"\u003C!DOCTYPE html\u003E\u003Chtml xmlns:xlink=\u0022http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink\u0022 xmlns:xsi=\u0022http://www.w3.org/2007/XMLSchema-instance\u0022 xmlns:mml=\u0022http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML\u0022\u003E\n  \u003Chead\u003E\n    \u003CMETA http-equiv=\u0022Content-Type\u0022 content=\u0022text/html; charset=utf-16\u0022\u003E\n    \u003Cmeta name=\u0022viewport\u0022 content=\u0022width=device-width, initial-scale=1\u0022\u003E\n  \u003C/head\u003E\n  \u003Cbody style=\u0022font-family:sans-serif; font-size:100%;\u0022\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00221d0b3bdb33ba46299505c302c1f36a4b\u0022\u003ETUESDAY, 3 JULY 2018\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000003\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022dedc823dec1e44698842edd009f13906\u0022\u003ETUESDAY, 3 JULY 2018\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000002\u0022\u003EThe Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000004\u0022\u003EPrayers.\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000005\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022b061d15e200a4abf8dd17eae2710179d\u0022\u003ESittings of the House\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000007\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022a8a13212cb7d40ac9b97924c085ae20b\u0022\u003ESittings of the House\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022 data-id=\u0022129338624ad9475b8d5711c3a76d68e0\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000006\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022129338624ad9475b8d5711c3a76d68e0\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the House):\u003C/span\u003E In accordance with what has now become a reasonably well-accepted practice around the House, I seek leave for the House to suspend for the dinner break following the maiden statement of Dan Bidois this evening.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022 data-id=\u00226e9174a279474a3ea08c4b4593bdf4ca\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000008\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226e9174a279474a3ea08c4b4593bdf4ca\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Is there any objection to that course of action being followed? There is none. I\u2019ll just inform the House that it is my intention to do what has also become a practice of the House, and that is to interrupt the speaker at 5.45 rather than stopping before or afterwards, so that Mr Bidois has his appropriate time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000009\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002286dfe8b79c83479685bab60a0460a4b4\u0022\u003EOral Questions\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000010\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022cd85a360a2b64a7a80c81b1a4ac4fad2\u0022\u003EQuestions to Ministers\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000011\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022a373800a4a6c48e79a7b626cc82dcf9f\u0022\u003EPrime Minister\u2014Prison Population and Appointment of Deputy Commissioner of Police\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022 data-id=\u0022dc34bc48406c4b88b64001b547df19b2\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000012\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E1. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022dc34bc48406c4b88b64001b547df19b2\u0022\u003EHon SIMON BRIDGES (Leader of the Opposition)\u003C/span\u003E to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government\u2019s policies and actions?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022 data-id=\u0022ef0d6a1eb2c840d3beaa8888cebbe63b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000013\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ef0d6a1eb2c840d3beaa8888cebbe63b\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Acting Prime Minister):\u003C/span\u003E Yes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000014\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220fc02194c35d48dd9f04d5839803cd9c\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: Is he concerned that his Minister of Corrections didn\u2019t know about the November prison population figures publicly released last week when he made the Waikeria announcement?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000015\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022021c6b07a19048eca742c08776ec8bc6\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: I am concerned when someone in this House seeks to repeat the misinformation of a very tawdry morning radio show. The reality is that my colleague was well aware of the November and then 4 December calculations and figures and forecasts, on which the forward prison programme and planning was based. But he was asked about a different report\u2014namely, the one he\u2019d received just a few days beforehand, the more expanded report\u2014and he was telling the full truth, and then he received the gibe, \u201CBut this report\u2019s been out for months.\u201D Right then, that was a false statement by the questioner, and that member has taken up on it as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000016\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221a45ba10b0b4457097ba94105b733e7f\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: What is this other, earlier report he was basing what he\u2019s said and done on, and can we see it?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000017\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cb31d0acf4194202a39cf7749cc1d6bb\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: The answer to that is that member\u2019s party has already requested it under the Official Information Act, so he should actually read it. [Interruption]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000018\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002247d43a80c98f44978d85379f1a0b0d33\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Order! I\u2019m going to remind members of the Opposition that they are not to bring me into these questions, either directly or by way of interjection.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000019\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229d2740cb39e941509d39a8324b2b45db\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: Isn\u2019t the reality that there\u2019s only one primary report, the justice sector projections one, from November that, as I say, all Ministers, and certainly the corrections Minister\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000020\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022905abde4b00d4ea88f74fecad6d6aa2e\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Order! The question\u2019s been asked.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000021\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c549f89bb6da4abd920702001b73b891\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: The reality is that that is precisely what this Government\u2019s answer is. There was the November report, which was bedded down on 4 December last year at Cabinet, and that was what my colleague Kelvin Davis was basing his answer on. But, of course, the questioner, namely the Leader of the Opposition, is repeating the very false statement that was made by the interviewer yesterday on morning TV. And third, why doesn\u2019t he ask his colleagues who\u2019ve requested this information under the Official Information Act and get them to read it or, better still, himself read it?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226ff2a38187c14dde896f9291eb96868b\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: Is it concerning that the most senior Labour Party Minister can\u2019t remember what the advice he received says and, instead, needs to google information that he was told about several months prior?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000023\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d225df250c0f46b3b711f88b1f82f8e7\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m afraid that the chronological evidence behind that member\u2019s allegation simply fails. And, in failing on the first grounds, it gains no more size, weight, or evidentiary quality in the second and third round.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000024\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220cb559fdf5834f71b42bf1b1b68b98ff\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: In light of the justice sector November prison population report showing an extra 2,000 prison beds forecast and also Corrections\u2019 estimates that more police will require an extra 900 prison beds on top of that, what are the Government\u2019s plans to deal with this?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000025\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223fb4d100201d4e93a862a9253d2d6f7f\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: Well, first of all, the member should understand that it was not a target. It was a warning and a forecast that even now, with this visionary, responsible, far-sighted Government, has seen those forecasts being turned down, which surely points to this policy working in the long run and not beleaguering the New Zealand taxpayer at $100,000 a year per prisoner.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000026\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022adc348535b1046eb80cc8df08e5b6298\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: In light of the Prime Minister referring to the long run, in the short to medium term will the Government now follow the evidence presented to it and build more prison beds required, or is the answer to soften the bail, the sentencing, and the parole laws? Which is it?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000027\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222a8bb4ed8f2641e58adb1a33906a1ac4\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: The member knows which it is because that policy has been announced by the Government with great clarity, and it has been backed up by the fact that for the first time for a long time, we\u2019ve seen a turn down in the number of prisoners in this country. And, more importantly, when we apply more lawyers and more judges to deal more immediately with people who are offenders so the bail numbers aren\u2019t there for 12 months, we will see the figures get better as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000028\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f48ed2cc963748279361a0f629a5b81a\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: In light of the prison forecast set to rise by thousands and the answer that the Prime Minister\u2019s referred to, being a 600-bed prison, what more is he going to do to deal with this issue?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000029\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002231b3e3ff8dbc462893193128592c21b2\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: We know\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000030\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002233d3c33f7fa346eda7ecbe3bc2c9d3de\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: Doesn\u2019t know.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000031\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227affc55dd985450685758c5903b7051a\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: Well, 1,500 beds in the ensuing months, but we\u2019re not going to build a 3,000 mega-prison, American style, so that he can have it privatised so that crime pays for the owner.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000032\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220ad5733d46f44d69ab24a2809f2209e3\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: Did any Ministers declare any conflict of interest in relation to the appointment of Wally Haumaha as the Deputy Commissioner of Police?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000033\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002292c4a2788f33491aa40de6d5af317a14\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: No, because no conflict of interest exists and, more particularly, the Cabinet Office has investigated this matter and that is their finding as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000034\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a882efc0725f4ffba6be7bfb79ad4826\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: Were Wally Haumaha\u2019s comments in relation to the allegations against Louise Nicholas known by any Minister and raised during any discussions about his appointment?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000035\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221023a762b26c4a6bbf669ae8a4826b09\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: Can I say that I can\u2019t speak for all my colleagues because I don\u2019t know who read the Austin report or not. However, I can only assume that he and his colleagues weren\u2019t aware of it when they gave Mr Haumaha two honours, not one.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000036\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f4b112f553ae4fea9c1a466d607dde1f\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: Does the Prime Minister think there would be a conflict of interest if a Minister was appointed to initiate an inquiry into someone who was asked to run as a candidate for election from the same party?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000037\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e8249b51c12b4b7b9aabe5865c3d1fda\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: How amazing\u2014I know a lot of people who, first of all, try to be members of the National Party and then, very late in their desires for a professional career in politics, come to the light, come to their senses, and they never want to go back there again, and I understand why. So, no, we do not hold it against people for having a temporary association with a political party or temporarily flirting with a political party, which I know members over there have done countless times, in terms of the number who\u2019ve come to me to ask me if I could help them out.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000038\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a6752027e0884f109d8e717b04c2cff7\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: When did he disclose to Jacinda Ardern that Wally Haumaha had been a New Zealand First candidate?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000039\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ecbcbcee96684415bc16bfc579d4acf1\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: The first thing that we don\u2019t do is make something up that\u2019s not true. Mr Haumaha was never a candidate, and the Rotorua Daily Post is not accurate in this matter\u2014plus it doesn\u2019t actually say that, does it, Mr Bridges? It doesn\u2019t say that. Come on, read it out and tell everybody. You\u2019re the Crown prosecutor that knows everything about the law. Well, actually, the words are very important.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000040\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002213924e337cc94dfa8ea480437f8a5150\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: Does he dispute the Rotorua Daily Post from 2005 when it said last month Mr Haumaha was announced as NZ First\u2019s Rotorua candidate but then the party backtracked and said he was a representative but not a candidate?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000041\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223751d59d17ab4a9e9730dc76e3ff6af7\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: Very sadly, Mr Bridges, that story is not true. We\u2019ve been through\u2014[Interruption] No, no, the candidate part\u2014we\u2019ve been through all the 2005 papers, the whole procedure. He was never, ever announced as a candidate\u2014end of story. [Interruption]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000042\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229e11abc7ac6b4f52a65f231edf846f03\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m just waiting for the House to settle in both front rows.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000043\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00222fb6e89cc33141a9ba600b28f604c937\u0022\u003EFamilies Package\u2014Reactions and Targeting\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226590faa0-f76b-4386-84f3-9b06296cc772\u0022 data-id=\u0022b92962849c474554aae3343112c28f56\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000044\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226590faa0-f76b-4386-84f3-9b06296cc772\u0022\u003E2. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b92962849c474554aae3343112c28f56\u0022\u003ETAMATI COFFEY (Labour\u2014Waiariki)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Finance: What reactions has he seen to the Government\u2019s Families Package?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022 data-id=\u00225dea394e2f95407c9bcc39e4421a6948\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000045\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225dea394e2f95407c9bcc39e4421a6948\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance):\u003C/span\u003E The Government has received very positive feedback on the Families Package. I\u2019ll take just one example of a person who wrote in and said, \u201CI just wanted to say a heartfelt thank you for increasing the family tax credit. I received the increase today, and I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have some extra money to meet our bills. I have never felt motivated to contact an MP or the Prime Minister before, but this certainly deserves acknowledgement and thanks. I have not voted in years, such was my level of dissatisfaction in people available to vote for. However, I am so glad I placed my faith in you, and it was you who reengaged me to vote.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000046\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f0ccaaf3847c40efa71e603229b70f2f\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m going to warn the member that he will lose his supplementary if he does that again.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000047\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226590faa0-f76b-4386-84f3-9b06296cc772\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002211ecfb3f3fcc4a91ba894cb0161e551d\u0022\u003ETamati Coffey\u003C/span\u003E: What reaction has he seen from commentators on the impact of the Families Package on the economy?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000048\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223cddf6cc4f4f4298a425089f0c32338c\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: A number of commentators have pointed out the positive impact the Families Package will have on the economy. Last week, ANZ said that the economic cycle has further to run yet and that quarterly GDP growth will pick up later this year, boosted by income growth and fiscal stimulus. The BNZ said that they see a substantial boost to the economy as a result of the package, with growth climbing back up to 3 percent by the end of the September quarter. This Government\u2019s plan supports hard-working families and growth at the same time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000049\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226590faa0-f76b-4386-84f3-9b06296cc772\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002275b7577552f74e5988803effb9c4e46d\u0022\u003ETamati Coffey\u003C/span\u003E: What reactions has he seen to the winter energy payment?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000050\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022569f587f05504a9e9a01989156705b37\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: I saw a very confused reaction to the winter energy payment on Morning Report yesterday. First, the person said he disagreed with the winter energy payment being universal, because he would prefer a more targeted approach. Then he reminded us that he supported a universal tax cut for the very same amount, for these very same people, who he just said didn\u2019t need the support. In the end, he said, \u201CThis is a targeted Families Package. That\u2019s not necessarily a wrong thing.\u201D I thank Mr Bridges for his support of something that is not the wrong thing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000051\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002263776108-58dc-4cab-baf1-95282c61d0de\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225d3349d12da2413b81aed66441060890\u0022\u003EHon Paula Bennett\u003C/span\u003E: What reaction has he seen from the public on a senior earning over $330,000 a year, plus superannuation, plus the baubles of office, deciding not to opt out of the winter payment?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000052\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002222765e4d0f924e25ab0ae017f8bb86e1\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: I haven\u2019t seen a lot of reaction to that particular decision, but I\u2019m interested to note that the member\u2019s aversion to universalism is clearly a sign that New Zealand super would be gone if that lot ever got back over here.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000053\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bca6241260a54874b691b09d93e6dd53\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: Does the member see any similarity, in terms of policy formation, between his policy and the universality of superannuation, or has he had reports that suggest we should means-test the whole darned lot, like the National Party did when they were last in power?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000054\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229a6d7fdf6034404e92cdd352443da8b4\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s quite clear, from the comments coming from the other side of the House, that there is some enormous problem with universalism. On this side of the House, we actually believe that people in their retirement deserve a bit of support. We\u2019ve given a bit extra for the winter energy payment; that lot want to take it away.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000055\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022251826c984cc4e208f9c13ddf25a2fb7\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Just before the member calls\u2014because I saw some confusion from the backbench at my earlier interjection with regard to Mr Coffey\u2014I want to remind members asking questions that their microphones are open and that they are therefore not allowed, when they\u2019re called for a supplementary, to continue to clap.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000056\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dc6c0f88-e781-476d-bca1-d1bf9b69302b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002277578f5cb5124c2e95063a2431bd701f\u0022\u003EHon Amy Adams\u003C/span\u003E: Is he concerned by Treasury\u2019s advice on the Families Package, that 1.7 million families\u2014that is 75 percent of all households\u2014will, in fact, be worse off as a result of this Government\u2019s changes, given his new-found commitment to universality?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000057\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f8a890d006a64cac99d53e9b24c09450\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: A large chunk of those families are people like Ms Adams and myself, who would have got a $1,000 tax cut.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000058\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dc6c0f88-e781-476d-bca1-d1bf9b69302b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e20580eb787f4954b9915842920b6708\u0022\u003EHon Amy Adams\u003C/span\u003E: So why the winter heating bonus?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000059\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227276a6f4e76d4355a3983f772dfa646c\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: On this side of the House, we are more than happy to stand on a record of redirecting the majority of that money to families with children, who have missed out over the nine years of her Government. In terms of the winter energy payment that she\u2019s interjecting about, can I note that the \u201Cworse off\u201D equates to 10c a fortnight because of an accounting treatment, nothing else.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000060\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b40e3364c4684e3cbf80baca8f9d163d\u0022\u003EDavid Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Does the Government have any plans to make Working for Families universal at one rate for every household?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000061\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002245fcf3f6199a4808b980d2facdd979b2\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: No, we don\u2019t. And if the member is suggesting that all payments in our system should be universal, that would make a remarkable transition for the ACT Party.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000062\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b9521742b38b47b398ed4aa9fbd464a3\u0022\u003EDavid Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: So is the Minister saying that some payments are universal and some aren\u2019t; if so, why is the winter energy payment universal?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000063\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e556a553f9904cb9b65299a211e7a4ab\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: The winter energy payment is universal for people on superannuation and for main beneficiary recipients. He doesn\u2019t get it; so, therefore, it\u2019s not universal overall.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000064\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022ff1846d39b304e5e96fbe2fd97c9a582\u0022\u003EBusiness Confidence\u2014Actions and Reports\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022dc6c0f88-e781-476d-bca1-d1bf9b69302b\u0022 data-id=\u0022854c2c37a4ca49639d28ed40b1c7b5b2\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000065\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dc6c0f88-e781-476d-bca1-d1bf9b69302b\u0022\u003E3. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022854c2c37a4ca49639d28ed40b1c7b5b2\u0022\u003EHon AMY ADAMS (National\u2014Selwyn)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by all of his statements, policies, and actions?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022 data-id=\u0022c6423b04fcdd4c00a238f109e4d927e0\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000066\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c6423b04fcdd4c00a238f109e4d927e0\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance):\u003C/span\u003E Yes, in the context that they were given, made, and undertaken.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000067\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dc6c0f88-e781-476d-bca1-d1bf9b69302b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225d4d337c96d045e89d23d9e1df50fb65\u0022\u003EHon Amy Adams\u003C/span\u003E: Will he pay more attention to the latest New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) Quarterly Survey of Business Opinion released today than he has to previous reports of declining confidence, given that we now have a series of indicators showing a sharp increase in pessimism in the economy, with the decline in business confidence in this survey to a net 19 percent of businesses expecting economic conditions to worsen in the second half of the year?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000068\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022634da441330d4c739ee8190bb3130d9f\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: I take seriously the concerns of business and business sentiment, but we have to look at the economy as a whole. We\u2019ve got a strong surplus, unemployment\u2019s low, there\u2019s going to be a sustained period of growth, employee confidence is up, consumer confidence is steady. There\u2019s a lot more to the economy than one survey.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000069\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dc6c0f88-e781-476d-bca1-d1bf9b69302b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220ce8898d5b0c41d29f1c593f6465f5df\u0022\u003EHon Amy Adams\u003C/span\u003E: Well, given his repeated pointing to own activity measures, does he agree with NZIER, whose survey reported an 8 percent decline in businesses\u2019 own activity, which they say, \u201Cpoint[s] to softer economic growth in the second half of 2018\u201D, being now the second business survey in as many weeks to have own activity figures falling to single digits?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000070\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228caeae3f208c4987882c2c8ff7ebe7c6\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: The member\u2019s statement at the end there is factually correct, but I continue to implore her to look at the long-term correlation between business confidence and GDP growth, and to note that in the years between 2000 and 2009 there was, on average, 3.2 percent growth, and around 82 of 99 months were seen to be pessimistically viewed by business.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000071\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dc6c0f88-e781-476d-bca1-d1bf9b69302b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227110dbd6e9a545569d835982f922cbc1\u0022\u003EHon Amy Adams\u003C/span\u003E: Well, is he going to take any responsibility at all for businesses in the NZIER survey reporting that cost pressures have increased sharply, indicating these costs will be passed on to consumers at an increased cost of living?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000072\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002205ace73892bc4cf2990ed57068c94d35\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019ll take responsibility for the fact that this Government is finally getting on with funding, for example, transport, which for nine years was ignored by that side of the House, who now cry foul because we\u2019ve actually decided to fund our transport plans rather than the billions of dollars that Simon Bridges left as a gap in Auckland transport.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000073\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dc6c0f88-e781-476d-bca1-d1bf9b69302b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022879689767b9c4db0a255260787a4b61f\u0022\u003EHon Amy Adams\u003C/span\u003E: Will he be speaking with his colleague Shane Jones, the self-appointed champion of the regions, as to why, according to this latest NZIER survey, pessimism remained pervasive across the regions, and in particular in Taranaki?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000074\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022234e9d8365f046658c550fb9f7a377b0\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: Nine months in, we\u2019ve set up a Provincial Growth Fund that\u2019s putting out millions of dollars into our regions. It will put a billion dollars out over this year and another $2 billion over the next two years. That means this Government will have done tenfold more than the previous Government to grow our regions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000075\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dc6c0f88-e781-476d-bca1-d1bf9b69302b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002274419040ca75429baf25db7c6dfeebe9\u0022\u003EHon Amy Adams\u003C/span\u003E: When will he acknowledge that his Government\u2019s policies, such as higher fuel taxes, shutting down oil and gas, and pro-union industrial relations reforms are a core driver of business confidence plummeting under his watch?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000076\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224d244080d537475c809c681d68467577\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019ll repeat what I said in my first answer. There are a lot of measures of the health of the economy. One of the most important of those measures is the fact that we have a surplus, that unemployment is coming down, that we actually have sustained growth in the future, and that confidence is shared across the economy. Employee confidence is up, consumer confidence is steady, and we\u2019re working with the business community to lift their confidence.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000077\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00225e362be1fd194adbbe2b69b5ec6de0c7\u0022\u003ENCEA\u2014Review and Consultation\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022ed2d10c1-43b7-41d9-9f5c-0c313f70e625\u0022 data-id=\u00223ee41162ffbf4077af10d89bf1034dfe\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000078\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ed2d10c1-43b7-41d9-9f5c-0c313f70e625\u0022\u003E4. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00223ee41162ffbf4077af10d89bf1034dfe\u0022\u003EHon NIKKI KAYE (National\u2014Auckland Central)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Education: Does he stand by his statement that \u201CEducation is too important to be left to politicians\u201D; if so, is he confident that he is listening to all of the voices in the education sector?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022 data-id=\u002253b4bd03f40a40409788c51973ca2091\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000079\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002253b4bd03f40a40409788c51973ca2091\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister of Education):\u003C/span\u003E Yes, absolutely; and yes, in so far as practical constraints allow.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000080\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ed2d10c1-43b7-41d9-9f5c-0c313f70e625\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002257274a9ee75a40848aa855cafc7074a3\u0022\u003EHon Nikki Kaye\u003C/span\u003E: If he is listening to the NCEA coalition of principals, then will he agree today to extend the time line of the NCEA review, given the concerns raised by this group of principals?