Increased Penalties for Breach of Biosecurity Bill

I move, That the Increased Penalties for Breach of Biosecurity Bill be now read a second time.

Well, the gallery is full. The Prime Minister is here. A lot of our former esteemed MPs and Ministers are here. I see party leaders are here. The place is buzzing with excitement, and none of it is for me. And even worse, I fear that in the second reading of my member’s bill, the Increased Penalties for Breach of Biosecurity Bill, the news for me is going to be all bad. However, Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity. And, members, thank you for the consideration that you gave to my bill in select committee. And while I am given to understand—and I too can read the select committee report, which doesn’t give me much hope of support across the House, I just want to say to this House thank you for supporting the bill through its first reading to select committee. That doesn’t always happen in this place. And thank you also to all of you for your considered support of the bill at select committee.

I want to say that I stayed true to what I was trying to—I’m pre-empting the outcome, of course—achieve in this bill, and that was to address the issue of biosecurity threats to New Zealand. Of course, biosecurity—and our native species—is very dear to my heart having until recently been the conservation spokesperson; the best portfolio, can I say, in New Zealand. But also, and, I think, equally, making sure that we give our attention to biosecurity is incredibly important to the future of New Zealand agriculture, viticulture, and, indeed, everything we hold dear in New Zealand. But alas, it would seem that it is not to be.

What I find a little disappointing is that coming out of the select committee, there seemed to be no drive by some members to try and find a solution to take us and take this bill forward. Never mind. We don’t have our day every day. But I do stand by my intent that increasing penalties, and penalties upon conviction for biosecurity breaches, whether they be an omission or by intent, is a worthy thing to do. And on that basis, I still commend the bill to the House.

The question is that the motion be agreed to. We’ve probably got time for one more speech.

I’ll take a very brief call to explain why the Labour Party is not supporting this bill. The bill proposed to give biosecurity officers the right to refuse entry to people into the country. The Primary Production Committee considered that and found that the power of entry lies with immigration officers, not biosecurity officers, and therefore the legislation was, while well-meaning, not able to be supported by the Government.

I believe I’m the next on the call sheet, as well, and I wasn’t quite expecting the full House that Jacqui Dean wasn’t expecting either. Look, this is a brilliant bill, written and brought to the House by the Hon Jacqui Dean, a former conservation Minister and, for a long time, the conservation spokesperson for the National Party. Jacqui has shepherded through this Parliament, during her time as a Minister, a number of very, very worthy pieces of legislation, and this would have sought to continue in that vein.

The National Party would absolutely have supported this bill. I sat on the Primary Production Committee and we did, from our side of the round table, agree that it had large merit, primarily because of its intent to strengthen the prohibition and the trying to—I’ve completely lost my words because a far more important person has just entered the Chamber, and I think she’s got more important things to say. So, with that, I conclude my submission to the House.

Members, this debate is suspended and will resume after the dinner break.

Debate interrupted.

In accordance with the determination of the Business Committee, the House now comes to the valedictory speech by the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern.