Subordinate Legislation (Confirmationand Validation) Bill

I move, That the Subordinate Legislation (Confirmation and Validation) Bill be now read a second time. The bill confirms and validates 18 orders and one set of regulations. The bill must be passed before 31 December 2005. The bill was referred to the Regulations Review Committee on 16 November. The committee called for explanations from the seven departments administering the 18 orders and one set of regulations. The committee was satisfied with those explanations, and presented its report on 24 November recommending that the bill be passed without amendment. I thank the select committee for its expeditious consideration of the bill, and particularly Dr Richard Worth for his excellent chairing of the committee.

I rise on behalf of the National Party to support the Subordinate Legislation (Confirmation and Validation) Bill. I also want to compliment my colleague Dr Richard Worth on his excellent chairing of the Regulations Review Committee, which considered this bill.

When Dr Cullen introduced this bill into the House not too long ago, he talked about the fact that it was confirming or validating one set of regulations and 18 Orders in Council under 11 Acts, and had to be passed by the end of the calendar year to avoid the lapsing of some of those orders. Two out of the 18 orders are movements in consumer pricing, five out of the 18 are orders under the Customs and Excise Act, four come under the Tariff Act 1988, and two are biosecurity levies. It is those levies that I particularly want to address today.

One of those levies is concerned with setting up a national pest management strategy for the varroa bee mite. I make the comment that this Government’s record on biosecurity is abysmal. I well remember when the varroa bee mite was discovered in New Zealand. There was a huge opportunity to stop the movement south, from the Auckland region, of the varroa bee mite. The Government sat on its hands and did nothing, and we have now seen that bee mite make its way right throughout the North Island. That has had huge consequences in regions like the one I represent. That bee mite has been responsible for almost the complete eradication of feral bees, which has enormous complications for horticulturalists, kiwifruit growers, and the growers on the Gisborne flats who rely on intensive pollination by bees to supply the produce that is the backbone of the economy—not only for regions such as mine but for this country.

So the Government’s record of dealing with biosecurity risks like the varroa bee mite is absolutely appalling. In this bill the Government is now setting up a pest management strategy. I have to say that the horse has bolted. We heard in the House earlier today about the didymo, which, again, the Government had done nothing about. It belatedly has come along and put controls and a strategy into place, when the biosecurity risk has long overtaken the country.

Other than that issue, the only part of this bill that I want to mention is clause 12, which prohibits trout imports. Again, in the area that I represent, the Bay of Plenty, trout fishing is a very important part of our tourism industry, and we are pleased to see that it will continue under this legislation.

Bill read a second time.