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000081\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002268e0ad9b758b48b59ff88d5a59d9d2b0\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: There\u2019s a broad range of views amongst the principals, including from the coalition of principals who took out a full-page advertisement in the newspaper over the weekend to express their views. What I have said in response to that is that, at this point, I\u2019m not proposing to extend the time frame\u2014there\u2019s still 2\u00BD months to go on the consultation\u2014but if, at the end of that consultation period, it is clear that people don\u2019t feel that they\u2019ve had an opportunity to have their say or have their voices heard, then I\u2019m absolutely open to extending the time frame further.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000082\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ed2d10c1-43b7-41d9-9f5c-0c313f70e625\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227346a3a803d8410a8fc9ebc3658cdb67\u0022\u003EHon Nikki Kaye\u003C/span\u003E: If he is listening to the coalition of principals, will he ensure that there is greater balance on the ministerial advisory group, given the concerns raised by this group?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000083\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227b37cc93efbb404c855bd7eb1e058da3\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: The ministerial advisory group have, effectively, done the job that they were appointed to do, which was to produce the discussion document. We\u2019re now in a broad and open and public consultation period, where we want everybody to have a say in that. That\u2019s being overseen by a group of principals and the Ministry of Education. The feedback we get through the consultation period is being analysed independently, by the New Zealand Council for Educational Research. If the advisory group has a further role beyond the production of the discussion document, then, again, I\u2019m open to considering whether other voices need to be involved in that process.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ed2d10c1-43b7-41d9-9f5c-0c313f70e625\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002231e138cd98384c8993c4a68ec5c3b7df\u0022\u003EHon Nikki Kaye\u003C/span\u003E: Why did he label these principals as having traditional views, and is he dismissing their views because they\u2019re traditional?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000085\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022dac437726cf9486e88c72541648ae1b2\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: No, I think that\u2019s actually a factual explanation of the views of some of the people who have expressed that. I want to be very clear that there is nothing wrong with that, and I believe that traditional voices need to be heard in this process, as I\u2019ve made very clear over the weekend, when I was asked about that. Other voices also need to be heard. I don\u2019t agree with the assertion put forward by the principals that the Government is placing too much emphasis on the voices of young people in this process, for example. I think young people\u2019s futures are what we\u2019re talking about and they have every right to be heard in this. I absolutely reject the assertion put forward by one of those principals yesterday morning that this is a matter for adults to discuss.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000086\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229eef65cd-ce82-441c-af1b-954ea0782a04\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002208cc82305813486692884b164c0063d3\u0022\u003EJan Tinetti\u003C/span\u003E: What responses has the Minister seen from secondary school principals to the NCEA review?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000087\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227077fc427fab4058a2f7f90dacb4aba6\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: In addition to the feedback that I received over the weekend, at the time the consultation document was released, the Otago Secondary Principals\u2019 Association secretary, Gavin Kidd, said, \u201CI think there\u2019s general agreement that this is a step in the right direction, and it\u2019s well overdue.\u201D Patrick Walsh, principal of John Paul College, said, \u201CThe NCEA directly affects not only students and their parents but employers, community groups, business leaders, sporting bodies and voluntary organisations, to name but a few. If we want a high quality change we must first have quality engagement and feedback.\u201D I had not received any letters or emails from any of the current principals in the new principals NCEA coalition until this Sunday, but I welcome their engagement.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ed2d10c1-43b7-41d9-9f5c-0c313f70e625\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002208410cb98c844efb85085a4c497f0b38\u0022\u003EHon Nikki Kaye\u003C/span\u003E: In light of the fact that, in the last half an hour, the NCEA coalition group grew to over 50 schools, does he consider Massey High School and Northland College as having principals with traditional views?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000089\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fbb0820667d34d5c8c05584d2431a913\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: As I\u2019ve been very clear, some of the people on that group have very traditional views. There are a wide variety of views on the NCEA, and I think it\u2019s very important that everybody with a view on the NCEA has an opportunity to be heard in this process.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000090\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ed2d10c1-43b7-41d9-9f5c-0c313f70e625\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002204d4180123c9457895aa877ea490817c\u0022\u003EHon Nikki Kaye\u003C/span\u003E: If he is listening to the coalition principals, will he agree to personally meet with this group that now is over 50 schools; if not, why not?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000091\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224b0004ecc7254672a79ffbe410944de4\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: Up until they took out an advertisement in the newspaper over the weekend, that group had not asked to meet with me. I have been very clear that I am open to engagement. For example, I already had, prior to the weekend, meetings scheduled with the Secondary Principals\u2019 Association of New Zealand, where over 100 secondary school principals will be in attendance. The Secondary Principals Council have already held a meeting with 50 secondary principals from around the country and have already provided feedback on that. I have also, in addition to that, as a result of the request over the weekend, set aside time\u2014Friday, two weeks from now\u2014to meet with any secondary principals from Auckland who wish to meet with me. That\u2019s an open invitation, and I\u2019m more than happy to engage with any of them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000092\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002284835e6581b04747a400ff8a824cb374\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m just going to warn the Leader of the Opposition that the next time he interjects inappropriately, he will have to withdraw and apologise.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000093\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00221b4d44f0855f4817863e75e61112c252\u0022\u003EHousing\u2014Ownership, Policies, and Reports\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f677db8b-66c5-4794-953c-bdf7aa425710\u0022 data-id=\u002262e6e1cc83f74f479e77ddb7ff2ef69f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000094\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f677db8b-66c5-4794-953c-bdf7aa425710\u0022\u003E5. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002262e6e1cc83f74f479e77ddb7ff2ef69f\u0022\u003EMARJA LUBECK (Labour)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development: What recent reports has he seen on the increasing number of New Zealand families locked out of home ownership?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022 data-id=\u0022df32764274db45fcbadb04f83e32cab2\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000095\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022df32764274db45fcbadb04f83e32cab2\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD (Minister of Housing and Urban Development):\u003C/span\u003E A report by Auckland Council\u2019s chief economist released yesterday highlights the lack of affordable homes for families on middle incomes\u2014people who were traditionally homeowners. The chief economist notes that these middle-income groups have been increasingly locked out of homeownership. The same report shows that families with a household income over $95,000, which is the majority of Auckland families, will be able to afford the first KiwiBuild homes, which are expected to cost $579,000. I also note that outside Auckland and Queenstown, the price cap is $500,000, making those homes affordable for most families.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000096\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f677db8b-66c5-4794-953c-bdf7aa425710\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b8cdc6ef898b47779492cabaf5402597\u0022\u003EMarja Lubeck\u003C/span\u003E: Which families have experienced the worst decline in homeownership?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000097\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b443b182d7ec40068ff0f6573d4647d2\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD\u003C/span\u003E: Data from the household economic survey shows that the biggest fall in homeownership has been experienced by families who were traditionally homeowners in New Zealand\u2014that is, young families on middle incomes, with children. The income range from about $80,000 to $189,000 comprises half of all families with children and has experienced the most severe decline in homeownership in recent years. Even couples such as teachers, tradies, and office workers whose combined household income may be in the range of $150,000 struggle to afford a home.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000098\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f677db8b-66c5-4794-953c-bdf7aa425710\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022741b2c851daa4906a5b47eb885599e51\u0022\u003EMarja Lubeck\u003C/span\u003E: What is the Government\u2019s policy towards families on lower incomes who can\u2019t afford to buy?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000099\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022048f9a45e42f4b3f8650c1988df649d6\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD\u003C/span\u003E: Homeownership is out of reach for too many people. That\u2019s why we are improving renting by modernising the tenancy laws, implementing insulation and heating standards, and building more State houses. Also, there are families who would like to, but cannot, afford a KiwiBuild home, and that\u2019s why we are developing a shared equity scheme that will make it easier for so many families to own their own home. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000100\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022d0756ae32ac74b24887a7965c826b685\u0022\u003EKiwiBuild\u2014Eligibility and Costs\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022 data-id=\u002263852dc18cfb49d19b4af7b326b5a39b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000101\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003E6. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002263852dc18cfb49d19b4af7b326b5a39b\u0022\u003ESIMON O\u2019CONNOR (National\u2014T\u0101maki)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development: Does he stand by his statement in relation to KiwiBuild that the Government will build \u201Chigh quality, modest, affordable starter homes\u201D?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022 data-id=\u0022cefbe3b09c9946deab34e156ec29cd12\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022cefbe3b09c9946deab34e156ec29cd12\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD (Minister of Housing and Urban Development):\u003C/span\u003E Yes. For example, the homes that we\u2019re building at McLennan will cost only just over half the average Auckland house price and will be affordable to more than half of Auckland families. At 99 to 112 square metres for a three bedroom home, they are modest starter homes compared to the average new home built today, which is 172 square metres. I\u2019m confident that these will be quality homes that Kiwi families will enjoy for generations. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000103\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d681b4156f6447e8a7ad34b7b4a92467\u0022\u003ESimon O\u2019Connor\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree with Auckland Council\u2019s chief economist that the \u201CKiwiBuild scheme is likely to be out of reach for half of Auckland\u2019s households\u201D, and that such a household would need to be making over $105,000 a year and would have to have a 20 percent deposit?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000104\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022258ad036386d436e925358403e55f63d\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s not new that houses in Auckland are out of reach for many Kiwi families. That is why we have the KiwiBuild policy to build homes for less than $650,000. It\u2019s why we are intervening in a failed market. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000105\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022629ffdafbe5a410fac901afc40b97d10\u0022\u003ESimon O\u2019Connor\u003C/span\u003E: In light of that, does he agree with the Acting Prime Minister\u2019s statement around affordability that it would be desirable to have house prices drop to five times the annual living wage; and if so, does this mean that people who already own their houses will see their equity collapse?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000106\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e33701ae580d4f1fbe8afb2e047ee874\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD\u003C/span\u003E: I agree with the Acting Prime Minister when he said that it would be good to reduce the median multiple, which currently stands at around 10 in Auckland and 11 in Queenstown\u2014that is, the median price of a house in those markets is, in the case of Auckland, 10 times the median household income. I agree with the Acting Prime Minister when he said it would be good to reduce that multiple to five.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000107\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a09a118fa079413d87d5d3e9e12fcf6c\u0022\u003ESimon O\u2019Connor\u003C/span\u003E: Was the KiwiBuild eligibility criteria on the Cabinet agenda on Monday?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000108\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d0a75634bb11473ebb43f318052c66fc\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD\u003C/span\u003E: Yes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000109\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a80c95f3f1ee490997bce19287a44584\u0022\u003ESimon O\u2019Connor\u003C/span\u003E: If it was on the agenda on Monday, how does he reconcile this with the Acting Prime Minister\u2019s suggestion that there was no discussion of it, it was among a tranche of papers that went through automatically and had not been on the agenda?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000110\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224fee7c571d8d433ba368fe746c5414d4\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Order! I don\u2019t think there\u2019s any responsibility for\u2014oh no, answer the question; it\u2019s probably easier than having the argument.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000111\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226ae62bc903f64f9da08c29c11b7d047d\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD\u003C/span\u003E: There was no discussion of the item because it was adopted by Cabinet unanimously. All the discussion was had at Cabinet committee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000112\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227fcdc3fdb5294342b1eedaa3d6fe811a\u0022\u003ESimon O\u2019Connor\u003C/span\u003E: So how can the New Zealand public have confidence in Ministers who seem to routinely slip things past their colleagues in unexamined, undiscussed heaps of paper?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000113\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229e9f52d61ee04d149e6e285649d26f15\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: No, no\u2014far too much irony in that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000114\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00222aa69bb1ead2410c97e7e1960672fd94\u0022\u003EHealth Services\u2014Counties Manukau District Health Board Review\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022 data-id=\u002224371a92505d458bac7518c9d1b98bfd\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000115\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002224371a92505d458bac7518c9d1b98bfd\u0022\u003EJAMI-LEE ROSS (National\u2014Botany):\u003C/span\u003E I seek leave for this question to be held over as a new question for the next time when Dr David Clark is available to answer it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022 data-id=\u0022d6b970823d1f492ca7213ae2011631f7\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000116\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d6b970823d1f492ca7213ae2011631f7\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I think you\u2019d better add in the word \u201Cadditional\u201D if that\u2019s what you really mean\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000117\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fbca2a27347f4bb0bf305a661d6810e3\u0022\u003EJami-Lee Ross\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, yes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000118\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002241511e100fe847829d48f545694fd635\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014because you can have a new question any day. You just write it down.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000119\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222f43facac1d845db858658bfabe48955\u0022\u003EJami-Lee Ross\u003C/span\u003E: I would like to add in the word \u201Cadditional\u201D. Thank you, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000120\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225e0f63fe8ca443c08b393576e3af363b\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: OK, the question is that the question be held over as an additional question next sitting day. Is there any objection to that? There is objection.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022 data-id=\u00227097dab91c304efa8c093c355437e376\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000121\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003E7. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227097dab91c304efa8c093c355437e376\u0022\u003EJAMI-LEE ROSS (National\u2014Botany)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Health: When was he first told of the Beattie Varley review into audit matters at the Counties Manukau District Health Board, and what action, if any, did he take when those audit matters were raised with him?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022 data-id=\u0022434a25f6ea0447c2b9a0bedf40b020d2\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000122\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022434a25f6ea0447c2b9a0bedf40b020d2\u0022\u003EHon JULIE ANNE GENTER (Associate Minister of Health) \u003C/span\u003Eon behalf of the Minister of Health: On behalf of the Minister, on 3 November 2017, the Ministry of Health advised me that it had commissioned a review into financial and management practices at Counties Manukau District Health Board. The first time I was notified that Beattie Varley was undertaking that review was on 17 November. On 16 December 2017, I confirmed that Beattie Varley were to proceed with the interview process.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000123\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227b754be5d68a453099d9d620441fc2e2\u0022\u003EJami-Lee Ross\u003C/span\u003E: When Stephen McKernan was announced as Director-General of Health on 21 December, did he seek an assurance from the State Services Commission that Mr McKernan would appropriately manage any conflict in relation to the reviews of audits involving Mr McKernan\u2019s time as the CEO of that district health board?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000124\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e5f4d57c1f6341a6af0b144fc33012bf\u0022\u003EHon JULIE ANNE GENTER\u003C/span\u003E: On behalf of the Minister, as I said to that member last week, I absolutely trusted Mr McKernan to manage any conflicts appropriately.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000125\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a1b71f2fd1a34249854ef5405001fae5\u0022\u003EJami-Lee Ross\u003C/span\u003E: When Stephen McKernan raised the Beattie Varley review into inappropriate salary transactions during Mr McKernan\u2019s time as CEO of the Counties Manukau District Health Board with him as Minister, did he take any action to ensure Mr McKernan was properly managing his conflict of interest around the review?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000126\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002253f289016afd45d8bdc20508802c05f1\u0022\u003EHon JULIE ANNE GENTER\u003C/span\u003E: I have every confidence that Mr McKernan was appropriately managing his conflicts during this time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000127\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f89c707eea6f4127adb4fc9d9574573c\u0022\u003EJami-Lee Ross\u003C/span\u003E: Does he believe it acceptable for the former CEO of a district health board, when subsequently serving as Director-General of Health, to raise with him directly a review of an audit into inappropriate salary transactions during that individual\u2019s time as the CEO of that district health board?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000128\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002263743b8eb1d149a8b1a4cabcf8524c37\u0022\u003EHon JULIE ANNE GENTER\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m sure that member is aware that Stephen McKernan was CEO of Counties Manukau District Health Board from 2002 to 2006, and the items that are under review don\u2019t go back further than 2013 in the report. So I do think that the member is clutching at straws.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000129\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022068a54062386458fba3e640206b3cdc9\u0022\u003EJami-Lee Ross\u003C/span\u003E: Has the Minister taken an opportunity to appraise himself of the terms of reference of the Beattie Varley review, which does in fact show that the inappropriate salary transactions dating back to Mr McKernan\u2019s time were matters under review by Beattie Varley and the former Solicitor-General Mike Heron and Deloitte?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000130\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022535b8df733e346aebf670553cfbf05ca\u0022\u003EHon JULIE ANNE GENTER\u003C/span\u003E: The Beattie Varley report is one that is being managed by the Ministry of Health. Officials at the Ministry of Health understand the seriousness of all of these matters. They\u2019re working through a proper process, and it\u2019s not my role to interfere with that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000131\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bac6f91c7f2d41b58ab55f59cff036b2\u0022\u003EJami-Lee Ross\u003C/span\u003E: Do Ministers, including him, have any responsibility to ensure conflicts of interest are appropriately managed by the chief executive of the department that reports to them, when that chief executive was involved in a district health board that was under review and an audit was being provided to that individual as Director-General of Health?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000132\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225d243ba929c547f1b5eb53696de39dba\u0022\u003EHon JULIE ANNE GENTER\u003C/span\u003E: On behalf of the Minister, yes, absolutely.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000133\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022d6672414edb14e31ac99bf6f9d4778f1\u0022\u003EStudent Loans\u2014Borrowing Limits\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00223c5917bd-9c2f-4bdf-af2f-b13cd1a2c8bb\u0022 data-id=\u0022063017e35e6445299a460b10dfce66fc\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000134\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223c5917bd-9c2f-4bdf-af2f-b13cd1a2c8bb\u0022\u003E8. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022063017e35e6445299a460b10dfce66fc\u0022\u003EDr LIZ CRAIG (Labour)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Education: What action is the coalition Government taking to address cost barriers faced for New Zealanders studying medicine, dentistry, optometry, or veterinary science?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022 data-id=\u0022fba2211d8a8f47e1ad600ef962469687\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000135\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022fba2211d8a8f47e1ad600ef962469687\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister of Education):\u003C/span\u003E Yesterday, I announced that the student loan borrowing limit for those students in long undergraduate programmes such as medicine will be extended to a maximum of 10 equivalent full-time student (EFTS) of study. This means that those students who have been unable to complete their medical degrees because they have reached the student loan cap will now be able to finish their studies in a timely manner and get into the workforce.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000136\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223c5917bd-9c2f-4bdf-af2f-b13cd1a2c8bb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227e80b46411d943b9bb1ef0b3eb20bb69\u0022\u003EDr Liz Craig\u003C/span\u003E: What response has he seen to this announcement?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002223d24821b9bb4447b2063ebd13fde767\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: The announcement has been very well received. The New Zealand Medical Students\u2019 Association has said the announcement is \u201Ca huge relief for many of our students, who can now focus on completing their medical degrees and serving their communities.\u201D, while the New Zealand Union of Students\u2019 Associations has said, \u201CThis doesn\u2019t just benefit students, but also benefits the health and wellbeing of New Zealand.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000138\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223c5917bd-9c2f-4bdf-af2f-b13cd1a2c8bb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c9c342a8a470419a84185f548011bb07\u0022\u003EDr Liz Craig\u003C/span\u003E: When will this change come into effect?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000139\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223411be0cb8d64d098952c13549f02c67\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: The Government was intending to make this change in next year\u2019s Budget, to come into force at the beginning of 2020; however, after listening to feedback, we have brought that forward. This change will now take effect from 1 January 2019.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000140\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00228cea18f880e943c4b45d1da5747f4730\u0022\u003EOverseas Ownership of New Zealand Property\u2014Exemption for Te \u0100rai Development\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022dc6c0f88-e781-476d-bca1-d1bf9b69302b\u0022 data-id=\u0022821442d8737e409d8a2ce781558fcb11\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000141\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dc6c0f88-e781-476d-bca1-d1bf9b69302b\u0022\u003E9. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022821442d8737e409d8a2ce781558fcb11\u0022\u003EHon AMY ADAMS (National\u2014Selwyn)\u003C/span\u003E to the Associate Minister of Finance: Does he believe all his conduct in respect of the proposed exemption for the Te \u0100rai property development from the Overseas Investment Amendment Bill meets the standards expected of a Minister?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022 data-id=\u00221d8dff62a72f471bbdee768f1d502551\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000142\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221d8dff62a72f471bbdee768f1d502551\u0022\u003EHon DAVID PARKER (Associate Minister of Finance):\u003C/span\u003E Yes, but I note for the benefit of the member that it is the Prime Minister who is responsible for that assessment.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000143\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dc6c0f88-e781-476d-bca1-d1bf9b69302b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221c984259fae443249e45394d1921b67e\u0022\u003EHon Amy Adams\u003C/span\u003E: Did he just take Shane Jones and Kelvin Davis at their word, or did he seek legal advice to back up the claim that not granting an exemption for the specific Te \u0100rai land would cause a Treaty of Waitangi grievance?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000144\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ad9c4a684556400e95b1a773645ad507\u0022\u003EHon DAVID PARKER\u003C/span\u003E: My decision was informed both by my conversations with ministerial colleagues and the advice that I had from Treasury, which was in itself informed by legal advice.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000145\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dc6c0f88-e781-476d-bca1-d1bf9b69302b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c03b632bdb0547359b6da8f873112f5d\u0022\u003EHon Amy Adams\u003C/span\u003E: Given that four of the Te \u0100rai lots listed in his proposed exemption appear to have no iwi ownership at all, and a further lot is subject to a registered lease in favour of Mr Darby\u2019s interests for much longer than the exemption period, why were these particular lots included in the exemption?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000146\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002254ba1f4550db4fbd9cd80fe0b8438800\u0022\u003EHon DAVID PARKER\u003C/span\u003E: For the reasons that I explained last week. I think, as I acknowledged then, that either the select committee or I could have looked at that further, and, indeed, had the exemption been carried forward, we could have done. I would note that, in respect of the underlying proposition which I put to the House repeatedly last week, we were concerned about the position of the iwi. I looked at the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2007 for Te Uri o Hau Settlement Trust, and it records that the settlement trust advanced to their investment arm $20 million to facilitate the purchase of the Mangawhai land. It was intended to be repaid from the sale proceeds. Due to the loss in value\u2014this was some time ago\u2014of the underlying asset, they\u2019ve already suffered impairments of $14 million. Even after a $14 million impairment, this remains the largest investment of that trust, and we have sympathy for their position.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000147\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dc6c0f88-e781-476d-bca1-d1bf9b69302b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002207034e3b595d4f67bf24c85cabe99ff9\u0022\u003EHon Amy Adams\u003C/span\u003E: I seek leave to table the certificates of title for lots two, three, and four on depositor plan 138522 and the certificate of title for lot two on depositor plan 478524 and the leasehold title for lot one on depositor plan 478524.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000148\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002208404555febd45b991187053564d612f\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Is there any objection to those documents being tabled? There is objection.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000149\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b4c79e4f90c1424ca8fc8689c1c54cb1\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: With respect to alleged underworld influences, is it a fact that Steven Joyce was backing the development, that Sir John Key was lobbying for the development alongside Michelle Boag, and that the Te \u0100rai submission was written by last year\u2019s National Party chief of staff Wayne Eagleson?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000150\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002236d179fc20d3481dad41bc0d79c67fb7\u0022\u003EHon DAVID PARKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I\u2019m sure that the members of the House are aware that there was lobbying by the Rt Hon Sir John Key\u2014I wasn\u2019t aware of that until last Tuesday night. There is a parliamentary record of the involvement of Steven Joyce, and I wasn\u2019t aware, and I\u2019m not aware, whether Mr Eagleson was involved.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000151\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dc6c0f88-e781-476d-bca1-d1bf9b69302b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022eba93a1aa2da41c4b9ec847d503470e9\u0022\u003EHon Amy Adams\u003C/span\u003E: Does he consider that it meets the high standards required of Ministers to take a paper to Cabinet recommending an exemption of significant commercial value without first having verified the ownership of the land to be exempted, with Treasury saying they didn\u2019t know who owned the land when they drafted the exemption?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000152\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220c4e13f27c17424882153c2774c43fef\u0022\u003EHon DAVID PARKER\u003C/span\u003E: As I also said last week, the exemption only applied to residential lots. The golf course, the sand mine, any lots over five hectares, and any of the land that is already sensitive does not fall within the scope of the exemption, and the member should know that, because she was on the select committee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000153\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dc6c0f88-e781-476d-bca1-d1bf9b69302b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224bc37bed27924e4594075d83d3689757\u0022\u003EHon Amy Adams\u003C/span\u003E: How was he made aware of Mr Kayne and Mr Darby\u2019s involvement in Te \u0100rai, which he says occurred on 6 March?