9. JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki) Link to this
to the Minister of Trade
What steps has the Government recently taken to enhance New Zealand’s trade opportunities in Asia?
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Acting Minister of Trade) Link to this
The National-led Government last night signed a free-trade agreement with Malaysia. Malaysia is New Zealand’s eighth-largest export market, accounting for almost $1 billion worth of exports in 2008. This free-trade agreement further deepens our ties and strengthens our relationship with a key partner, underlining New Zealand’s commitment to this rapidly integrating region. The free-trade agreement supplements the existing 12-country ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, signed earlier this year, and is another contribution towards the goal of a possible free-trade agreement in the Asia-Pacific region.
What specific benefits will the Malaysia - New Zealand Free Trade Agreement provide for New Zealand?
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON Link to this
This agreement provides exporters, service providers, and investors with new opportunities and greater certainty while doing business in Malaysia. It will eliminate tariffs on 99.5 percent of New Zealand’s exports. Key export industries will benefit from measures including duty-free access for kiwifruit by 2012; binding our existing duty-free access for meat, wool, dairy, fish, and forestry products; and early elimination of tariffs on manufactured products like certain steel, paint, and plastic products.
Hon Annette KingCan he confirm that the act of signing a free-trade agreement with Malaysia by the Prime Minister is the final part of a 3-year - plus process, in whose success the Hon Phil Goff, as former Minister of Trade, had a large part to play?
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON Link to this
I can confirm that there has been a bipartisan approach to this trade agreement, and that the former Minister of Trade played his part. He was an energetic Minister of Trade; it is a shame he did not show that energy as leader of the Labour Party.
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. My question was a very straight question. The answer from the Acting Minister was a very good answer until he had to be nasty at the end. You have ruled against him doing this on nearly every question he answers. I think it is time that it stopped. [ Interruption]
Mr SPEAKERI am listening to a point of order; let us have some silence while I am doing so. I think the member’s point is fairly made: it was a fair question. It obviously had political overtones, but it was a fair question. To add a nasty phrase at the end of the answer was totally unnecessary. I think members should cease that, and I ask the Minister not to do that again.