have in many cases not represented with much integrity quite frankly the best interests of the forest sector. They have treated many of their fellow New Zealanders in a very disrespectful and a very dangerous way given that the New Zealanders employed in processing and manufacturing face considerable harm stress and pressure given the rising tide of protectionism in other parts of the world.So it's important that when we pass—which is largely a regime to create an occupational licensing system. Some of the ideas were borrowed from the days when the regime of real estate agents was brought into a more tidier form. Sadly some elements of the forest sector have made wild accusations and use quite incandescent rhetoric which is most unbecoming of people who are meant to be representing the better interests and the finer sentiments of international investors. After the election it's likely that politicians will want to restrict the ability of forest investors to expand their holdings into productive farmland. Those matters however belong on the electoral trail.There's a provision for complaints to be made. There is a provision for people to be registered and once they are registered the quality of their conduct can be tested and they can live up to a higher level of commercial conduct than has historically been the case.But there is no provision in this bill—as I wind up—that impinges forestry owners' property rights. Similarly there is no provision that enables the State to fix prices. What it is doing is bringing transparency and upholding the importance of integrity in this sector of the economy where there have been too many egregious cases of cowboys in the Wild West—although it's often on the East Coast as is evident in the media this morning by the debris in Tolaga Bay.As I repeat again this bill does not violate a single international obligation in terms of the World Trade Organization or trade. Those are falsehoods. Those are accusations which quite frankly will not stand up once the glare of publicity continues to be directed in cleaning up this part of the industry with an overdue regime for licensing log mongers and ensuring that the providers of advice such as the Roger Dickies of the world are held to a high standard of integrity. I support this bill."