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000154\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221ffd55a855c441f980c12185c233c0ab\u0022\u003EHon DAVID PARKER\u003C/span\u003E: No, I actually didn\u2019t. That 6 March date was a date that I picked in order to make a question in order last week. I think the time that I received detailed advice from Treasury on the Te \u0100rai submission was 19 March 2018, although by then I had also received submissions from Cabinet colleagues.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000155\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dc6c0f88-e781-476d-bca1-d1bf9b69302b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e669c592ad8648219be357dfb9781f0e\u0022\u003EHon Amy Adams\u003C/span\u003E: So isn\u2019t it more likely that the reason he told the House, in previous questions, that the first time he became aware of Mr Darby\u2019s and Mr Kayne\u2019s involvement in Te \u0100rai on 6 March was because that was the day the New Zealand Herald published a story about Mr Kayne threatening to pull the plug on the development if he didn\u2019t receive an exemption?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000156\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223f5beb0cba9d4c4bb92a4ff21f3f6128\u0022\u003EHon DAVID PARKER\u003C/span\u003E: I wasn\u2019t aware of that article.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000157\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002275f3de6f7dc24d4fb3f24eb698103681\u0022\u003EElectoral (Integrity) Amendment Bill\u2014Consistency with Existing Legislation\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e978865e-57e5-41d6-a7f6-b49daae78630\u0022 data-id=\u00222c03064e2ef74c50b6693fcabf3fef30\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000158\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e978865e-57e5-41d6-a7f6-b49daae78630\u0022\u003E10. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222c03064e2ef74c50b6693fcabf3fef30\u0022\u003EHon Dr NICK SMITH (National\u2014Nelson)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Justice: How is his Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Bill enabling a member of Parliament to be dismissed consistent with section 23 of the Parliamentary Privilege Act 2014, that states, \u201C(1) The House has no power to make a member\u2019s seat become vacant by expelling the member (whether to discipline or punish the member, to protect the House by removing an unfit member, or for any reason or purpose) from membership of the House\u201D, and \u201C(2) Subsection (1) overrides any law to the contrary\u201D?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022 data-id=\u0022dd99c9c395d44b23b23783a3754236e1\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000159\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022dd99c9c395d44b23b23783a3754236e1\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Justice):\u003C/span\u003E The Government\u2019s Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Bill is consistent with section 23 of the Parliamentary Privilege Act, because it does not provide for any member to be expelled by the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000160\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e978865e-57e5-41d6-a7f6-b49daae78630\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223c18172a367749c08122d6ef5135b97e\u0022\u003EHon Dr Nick Smith\u003C/span\u003E: How can the Minister say it does not allow a member of Parliament to be dismissed from the House when section 55B explicitly says that a leader of a political party serves a notice to a leader and, at that point, the member\u2019s seat becomes vacant?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000161\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d3aea657dc5449afab465062ce5adc05\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: The actions of a leader of a political party and, indeed, members of the caucus of a political party represented in Parliament do not constitute the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000162\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e978865e-57e5-41d6-a7f6-b49daae78630\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022171b45b2be8842babfd2716454b762cf\u0022\u003EHon Dr Nick Smith\u003C/span\u003E: Does his Government continue to support the principle established 330 years ago with the Bill of Rights and codified unanimously by this Parliament in 2014 that voters alone get to dismiss MPs?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000163\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002265890621abc5463c8daeb937a89e33c1\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: Yes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000164\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e978865e-57e5-41d6-a7f6-b49daae78630\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022465ea99a9fe34d7a9ad8fcdaa8b6e0b1\u0022\u003EHon Dr Nick Smith\u003C/span\u003E: If he agrees with the principle that voters alone get to dismiss MPs, why is he promoting a bill, in this House, that gives the power to party leaders for a member\u2019s seat to become vacant?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000165\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222cae35a8b8f44fc5b982c11dc999a554\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: That member is, yet again, wrong when he says that the Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Bill provides for a leader of a political party represented in Parliament to remove a member of the House. The leader of a political party represented in Parliament, under the Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Bill, has no such power.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000166\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e978865e-57e5-41d6-a7f6-b49daae78630\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226f8fc76d7d58470393971bce435e311b\u0022\u003EHon Dr Nick Smith\u003C/span\u003E: How can the Minister claim that the leader has no power to dismiss a member of Parliament when section 55B in his bill specifically sets down the process for a leader to do just that, when his own officials before the select committee say that that\u2019s what it does, and when over 21 constitutional experts have said that is what his bill does?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000167\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cdb4507c9d9a424491f4ab08e0c2949b\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: That member has misunderstood or mischaracterised the provisions of the Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Bill. No leader of any political party represented in Parliament, under the Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Bill, has the power to remove a member of Parliament.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000168\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e978865e-57e5-41d6-a7f6-b49daae78630\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022537106e192df4acfb439d41dede49151\u0022\u003EHon Dr Nick Smith\u003C/span\u003E: Why is his Government refusing to release the advice of officials on whether his bill is compliant with the important bill of rights?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000169\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220c8f297834d24bf5a1daf3d2dce2674f\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m not quite sure what the member is referring to. The Attorney-General has provided a section 7 certificate in relation to the bill and finds that it is consistent with the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000170\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022d6476cf642474636835ca4c80bac8c73\u0022\u003Euestion No. 9 to Minister\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000171\u0022\u003EQ\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022 data-id=\u0022a88ca822260a4ae6be69519fea3b8612\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000172\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a88ca822260a4ae6be69519fea3b8612\u0022\u003EHon DAVID PARKER (Associate Minister of Finance):\u003C/span\u003E I should have done this at the end of my question. I seek leave to table an extract from the 2017 accounts for Te Uri o Hau Settlement Trust showing the loss to which I referred and that this remains, after that loss, their largest post-settlement asset.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022 data-id=\u00226ac440fbb8e74df89a796268473c4d54\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000173\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226ac440fbb8e74df89a796268473c4d54\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I do want an assurance from the Minister that it\u2019s not a document that\u2019s publicly available.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000174\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b792fea038e845bd916e9196af03c201\u0022\u003EHon David Parker\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I got it from the web, but it\u2019s certainly\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000175\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002243a336082cca498dbae5d0e9a7a6cfff\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I\u2019m not going to put that leave.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000176\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022b44f340e315449c7929c2c3674a4105b\u0022\u003EFamilies Package\u2014Reactions and Targeting\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022872744a3-2256-4cdd-a4cc-939836dc2b11\u0022 data-id=\u00229799fc09f6854da78ed1f420c9932f89\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000177\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022872744a3-2256-4cdd-a4cc-939836dc2b11\u0022\u003E11. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00229799fc09f6854da78ed1f420c9932f89\u0022\u003EPRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN (Labour)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister for Social Development: Will there be a social impact from the Families Package measures that came into effect on 1 July; if so, what would it be?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022 data-id=\u0022b6f9fe5f34594c4d8408f9b67a88b9a2\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000178\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b6f9fe5f34594c4d8408f9b67a88b9a2\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI (Minister for Social Development):\u003C/span\u003E Yes. By 2020-21, around 384,000 families with dependent children will be better off, and approximately 650,000 families without children. As of 1 July, 26,000 more families are eligible for Working for Families tax credits, our Best Start tax credits are expected to benefit around 65,000 children born in the year, and around 1 million people will benefit from the new winter energy payment. There have also been increases to paid parental leave, the orphans benefit, the unsupported child\u2019s benefit, and foster care allowance. As a result of our Families Package, 64,000 children will be lifted out of poverty by 2021. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000179\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022872744a3-2256-4cdd-a4cc-939836dc2b11\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022232b610c67634b3cb32e430a97979e2d\u0022\u003EPriyanca Radhakrishnan\u003C/span\u003E: What feedback has she received from expectant parents? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000180\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b39f995eddb446099fbc62801305aa64\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI\u003C/span\u003E: I spoke to a number of expectant parents on Sunday. They expressed to me their excitement and relief. More than one couple stated the increases in paid parental leave, Working for Families, plus the Best Start payment will mean they now have the option of one parent staying home for longer with their newborn baby. Many couples also shared that these changes will go a long way towards lifting the financial pressure and making their job of raising children just that little bit easier. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000181\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022872744a3-2256-4cdd-a4cc-939836dc2b11\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022521cd1d4243c453883e6f06ada14aa34\u0022\u003EPriyanca Radhakrishnan\u003C/span\u003E: What reaction has she received regarding the winter energy payment?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000182\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002214d3ea6740834e3f8d0bbbdda38deb49\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019ve received so much correspondence from individuals expressing their genuine gratitude for the difference this payment will make. One woman wrote, \u201CThank you very much for the winter energy payment. My son has autism and lives at home and gets supported living payment. I really appreciate that the Government cares about the least-privileged members of our community. Families affected by autism are often struggling, so an extra help is great.\u201D Numerous organisations, including UNICEF, the Salvation Army, and the Child Poverty Action Group have all expressed positivity towards our Families Package. The Children\u2019s Commissioner has said that this is an incredibly positive first step.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000183\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c085d20eb3994f2088c0f3ecebf97079\u0022\u003EHon Louise Upston\u003C/span\u003E: How many people earning over $100,000 per annum will receive the baby bonus?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000184\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226220f77cd2524dcf957deb7994ec35b5\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI\u003C/span\u003E: We\u2019ve been very clear that the Best Start payment in its first year is universal; in its second and third year, at that point then it is means-tested, and at $79,000 it is abated. That, to me, is a very clear response to that member\u2019s question.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000185\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ef870bb429994ed7a6dd84022ddfa1cb\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, sorry; it\u2019s not to me.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000186\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f3cdcadab2ca42d4992916294db6ea92\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI\u003C/span\u003E: I don\u2019t have the exact figures on me. However, we have been very clear\u2014it is no secret\u2014that the first year of the Best Start payment is universal.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000187\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022602c8425de884e9a916a491902a16656\u0022\u003EHon Louise Upston\u003C/span\u003E: How many people earning over $100,000 per annum will receive the winter energy payment?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000188\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022740a4cec2b2d4686912d4d19ad7878c7\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI\u003C/span\u003E: The exact same number that are currently eligible for superannuation, and I do believe that that side of the House has not changed their view on superannuation being universal.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000189\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223b7628ea6fa4433cbe5ef5a9967dbb61\u0022\u003EHon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: Can the Minister confirm that fewer people earning over $100,000 will benefit from the winter energy payment or the Best Start payment than would have benefited from the tax cuts that were repealed in order to pay for those things?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000190\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224a71c0c423054be6927672eae8dd9aac\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI\u003C/span\u003E: I think that\u2019s a very important point. Under the previous Government\u2019s proposal for the tax cuts, $440 million would have gone to the top 10 percent of income earners, and I think that\u2019s a very important differentiation to make.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000191\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022b0f0f968b54244b5831c71d61048dd24\u0022\u003EPrisons\u2014Prison Population\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022 data-id=\u00227e6c1adee30d442b911b180cf845c886\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000192\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003E12. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227e6c1adee30d442b911b180cf845c886\u0022\u003EHon DAVID BENNETT (National\u2014Hamilton East)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Corrections: Does he stand by all his statements and actions?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022 data-id=\u002267d1539b2b3847bd9bd963d65a0bfd9f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000193\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002267d1539b2b3847bd9bd963d65a0bfd9f\u0022\u003EHon KELVIN DAVIS (Minister of Corrections):\u003C/span\u003E Yes, in the context they were made.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000194\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221a3873c2a17b4989a985bff7fc28e995\u0022\u003EHon David Bennett\u003C/span\u003E: Does he stand by his statement that he hadn\u2019t seen the forecasts when he made the announcement in relation to Waikeria Prison, and, if so, why did he correct his answer three hours later to say he had seen dozens of reports on the forecast?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000195\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fa494e1344494d97bd0ab5767911fb47\u0022\u003EHon KELVIN DAVIS\u003C/span\u003E: We\u2019d been working off the forecasts since late last year, but I hadn\u2019t seen the report that was released last week.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000196\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e74fb3268bf54332aef18c4778957951\u0022\u003EHon David Bennett\u003C/span\u003E: If he had seen dozens of reports on the forecasts, what does the November 2017 report say that the prison population will rise to in 2027 under the higher settings that are projected?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000197\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220ac51133c7814916853b879e320b8466\u0022\u003EHon KELVIN DAVIS\u003C/span\u003E: If nothing else is done, the figure will be 14,399. But let\u2019s also just bear in mind that the forecast for this year is meant to be 11,600. We\u2019re currently tracking over 1,000 below that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000198\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cbe268492b924fc294a89208f0dd33aa\u0022\u003EHon David Bennett\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019d like to just table the actual report, which says\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000199\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e70094c58ead4591bfcaf7a88874f3fc\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Order! Not a chance. It\u2019s publicly available.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000200\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022413c82f1e0bb4e14a17fd2c2c3e9f5e3\u0022\u003EHon David Bennett\u003C/span\u003E: OK. How was the 900-bed increase estimated by the Department of Corrections, due to the extra police, included in the November 2017 report, given these projections weren\u2019t created until months after the report was finished and that the report does not try to estimate or accommodate any subsequent announcements or future Government policies?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000201\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002297cfcc356dfa41edb532f58f08c13f1a\u0022\u003EHon KELVIN DAVIS\u003C/span\u003E: In relation to the police projections, the police gave advice to the Minister of Police, Corrections gave different advice, and what we\u2019re doing is hoping that the police are right, but we\u2019re planning for the worst possible scenario.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000202\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220d09fe3135fc469fb0f9196bc189e0a1\u0022\u003EHon David Bennett\u003C/span\u003E: When did the Minister approve the release of the report, which was made publicly available on Saturday?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000203\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225a214885a5e24cc191bbb4659e41f917\u0022\u003EHon KELVIN DAVIS\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m not responsible for releasing that report.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000204\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022622513f008084a49be022686871925cd\u0022\u003EJami-Lee Ross\u003C/span\u003E: Mr Speaker, I apologise for not being able to seek leave for this at the time of my question, but I wish to seek leave to table a letter from Beattie Varley Ltd to the Ministry of Health relating to the review they undertook. If you may allow me, Mr Speaker\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002260f65fc8a40c4fba83e330325396ed03\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Give me the date.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000206\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226bec3283f929406aa9850f1117b0ea6d\u0022\u003EJami-Lee Ross\u003C/span\u003E: 17 August 2017.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000207\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e7036b4aa8ff43fe9a20a7bc6cd0c542\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Is there any\u2014[Interruption] No, no, the member\u2014[Interruption] Order! The member will resume his seat. We\u2019ve had a number of Speakers\u2019 rulings on this particular area. The member has covered the subject matter of it. The member has covered the date and who it\u2019s from. Is there any objection to that letter being tabled? There appears to be none. The member may table the letter.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000208\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002231723a1c8b4c4469b23e2d05ee4c351e\u0022\u003EJami-Lee Ross\u003C/span\u003E: Mr Speaker, I was trying to explain to you there is a redaction in this letter for natural justice around two individuals that are former executives, whose names are redacted from it because they\u2019re subject of the review, around their salary transactions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000209\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ee4066b5449b4fb9aaf7e4a448dc2808\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: OK.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000210\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002261b7e5a8164946629e562879bb2211f4\u0022\u003EJami-Lee Ross\u003C/span\u003E: That is the case with the letter.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000211\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022703c7a51b40140d7828df92e20b89225\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: That should have been told to us beforehand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000212\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d56fec6b82c042a6913a63e9bcf3fcda\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: No, no. Order! To be fair to the member, I did interrupt him. Now we have all the facts, I will put the question again. Is there any objection to it being tabled? There appears to be none, still.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000213\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003EDocument, by leave, laid on the Table of the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000214\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b9fdff171eca402fa0d8f25a62e0aef3\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Any further supplementaries?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000215\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022428f3d997d3448e5a2641fb0dfc5a358\u0022\u003EHon David Bennett\u003C/span\u003E: Yes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000216\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226632844df1584679b3da600eac298ed5\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: David Bennett. We\u2019re going back to question 12.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000217\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022728c8f0afd0a45d5a6bbeb0030934ef6\u0022\u003EHon David Bennett\u003C/span\u003E: So when the Minister said that the Department of Corrections had made its own estimate for the number of increased beds that would be required as a result of the increase in police numbers, what is that number of increase in beds that the Department of Corrections has estimated, and when will he release that report?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000218\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002298f7120183944b75b1cf6ab3cf814491\u0022\u003EHon KELVIN DAVIS\u003C/span\u003E: The projected capacity for 2027, including the Corrections and police numbers, is 15,049.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000219\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022387c8729fe5c44779862518cee237a6a\u0022\u003EHon David Bennett\u003C/span\u003E: That figure of 15,049\u2014what year is that based on?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000220\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022416385840eef420fb49b88eea043abf4\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, the member just told him.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000221\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022445d54400493492b9a708c9ec6622597\u0022\u003EHon David Bennett\u003C/span\u003E: He didn\u2019t.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000222\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022811408d9836b40a68249675bb1ed8844\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, the member just said exactly that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000223\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226a78881cbaa944b5985dfeaf8db64729\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: No, he didn\u2019t.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000224\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002294468e007288402b9fbc3e17d048a41b\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, can I check. Did the member say 2027?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000225\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228826c13f55154ac28dc918b025d8b75f\u0022\u003EHon Kelvin Davis\u003C/span\u003E: Yeah.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000226\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022313d72f433024c4ab164ffa9516d44f5\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: He did.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000227\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002214579d977f884012ada87b444b361b83\u0022\u003EHon David Bennett\u003C/span\u003E: In 2027, the Minister has said the total number will be 15,049. Where does that reconcile with any justice sector projections, which say that the number is much higher than that?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000228\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224ef682feb3c041469e49f939b16484c2\u0022\u003EHon KELVIN DAVIS\u003C/span\u003E: The justice sector predictions don\u2019t say it\u2019s higher. But what we\u2019re also saying is that these forecasts\u2014the previous Government treated them as targets, and their target was just to keep building prison after prison after prison. We\u2019re treating them as warnings and we\u2019re doing something about it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000229\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022\u003EBills\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000230\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022e31441b34d434a678291f1e2a98308a1\u0022\u003ETaxation (Annual Rates for 2018-19, Modernising Tax Administration, and Remedial Matters) Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000231\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022d09e122273c54909bc1e967ada60c97f\u0022\u003EFirst Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022 data-id=\u002243aea372682e4100b641173f30fbebf7\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000232\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002243aea372682e4100b641173f30fbebf7\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance)\u003C/span\u003E on behalf of the Minister of Revenue: I move, That the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2018-19, Modernising Tax Administration, and Remedial Matters) Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Finance and Expenditure Committee to consider the bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000233\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EThis wide-ranging bill builds on recent work and represents a significant step forward in the modernisation of New Zealand\u2019s tax system. It supports much of the work the Inland Revenue Department is doing as part of its Business Transformation programme. It represents an opportunity for New Zealand to transition its tax system to one where it is easier to get your tax right, compliance costs are lower, and Government policy changes can be made more quickly and cost-effectively.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000234\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EThe Taxation (Annual Rates for 2017-18, Employment and Investment Income, and Remedial Matters) Act, passed in March this year, laid the foundation for a smarter, more responsive tax system by ensuring that the payers of employment and investment income provide better and more timely information to Inland Revenue. With that in place, Inland Revenue is now in a position to ensure the right amounts are deducted\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000235\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f28e78f80fd54ab59e331cad02d09703\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m sorry to interrupt the member, but we seem to have people standing there talking. Could they please respect the member on his feet?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000236\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a6149e0d1659498f95a34942963744be\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: You don\u2019t want me to start again?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000237\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226431ef5842354757a61598885ac24f1f\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: No, no\u2014you can continue.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000238\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226b37f3555e9b49f992590ddbf7372e72\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: With that in place, Inland Revenue is now in a position to ensure the right amounts are deducted or withheld from individuals to meet their obligations and more accurately determine entitlements such as Working for Families. This is primarily what this bill is about.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000239\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EThe proposed changes will apply for the 2018-19 tax year end processes, and the full benefit of the changes will be realised from the 2021 year, when, for the first time, people will be able to see a full year of pre-populated information for PAYE and all of their investment income. Most people will pay what they need to and get what they are entitled to during the year, without having to do anything. The changes, which would come into effect on 1 April 2019, subject to the passage of this bill, will help individuals to use the right tax code so they pay the correct amount of tax during the year. They will remove unnecessary compliance costs, simplify filing obligations, and ensure refunds are paid out automatically for most wage, salary, and investment income earners.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000240\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EThe changes proposed to secondary tax codes are intended to address this Government\u2019s concerns about the over-withholding caused by secondary tax. These changes will enable Inland Revenue to more closely identify workers with more than one job who have been overpaying their tax. Inland Revenue will then be able to suggest a more appropriate withholding rate for the employee\u2019s second job. In this way, we will remove the negative impact of secondary tax for those affected workers. Inland Revenue will make it easier for taxpayers to see what they\u2019ve paid and what they owe and will be better at detecting errors. However, while more people will have income reported on their behalf, they will continue to be responsible for reporting other income and deductions, assessing their liabilities, and meeting their obligations. A modern digital tax system will serve the needs of all New Zealanders. It will help people to get their tax and welfare entitlements right the first time, avoid errors, and give them a clearer view of what they\u2019ve paid and what they owe during the year.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000241\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EThe tax system will be simple to comply with and responsive to people\u2019s changing circumstances. People will spend far less time and effort ensuring they meet their obligations and receive their correct social policy entitlements, as tax will be correctly withheld and assistance provided at the time it is needed. This is the key thing: developing a tax system that responds in near - real time to changes of circumstances without requiring a wash-up at the end of the year.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000242\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EThe bill simplifies tax obligations for individuals who currently apply for a personal tax summary or file a tax return each year in order to get a tax refund. The changes in this bill will mean that many of these people will be able to get their refunds automatically. Under the proposed changes, around 750,000 more individuals who don\u2019t currently interact with Inland Revenue will be given a tax refund without having to do anything. These changes will mean that most people whose only income is from salary, wages, or investment will pay what they need to and get what they\u2019re entitled to without having to do anything. These improvements to how individuals have their tax assessed constitute the main part of this wide-ranging suite of measures to modernise and simplify the tax system, and they have risen directly out of the new technology that Inland Revenue has been rolling out as part of its Business Transformation programme. The Commissioner of Inland Revenue, Naomi Ferguson, has assured me and the Minister of Revenue that these changes as a result of the Business Transformation programme, as well as other Government priorities, will be delivered on time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000243\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EIn addition to the changes benefitting individuals, a number of other important changes are being made to the Tax Administration Act, but, again, these changes are focused on ensuring a simple and fair tax system. A key aspect of these amendments to the Act is to clarify Inland Revenue\u2019s ability to collect, use, and disclose information. The changes proposed in the bill will make the rules more efficient and transparent, which will improve taxpayers\u2019 trust and confidence in the way Inland Revenue manages the information it holds.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000244\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EThis bill clarifies that information collected for one Inland Revenue purpose can be used for the department\u2019s other functions. It also provides a more transparent and efficient process for collecting large sets of data, where this is done on a regular basis. The proposed changes in the bill will better focus the confidentiality rule, to protect taxpayer information and more clearly set out any expectations. These changes strike the right balance between the stewardship of taxpayers\u2019 confidential information and improved customer service. These changes help affirm this Government\u2019s commitment to improving openness and transparency, while continuing to protect individuals\u2019 private information.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000245\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EAnother proposed improvement to the Act is the introduction of a short process ruling, where small businesses can more easily apply for a binding ruling from Inland Revenue on a broad range of matters. Binding rulings are where taxpayers can apply to Inland Revenue for a ruling on a specific tax matter. Currently, this service can be prohibitive to many small businesses due to the time and cost involved. The ability for a wider range of taxpayers to obtain binding advice from Inland Revenue on their tax positions will assist in the goal of first-time accuracy. Therefore, the bill proposes to extend the ability to obtain private binding rulings to taxpayers who are, in practice, excluded from this because of the complexity of the process and the fees charged. This aligns with work the OECD has been doing to encourage first-time accuracy in its members\u2019 tax systems, but, more importantly, it opens up a key service that the commissioner of revenue provides to a wider range of taxpayers and businesses.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000246\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EThis bill also provides the Commissioner of Inland Revenue with more flexibility to correct anomalies in the tax legislation. The bill proposes additional tools for the commissioner so that anomalies can be resolved earlier, therefore reducing taxpayer compliance costs by providing earlier certainty. The proposed new tools, comprising regulations, determinations, and administrative actions, will be subject to a number of constraints, including being optional for the taxpayer to apply, and being for a period of not more than three years.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000247\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EThe bill also proposes a suite of improvements to KiwiSaver as a result of the Retirement Commission\u2019s 2016 review of retirement income policies. These changes range from introducing more choice for employee contribution rates to making it easier for our older working population to join and stay in KiwiSaver.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000248\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EOther changes proposed in the bill include amendments to add 13 charities to the donee organisations\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000249\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022669e81bf43f4445696d78e81d650406e\u0022\u003EHon Member\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, you\u2019re kidding!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000250\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224c753604378e4a149c50b2411411d6f3\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014with overseas purposes, in schedule 32 of the Income Tax Act 2007. Mr Bishop\u2019s been waiting for that for years. It will allow taxpayers to switch to the accounting income method from either the standard or GST ratio methods at any time during the income year. The bill also sets the annual rates of income tax for the 2018-19 tax year.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000251\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EFinally, the bill contains a large number of mainly technical amendments, and while mostly remedial in nature, these measures are of major importance in making sure that the existing tax rules work well in practice. The proposals in this bill make paying tax simpler and clearer for Kiwi taxpayers, and it is therefore my great pleasure to commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022 data-id=\u00224d17426e056241a396eebfeee17d20ed\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000252\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224d17426e056241a396eebfeee17d20ed\u0022\u003EHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National):\u003C/span\u003E I stand to speak here on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2018-19, Modernising Tax Administration, and Remedial Matters) Bill. On this side of the House, we agree with many of the provisions in this bill. In fact, most of them were started by the previous National Government and were part of a long process of tax development. However, we will not vote for this bill for a simple reason, and that is that it is fundamentally an annual rates bill. It sets the taxation rates, and those taxation rates are the same as they were last year, and they weren\u2019t the rates that would have been in place if this Government hadn\u2019t taken away the modest tax cuts that the previous National Government had enshrined in law prior to the Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000253\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003ESo what we have in this bill: it outlines that there are four tax rates for personal income tax\u2014it\u2019s worth reminding New Zealanders of that. So for the first $14,000 an individual earns, they\u2019re paying 10.5 percent tax rate; from $14,000 to $48,000, they\u2019re paying 17.5 percent; from $48,000 to $70,000, they\u2019re paying 30 percent; and above $70,000, they\u2019re paying 33 percent. Now, if it weren\u2019t for this Government\u2019s changes post the election, we would have been paying different rates by now. We would have adjusted those rates for inflation over the past few years. It would have been from zero to $22,000 that paid 10.5 percent; $22,000 to $52,000 that paid 17.5 percent; and then the upper rate wasn\u2019t changed. So the net effect of that would\u2019ve been that anybody that earnt $52,000 or more would have kept in their hands more than $1,000 a year extra. That was all taken away by this Government, and we will not support this bill, on the basis of that change.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000254\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EIt was a modest adjustment, cancelled by this Government on the basis that it was too generous to higher-income families\u2014they didn\u2019t need the money, apparently. But I suppose the thing that makes people scratch their heads in New Zealand is the incoherent nature of this Government, because the day after they took away those modest tax cuts because too much money was going to wealthier families, they then gave those very same wealthier families access to $6,000 or $7,000 worth of free tertiary education. So I couldn\u2019t understand the logic behind that necessarily. And they\u2019ve done a whole lot of other universal handouts at the same time. So they oppose tax cuts\u2014they don\u2019t like leaving more money in the hands of New Zealanders, but they\u2019re happy to give them much larger sums for free tertiary education.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000255\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003ESo it\u2019s incoherent, but it\u2019s also unbalanced, because we were at a stage when the books had been managed for nine years very well. We\u2019d gone from a massive deficit situation after the Christchurch earthquakes and the global financial crisis. We\u2019d brought the books back into surplus, and we had choices as a country. When you have budget surpluses, you\u2019ve got three options: you can reduce taxes\u2014not you, but a sensible Government\u2014spend more, or pay back debt. And it\u2019s only appropriate that there should be some balance in that. We had modest tax cuts, we had signalled some extra spending, and we were paying back debt. This Government, of course, has changed the whole emphasis, purely and simply to spend more, spend more on every occasion. So the answer to every question is to spend more, and they are implacably opposed to any reduction in tax\u2014notwithstanding the fact that inflation grabs a little bit more every year. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000256\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EOf course, on top of that, they have brought in the fuel taxes that Aucklanders are paying and are very angry about at the pumps as we speak. The only people that are happy with the regional Auckland fuel tax are the owners of petrol stations around Franklin and somewhere north of \u014Crewa, where they\u2019ve seen a massive increase in people coming in to their things in order to avoid the fuel tax. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000257\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003ESo we believe we should be leaving money in the hands of New Zealanders. The tax rates which are referred to in this bill should have been what National had put in place, and that would have put more money back in the hands of hard-working New Zealanders, and it\u2019s a shame that it\u2019s been taken away.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000258\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003ENow, if I can turn my attention in my remaining time to the positive elements of this bill, which are a legacy from some of the hard work and policy analysis of the previous National Government, and I commend this Government for carrying them on. In particular, I think people will be interested in the changes around KiwiSaver. I\u2019m looking forward to the opportunity of working through these matters in the select committee over the next few months to ensure that they\u2019ve got the details right.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000259\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003ESome of the things that we\u2019re going to be looking at with this legislation are around\u2014well, one thing, allowing people over the age of 65 to join KiwiSaver. Now, you might think, well, why would they want to do that? Well, actually, the funds management business in New Zealand is not huge, but, actually, some of the lowest fees available for people investing in managed funds are actually through the KiwiSaver products that are now building size and scale. You can actually get access to some good managed funds\u2014whether growth, or balanced, or conservative\u2014at reasonable fees through KiwiSaver providers. The law at the moment didn\u2019t allow you to join over the age of 65 if you wanted to put some money away. Of course, you can always take it out at any stage over the age of 65, but you couldn\u2019t put it in. The primary reason for that was because of the kick-start payment that used to exist but no longer does. So we think that\u2019s sensible.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000260\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EIt also adds a couple of extra rates to KiwiSaver contribution rates. So at the moment an individual can choose to pay into KiwiSaver at 3 percent, 4 percent, or 8 percent. That\u2019s not all that flexible, and so this bill includes a 6 percent and a 10 percent opportunity as well. I think that\u2019s all important because the broader idea for KiwiSaver is to make it easier for New Zealanders to put a little bit of money aside for their retirement, not to replace the universal national superannuation that we have as a country that works well but to augment it and to increase their savings over time. So we want New Zealanders to have the ability, in times when they feel they have the resources available to themselves, to put a little bit more into their KiwiSaver funding, and that will all add up.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000261\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EIt also slightly limits the time available for a KiwiSaver contributions holiday, and that ended up being five years. We think that\u2019s actually too long, because people can get out of the habit of putting into KiwiSaver, and will reduce the available funds that they\u2019ll have later in life. So the proposal here is to reduce that from five years to one year and to change the name from \u201Ccontributions holiday\u201D, which is something that everyone likes the idea of\u2014having a holiday\u2014to a \u201Csavings suspension\u201D. It\u2019s a minor thing, but it does send a signal that we\u2019re not talking about holidays here; we\u2019re actually talking about suspending the opportunity to put some money away for retirement options. So we think that makes sense and we\u2019re looking forward to working in the select committee about that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000262\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003ESome of the more mechanical areas around the short process ruling, which has been mentioned by the Minister in his speeches\u2014it is actually a very important area, which will enable small businesses to more easily apply for a binding ruling from the Inland Revenue Department on any tax matter. So it\u2019s just a matter of when there\u2019s uncertainty and when a business is not clear about what it can do, whether it can claim a deduction here or what their exact tax liability is, the current process in order to go for a tax ruling is very expensive and time-consuming and cumbersome. This process is much better tailored for small businesses so that they can actually get some clarity around their tax position earlier rather than letting things fester and get out of control. That is, I think, a reflection of the fact that the vast majority of companies in New Zealand are small. When we talk about small business in New Zealand it is actually very small business, and the resources that they have available for complicated tax planning are not huge. So I think that\u2019s a practical way we can make a real difference to New Zealand businesses and maintain the integrity of the system.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000263\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EThe final area is around the personal tax summary in order to get a tax refund. This will\u2014on the basis of all the investment that\u2019s been made in technology\u2014enable about 750,000 New Zealanders to get refunds due to them without having to go through actually applying for them, and the complicated system there, and again that makes sense. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000264\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003ESo when we look at this bill there\u2019s much that we support and we will work collaboratively with the Government through the select committee process to ensure that that is as good as possible, but we will oppose it on the basis that it represents a real missed opportunity to give to New Zealanders a little bit more money back in their pockets as tax cuts, which they richly deserved and which were taken away from them by this Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022 data-id=\u0022a58ffd698a814d8991cb8823d1773cd8\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000265\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a58ffd698a814d8991cb8823d1773cd8\u0022\u003EDr DEBORAH RUSSELL (Labour\u2014New Lynn):\u003C/span\u003E This is a sad, sad day in the history of this House, and it is a sad, sad day because for many years we have worked collaboratively across the House on tax measures. We have debated them tooth and nail in select committee to get them right, but, by and large, when it has come to voting in the House, tax bills have been passed unanimously with all sides of the House agreeing. In fact, this reflects a pattern in the way that tax is done in this country. By and large, people don\u2019t ask for special concessions. People don\u2019t ask for special rules. The objective of the tax professionals, the tax experts within the Inland Revenue Department, within the large accounting firms, within law firms has been to get the tax law right. The objective between Opposition and Government has been to get the law right. So when bills have come to the House, the tradition has been that that collaboration, that collegiality, means that bills are voted on unanimously.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000266\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003EYet this Opposition is seeking to undermine all that, and on this sad day they have said that they will vote against this excellent tax bill. It is an excellent tax bill because of the way it improves tax administration. It\u2019s an excellent tax bill because of the way it works for the small New Zealanders, for the people earning salaries and wages, for the people who need to have their tax processes simplified. It is an excellent tax bill because of the way it improves some of the rules around KiwiSaver, but they are still going to vote against it because it is also the annual rates bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000267\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003EMay I suggest to the members of the Opposition that they could have done this differently. They could, perhaps at a later stage in the debate on this bill, have offered a Supplementary Order Paper around those rates and have argued their case there, but have still agreed to the bill overall. They had an opportunity to argue about tax rates during the Budget debate. They\u2019ve had plenty of time to talk about tax rates, and because of their ideological commitment to it\u2014their ideological commitment\u2014they are going to undermine the established tax practice in this House, and that is why it is a sad, sad day. Shame on them, I say. Shame on you for undermining the way we do tax in this country.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000268\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a35c6a950b014f669a49f6559f3cd0b7\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Not me\u2014not me!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000269\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e46e8aeb2de545f093c8f218cd7f4727\u0022\u003EDr DEBORAH RUSSELL\u003C/span\u003E: I agree, Madam Deputy Speaker, definitely not you. So, members of the Opposition, I invite you to reconsider. Please, think again. Make sure you actively support all the\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000270\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e44d28d3c0e145a9add0962e00dd2c09\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Don\u2019t bring me into the debate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000271\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022124ed64435e241d5bbf7c56b46d3f4f6\u0022\u003EDr DEBORAH RUSSELL\u003C/span\u003E: I am sorry, Madam Deputy Speaker. Please, members of the Opposition, actively support the excellent measures in this tax bill. Perhaps consider putting in a Supplementary Order Paper if that desire to debate the tax rates is so strong. But, at the end of the day, do not undermine the way that we as a House have tried for so long to get tax right. I urge members of the Opposition to support this bill, to vote for it, and, because of the excellent measures in this bill, I commend it to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022 data-id=\u00229b81304f7f0b427ead1abf0ca40bfbcd\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000272\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00229b81304f7f0b427ead1abf0ca40bfbcd\u0022\u003EANDREW BAYLY (National\u2014Hunua):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. It is a pleasure to be talking on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2018-19, Modernising Tax Administration, and Remedial Matters) Bill. I\u2019m going to start out with the good stuff that\u2019s in this bill\u2014and I think there is some good stuff.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000273\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003EFirst of all, I want to just reflect on the KiwiSaver changes. It\u2019s interesting; there was a report that\u2019s just come out earlier today saying that many young people do not understand how KiwiSaver works. Of course, if we are to provide an environment where New Zealanders do save for and look forward to and plan for their retirement, then it\u2019s absolutely essential that they do have a very clear understanding of KiwiSaver, even though we\u2019ve got the New Zealand superannuation scheme in place, and I think some of the changes in this bill will go a long way towards addressing some of those issues with KiwiSaver.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000274\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003EIn particular, there are five key changes\u2014and, I\u2019ve got to say, these all reflect, basically, the report that the Retirement Commissioner prepared in 2016. The first one is that it removes what\u2019s called the \u201Cfive-year lock-in period\u201D, which is something we agree with because, for those people who start putting money into their KiwiSaver from 60 to 65, they have a five-year lock-in period; so if they retire at 65, in some cases they cannot actually access their KiwiSaver savings account until later on.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000275\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003EThe second one is that we think it\u2019s a good thing that older New Zealanders who may not have invested in a funds-management approach to their retirement can actually put their money into KiwiSaver after the age of 65. I had one particular constituent who came to me on this matter some time ago and suggested this because, by doing so, it\u2019s a way for older New Zealanders to use a proven method and funds-management approach to look after their funds in retirement.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000276\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003EThe third one is around increasing the number of contribution rates. At the moment, we\u2019ve got a slightly weird situation where you can introduce funds into your KiwiSaver account only at 4 percent, 8 percent, or, in fact, I think it goes to 12 as well. What this bill proposes to do is give greater flexibility by adding 6 and 10 percent as rates that the Kiwi person can recommend they want to contribute to their KiwiSaver account, and it therefore gives more flexibility. What we hear from many people\u2014and what we have heard from many people\u2014is that the jump from 4 to 8 percent is too high and, therefore, the 6 percent, in particular, is a very useful start.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000277\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003EThe fourth element is reducing the holiday period from five years to one year. Of course, the way that operates is that when people get into financial difficulty or their financial circumstances change, what they can do is actually decide to opt out of their KiwiSaver contributions. At the moment, it\u2019s set at five years. What this bill will do is give better flexibility and require that opt-out to take place every year, because what we do want is New Zealanders to actively think about that opt-out clause every year, so that, if they can, they actually get back on to the saving regime and continue to contribute to their KiwiSaver.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000278\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003EThe last thing they\u2019ve done in the bill is change the term\u2014and I think it\u2019s a good thing\u2014from \u201Ccontributions holiday\u201D to \u201Csavings suspension\u201D. It adds a bit of nuance around the wording, but I think it\u2019s useful in terms of making it clear that if you are going to take a holiday, in a sense, what you are doing is deferring your savings from that period onwards\u2014and that\u2019s why we want the annual review.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000279\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003EAlso, there are some changes in it around business packages, clarifying IRD\u2019s ability to provide taxpayers who are not tax agents with an ability to get access and lodge PAYE returns and GST returns. At the moment, to be registered as a taxation agent, you have to go through a process. What this does is give the commissioner more flexibility around that. Also, in terms of determinations, there\u2019s always the point where the commissioner can make a determination, but the bill provides a bit of flexibility in terms of the interpretation of the legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000280\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003EThen the third main element is around personal tax changes, which are good in the sense that they remove the need for people to provide a tax return and also make the ability to get an automatic tax refund much more easily. The IRD can, effectively, look at your historical financial information and anticipate what tax code you\u2019re going to have, and all those are good things in terms of getting money out of the IRD and back to taxpayers on a much quicker basis.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000281\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003EBut it is a sad, sad day because what this bill does do is lock in the tax changes that the coalition Government wants to bring in under the so-called Families Package. The issue around the taxation package is that it\u2019s good if you have a young family and you\u2019re a lower-income family\u2014and the family tax package deals with that in the Budget changes that the coalition Government proposed\u2014but the issue is that if you are a student trying to save and earn money so you don\u2019t have to take on a student loan\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000282\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002211c9f1aab8c248c8898bce4777035427\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Don\u2019t bring me into it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000283\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228a78581415974d1089f3bd38ecb515b5\u0022\u003EANDREW BAYLY\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014the student will still pay a high level of tax on the minimum amount of money that they can make to be able to save for their studies. If you\u2019re a young family\u2014a husband and wife, or partners\u2014without children, then the Families Package provides absolutely no benefit to you at all. Or if you\u2019re a superannuitant, you, in the first year, will only receive a portion of the so-called $400 or $700 winter energy payment, because in the first year that is a considerably lower sum\u2014it\u2019s closer to about $340 because of the way it\u2019s been introduced. On top of that, what\u2019s happened, as we\u2019re all aware, is that the coalition Government has now brought in a host of new tax revenue since election day last year.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000284\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003EOn the current basis, $2.3 billion of additional taxes have already been introduced by this coalition Government. They include the fuel tax that we\u2019ve talked about significantly over the last few weeks in this House, both at a local Auckland Council level and also at a Government level. We\u2019ve talked about the Amazon tax, we\u2019ve talked about the removal of the average income earner tax cut, and there\u2019s a whole range around some of the business changes. And this is against the backdrop of a Government that is now raking in $73 billion and the tax take from this Government, over the foreseeable future, will rise to just under $100 billion without any additional tax being proposed. We know that there\u2019s a working party beavering away right now trying to drum up new taxes to impose on unsuspecting New Zealanders.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000285\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003EThe worst thing about this bill is that it locks in the same tax rates that all New Zealanders pay, and the technical term is \u201Cfiscal creep\u201D, which means that, with inflation, as your income rises, you increasingly get pushed into a higher tax bracket even though, in real terms, you are not better off. That is the travesty of this bill, because that means that those average New Zealanders who are out there working hard, saving for their future, looking after their children, and, generally, trying to get ahead will be locked into higher tax rates than otherwise should be the case.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000286\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003EIf this coalition Government had put in place the tax changes that the National Government had said they were going to put in on 1 April this year, then they would be much, much better off, and that\u2019s what New Zealand should be about: fairer treatment for all, not just looking after a certain category of people, but ensuring that all New Zealanders share in the wealth of this country and can get ahead. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e11a5f05-1940-41b2-8f1e-911dba7a43a5\u0022 data-id=\u00221933eadec9944bceb781cba8896aa530\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000287\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e11a5f05-1940-41b2-8f1e-911dba7a43a5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221933eadec9944bceb781cba8896aa530\u0022\u003EFLETCHER TABUTEAU (Deputy Leader\u2014NZ First):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. It\u2019s a pleasure to rise on behalf of New Zealand First to speak to this, the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2018-19, Modernising Tax Administration, and Remedial Matters) Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000288\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e11a5f05-1940-41b2-8f1e-911dba7a43a5\u0022\u003EI\u2019m glad I get to follow Mr Bayly, because what Mr Bayly has done for me is highlight some of the inconsistencies in the National Party\u2019s positioning on tax. For example, Mr Bayly spoke to the House about \u201Cfiscal creep\u201D\u2014or fiscal drag, just in case we made the mistake of thinking he was talking about himself. What the member opposite forgot to mention was that, for years, lobbyists and people would come to National and ask them to address this very issue, but year after year after year they refused to act to do anything about it. Now the accusations fly that this Government is doing the same. Well, Mr Bayly, let me put that into context for you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000289\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e11a5f05-1940-41b2-8f1e-911dba7a43a5\u0022\u003EYou speak of our refusal to shift or decrease the annual tax rates. Let\u2019s analyse that from the perspective of a small- or even a large-business owner, Mr Bayly. What that member has to realise is that what was happening under the previous Government was that those employees were struggling to get to work. They were, literally, spending over a month per annum in traffic to get to work every day in Auckland, and those members opposite refused to address the issue. They couldn\u2019t, because they didn\u2019t have the revenue. They didn\u2019t have the money to do anything about it. What that meant for business was that there were huge losses of productivity, especially for our businesses in Auckland\u2014huge losses of productivity. It was affecting the bottom line.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000290\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e11a5f05-1940-41b2-8f1e-911dba7a43a5\u0022\u003EWhat about the education of our employees? The member decried the leaving alone of tax cuts, but what that has meant is that this coalition Government is able to invest so much more significantly into our education system, so that those people working in our businesses, contributing to the bottom line of our businesses, are making those businesses better off. They are more productive, by definition, Mr Bayly.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000291\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e11a5f05-1940-41b2-8f1e-911dba7a43a5\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve spoken about transport, but what about housing? What does it do to a business\u2019 bottom line when their workforce isn\u2019t sure where they are living from day to day, from week to week, or when our employees are moving across the country, trying to find a place to live? What does that do to the bottom line of a business trying to find people to work for them? It makes it next to impossible to find and hold on to good employees. So, actually, what we\u2019re trying to do here, on this side of the House\u2014never mind all the social issues and the cost to the individual and the cost to families\u2014is make sure that New Zealanders are in a position to contribute in a positive way to New Zealand business, and you don\u2019t do that, right now, by cutting our tax rate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000292\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e11a5f05-1940-41b2-8f1e-911dba7a43a5\u0022\u003EI just want to finish on the health of the employees of our businesses. What does it do for a business if the health system is not looking after a business\u2019 employees? What does that do to the business\u2019 bottom line when people are taking sick days because they can\u2019t afford to go to the doctor, they can\u2019t even access our hospital system? That is bad for business. That is fundamentally bad for business.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000293\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e11a5f05-1940-41b2-8f1e-911dba7a43a5\u0022\u003EWhat I\u2019d like to do now is be a bit more positive and actually acknowledge the Opposition now, and acknowledge that, yes, this legislation originated with the Opposition and the Inland Revenue Department\u2019s desire to modernise their operations. So what we have here is that Inland Revenue went to the National Party and said, \u201CActually, we think that our operations are quickly becoming outdated. People\u2019s access to our services is becoming antiquated as modern technology progresses.\u201D So, good on the Government of the time\u2014National; they said, \u201CWell, what do you need?\u201D And here it is: the solution put to National around the modernisation of the Inland Revenue Department and, actually, the tax system itself. It was, and continues to be, a huge undertaking by the Inland Revenue Department. I myself, in Opposition, had concerns about the sums of money involved, but those concerns have been addressed, because the Inland Revenue Department has been able to mark their progress in a positive way over recent times. There is confidence going forward, because the Inland Revenue Department forecasts are being backed up by the very numbers that they have given this House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000294\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e11a5f05-1940-41b2-8f1e-911dba7a43a5\u0022\u003EThis has been a logical undertaking. It is a move into the modern world. It\u2019s almost ironic that I use those terms, because, basically, email has become a lot more accessible and more of a tool for people to interact with the Inland Revenue Department and vice versa. This is legislation that enables this modernisation, this transformation process. And, as has been spoken to on both sides of the House, the main gains from this are around compliance issues and the cost of subsequent compliance, and the timeliness of Inland Revenue to respond to those broader issues. So what this legislation does is enable these changes so that compliance is not so arduous on the individual or the business. We have more timely transference of information, and, if I get time, I\u2019ll give examples of where the tax department itself will be proactive in supplying individuals with their tax obligations, rather than the individual stressing and worrying about their tax obligations.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000295\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e11a5f05-1940-41b2-8f1e-911dba7a43a5\u0022\u003EWhat I did want to touch on\u2014and I hope this is where my notes start\u2014is that through this bill, individuals automatically will be given the right code in terms of secondary tax. Let me try to explain. It\u2019s been difficult for individuals to have multiple jobs and to ensure that they comply with their tax obligations. They\u2019re often found wanting at the end of the tax year in terms of their tax bill. So what this legislation does is actually be proactive in the reporting of an individual\u2019s tax obligations, such that a person working multiple jobs will have their wages and tax forecast out for an annual period. In doing that, there won\u2019t be a need for a secondary tax code. They will know what their tax obligations are at that time and going forward, and they will be taxed at the correct rate. For me, as the New Zealand First spokesperson for revenue in the previous parliamentary term, that was actually quite a frequent interaction with hard-working Kiwis who were confused by the system and were frustrated by the system.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000296\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e11a5f05-1940-41b2-8f1e-911dba7a43a5\u0022\u003ESo, for me, this is quite a timely moment. I\u2019m proud to be part of a Government that sees where good things need to happen. That means the arduous nature of secondary tax codes will be dealt with, and those people who are obliged to work multiple jobs\u2014and there are many of them still\u2014will find this whole interaction with the Inland Revenue Department so much easier, hopefully. I personally think that the removal of this obligation will be huge for families.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000297\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e11a5f05-1940-41b2-8f1e-911dba7a43a5\u0022\u003ELook, that\u2019s just one of many examples of what this piece of legislation achieves. I\u2019m grateful to be able to support this bill through the processes of the House. Madam Deputy Speaker, thank you very much.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022 data-id=\u00223b62bbd91d124587a467d3da33c2138e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000298\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00223b62bbd91d124587a467d3da33c2138e\u0022\u003EIAN McKELVIE (National\u2014Rangit\u012Bkei):\u003C/span\u003E I wouldn\u2019t really need to talk about this bill at all\u2014the ammunition the past two speakers from the other side of the House have given me to talk about\u2014but none the less I will. I think that I want to pick up on the points that the last speaker\u2014\u201Cthe Professor\u201D\u2014made in his deliberations on this bill. I just want to comment on a couple of things he said. One of the things I was intrigued by\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000299\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002239377c27afcc403f9d3f646c5164f61c\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: You do need to use his proper name. In fairness, you do need to use his proper name.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000300\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e11a5f05-1940-41b2-8f1e-911dba7a43a5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228db4de14e8f04c0e9a9b4c5e942badd6\u0022\u003EFletcher Tabuteau\u003C/span\u003E: Say my name, ha!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223b26ab9daa8348209339c587a4fdef02\u0022\u003EIAN McKELVIE\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m not sure who I\u2019m talking about\u2014sorry, Mr Tabuteau.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000302\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EOne of the things he said earlier in his speech was people are struggling to get to work. Well, I can assure him those people in Auckland are now struggling by a significantly larger amount to get to work because they\u2019ve got a whole lot more money they\u2019ve got to pay to get themselves to work each morning. That was one of the issues I thought was really quite interesting to take up on the point of this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000303\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EThe other thing I wanted to talk about briefly was\u2014I think that on this side of the House we agree with a huge amount of the stuff in this bill, and certainly around tax we are normally almost unanimous on that. I want to touch on why perhaps we\u2019re not in this case in a moment. But I just want to talk briefly about an issue that Deborah Russell made in her speech. She talked about the ideological difference of the National Party, and frankly that\u2019s exactly why we\u2019re opposed to this bill. We\u2019re only opposed to a little bit of this bill, and it is purely the ideological differences, because if didn\u2019t have ideological differences, we wouldn\u2019t need a Parliament, would we? We\u2019d all be in the same place. So that\u2019s the thing that I\u2019m finding interesting about this.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000304\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EI want to talk about one or two things that have created that ideological difference, and earlier in the day Paul Goldsmith spoke about one or two of them. One of them is a simple thing like the winter energy payment, where for want of something better to do the Government have cancelled some pretty meagre, effectively, tax cuts and put in their place a winter energy payment, which is universal for all over 65, unless they reject it. They\u2019ve also put in place free tertiary education for the same students of the same families that they objected to so much over the potential for the tax cuts to benefit a percentage of our population that were better off. I find that very interesting because, effectively, they\u2019ve made those families much better off than the tax deductions or cuts ever would have made them. So that\u2019s the ideological difference that we\u2019re faced with in the course of this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000305\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EI think everything else in this bill\u2014and I agree absolutely with the last speaker around the modernisation of the Inland Revenue Department and the technology base they operate off. If we can get that to work in the manner that it\u2019s predicted it will work, it\u2019s going to make it a whole lot better. Despite some of my rural accountant\u2019s views on it at the moment, it will eventually work a whole lot better for almost every taxpayer in New Zealand. It will make their lives simpler, it will make the roles of accountants and tax advisers simpler\u2014in fact, this bill just extends that definition a little bit and enables some other people to provide tax advice. I don\u2019t have any issue with that as long as they are qualified to do it and do it in a manner that is acceptable to everyone. So there\u2019s some issues in this bill I think are very positive, but there are also some issues in here that we think are not so positive, and that\u2019s the reason for us objecting to it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000306\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EI want to make a couple of other comments. I had the opportunity to go to Norway a few weeks ago, where they do pay extremely high rates of tax\u2014much, much higher rates of tax than we do. But the same country has a $9 trillion investment fund, which enables them to put infrastructure in place for their communities. All that $9 trillion has come from the North Sea and a couple of pipes they run out of there. We no longer have that opportunity, so I think that it\u2019s a very interesting philosophical debate as to how you extract money from people and provide it to the Government to give them the opportunity to put infrastructure and\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000307\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e11a5f05-1940-41b2-8f1e-911dba7a43a5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bb6b387bd44047f49a3ccb2e3205543a\u0022\u003EFletcher Tabuteau\u003C/span\u003E: They still tax the wealthy more.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000308\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ea93195393714491bf0d27fbb61b066a\u0022\u003EIAN McKELVIE\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014the like in place for all of us. I get a lot of advice from the Opposition on how to speak. I\u2019ve got to say also that I never imagined I would come to Parliament and spend hours and hours talking about tax bills; I always imagined I\u2019d come to Parliament and spend hours and hours talking about sheep, but it\u2019s different.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000309\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EThe other thing I want to speak about\u2014and, again, Bayly pinched some of my words on it\u2014was the changes to KiwiSaver. I think KiwiSaver is hugely positive for New Zealanders. I also think it\u2019s a hugely positive change to make to enable people over 65 to continue\u2014to enable those contributions to continue to KiwiSaver, and enable them to commence making contributions to KiwiSaver. When I was young, people at 65 always looked very old to me. I can assure you now they don\u2019t. I have had people in my office talking about exactly this issue, because it is frustrating for people that at 65 years of age their KiwiSaver employer contributions stop, and also they can\u2019t join KiwiSaver if they wish to. KiwiSaver is very positive for New Zealanders.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000310\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EThe other thing I think\u2019s a positive change about the KiwiSaver thing is changing the levels of contribution to KiwiSaver. I think that\u2019s a positive step for New Zealand too. I think also that whilst superannuation is superannuation\u2014it\u2019s been a great thing, universal superannuation, for all New Zealanders. I don\u2019t think there\u2019s any doubt that in the future there\u2019s going to be a need for Governments to look at retirement age. I think we need to be looking at that constantly, not because of what happens to us or even to the next generation of us, but what happens to the generation after that. I think that\u2019s the key thing we need to be thinking about, so that\u2019s hugely important for us as well, and KiwiSaver plays a part\u2014a very important part\u2014in enabling us to ensure that future generations of New Zealand will have enough money to survive on. So that\u2019s my lot. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022 data-id=\u00221b733f3678394076a3273c875be61bc5\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000311\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221b733f3678394076a3273c875be61bc5\u0022\u003EMICHAEL WOOD (Labour\u2014Mt Roskill):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you very much, Madam Deputy Speaker. I\u2019m really delighted to be able to stand up and speak strongly in favour of the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2018-19, Modernising Tax Administration, and Remedial Matters) Bill in this, its very first reading. At the beginning of my comments, I just want to give a little teaser: a little taster of some of the outstanding benefits that this tax bill is going to offer New Zealanders.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000312\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve quite recently come past the time of year at which many of us do our tax returns, and those people who make charitable donations through the course of the year will be aware that, at the moment, we have quite a cumbersome process whereby you sort of have to save up your receipts from the charity that you gave the money to, you put them in an envelope somewhere on your desk, and at the end of the tax year you have to fill out a special separate form\u2014you can do it only via hard copy\u2014and you\u2019ve got to mail the receipts in, stapled to that form, if you want to get your return.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000313\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002244a69c8bacef4bc897eb988e2a483127\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I thank you for the advice, but could you not bring me into it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000314\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a90127cf9e45446c81fae4862e1c8f23\u0022\u003EMICHAEL WOOD\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m sorry, Madam Deputy Speaker. The people of New Zealand can do this\u2014although I\u2019ll leave it there\u2014to get their tax return done and to get their return on their charitable donations. One of the things that this bill does is it makes that process far less cumbersome for New Zealanders. It will enable people to file their receipts from their charitable donations at the very time they make that donation, so that they don\u2019t risk losing the forms and, therefore, probably won\u2019t end up getting the benefit of that donation back. It then enables them, effectively, to get a credit against those donations in with their income tax return at the end of the year, effectively bringing the two processes together. That is one of the small benefits that this bill offers New Zealanders, and it really speaks to the broader theme of the bill, which is about making our tax system simpler for New Zealanders, easier to access, and making sure that we treat people more accurately through the tax system at all points.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000315\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve heard a number of speakers in the debate so far speak not about that point but about a number of the other areas in which the bill simplifies and improves the tax system. That is why, to my mind\u2014and echoing the comments of my colleague Deborah Russell\u2014it\u2019s deeply disappointing that the Opposition, at this point of the legislative process at least, is choosing to, quite unusually, vote against this tax bill despite all of those things in there which are actually going to improve our tax system. On this side of the House, we know that the Opposition takes a different view in respect of tax rates, but, by tradition, this is a bill in which members of the House from both sides engage in the process and engage in the issues but, in respect of confirming the tax rates for the year, which is simply about making the tax rates of this current tax year actually appropriated in a legal way, there is generally unanimity around the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000316\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EI\u2019d actually encourage some of the members on the other side of the House who have spoken against this bill because of the tax rates to actually reflect on the comments of the Hon Judith Collins, who, only a little bit earlier this year, in a New Zealand Herald story, said that she didn\u2019t think that she would go ahead with tax cuts if it was up to her, that they were not a priority for her, and that\u2014here I quote directly from the Hon Judith Collins, the previous Minister of Revenue under the previous National Government\u2014\u201CWhat they\u2019re saying to me is, and certainly in my area in South Auckland \u2026 is we need infrastructure,\u201D\u2014that is, instead of tax cuts.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000317\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003ESo when we hear the passionate arguments on the other side of the House against this bill, because of the current tax rates and in favour of those tax rates being reduced, that is the question: what is the trade off? What is the trade off? If those rates are to be cut, what are they going to trade off? Are they going to trade off infrastructure improvements? I don\u2019t think so. Are they going to trade off increased investment in our education and health systems? Are they going to trade off those measures that Mr Bayly, in his speech, referred to as being good for low-income people or people who have families\u2014those measures in the Families Package that are going to lift 64,000 kids out of poverty?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000318\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EThat\u2019s the thing about the tax rates: we know, on this side of the House, that there is no free lunch\u2014there is no free lunch. If we want to invest in the social and the economic infrastructure of our country, we need the revenue to do so. And I have not yet heard one speech from one of those members who are going to oppose this bill telling us how they will bridge that gap.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000319\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EAs I said, there are many, many positive measures in this bill, and I just want to touch on a couple more of those. The first one is that\u2014and this is one of the things that I was asked about a great deal in a previous role as Labour\u2019s revenue spokesperson\u2014this bill moves us towards a position of New Zealanders not having to pay secondary tax through the course of the year. You could talk to tax experts, and they would say, \u201CWell, actually, the secondary tax system actually all sort of washes up in the end. We have to tax people that way, but they can get a refund, and it all balances out.\u201D But the reality is that those New Zealanders getting hit with the impost of a higher secondary tax rate through the year on low and medium incomes often really struggle.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000320\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EWhat is happening through this bill is that we are harnessing the benefits of the Business Transformation process, we are harvesting the benefits of previous pieces of tax legislation which allow the IRD to collect more accurate and timely information, and we are giving the IRD the tools to more accurately tax people, who may be in two or three different jobs, at the right tax rate at the right time, so that they don\u2019t have to apply a higher secondary tax rate to that taxpayer. That is going to make life so much easier to those people who are often struggling week to week, month to month to pay the bills from their pay. I think that is huge progress, and there are going to be many, many New Zealanders who are very pleased with that measure indeed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000321\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EThe final measure I want to touch on is the way in which this bill makes further improvements to our KiwiSaver system. KiwiSaver has been an enormous success. Over $40 billion of savings are invested through KiwiSaver schemes in New Zealand\u2014one of the signal successes of the previous Labour Government. What this bill does is pick up on a range of recommendations to improve our KiwiSaver regime, fundamentally, to give people more options to feed into KiwiSaver. So we introduced two new rates of 6 percent and 10 percent. I think one of the speakers opposite previously made the point that jumping from 4 percent to 8 percent was potentially quite a high bar for people who might want to consider increasing their savings. By providing that 6 percent option, I\u2019m quite confident we\u2019re going to see more Kiwis in KiwiSaver and more Kiwis saving more through KiwiSaver, and that has got to be a good thing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000322\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EI\u2019m very pleased this bill is coming to the Finance and Expenditure Committee. It\u2019s a very hard-working and talented committee, with members from all sides of the House, and we\u2019ll give this bill the rigour that it deserves. Tax is a complicated area. We need to look at it closely, we need to listen to the advice of officials, and we need to listen to the feedback that we receive from the public through the submissions process, and I\u2019m sure that we\u2019ll all do an assiduous job of that and make sure that this bill returns to the House in as good a shape as possible.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000323\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EA message I would just like to leave for those members opposite is to say this: that, actually, what they\u2019re doing in voting against this bill at this stage in the House today is a very unusual thing to do\u2014it\u2019s a very unusual thing to do. If they want to associate themselves with the good things in this bill that are going to improve our tax system, that are going to make things easier for New Zealand taxpayers and better for New Zealand taxpayers, that are going to ensure that people pay their tax accurately\u2014if they want to associate themselves with those good measures\u2014they can\u2019t have it both ways. They can\u2019t vote against it and then also take the political benefit of supporting those measures. So I think, between now and the further readings of this bill, I would encourage those members\u2014and Mr Goldsmith, who led off the debate as the Opposition revenue spokesperson\u2014to just reflect on that a little bit, and I would encourage them to engage in this bill and the measures within it in a constructive way so that we can improve the tax system and make it as effective as possible for all New Zealanders, which is what this bill will do, and I commend it to the House. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00225e6b7aaa-8157-4d5e-9940-1bdbcd61ae95\u0022 data-id=\u0022e983e70f411547e7ad72888d327a495a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000324\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225e6b7aaa-8157-4d5e-9940-1bdbcd61ae95\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e983e70f411547e7ad72888d327a495a\u0022\u003EALASTAIR SCOTT (National\u2014Wairarapa):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I too am pleased to contribute to this debate. I\u2019ll pick up where Mr Wood left off and talk a little bit more about the KiwiSaver, because that is a part of the bill which has given greater efficiency and greater access to more people to be able to save for their retirement. That previously those over 65 were not able to participate seemed to me to be slightly an ageist proposition, and I\u2019m pleased to see that those over 65 can now join KiwiSaver.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000325\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225e6b7aaa-8157-4d5e-9940-1bdbcd61ae95\u0022\u003EAlso, the holiday break is now no longer a five year minimum; it\u2019s a one year minimum\u2014that\u2019s also a good thing. People\u2019s positions change. They may not have been able to afford to contribute for a short period and therefore take a holiday, but to be locked into that holiday for five years does seem excessive, so I\u2019m pleased to see that break is brought back to a one year minimum.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000326\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225e6b7aaa-8157-4d5e-9940-1bdbcd61ae95\u0022\u003EThe 6 percent to 10 percent are interesting changes\u2014remembering, of course, that we\u2019ve always been able to add or put in lump sum payments. But it is always useful to be able to increase the flexibility around KiwiSaver and the contributions that are made.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000327\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225e6b7aaa-8157-4d5e-9940-1bdbcd61ae95\u0022\u003EOne thing I would like to challenge or ask the Government to consider\u2014the question is: are we having enough people contribute into KiwiSaver? Are we getting everyone in that should be in to KiwiSaver? We know that not everyone is in KiwiSaver, and perhaps those that can least afford to contribute and save are not in KiwiSaver. So there\u2019s a little challenge for the Government of the day to think about.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000328\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225e6b7aaa-8157-4d5e-9940-1bdbcd61ae95\u0022\u003ENext point I\u2019d like to touch on is the real time\u2014or \u201Cnear - real time\u201D, I think Grant Robertson mentioned\u2014measurement of tax liability. That\u2019s a good thing\u2014especially the fact that 750,000-odd people will no longer need to file a return\u2014because, of course, the information\u2019s already there. If you\u2019re a salary or a wage earner and you\u2019ve got some simple, straightforward investments, there is really no need for one to file a return, because the information\u2019s already coming in to the IRD from other sources\u2014from your employer or from the bank or the broker that\u2019s declaring and showing through the other channels that are feeding into IRD exactly how much an individual is earning over a month or six months. And, again, there\u2019s flexibility in this bill to allow provisional taxpayers to change the mode of provisional tax payments. And that\u2019s also a good thing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000329\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225e6b7aaa-8157-4d5e-9940-1bdbcd61ae95\u0022\u003EI know that IRD are turning their mind to it, but the challenge is to use this technology to catch up with the few people that are not paying their tax. Particularly, I\u2019m talking about child support payments. I\u2019m talking about fathers who go from job to job and, when they do get caught up by the IRD, they move on to another job simply to avoid their obligations to their kids, who are being looked after by, usually, mum\u2014and certainly not them. So I know technology is changing within IRD. I know that that information is now available because we\u2019ve got this bill which tells me that it is available from sources other than the employee. So the challenge is to make haste\u2014I challenge the department and the Minister to make haste in rectifying what is a challenge for kids that are not being supported and could be supported by their fathers who choose to avoid their obligations. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000330\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225e6b7aaa-8157-4d5e-9940-1bdbcd61ae95\u0022\u003EThe next point I\u2019d like to touch on is Mr Wood talked about bridging the gap\u2014how are we to bridge the gap about building infrastructure and social and physical infrastructure? We\u2019ve got to tax, apparently\u2014apparently, the only way is to tax. Well, I\u2019ve got the answer, Mr Wood, and that is to prioritise properly\u2014that is to prioritise properly. Do not waste\u2014do not pour it up against the wall\u2014when it comes to taxpayer funds. I\u2019m talking, of course, about the priority that\u2019s being given to tertiary students, I\u2019m talking about the priority that\u2019s being given to Shane Jones\u2019 slush fund, and I\u2019m talking about the priority that\u2019s being given to Winston Peters\u2019 foreign affairs budget. That\u2019s how you bridge the gap. That\u2019s how you do not need to increase\u2014or maintain, I should say\u2014and cancel the tax cuts that were proposed and put in this legislation by the previous National Government. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000331\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225e6b7aaa-8157-4d5e-9940-1bdbcd61ae95\u0022\u003ERemember, and I think we\u2019ve already heard in this House around the fuel tax\u2014about $500, $700 per family. It doesn\u2019t really matter what the number is, but I think we all have agreed that that is a regressive tax. That\u2019s a tax that hurts those who can least afford it. It affects them the most. It\u2019s a fixed number, essentially, of a fixed fee, and we\u2019ve agreed that it\u2019s a regressive tax. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000332\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225e6b7aaa-8157-4d5e-9940-1bdbcd61ae95\u0022\u003ENow what this Government has done is to cancel a progressive tax cut. That is, the same sort of amount\u2014about $1,060\u2014that was going to go to any family that earned over $52,000, and a little bit less for those who earned less. But, essentially, it was a universal payment to workers. That is the opposite of a regressive tax\u2014a fixed, lump-sum tax. It is called a progressive tax cut because it benefits\u2014it benefits\u2014those who can least afford it out there, because it means more to them than it does to someone on a very high income. It is exactly the opposite of the regressive tax that we\u2019re talking about when we\u2019re talking about the regional fuel tax. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000333\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225e6b7aaa-8157-4d5e-9940-1bdbcd61ae95\u0022\u003ESo it is a shame and it is a sad day that we are continuing with the same old, same old fiscal drag tax rates and not taking the opportunity to introduce a progressive tax cut that affects poor people the most. It is disappointing to me that that is being revoked, and that is the fundamental reason\u2014the fundamental reason\u2014why we are opposing this bill. Despite the other good stuff that\u2019s in there\u2014the stuff that was introduced and kicked off by this Government\u2014the fundamental reason is because the tax cut opportunity\u2014a progressive tax cut that affects the people who need it the most\u2014was rejected by this Government. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022 data-id=\u00223de5dc2d4c914e40b266f96a598c0e60\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000334\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00223de5dc2d4c914e40b266f96a598c0e60\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: I understand this is a split call.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022 data-id=\u00222dd5a7baecd9428789a886d51b01775c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000335\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222dd5a7baecd9428789a886d51b01775c\u0022\u003EHon JAMES SHAW (Green Party):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Assistant Speaker. I was just wanting to start off on the snappily titled Taxation (Annual Rates for 2018-19, Modernising Tax Administration, and Remedial Matters) Bill by responding to some of the comments from the previous speaker, the member for the Wairarapa, talking about regressive taxes like petrol taxes, and so on and so forth. I think I must have missed his speech in the House as a backbench MP in a National-led Government when the National Government put up our goods and services tax by 2.5 percent\u2014which is also a regressive tax\u2014and also put up petrol tax. I completely missed his speeches decrying those tax increases at that time\u2014totally missed it. Maybe I wasn\u2019t in the House that day, but as it turns out, it\u2019s good to hear that he\u2019s standing up for the little person. The next time that National is in Government, I look forward to him making absolutely sure that National does not ever again put up petrol taxes or GST, as it did in its last term of office.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000336\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003EBut I just wanted to turn my attention to three key aspects of this bill, the first being the KiwiSaver changes, the second being around simplification, and the third being around the 2018-19 tax rates. One of the things that I\u2019m most pleased about in this particular bill are the changes to KiwiSaver. There are two ones that I want to draw attention to. The first is scrapping the rule for people over the age of 60 that says that they have to be in the scheme for five years before they can draw down their money. I think getting rid of that rule and saying that once you hit retirement age you\u2019re able to start drawing that down increases the value of the scheme and increases reasons for people to be in the scheme.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000337\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003EI also think, in particular, that having the additional 6 and 10 percent contribution rates added in makes the scheme far more flexible and far more attractive and, again, adds to that value and increases the chances that people will choose to be in the scheme\u2014in addition to the existing 3, 4, and 8 percent rates. I know that those are recommendations of the Retirement Commissioner at the time, Diane Maxwell, and so I think there\u2019s a solid evidence base for that. So I think we\u2019re continuing to make improvements to KiwiSaver. I do think it has demonstrated its value to New Zealand, and I think that these improvements will do the same thing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000338\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003EI also just wanted to finish by saying that the rules around simplification\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000339\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022006e8d3e07114dd1aeca131147d99433\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: No, I apologise to the member. We are having some technical issues with the clocks, but I can assure you, you\u2019ve got two minutes and 16 seconds.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000340\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225faa97f8971c4fdab511f90cdcabda42\u0022\u003EHon JAMES SHAW\u003C/span\u003E: Yeah, I didn\u2019t\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000341\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222b1a1d9218c04dea91ab9bd3385c24f6\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: We are taking care of it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000342\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a72422ef43984fcdb903a55666991fad\u0022\u003EHon JAMES SHAW\u003C/span\u003E: Well, in that case, let me just\u2014[Interruption] Ha, ha! I can see that the members opposite are absolutely glued to every word. So around simplification, I think the technology that has been made available to us as a result of the New Zealand IRD\u2019s Business Transformation programme does wonders for New Zealanders\u2019 ability to interact or, in fact, not have to interact with the system in this case\u2014particularly the ability of small and medium sized businesses to have their affairs simplified. For individual taxpayers, there will be 3 million taxpayers whose obligations will be automatically calculated, and any differential between what they\u2019ve paid and what they\u2019re obligated to pay will also be automatically managed. I think that that is fantastic because it removes the need for people to have to fill out a personal tax return in order to get a refund. We think that\u2019ll benefit about 750,000 people, which I think is fantastic.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000343\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003EI think it will ensure that people have a much more pleasant experience, that all of that money that is currently available for refund that\u2019s not getting drawn down will then be drawn down and people will actually get the money that they deserve. So I just kind of stand in admiration of the New Zealand tax system for being able to get to this point now with people that they\u2019re able to interact in that way.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000344\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003EFinally\u2014Madam Assistant Speaker, is that\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000345\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221a9dbeb82e7a47b3bfd9ce61488c0bc9\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Yeah, it\u2019s correct.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000346\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223a2c4a2b49884b69bc97bbe16180000a\u0022\u003EHon JAMES SHAW\u003C/span\u003E: OK. I just wanted to finish by saying that the tax rates for the next year remain unchanged and that I think that is a good thing because it means that we can fund the Families Package, it means that we can fund the Provincial Growth Fund, the Green Investment Fund, conservation, health, education, infrastructure, transport\u2014all of the things that the previous Government left unfunded and made wild sorts of things saying that they were going to do all that stuff, but without funding it. This is a fiscally responsible package that ensures that we\u2019ve actually got the revenue that we need to deliver\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022 data-id=\u0022324597e3abda4665895ba2632e4352ff\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000347\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022324597e3abda4665895ba2632e4352ff\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: I thank the member. I\u2019m sorry; your time has expired.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022ed2de46a-9047-4bfe-92c8-5f14fd415dfb\u0022 data-id=\u0022234c686a39e5438aaebd02336574ed03\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000348\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ed2de46a-9047-4bfe-92c8-5f14fd415dfb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022234c686a39e5438aaebd02336574ed03\u0022\u003EANDREW FALLOON (National\u2014Rangitata):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Assistant Speaker. It\u2019s a pleasure to be taking a call this afternoon in the first reading of the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2018-19, Modernising Tax Administration, and Remedial Matters) Bill. I will be joining my colleagues in voting against the bill this afternoon, and that\u2019s, frankly, despite there being some good parts to the bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000349\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ed2de46a-9047-4bfe-92c8-5f14fd415dfb\u0022\u003EI just wanted to reflect on some comments made earlier this afternoon by Deborah Russell and also by Michael Wood. Deborah Russell\u2019s contention was that because there\u2019s some good things in the bill, National should vote for it\u2014despite the fact that we want to lower income taxes, not raise them, we should vote for this bill\u2014and then we should try and fix it up in the committee of the whole House. Well, actually, I have to tell Government members that it\u2019s their responsibility to draft legislation. It\u2019s their responsibility to talk to MPs across the House to gain their support and try and get other parties\u2019 support. They didn\u2019t do that with this bill. They didn\u2019t come to us before they brought this bill to the House to try and gain our support. If they\u2019d done that, we would have given them the advice to go off, split it into two bills, bring the KiwiSaver stuff as a separate bill\u2014which we support\u2014and bring the taxation rates as a separate bill, which we would have opposed. They didn\u2019t do that, and for that reason we have to vote against this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000350\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ed2de46a-9047-4bfe-92c8-5f14fd415dfb\u0022\u003EI just want to reflect on some of the good things in the bill, though, because, as I said, there are some good things. I\u2019ve said in this House before that KiwiSaver is fantastic. I\u2019m a huge supporter of KiwiSaver. It\u2019s the reason I was able to buy my first house. Since I started work, I\u2019ve put 8 percent of my income into KiwiSaver and that enabled my wife and myself to buy our first home, which I\u2019m very grateful for. What the bill is going to do is expand that out to have more contribution rates, because, at the moment, as it stands, there\u2019s a 3 percent rate, a 4 percent rate, and an 8 percent rate. There\u2019s a lot of advice out there that the gap between the 4 percent rate and the 8 percent rate is too wide. There are a lot of people out there who\u2019d like to be able to contribute a number in between that, but they\u2019ve been required to put in a lesser amount, generally, which is the 4 percent, because they can\u2019t quite afford that 8 percent. So I support that 6 percent rate being brought in.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000351\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ed2de46a-9047-4bfe-92c8-5f14fd415dfb\u0022\u003EThe second rate that\u2019s being brought in is a 10 percent rate, and I particularly support that because there\u2019s a lot of people out there, particularly who have worked for a long time, who are able to contribute a bit more, and so that\u2019s very positive.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000352\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ed2de46a-9047-4bfe-92c8-5f14fd415dfb\u0022\u003EBut I do need to now come to the parts of the bill that we don\u2019t support, and that\u2019s in relation to the taxation rates that are contained in the bill. Just a bit of history on this: when we came into Government nine or 10 years ago, the country was deep in recession, the books were pretty shot, we were sliding into deficit, and, as a result, we had to take on a lot of debt to keep paying for core services. That resulted in blowing out debt, and then we were hit by the Canterbury earthquakes, which resulted in even more debt. So we set about growing the economy again, investing in the things that would grow the economy: investing in innovation, investing in education, investing in infrastructure, and that worked. We got growth back on track. We got unemployment down. We created 10,000 jobs every month. In my region of Rangitata, midland South Canterbury, alone, we\u2019ve got unemployment down to 2 percent. That\u2019s incredibly positive, and, frankly, it\u2019s not down to the Government that that happened; it\u2019s down to the people out there in the economy who made that happen: people working hard, people in their businesses, people on their farms, people investing in their businesses, growing the local economies\u2014that\u2019s how the economy succeeded, and they deserve some reward.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000353\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ed2de46a-9047-4bfe-92c8-5f14fd415dfb\u0022\u003ESo, at the last Budget, in Budget 2017, this Government set out to reward those people. We gave them a tax cut. We gave the average worker a tax cut of $1,060 every year, aimed at the lower income earners\u2014aimed at the lower income earners. This Government, this current Government, all of last year set about arguing for higher taxes\u2014arguing for higher income taxes; arguing, funnily enough, for water taxes, which would have cost my region about $50 million a year. Now, fortunately, they lost that argument, but they have, unfortunately, gone on to legislate for higher taxes. This bill sets those taxation rates in place for the coming year, and we oppose it. Thank you, Madam Assistant Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022 data-id=\u002289e271ad8a2d4fad90b9b978466c88f0\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000354\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002289e271ad8a2d4fad90b9b978466c88f0\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: I understand this is a split call.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002290ea1538-43e8-4257-bd80-df3ccd1e5f27\u0022 data-id=\u0022a9eed75384e94fb8baea05cbc536644b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000355\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002290ea1538-43e8-4257-bd80-df3ccd1e5f27\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a9eed75384e94fb8baea05cbc536644b\u0022\u003EHon KRIS FAAFOI (Minister of Civil Defence):\u003C/span\u003E Madam Assistant Speaker, there have been a range of emotions during this heated debate this afternoon. My colleague Deborah Russell was saddened by the position that the Opposition is taking; Michael Wood, disappointed. But I tend to disagree with them, and I\u2019m sorry to do that to my colleagues but I actually think this is a good day for the Parliament. We are following through with an election promise that we made to not continue the tax cuts that the National Party made in their previous term of Government, to ensure that we had the revenue to invest in things like transport, like housing, like education, like infrastructure, because we knew that the public of New Zealand desperately was in need of support in those areas.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000356\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002290ea1538-43e8-4257-bd80-df3ccd1e5f27\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve had members of the Opposition this afternoon decry things that have come about from this coalition Government, like the winter energy payment. But, as Mr McKelvie said, if he\u2019s had plus-65s in his office talking about KiwiSaver, then I challenge them to have those over-65s in their offices and say that they don\u2019t want the winter energy payment\u2014that over-65s don\u2019t feel the need for a bit of support during those winter months to make sure that they can keep their homes safe. So whether they\u2019re in Hastings, whether they\u2019re in Huntly, whether they\u2019re in Martin, whether they\u2019re in Kerikeri, whether they\u2019re in Timaru or Masterton, those members across the hall at the moment, they can go back to their communities and say, \u201CWe don\u2019t support the winter energy payment.\u201D to those superannuitants who desperately need help to do a pretty basic thing, which we have at this House here, and that is to keep their houses warm. So that\u2019s the challenge that I put across to other members of the House if they don\u2019t support this piece of legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000357\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002290ea1538-43e8-4257-bd80-df3ccd1e5f27\u0022\u003EThey don\u2019t support the fact that we went out there and made a promise to the New Zealand public that we wouldn\u2019t continue with National\u2019s tax cuts\u2014which, to put Mr Falloon right, was targeted at high-income earners to make them better off. So, just to fact-check and bring this debate back to reality, those tax cuts, that we\u2019re using to make sure that we\u2019ve got the revenue to invest in all of those things that I\u2019ve suggested, were to make sure that the National Party had a promise to high-income earners at election time to go out there and try and win an election\u2014which, thankfully, they didn\u2019t.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000358\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002290ea1538-43e8-4257-bd80-df3ccd1e5f27\u0022\u003EThere are some even better things in this piece of legislation, and they are tweaks to KiwiSaver settings. Many members, I have talked to them about the changes to the contribution rates: we\u2019re adding 6 and 10 percent. One thing\u2014which is a small thing which I hope will make a big difference to the decisions that some KiwiSaver policy holders have now\u2014is changing a small thing called a \u201Ccontributions holiday\u201D to a \u201Csaving suspension\u201D. A contributions holiday sounds like something that you want to do, but I think about 42 percent of New Zealanders who are in KiwiSaver at the moment are on a contributions holiday. Mr Scott did put out a challenge to us, or put out the issue, about how do we get more people in KiwiSaver. The subsequent issue, also, is how do we get more people who are currently in KiwiSaver to put money into their accounts and actively manage it, to make sure that when they do turn 65 that, as well as the superannuation, they have enough money to get through retirement.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000359\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002290ea1538-43e8-4257-bd80-df3ccd1e5f27\u0022\u003EThese are good changes in and around the KiwiSaver settings. I want to give credit to Diane Maxwell and her team at the Commission for Financial Capability, because those changes in this bill pretty much came out of a review that the commission did back in 2016. A point that I would like to make is that those recommendations came in in late 2016, and sat and gathered dust in the final year of the previous Government. So I\u2019m happy that we\u2019ve got this piece of legislation that follows through on some good advice from the commission that will make KiwiSaver settings better for New Zealanders and also follows up on our promise to make sure we\u2019re investing in health, housing, education, transport, and other infrastructure projects that the previous Government wouldn\u2019t have been able to afford if it continued on with its tax cuts for the rich.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022 data-id=\u0022dc9c3c87bee044fca3bb1e3bead1d276\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000360\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022dc9c3c87bee044fca3bb1e3bead1d276\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Just before I call the honourable member, I just want to remind people\u2014I\u2019m sorry if you\u2019re being distracted by the malfunctioning time clocks. Rest assured that my clock is working perfectly well at the desk here, and I will give members the required time bell.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022 data-id=\u0022bb1042a6ed404eb3bef2498aae81192f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000361\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022bb1042a6ed404eb3bef2498aae81192f\u0022\u003EDAVID SEYMOUR (Leader\u2014ACT):\u003C/span\u003E Madam Assistant Speaker, it\u2019s no problem. As you know, I\u2019m one of Parliament\u2019s old-timers, and I can remember giving speeches before we had any such technology in this House, and we got along just fine.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000362\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EI rise on behalf of the ACT Party in support of this bill. I had planned to oppose it but I listened to the very wise and apposite speech by Michael Wood\u2014not something I say every day, I must tell you\u2014and I decided he had a point. This is not a bad bill. The modernisation that is going on\u2014I wouldn\u2019t quite agree with James Shaw that he stands proudly in awe of the New Zealand tax system; who else could really say that but James Shaw? But it at least starts to bring the IRD\u2019s administration of tax up to where the financial sector, the private sector banking system, was maybe about a decade ago\u2014that things happen efficiently and electronically, so one needn\u2019t pay secondary tax, so one needn\u2019t keep those pesky receipts.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000363\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EAnd that was another fine revelation from Michael Wood. Who knew that a Labour MP actually voluntarily gives to charity without it being prised out of their cold, dead hands by the IRD? It is a good thing that we\u2019ll be able to pay less tax when we give to charity without having to keep all those pesky receipts that accumulate throughout the year. So these are positive things and reason to vote this bill through so that my fellow Finance and Expenditure Committee members and I can scrutinise the bill, have a look at it, and see where it might be improved.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000364\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EI follow on from my friend and neighbour the Hon Paul Goldsmith in pointing out one area where this bill could be improved\u2014that ACT\u2019s future support of this bill will depend upon being changed\u2014and that is clause 3 of this bill, the clause that sets out the annual tax rates; unchanged, again. Let\u2019s give a little bit of history. These tax rates and tax brackets have not been changed for almost a decade now, since 2010. Once again, exactly the same tax rates, and the working people of New Zealand will find that, through no fault of their own, inflation has pushed their incomes into higher tax brackets. They can\u2019t purchase more, but the same purchasing power that they used to earn 10 years ago is now taxed at a higher rate, thanks to fiscal drift, or fiscal creep, and they find themselves increasingly in the top tax bracket. Nearly half of New Zealanders pushed into the top tax bracket\u2014over $70,000 paying 33 cents in the dollar\u2014because nobody, including the previous National-led Government despite the protestations of its principal partner the ACT Party, has bothered to adjust the tax bracket for 10 long years.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000365\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EActually, the ACT Party has a solution to this. We heard from members opposite that it\u2019s great that we are taxing, because we can fund a whole lot of things\u2014some of which are somewhat dubious from a public policy perspective, but, nevertheless, many things can be funded with these tax rates. Actually, we could fund all of the things that the Government wants to spend\u2014and, in some cases, waste\u2014money on and significant tax cuts. ACT showed this last year, that we could have a beautiful three-rate tax system of 10 cents in the dollar\u2014that\u2019s down from 10.5 cents\u2014up to $14,000, 15 cents in the dollar all the way up to $48,000, and 25 cents in the dollar after that. What would be the fiscal impact of that change? It would fit easily within the $20 billion - odd of surpluses that these tax rates will give the Government over the next four years. We could have tax rates where nobody would pay more than a quarter of their income in tax, simply by giving back the Government surplus to the people who earned it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000366\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003ESo just think about it, fellows on the Government benches. I realise most of the members present are on the back benches and don\u2019t have a huge amount of influence over these things but, nevertheless, maybe speak to Grant Robertson, the Minister of Finance, and ask him\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000367\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226602be39448943b89e95b8df6477a171\u0022\u003EHon David Parker\u003C/span\u003E: More influence than you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000368\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d48ef342b04e407a909361913394b40f\u0022\u003EDAVID SEYMOUR\u003C/span\u003E: And here\u2019s David Parker. He can affect things. David Parker\u2014he\u2019s got some influence. Think about it, David Parker. Let\u2019s try having a top tax rate of 25 cents, which can be afforded within the surpluses put forward by Treasury, under the tax rates in this bill, and if the Government is prepared to give real tax cuts, real tax relief, let the people who earned the money keep it\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022 data-id=\u00226bdf5a5a73144d988ce2915da4518037\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000369\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226bdf5a5a73144d988ce2915da4518037\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: I apologise to the member. Your time has expired. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022 data-id=\u0022202c0bb7e7064c3cb9bee4afdb2a70a2\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000370\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022202c0bb7e7064c3cb9bee4afdb2a70a2\u0022\u003ELAWRENCE YULE (National\u2014Tukituki):\u003C/span\u003E The mere fact that this bill is called the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2018-19, Modernising Tax Administration, and Remedial Matters) Bill in itself highlights the point that, actually, there should be two bills. There should be two bills here, because part of this bill is fantastic, and part of it we, philosophically, on this side of the House, object to, and that is our right to do so. The good parts of this bill are changes that help taxpayers. They are changes that reduce compliance costs and the amount of time taken to complete taxation returns; they automate tax refunds and\u2014something that I find particularly pleasing\u2014they cut out third parties which at the moment have set up business models based simply on what IRD will soon be able to do. So agents that use technology to give you a tax refund but actually take fees for doing so\u2014many of those will be taken out of business in the simplest form. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000371\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022\u003EI also acknowledge the changes to the donations legislation. This is modernising the environment\u2014no different to what members of this House actually do with expense claims. They\u2019re lodged, photographed, and sent in, and they\u2019re all done appropriately. I also think the tailored taxation codes are going to make a fundamental difference to how people deal with taxation when they have multiple income streams, or when their taxation position changes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000372\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022\u003EThere is also an ability for proactive changing of the tax codes to represent people\u2019s particular circumstances, and, importantly, the Retirement Commissioner\u2019s views in 2000 and 2016 have been brought into this by raising the possible contribution rates and the fact that 65-year-old people can enter KiwiSaver. I also agree with all members of the House that the savings suspension in terms of its minimal time\u2014reduced from five years to one\u2014and its title is appropriate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000373\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022\u003EBut I do really want to go on to what Deborah Russell said right at the beginning of her contribution to this House: that this was a shame. We are vexed by her objection, because that very Government, with this very Prime Minister we have now, promised no new taxes\u2014no new taxes\u2014but on 1 July, what did we have? Regional fuel tax implemented in Auckland. So of course we object on this side of the House, because what you said you were going to do, you\u2019re not actually doing. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000374\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b8a38bd40a2f4c12821de4cc18b3243a\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Not me.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000375\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d03780bd9c6f4bb99b81be8b3bb4cad9\u0022\u003ELAWRENCE YULE\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry. What the other side of the House, or the Government, said it was going to do, it is not actually doing. It also removed legitimate tax cuts that were made by this side of the House when they were in power. They went through the Parliament, they were legitimised, and then from 1 July they were meant to come in. And despite what the honourable member Kris Faafoi said, most of our tax cuts were actually aimed at lower-income people. It wasn\u2019t all for upper-income people; it was actually specifically targeted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000376\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022\u003EI also want to comment on what some of the expenses are and the choices that this current Government have made: $2.8 billion to students, not one extra student enrolled; $3 billion to the Shane Jones fund, and it\u2019s going to be really difficult to spend that level of money; and a billion dollars to foreign affairs.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000377\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022\u003EBut I particularly want to comment because this is about tax rules and tax amounts for the coming year. From 1 July, Sunday, people in Auckland are paying 11.5 cents a litre more for their fuel. This Government has also signalled they will pay another 12 cents a litre for fuel over the next three years, and members on the other side\u2014members of the current Government\u2014said, \u201CWe needed to do all that because we\u2019ve got to fund everything.\u201D If that\u2019s the case, why did you strip $5 billion\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000378\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022da2e2865706b4e46b34ae576af1a563e\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Order!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000379\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002227b198f6e5b9471aa2404db7b83a9b4d\u0022\u003ELAWRENCE YULE\u003C/span\u003E: Why did the Government\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000380\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022589769b62c55429d9ef3ba70354ef3fd\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000381\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022971d8a244cc749de880a043f3a37b41e\u0022\u003ELAWRENCE YULE\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014strip $5 billion out of the State highway network across New Zealand? Places not my own are going to pay more and get nothing. It\u2019s outrageous, and you wonder why we on this side oppose this bill\u2014because it\u2019s all being put together in things we feel strongly about.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000382\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022\u003EWe have a philosophy in the National Party that people are better able to spend their money than any Government. That\u2019s why we brought in tax cuts. And, actually, those tax cuts were cancelled. I also remind members of the Government benches, as you look at this new piece of legislation, remember, you talk about tax promises, or you talk about election\u2014sorry, I apologise Madam Assistant Chair.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000383\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022abd6c9830ab746febbf1496ff21e832d\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000384\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f30d28f029d843f4b0bb386cbcc9f1f6\u0022\u003ELAWRENCE YULE\u003C/span\u003E: The Government talks about election promises, but, actually, the Government forgot about one fundamental promise it made in that election campaign: there would be no new taxes. And from 1 July, that fundamental promise has been breached and broken, and that is why this side of the House is so upset at this piece of legislation. Thank you, Madam Assistant Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221ebd1031-ea10-4c3d-bb56-2cd99528ae91\u0022 data-id=\u00228e6618d90d2d49a9ae4899e50c8bdd9d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000385\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221ebd1031-ea10-4c3d-bb56-2cd99528ae91\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00228e6618d90d2d49a9ae4899e50c8bdd9d\u0022\u003EWILLOW-JEAN PRIME (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you for the opportunity to be the final speaker in this debate on the first reading of the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2018-19, Modernising Tax Administration, and Remedial Matters) Bill. I am a member of the Finance and Expenditure Committee, and I look forward, as a member of that committee, to receiving this bill shortly.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000386\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221ebd1031-ea10-4c3d-bb56-2cd99528ae91\u0022\u003EI wanted to talk about a couple of things, because a lot has been covered already. We know that the intent of this is to modernise our tax system and that earlier in the year we passed the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2017-18, Employment and Investment Income, and Remedial Matters) Act 2018, and this bill is in addition to that. I wanted to focus on two parts in particular in here, where we talk about remedial matters that need to be addressed to take into consideration and incorporate the changes we\u2019re making in the Families Package, and in particular with the Best Start payment. I\u2019m really proud that on 1 July the Best Start payment has now kicked in for those families who have babies born after 1\u00A0July.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000387\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221ebd1031-ea10-4c3d-bb56-2cd99528ae91\u0022\u003ENow, there is a new clause in this bill which will deal with that new payment that we\u2019ve got, and ensure that the policy which we intended, which was that from the time that paid parental leave expires, the Best Start payment will kick in\u2014and that\u2019s another thing that I\u2019m very proud of, that paid parental leave has increased now to 22 weeks, as well. So those remedial change matters are dealt with at clauses 259 through to about 264.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000388\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221ebd1031-ea10-4c3d-bb56-2cd99528ae91\u0022\u003EThe other part I want to talk about is the other end of life, where we are focusing on KiwiSaver, and that\u2019s saving for our retirement. I\u2019m very proud of the changes that we are incorporating into this bill to enhance the KiwiSaver scheme that we have, and those come as a result of the review that was done by the Retirement Commissioner, and that most recent review in 2016. Some of those changes have been summarised, but we\u2019re introducing the additional KiwiSaver employee contribution rates of 6 and 10 percent; reducing the minimum contributions holiday period from five years to one year\u2014and, actually, as a member earlier said, not referring to it as a contributions holiday but more a saving suspension; allowing over-65-year-olds to opt in to KiwiSaver, acknowledging that many of our over-65s are in fact still working as well; and removing the five-year lock-in period, which currently affects those who join KiwiSaver between the ages of 60 and 65.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000389\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221ebd1031-ea10-4c3d-bb56-2cd99528ae91\u0022\u003EI only intend to take a short call on this draft legislation. I commend this bill to the House, and I look forward to looking at it further at our select committee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u00228846a4d881054648af973dd6635e35af\u0022 name=\u0022division\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, That the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2018-19, Modernising Tax Administration, and Remedial Matters) Bill be now read a first time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 63\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 9; Green Party 8.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 56\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 56.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000390\u0022\u003EBill read a first time. \u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000391\u0022\u003EBill referred to the Finance and Expenditure Committee.\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022\u003EBills\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000392\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00225b39c77623904dc9b11eb5c93af60cce\u0022\u003EExclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Amendment Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000393\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002201bbf2324f6643b08a51d0c3b9d0f8ba\u0022\u003ESecond Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022 data-id=\u002203b641aa63da4c7dbc75bf1b16f35c6e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000394\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002203b641aa63da4c7dbc75bf1b16f35c6e\u0022\u003EHon DAVID PARKER (Minister for the Environment):\u003C/span\u003E I move, That the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Amendment Bill be now read a second time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000395\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003EThe bill corrects an error in legislation that governs the management of activities in our offshore environment and ensures that a cost recovery regime that charges the applicant can fairly operate. A new board of inquiry process for dealing with some marine consent applications was added to the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act, which I will shorten to the EEZ Act in future. This was added in 2007 through the Resource Legislation Amendment Act, and an additional provision is needed to allow recovery from an applicant of the board of inquiry costs that are applied under that Act.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000396\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003ENow, members who were in the House during the last term will remember that there was quite a controversy around that piece of legislation. It had a shambolic passage through the House. It lay around at select committee for about a year because the Government couldn\u2019t put together the numbers for the bill. The chair of the committee was Scott Simpson, and he was having to turn up time and again\u2014it wasn\u2019t his fault; it actually wasn\u2019t his fault, but he had to turn up time and again because his Minister didn\u2019t have the numbers for the bill, because it was opposed not just by the Labour Party but also by New Zealand First, by the Green Party, and by two of their then coalition partners, United Future and the ACT Party. They couldn\u2019t even get support from the M\u0101ori Party for it until they did a trade on some other legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000397\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003ENow, throughout this, the bill was lampooned as being overly complex and ill-considered, and this is one of many examples of where it was flawed. So the effect of it was that taxpayers were left footing the bill in respect of applications for consents within the EEZ area that went to a board of inquiry, and this bill fixes that, relieves the long-suffering taxpayer of having to do that in the future.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000398\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003EThe select committee\u2019s now heard this, and can I thank the Environment Committee for doing that and for the scrutiny that they gave it, at the end of which the committee has unanimously recommended that the bill should be passed, with one minor amendment which corrects a cross-reference. Can I also acknowledge the New Zealand Law Society, who wrote to the Environment Committee and to me about another area that they\u2019ve suggested clarification for. They\u2019ve suggested that it would be easier to follow the legislation if there was another provision put into the Act by this amendment bill to make it clear that existing cost recovery provisions in the EEZ Act will continue to apply, and we\u2019re intending to do that at the committee of the whole House stage.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000399\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003EThere are other issues that are more substantial, for me, in respect of the EEZ legislation that are not in this legislation. I find it hard to understand why we have a different legal test and a different set of rules applying to sea areas out to the edge of the territorial sea compared with the rules that apply within the EEZ. It\u2019s unnecessarily complex to have two different sets of legal principles and two different processes that apply inside and outside that boundary of the territorial sea. It makes no sense, and, indeed, that\u2019s been made clear in some applications that have had to make applications at the same time for consideration under the Resource Management Act out to the territorial sea boundary and a separate application for the same activity in respect of the portion of the sea outside the territorial sea to the EEZ. We can\u2019t fix that in this bill, but it does point to more work needed on this in the future.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000400\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003EThe bill also sets out criteria: the Minister must have regard to, when recovering costs from an applicant\u2014those who have sat on the Regulations Review Committee in recent years will have seen complaints from applicants where some of the board of inquiry costs have run to millions of dollars and they haven\u2019t felt like the board of inquiry has had appropriate controls on the way in which they incur costs which are eventually recovered from the applicant.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000401\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003EI don\u2019t think any more needs to be said, other than that. After this amendment bill passes through subsequent stages, applicants will be subject to the cost recovery provisions they ought to have been subject to. I make the point that we\u2019re not applying this retrospectively, and anyone who\u2019s filed an application before this law comes into effect, effectively, does so at the cost of the taxpayer. That\u2019s appropriate, given that we ought not to be imposing these things retrospectively. I commend the bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002298dbeffa-e059-49d5-8bbf-579cbaead9a3\u0022 data-id=\u00223c26d79484554b7ca4dc9b8e48c9e26e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000402\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298dbeffa-e059-49d5-8bbf-579cbaead9a3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00223c26d79484554b7ca4dc9b8e48c9e26e\u0022\u003EHon SCOTT SIMPSON (National\u2014Coromandel):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Assistant Speaker. I just want to acknowledge the\u2014I thought\u2014very thoughtful contribution of the Minister for the Environment, in whose name this bill appears before the House. It\u2019s a pleasure to rise and take a brief call in the second reading of this Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Amendment Bill, which the Minister abbreviates just to the EEZ bill, and I think that\u2019s probably a right thing to do.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000403\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298dbeffa-e059-49d5-8bbf-579cbaead9a3\u0022\u003EThis is a technical tidy-up. The original piece of legislation, as the Minister said in his comments, related to work that was done in the previous Parliament around the Resource Legislation Amendment Act. That was a very significant piece of legislation. It ran to over 700 separate clauses and some 250 pages in the statute book. So it was a pretty grunty piece of legislation by any measure, and it had a vast array of moving parts in it. There were lots of pieces of the Resource Management Act (RMA) that were amended and changed and modified, and it also made amendments to the Conservation Act, the Reserves Act, and the Public Works Act. So there were many moving parts to this legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000404\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298dbeffa-e059-49d5-8bbf-579cbaead9a3\u0022\u003EI don\u2019t blame at all the hard-working and diligent professionals at the Parliamentary Counsel Office (PCO) who actually have to draft all this stuff, get it finely tuned, interpret and understand the directions that come from both the Minister driving the legislation\u2014and that comes through a process of Cabinet approval and Cabinet minutes and Cabinet notes\u2014but then, also, the directions and interventions that are made at select committee, and the various submissions that are made. It\u2019s a very big job.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000405\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298dbeffa-e059-49d5-8bbf-579cbaead9a3\u0022\u003EI think the other thing to remember is that when the good folk at the Parliamentary Counsel Office are drafting legislation of this sort, it\u2019s usually not just one piece of legislation that they have on the go at one time. Most of the time they\u2019ve got multiple pieces of legislation, and I think it takes a very special kind of educated brain to actually do that work and do it as thoroughly as they do. Now, notwithstanding that praise for the good work that the PCO officials do, in this instance a mistake was made and, through a human drafting error, a direction that was made by Cabinet, approved by Cabinet, and that had the intent that is being achieved by this amendment bill today was simply omitted. Now, that\u2019s a kind of human mistake that can be made from time to time, and I don\u2019t want to apportion any blame for it, but a mistake, none the less, was made, and so Parliament needs to just address that issue, and that\u2019s what we\u2019re doing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000406\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298dbeffa-e059-49d5-8bbf-579cbaead9a3\u0022\u003EI think a very good question that arose during a truncated select committee process was why we needed to have a special piece of amending legislation to achieve this outcome. Parliament will very shortly consider what\u2019s known as an annual Statutes Amendment Bill, and that\u2019s usually the place where errors of this sort, that occur from time to time, are fixed and are resolved. A special piece of legislation is usually not required, in its own right, to be made to take up the time of the Parliament in sitting time, or indeed the time of a select committee. But, in this case, the Government decided to do that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000407\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298dbeffa-e059-49d5-8bbf-579cbaead9a3\u0022\u003ESo at first reading the Opposition acknowledged that it was an honest mistake, an error in drafting, and we were prepared to simply move the changes through all stages at first reading. That invitation was declined by the Government, and we then moved to a select committee process. That process was truncated, shortened, and, at select committee, there was agreement amongst select committee members\u2014it was a unanimous decision\u2014that we wouldn\u2019t take submissions, but that we would, actually, invite the New Zealand Law Society to give us the benefit of their views and opinions on the changes that were proposed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000408\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298dbeffa-e059-49d5-8bbf-579cbaead9a3\u0022\u003EThen, before we had had an opportunity to receive that advice and submission from the Law Society, the Environment Committee, in its collective wisdom, decided to report back to the House, and the committee did that in terms of where we thought it was. We had received advice from PCO draftspeople that told us that what we sought to achieve was being done by the amendments that they had proposed. Then, subsequent to the report coming back to the House, the select committee received from the Law Society a very useful and helpful submission that actually went beyond what we had expected, I think, from them in the first place. Then, as a result of that, having reported back to the House, we found ourselves as a select committee having to say, \u201CWell, actually, the Law Society makes some pretty jolly good points. Maybe we should reconsider a couple of those things.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000409\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298dbeffa-e059-49d5-8bbf-579cbaead9a3\u0022\u003ESo we find ourselves now with an amended amendment, slightly\u2014and, again, not the fault of anyone in particular. I think the intention and good will of the select committee was well-made. I don\u2019t think there was any malicious intent at all; I think this is just one of those things where it\u2019s been a bit of a comedy of one thing on top of another.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000410\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298dbeffa-e059-49d5-8bbf-579cbaead9a3\u0022\u003ESo the Law Society made a submission to us, and they suggested three things: firstly, that the proposed new board of inquiry cost recovery provision actually differed from what was in the RMA, and that was, of course, what we had designed this amendment to do. We wanted it, actually, to essentially be a cut and paste and to apply a board of inquiry cost recovery model that was replicated in other statutes and other parts of the legislation. We found that that actually hadn\u2019t occurred, and it was the Law Society that drew that to our attention. The Law Society considered that there was a need for a greater alignment, and that that would be appropriate in terms of fulfilling requirements of the legislation. So that was one area that they brought to our attention.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000411\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298dbeffa-e059-49d5-8bbf-579cbaead9a3\u0022\u003EThe two other areas that they brought to our attention\u2014the first related to cost recovery criteria. Although this piece of legislation is designed to ensure that people who are making applications for marine consents in the EEZ, essentially for a private gain, should pay. The logic of that, I think, is fair and reasonable, but the Law Society pointed out that that might not always be 100 percent the case\u2014that there may be a public good from a resource consent, a marine consent, in the EEZ, and that the bill should actually accommodate that in some meaningful way. They used an example of, perhaps, a private enterprise that was seeking to lay submarine pipelines, for instance. Now, that\u2019s essentially a commercial enterprise, but the net result of it provides a degree of public good in terms of public service and betterment of public usage from the installation of such a pipeline. Now, what the Law Society suggested was that that should be somehow recognised in the bill. The Minister\u2019s indicated that he wants to address that at the committee of the whole House stage, and I think that\u2019s a sensible thing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000412\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298dbeffa-e059-49d5-8bbf-579cbaead9a3\u0022\u003EThe third point that the Law Society made was in relation to an objection process. They said that at present, and unlike the RMA, there\u2019s no formal objection process enabled in the provisions of this bill, and the Law Society, I think, made a good argument on the basis of reasonableness that an objection process should be included. It\u2019s my hope that the Minister will consider including that suggestion from the Law Society also, by way of Supplementary Order Paper, at the committee of the whole House stage.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000413\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298dbeffa-e059-49d5-8bbf-579cbaead9a3\u0022\u003ESo, on this side of the House, we support this bill. It\u2019s a minor technical tidy-up, but it\u2019s been a little bit of an adventure and a bit of a learning curve for us all, I suspect. I commend it to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022 data-id=\u0022a20b5db9561c4c239d84119e617cf59a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000414\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a20b5db9561c4c239d84119e617cf59a\u0022\u003EHon JENNY SALESA (Minister for Building and Construction):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you so much, Madam Assistant Speaker, for this opportunity to speak on the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Amendment Bill. This bill is, essentially, about supporting good governance of our marine environment; however, it is also about fairness\u2014especially, fairness to our taxpayers in carrying that task out.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000415\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003EOur marine environment has significant value to Aotearoa New Zealand. It encompasses social, spiritual, and cultural dimensions. Last year, we went through this particular process of passing this legislation and, as you heard the Minister for Environment, the Hon David Parker, address this House just earlier on, this was a process that was not only long but it was a process that all of us on this side of the House this year were actually against. One of the reasons why our side of the House was against this particular bill at the time was the fact that we wanted the bill to be fairer on our taxpayers.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000416\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003EAs you would have heard described\u2014especially from the other side of the House as well\u2014the principal Act, which the bill actually amended last year, unfortunately did not take into account the fact that there was an oversight in cost recovery, which the member opposite, Scott Simpson, has just spoken about. The Resource Management Act actually allows for cost recovery to happen; however, a mistake was made last year. That was not included. That is one of the reasons why we are passing this legislation, under urgency, as fast as we can. When you look at some of the examples from the select committee, one of the examples that was given was the fact that, in terms of the boards of inquiry, when they\u2019re dealing with applications for the marine environment\u2014one of the examples that was given to the select committee was that it cost over $1 million for a board of inquiry. Now, when the benefit that is actually proposed is a private benefit, when that benefit is not met by the private applicants but instead, as it is right now, is actually met by the public purse or by taxpayers overall, that is not fair, and that is one of the reasons why we are discussing this particular legislation now\u2014fixing it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000417\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003EHowever, can I just make a point as well that fixing legislation like this when mistakes have been done in the past is time-consuming and it does take all of us in the House to ensure that the mistakes are fixed. My hope is, as we move forward, that this particular bill that we\u2019re passing today actually fixes a lot of the mistakes that were made in the past. I strongly commend this bill to the House. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00229884e8e8-651f-4f48-a429-70b72d5e2821\u0022 data-id=\u0022b98db6a51fad46488755c3ac3a6882ac\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000418\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229884e8e8-651f-4f48-a429-70b72d5e2821\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b98db6a51fad46488755c3ac3a6882ac\u0022\u003ESARAH DOWIE (National\u2014Invercargill):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Assistant Speaker, for this opportunity to rise in support of the second reading of this Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Amendment Bill. Firstly, I want to take the time to congratulate my colleague the Hon Scott Simpson on his pr\u00E9cis of the process and how this bill came into being: the fact that, in the last Parliament, we had the resource management reform. It was a complex set of reforms. As you heard from Mr Simpson, there were over 700 clauses amended, over 250 pages of material, of various moving parts, and it was very complex.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000419\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229884e8e8-651f-4f48-a429-70b72d5e2821\u0022\u003EOne thing that I think was unfairly lobbed towards this side by the Hon David Parker was that this was our error. As anyone can see, when you have a complex reform bill, it\u2019s only natural\u2014we hope it doesn\u2019t happen, but it can happen\u2014that certain things get overlooked when time pressures are on the table. I support the Parliamentary Counsel Office, but it was a drafting error and it has resulted in this very minor and technical bill by way of a tidy-up. I\u2019ll certainly say to the Government at the moment that that criticism is certainly unfounded and unfair, and I would simply draw their attention to their 100-day plan, where they extended paid parental leave, which, certainly, I was supportive of, but when they did so, and that was a relatively minor bill, they overlooked extending the keeping-in-touch hours at the same time, which resulted in me putting forward a Supplementary Order Paper and the Government adopting it. So that is simply a highlight of the fact that, when we are drafting legislation\u2014when we are doing it and it is complex or when we are doing it in a hurry\u2014even the best of us can overlook some minor elements, and we need to go back and tidy up.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000420\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229884e8e8-651f-4f48-a429-70b72d5e2821\u0022\u003ESo here we are. We are here with a bill that is tidying up a technicality, and it is minor. There is no substantive change here; it is a policy decision that was signed off by the previous Cabinet, and we are making good on that promise in that it is only fair that when a private individual is looking to seek a private benefit in the marine space, that when they apply for that consent and through a board of inquiry process, they pay for the cost incurred of that assessment. This is what that bill does. It also enables the applicant to ask the Minister, through the Environmental Protection Authority, for an estimate of those costs. Again, a fair mechanism to have and certainly not a policy change. And it also allows the Minister, in considering that assessment and the consent\u2014any offerings from the applicant that would reduce the costs as part of that application process. So the Minister can assess that and bring that into the mix when they are providing the estimate and their assessment of the reasonable costs for that application process.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000421\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229884e8e8-651f-4f48-a429-70b72d5e2821\u0022\u003ESo, as you\u2019ll see, it\u2019s a very minor and technical bill, which has resulted in this truncated process that was before this House and then before the Environment Committee. I am a little bit amused that this process wasn\u2019t truncated further. We had debate in this House at the first reading that the first, second, and third readings should be taken as one because it was so minor and technical. Regardless, it was referred to the Environment Committee, where it was again unanimously decided that no submissions would be taken. And, as the Hon Scott Simpson pointed out, we did seek further consideration from the Law Society, which resulted in a very good submission to us that detailed three points. Two of those points we did decide were verging outside of the scope of the bill and verging into a new policy arena, but certainly the first, with respect to drafting and making the bill clearer with regard to cost recovery, was taken on board.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000422\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229884e8e8-651f-4f48-a429-70b72d5e2821\u0022\u003ESo, anyway, we are here now. We have our bill in front of us and it is supported by this side of the House. I\u2019m certainly not going to take any more time in discussing this bill, given that my colleague gave such an excellent pr\u00E9cis of where we are to date, and we support this bill in its second reading.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022676b0bc5-331b-4818-b261-ecf892d0bf23\u0022 data-id=\u0022322cc8f1ad3f416caeb09c94aed8aa99\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000423\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022676b0bc5-331b-4818-b261-ecf892d0bf23\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022322cc8f1ad3f416caeb09c94aed8aa99\u0022\u003EJENNY MARCROFT (NZ First):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Assistant Speaker. It\u2019s a privilege to stand and speak on behalf of New Zealand First on this, the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Amendment Bill. I too will take a relatively short call on this as we progress this bill through the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000424\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022676b0bc5-331b-4818-b261-ecf892d0bf23\u0022\u003EI\u2019d first like to make note of Minister David Parker and thank the Minister for bringing this bill to the House; noting that he mentioned that the original Act\u2014this is why this amendment needs to happen\u2014had a bit of a shambolic passage through the House. But he also noted, to his credit, that the former chair of the select committee\u2014actually, it was not his fault; so it was good to hear that as well. It was an overly complex Act\u2014the original one\u2014and more work definitely needs to be done on that, and we will be seeing that work come through the House at some later stage.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000425\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022676b0bc5-331b-4818-b261-ecf892d0bf23\u0022\u003EI\u2019d also like to acknowledge my fellow colleague from the Environment Committee, the Hon Scott Simpson, for his contribution on this bill today. As a new member to the House who was not here in the previous Parliament, I appreciate your contribution, as you saw the original bill coming through the House; so thank you for that. In fact, it really is a pleasure to work in the Environment Committee on pieces of legislation like this where we can work together effectively and collaboratively. That\u2019s something that I\u2019m really enjoying\u2014being a part of that team.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000426\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022676b0bc5-331b-4818-b261-ecf892d0bf23\u0022\u003EJust noting that this bill, as has been mentioned already by all the previous speakers, is a sensible, housekeeping piece of legislation. It has a very narrow scope and it corrects an error. So there is no point delaying its passage through the House. It will amend the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act 2012, and the Minister for the Environment will be able to recover the costs of a board of inquiry when an applicant applies for a notifiable marine consent. Now, those costs of the board of inquiry are substantial. They can go into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, and that\u2019s why it is important that we tidy up this piece of legislation so that the taxpayer, the Crown, doesn\u2019t have to foot the board of inquiry costs.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000427\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022676b0bc5-331b-4818-b261-ecf892d0bf23\u0022\u003ESo as we looked through this piece of legislation when it came into the select committee, we noted that we did not seek to have submissions on it, but we did hear from the New Zealand Law Society. Their contribution to this piece of legislation, although it was asked to be a shortened, truncated process, actually ended up being quite important, and I note that they pointed out one amendment to this amendment, and that will correct a cross-referencing error. It is a very tiny, very minor cross-referencing error, but wouldn\u2019t it be a tragedy to have an amendment and then have to find another amendment if we didn\u2019t get this piece of legislation through the House with this correction? So the cross-referencing error comes through in clause 4: \u201CIn section 14, [replacing] \u2018Parts 3 and 4\u2019\u00A0\u201D, and then we delete Part 3, so it will just read \u201Cwith \u2026 3A and 4\u2019.\u201D So it\u2019s a very tiny amendment there that the Law Society pointed out; so it was a very fortunate thing that we did have that period of time where they could make a submission.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000428\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022676b0bc5-331b-4818-b261-ecf892d0bf23\u0022\u003EThis amendment bill will enable the Minister for the Environment to recover the costs of the board of inquiry, but it will also enable the Minister to delegate power to the Environmental Protection Authority to recover the real and actual costs on his behalf, and that\u2019s a very important part of the process.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000429\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022676b0bc5-331b-4818-b261-ecf892d0bf23\u0022\u003EI won\u2019t delay any further my contribution to the House, other than to note that the Government will be introducing a range of other short-term changes to the Resource Management Act over the next period of the year, and a more comprehensive, longer-term view of the resource management system will be considered next year. In fact, there has been one submission which will have a board of inquiry. The first application, in fact, to the exclusive economic zone board of inquiry process has recently been lodged; so that is already under way, but there will be no further once this piece of legislation passes through the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000430\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022676b0bc5-331b-4818-b261-ecf892d0bf23\u0022\u003ESo we cannot penalise people who, in fact, have played by these rules, but this is a cost which will go into hundreds of thousands of dollars, and it\u2019s really great that we\u2019ll be able to get this through the House over the course of the next few days so that there will be no further cost burden to the taxpayer. The environment Minister, as I\u2019ve mentioned, will be introducing more of these amendments as the Government proceeds, logically, to tidy up other pieces of legislation that need some technical fix-ups.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000431\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022676b0bc5-331b-4818-b261-ecf892d0bf23\u0022\u003EIn conclusion, New Zealand First supports the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Amendment Bill as being a very sensible piece of housekeeping legislation. It\u2019s the first step in correcting a series of legislative mishaps and pointing towards more important work on the Resource Management Act, and so I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022275c91f8-c6b8-42fd-b3ab-d8fc000dd41f\u0022 data-id=\u0022ee3d9b62d0694850b004ab856915fa35\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000432\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022275c91f8-c6b8-42fd-b3ab-d8fc000dd41f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ee3d9b62d0694850b004ab856915fa35\u0022\u003EERICA STANFORD (National\u2014East Coast Bays):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker. I\u2019m pleased to take a call on the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Amendment Bill at the second reading. I really am not going to take much time on this speech; a lot of what has needed to have been said has been already said by my learned colleagues, especially Mr Scott Simpson and Sarah Dowie.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000433\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022275c91f8-c6b8-42fd-b3ab-d8fc000dd41f\u0022\u003EIn the end, this is a very minor technical amendment to fix up what is a drafting error in the original legislation. The intent of this bill is to give effect to existing policy settings and decisions, and it was always intended that this bill provide for cost recovery of boards of inquiry in a manner consistent with boards of inquiry under the Resource Management Act. As sometimes happens in large complex bills such as this one, errors can be made, and, indeed, it was made in this bill. The upshot is that at present the costs of a board of inquiry fall on the Crown, even when the applicant is applying for a marine consent for private benefit. Of course the intent was that in this instance the costs of a board of inquiry be carried by the applicant. So this amendment bill is to amend the drafting error; it correctly puts the costs back on the applicant. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000434\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022275c91f8-c6b8-42fd-b3ab-d8fc000dd41f\u0022\u003EAs expected, there weren\u2019t any public submissions on this bill, as it really is just a straightforward fix-up bill. The select committee process was very short in that case, and it was led by our fine chair, Deborah Russell, in her usual extremely capable manner. The only thing that was really worth noting was the advice by the New Zealand Law Society, who made a number of recommendations. It was an interesting process to be part of as a new MP, because I would\u2019ve expected that we had this advice in before we reported. Unfortunately, we didn\u2019t. The Law Society did make a number of really interesting and quite important recommendations, one of which I know is going to be taken up as a Supplementary Order Paper by the Government but I would encourage them to look at some of the other recommendations made by the Law Society. They were good recommendations that I think we need to look at quite seriously, perhaps in the committee of the whole House stage. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000435\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022275c91f8-c6b8-42fd-b3ab-d8fc000dd41f\u0022\u003ESo that\u2019s really all that needs to be said about what is very much a small technical amendment to fix up what is a mistake that can often be made in such large bills. Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker; I commend this bill to the House. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022 data-id=\u0022e8a3ac53c37c43718c92ba417219f5db\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000436\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e8a3ac53c37c43718c92ba417219f5db\u0022\u003EHon EUGENIE SAGE (Minister of Conservation):\u003C/span\u003E T\u0113n\u0101 koe, Mr Assistant Speaker. Thank you. Similarly, I will not be taking very much time to speak on this bill, the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Amendment Bill. It\u2019s a very slender bill: three pages with an explanatory note.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000437\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s all very well to say that it was always intended that this happen, but the former Opposition opposed the Resource Legislation Amendment Bill quite strongly for being quite shambolic in the way it went through select committee and in the House under the former environment Minister, the Hon Dr Nick Smith, because of the scale of the changes and the fact that they weren\u2019t integrated. So this is yet another example of the Government having to fix up some problems created by the former administration.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000438\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003ESo of course it makes sense that the cost of applications for marine consents, which are publicly notified under the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act (EEZ), should be borne by the applicant, because unless this bill goes through, those costs are borne by the Crown. When applicants are seeking a private benefit\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000439\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298dbeffa-e059-49d5-8bbf-579cbaead9a3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a0eb410bb081470e8c92f9342af5337d\u0022\u003EHon Scott Simpson\u003C/span\u003E: A very sanctimonious hill the Minister\u2019s climbing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000440\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222004bae56640411893d4c5372058c0e7\u0022\u003EHon EUGENIE SAGE\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014for the use of public space, it\u2019s appropriate that they pay for those costs. Now, Mr Simpson\u2019s saying it\u2019s a sanctimonious bill\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000441\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298dbeffa-e059-49d5-8bbf-579cbaead9a3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220d9f0d4b6c57446498a09f52eccff126\u0022\u003EHon Scott Simpson\u003C/span\u003E: No, it\u2019s a sanctimonious hill that the Minister\u2019s climbing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000442\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002229834ad754ee42d8a4cc01c206bbeae6\u0022\u003EHon EUGENIE SAGE\u003C/span\u003E: The issue is that we get this fix to the legislation. Mr Simpson obviously isn\u2019t interested in listening at all with the number of his injections.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000443\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003ESo this is moving to ensuring that under the EEZ Act, we have the same regime as under the Resource Management Act: that the costs of the boards of inquiry are recovered from the applicant. So it is a very short and simple bill. The sooner it goes through the better, because already there is one application which is before the Environmental Protection Authority, and the Crown will have to bear some of the costs of that. So it\u2019s a good fix and it should proceed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022 data-id=\u002274dc4754161840f9a0bbe0b9770be1dc\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000444\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002274dc4754161840f9a0bbe0b9770be1dc\u0022\u003EIAN McKELVIE (National\u2014Rangit\u012Bkei):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker. It\u2019s a pleasure for me to take a short call on the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Amendment Bill\u2014one which I didn\u2019t sit on the select committee for, but it does affect an area that I have a specific interest in.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000445\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EI suppose I\u2019m quite relieved, really, that I spend my life looking forward not backwards. I don\u2019t think there\u2019s much point in looking back, but I did want to briefly outline a couple of issues that have been raised in the course of the speeches, and one of them was by the Hon David Parker when he talked about the challenges that he has with the rules being slightly different whether we\u2019re inside or outside the New Zealand exclusive economic zone, or in New Zealand territorial waters. I thought that made a bit of sense, because, if you think about the area of interest that I\u2019ve got, particularly around aquaculture and the things that happen with the fishing industry, there\u2019s a high likelihood that you could, in due course, have consents being applied for or use applications being made for factors that are certainly affected by both of those areas of interest. I think there\u2019s a lot of sense in what the Hon David Parker said about trying to rationalise that challenge that we have with our current legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000446\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EThe other thing, of course, that this particular clause does, and the bill does, is have a significant impact on the way we consent aquaculture particularly, and how we then recover those costs. I think the encouraging thing for me in this bill was the fact that the authorities or the Government have to give an accurate\u2014or the consenting authority, I guess\u2014view of what those costs might be. Of course, that\u2019s quite challenging, as some of these applications are very expensive. But it will be very reassuring for those applicants to know that they have the opportunity to at least get some sort of an estimate of the costs and, I guess, hold that consenting authority to account later on if those costs are not necessarily adhered to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000447\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EThe other thing I think that\u2019s interesting in the course of this bill, and it doesn\u2019t apply to this part of the bill, is that if you look back at history, it shows how important it is to put complicated pieces of legislation\u2014and even simpler pieces of legislation\u2014through the select committee process, because it\u2019s so easy for mistakes to be made, and we\u2019ve seen a number of times in my time in this place where we\u2019ve had to bring legislation back to the House. Only the other day we were talking about local government legislation where we have challenges with legislation for setting rates and things like that where they\u2019re not set properly and have to come through the House to be reviewed. So I think that this will probably just epitomise the importance of putting all legislation through the select committee process. I don\u2019t think there\u2019s an excuse for not doing that, and even when we do put it through the select committee process, it\u2019s still possible\u2014and no matter how diligent and how long it\u2019s there for\u2014for mistakes to be made in the course of implementing that legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000448\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EI won\u2019t waste the time of the House any further. I think it\u2019s important that we do have these sorts of pieces of legislation and we have them in the order they should be\u2014that they are correct. I also think that it\u2019s important that we look to the future around this type of legislation and think as to how we might review it in the future, because there\u2019s no question it will need reviewing in the future. I don\u2019t know that we have our environmental legislation in the right space at all in New Zealand, and it will be interesting to see where future Governments get to with that. Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u0022fa15b317d6a34b448bd1d842b4c0fb13\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000449\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022fa15b317d6a34b448bd1d842b4c0fb13\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Adrian Rurawhe)\u003C/span\u003E: This is a split call. Five minutes\u2014Dr Deborah Russell.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022 data-id=\u0022a32a706c9eff46fbaf38bb9c17885aef\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000450\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a32a706c9eff46fbaf38bb9c17885aef\u0022\u003EDr DEBORAH RUSSELL (Labour\u2014New Lynn):\u003C/span\u003E Mr Assistant Speaker, we\u2019re talking about the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Amendment Bill, but, to be honest, I think we should really call it the \u201CWell, We Could Have Done That Better Bill\u201D, because, actually, it\u2019s kind of characterised it all along. To be honest, it did start from a drafting mistake in the big set of legislation that went through the Resource Management Act in the previous Parliament, and drafting errors do occur in complex legislation\u2014there\u2019s no doubt about it\u2014but, well, we could have done that better. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000451\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003EThen it came back into the House so that we could fix it, and as part of that process we had a very truncated select committee process. Now, in part that was driven by the report-back dates, in part by Parliament\u2019s sitting schedule, and because of that very truncated process as a committee, led by me, we elected not to hear submissions on the bill. Frankly, looking back, I\u2019m going, \u201CUrgh! Well, we could have done that better.\u201D We asked for some advice from the Law Society, but we had to report back to the House before it came in and, again, if perhaps if we\u2019d waited\u2014well, we could have done that better. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000452\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003EI think the fact is that there are a lot of lessons to be learnt in this. It is only a minor matter but we could have done it better. And although I\u2019m saying \u201Cwe\u201D, at some stage of this I\u2019m going to say, \u201CI could have done this better in terms of the leadership of the select committee.\u201D A week or two ago, we heard Speaker Trevor Mallard in this House talking about how when he got advice from officials it was advice, but if he signed his name on it, then it was his decision. I signed my name to that in the select committee so, actually, I could have done that better.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000453\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003EBut so be it. We\u2019ve got it in front of the House now, back in the House. We think we\u2019re going to get it right this time. We\u2019re certainly working on it hard\u2014all of us together\u2014to get it right. And here I\u2019d like to especially acknowledge the words that the Hon Scott Simpson spoke earlier this evening about, really, the hard way we worked together to try to get it right even though we could have got it better. I think it augurs well for the process that we\u2019ll be going through talking about climate change legislation later this year. As a committee we do work well together, we try to get it right, and we\u2019re hoping that we won\u2019t be coming back on that one saying we could have got it better. I\u2019d also like to acknowledge the deputy chair, Mr Todd Muller, who is great in terms of advice and actually helping that committee to work effectively.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000454\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003ESo we could have got that better; could have done it better. What we\u2019re trying to do now is get it right. We\u2019re doing our best on that and we want to get it right because it is about our environment, which is critical to us. We\u2019re doing the best we can.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u0022bca7580b713f466aa156a3a38e257add\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000455\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022bca7580b713f466aa156a3a38e257add\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Adrian Rurawhe)\u003C/span\u003E: A five-minute call\u2014I call Maureen Pugh.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00224d83c8a5-2f48-4991-9c45-b1a6060daedd\u0022 data-id=\u00225d47740989be46f1bef433efa6b3c2bf\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000456\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d83c8a5-2f48-4991-9c45-b1a6060daedd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225d47740989be46f1bef433efa6b3c2bf\u0022\u003EMAUREEN PUGH (National):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker. I stand to speak also to the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Amendment Bill in its second reading, today. And this really is an odd bill to be debating in the House here today, and I consider it a waste of the House\u2019s time, to be perfectly frank. It was a waste of time of the select committee, it was a waste of time of the advisers, of the parliamentary counsel, and of the committee\u2019s secretariat that supported the select committee, to be making such a non-controversial amendment. All parties here agreed to the change. However, that side of the House insisted that it be put through this process, consuming valuable staff and committee time and also this House\u2019s time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000457\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d83c8a5-2f48-4991-9c45-b1a6060daedd\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s such a minor amendment to be making and it could have been easily dealt with as part of a statutes amendment bill. And as was suggested by my very astute colleague here beside me\u2014the Hon Scott Simpson, in his first reading speech even sought leave of the House that this bill proceed forthwith through all remaining stages without debate and on one vote. But that side of the House wouldn\u2019t go there, and we may wonder why. It certainly wasn\u2019t in the interests of expediency or efficiency and it certainly wasn\u2019t in the interests of openness and transparency that we hear so much about but we are yet to witness in practice. And it wasn\u2019t in the interests of any potential submitters, because the process was so truncated that no submissions were called for. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000458\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d83c8a5-2f48-4991-9c45-b1a6060daedd\u0022\u003EBut the irony of it is that prior to the bill being introduced, there were seven organisations that were contacted and they were invited to make comment. These seven representatives were from the petroleum and seabed mining industries, and five of them came back and said that they were also in support of the minor changes in this bill. But the irony is that they were invited to make comment on such a minor amendment to this bill, which is absolutely laughable when you stack it up against the consultation on something else of far more consequence and importance to that sector: their future and the future of the oil and gas industry here in New Zealand\u2014a decision that has no justifiable basis. It\u2019s certainly not rational, it\u2019s certainly not an environmental benefit, it certainly has no economic sense, and the most bizarre thing is it actually has no benefit in terms of improving global emissions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000459\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d83c8a5-2f48-4991-9c45-b1a6060daedd\u0022\u003ESo we need to ask ourselves: is this a stalling tactic in getting this bill across the line? I\u2019ve noticed over several weeks that we are dealing with such minor legislation here, or we are dealing with legislation left over from the former National-led Government. This goes to demonstrate yet again the gaping hole that there is in the work coming before this House and what is actually stacked up on the Order Paper.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000460\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d83c8a5-2f48-4991-9c45-b1a6060daedd\u0022\u003EThis bill is simply putting right a drafting error in the original bill. We\u2019ve heard all that today. Clause 5 inserts a new section 52A entitled \u201CCost recovery for boards of inquiry\u201D, and that simply means that there may be recoverable costs from an applicant for the actual and reasonable expenses incurred in relation to a board of inquiry. These actual and reasonable costs are already recoverable under the Environmental Protection Authority in relation to their receiving, processing, and deciding on applications for marine consents, and so this bill simply brings it into consistency. It now aligns with the Environmental Protection Authority and the Resource Management Act of 1991, and I commend it to the House. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022 data-id=\u00226aeeea3a12c343fba49ab9616ee0ac30\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000461\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226aeeea3a12c343fba49ab9616ee0ac30\u0022\u003EANGIE WARREN-CLARK (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker. I rise, and\u2014let\u2019s face it\u2014this speech is going to be probably about as long as the name of this bill. It\u2019s a pleasure to take a short call on this second reading of the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Amendment Bill (EEZ), which amends the principal Act of the same name in 2012, which was in turn amended by the Resource Legislation Amendment Act in 2017 to include, basically, a board of inquiry for marine consents. We all have heard that there has been an error that was left off and there\u2019s been no cost recovery. So, quite simply, this EEZ amendment bill adopts a user-pays system.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000462\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003ENow, it\u2019s been a real pleasure to listen across the House. We\u2019ve all accepted, except for the member Maureen Pugh, that there has been error across both sides, and I\u2019d actually like to acknowledge Dr\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000463\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bd5416beed84491c94faceecfbbd03f2\u0022\u003ETim van de Molen\u003C/span\u003E: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I draw your attention to Speakers\u2019 ruling 59/1, with regards to the member Deborah Russell who interjected on the previous speaker. I didn\u2019t want to interrupt her speech at that time. She interjected while she was on her feet, moving about the Chamber, and was encouraged by those members around her at that time. I\u2019d just like to, I guess, commend Maureen Pugh for her professionalism in continuing through that. I remind members that that is actually disorderly and would encourage, through you, Mr Assistant Speaker, reflection on that Speakers\u2019 ruling.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000464\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022407ab7c1fa7c42e8831630aeeb07be2b\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Adrian Rurawhe)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you for bringing that to my attention. I didn\u2019t witness Dr Russell on her feet. I did hear the interjection, but the member is correct. I\u2019ll take some advice on what the correct course of action will be. I thank the member for his intervention.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000465\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e91ae637d53c4d5b84689f1510fade98\u0022\u003EANGIE WARREN-CLARK\u003C/span\u003E: I would just, finally, like to make the comment that Dr Deborah Russell made a comment with real humility and acknowledged that there was a different way that we did these things and perhaps we can do better. Actually, I think that mea culpa on her part was probably a little bit overblown. She did a really good job chairing, and I think we across the floor can acknowledge that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000466\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003EFinally, I would just say, in commending this bill to the House, that our Government values our marine environment. We have committed to a genuinely sustainable approach to the management of our seas and sea life. Let\u2019s get on with it. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227940e9f2-9cea-43d5-8f16-3b470e34f47f\u0022 data-id=\u00228f53f491c98647e28faf7ebec9630bd7\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000467\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227940e9f2-9cea-43d5-8f16-3b470e34f47f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00228f53f491c98647e28faf7ebec9630bd7\u0022\u003EMATT KING (National\u2014Northland):\u003C/span\u003E It\u2019s a real pleasure to speak on the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Amendment Bill. I\u2019d like to acknowledge, in the public gallery, supporters of Dan Bidois that are here not to hear me but to hear him in 20 minutes. They\u2019ve got to put up with me in the meantime.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000468\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227940e9f2-9cea-43d5-8f16-3b470e34f47f\u0022\u003EWe support this bill. It\u2019s one of many bills\u2014many, many bills\u2014that we\u2019ve supported in this Parliament, in this current term. This bill is actually just correcting a simple drafting error in the Resource Legislation Amendment Act passed last year. We support it\u2014the whole House does. But it does not warrant a stand-alone bit of legislation. For the benefit of those people in TV land, legislation has a first reading and then goes to select committee, second reading, and then committee of the whole House, where Supplementary Order Papers (SOPs) are brought in and changes are made. There is the third reading, then we vote, and then it becomes law. This coalition Government could simply move a motion that we move from stage one to the endgame, and we would have supported it\u2014job done. Or, failing that, they could have included it in an actual statutes amendment bill that\u2019s tracking through Parliament right now.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000469\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227940e9f2-9cea-43d5-8f16-3b470e34f47f\u0022\u003ENow, this bill is going to save the Government $1.6 million a year, so I support that, but, ironically, the cost of getting there\u2014getting this legislation through the House\u2014is going to come close to that. So the bill is either being used to kill time because they\u2019re disorganised or going to be used as a Trojan Horse to bring an SOP in at committee stage, and I\u2019m still undecided about which it\u2019s going to be. But Minister Parker has hinted that he wants to make Resource Management Act (RMA) changes such as reinstating appeal rights on residential boundary issues. So it\u2019s one or the other: it\u2019s going to be used as a Trojan Horse, or it\u2019s just a waste of time because they\u2019re not organised. I don\u2019t know which one to pick.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000470\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227940e9f2-9cea-43d5-8f16-3b470e34f47f\u0022\u003EIntroducing an SOP to introduce RMA reform would be a cynical lack of transparency, which this Government is known for\u2014like the oil and gas ban.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000471\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224fd3d83de9d54934b6d23e02c2a118de\u0022\u003EHon Member\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s right.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000472\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227940e9f2-9cea-43d5-8f16-3b470e34f47f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022debeab530114476fa6b0368c50976dca\u0022\u003EMATT KING\u003C/span\u003E: Yes. Fixing a drafting error simply ensures applicants for marine consents pay the costs of any board of inquiry. So it\u2019s a mistake that was made, and it\u2019s just crossing the i\u2019s\u2014sorry, dotting the i\u2019s and crossing the t\u2019s. Ha, ha! I knew I\u2019d get that mixed up. These changes are minor and they don\u2019t require any more parliamentary time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000473\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c2e823af-22b7-4411-8b12-14d7b43680ea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002237169a6d63454261baffd0d9ac2dacf2\u0022\u003EJamie Strange\u003C/span\u003E: You\u2019re just warming up.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000474\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227940e9f2-9cea-43d5-8f16-3b470e34f47f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224b5773949ee3463e8680b27d1f4fb257\u0022\u003EMATT KING\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m just warming up. We supported this right at the get-go. In fact, we moved twice to move to the endgame to get it over and done with. We even suggested making it part of a statutes amendment bill. You didn\u2019t take our sensational advice.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000475\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022011345d2ccdd48cb85619e476204641e\u0022\u003EAngie Warren-Clark\u003C/span\u003E: Who didn\u2019t?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000476\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227940e9f2-9cea-43d5-8f16-3b470e34f47f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225f319da005894412a51fcc184d5be1b3\u0022\u003EMATT KING\u003C/span\u003E: This Parliament\u2014sorry, the coalition Government. In 2014, it cost $310 a minute to run Parliament. This Government is wasting time and money on a bill that we all agree on. Being a relatively new MP, I\u2019m seeing this blatant waste of time on bills, and it\u2019s just plain wrong. The RMA amendment itself was 700 clauses, 250 pages\u201440 significant changes. It\u2019s a big bit of legislation, and someone made a mistake. Mistakes happen. The coalition Government have made them. We\u2019ve made them. We fix up our mistakes, but we don\u2019t have to go through a full process to get the job done.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000477\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227940e9f2-9cea-43d5-8f16-3b470e34f47f\u0022\u003EBut given this Government\u2019s recent cases of dodgy behaviour, I have grave concerns. Is it a Trojan Horse or is it just incompetence? This Government is a closed shop, an evasive shambles of a Government this country has ever seen. You cannot blame us for having zero trust in this current Government. I commend this bill to the House. Let\u2019s get on with it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002226b88bf1-f634-40e7-8019-e75cc483ace7\u0022 data-id=\u00224ced889fb0c0428c9e059fb4b5d18ef9\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000478\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002226b88bf1-f634-40e7-8019-e75cc483ace7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224ced889fb0c0428c9e059fb4b5d18ef9\u0022\u003EJO LUXTON (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E I just have to say, Mr King, that it\u2019s so not like you to be all full of doom and gloom. It\u2019s a bit depressing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000479\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228beb6b8e7e75453e8d339d8e36a81026\u0022\u003EHon Member\u003C/span\u003E: Disappointing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000480\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002226b88bf1-f634-40e7-8019-e75cc483ace7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bf051fc8689e486f97f53d71228a0685\u0022\u003EJO LUXTON\u003C/span\u003E: Yeah. But, anyway, thanks for the opportunity to speak on the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Amendment Bill. I want to acknowledge the Hon David Parker for his work on this. I think it\u2019s important to acknowledge the Environment Committee, which I am not a part of, but it sounds like it\u2019s been a process that they have worked well together on to get to this point.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000481\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002226b88bf1-f634-40e7-8019-e75cc483ace7\u0022\u003ESo what the purpose of this bill is is just to allow the Minister to recover from an applicant the costs incurred in relation to a board of inquiry appointed under the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act 2012. Whilst this is a minor and technical amendment, it\u2019s actually a really important amendment to this bill because, without this amendment, it will cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. As Minister Salesa mentioned, it is about fairness. It\u2019s about the taxpayer not having to foot the bill for this, but it also allows the opportunity for those that are applicants of a publicly notifiable marine consent to seek an estimate of costs likely to be recovered by the Minister; so it makes it fair for everybody all round.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000482\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002226b88bf1-f634-40e7-8019-e75cc483ace7\u0022\u003EAs Angie Warren-Clark said, this Government values the marine environment and is committed to a sustainable approach to the management of our seas and sea life. This is something that I think is important to all New Zealanders, now and moving into the future. So when we have people that want to do something to the seabed that may be disruptive in some way, it is really important that we have these boards of inquiry to look at the potential implications or things that may happen because of it. So it\u2019s important that the taxpayer doesn\u2019t foot this bill\u2014that it is a user-pays system when it comes to this. So I\u2019m not going to go on for any longer. I just wish to say I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000483\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002226b88bf1-f634-40e7-8019-e75cc483ace7\u0022\u003EBill read a second time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022\u003EBills\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000484\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022d5e73773765242be8303cc95f5bf6525\u0022\u003EMaritime Powers Extension Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000485\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022269f67f0b18e4ae1ae4f658bc2c4af7c\u0022\u003EFirst Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022073496a0-73b7-426f-97f8-916bd542b0fa\u0022 data-id=\u0022099c8d5a8efc47ea8aa6830365e0b222\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000486\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022073496a0-73b7-426f-97f8-916bd542b0fa\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022099c8d5a8efc47ea8aa6830365e0b222\u0022\u003EHon MEKA WHAITIRI (Minister of Customs):\u003C/span\u003E E Te M\u0101ngai o Te Whare, t\u0113n\u0101 koe, otir\u0101, e ng\u0101 mema katoa, t\u0113n\u0101 t\u0101tou katoa. I move, That the Maritime Powers Extension Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee to consider this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000487\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022073496a0-73b7-426f-97f8-916bd542b0fa\u0022\u003EToday, high schools all up this country descend on Palmerston North to compete for the grand national title of secondary kapa haka. So, on behalf of this side, the Government, we extend our warm wishes to every single kapa, their tutors, their wh\u0101nau, and their supporters over these next few days in the very good electorate of Te Tai Hau\u0101uru and the general electorate of Palmerston North.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000488\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022073496a0-73b7-426f-97f8-916bd542b0fa\u0022\u003EBack to the bill, the Maritime Powers Extension Bill seeks to provide a domestic legislative framework for responding to drug-smuggling activity in international waters, beyond New Zealand\u2019s territorial seas. New Zealand may be a small country in terms of its land mass, but it is responsible for the security of a vast area of surrounding ocean. We have the world\u2019s fourth-largest exclusive economic zone, just to give an idea of the scale. Historically, this vast area of sea has acted as a barrier and protection from many of the ills and threats that affect other parts of the world. New Zealand has simply been too far away. In this regard, the tyranny of distance has served us well, but distance is no longer our friend when it comes to drug-smuggling.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000489\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022073496a0-73b7-426f-97f8-916bd542b0fa\u0022\u003EIn our long and often isolated coastline is our vulnerability. We can no longer rely on our geographical isolation as a deterrent. We have seen a marked increase in the number of smuggling operations taking place across the South Pacific over the past two years, including those targeting or implicating New Zealand. It is critical that our agencies have the tools to respond effectively to organised crime groups using ships on the high seas to bring drugs in large quantities to our part of the world, without impeding the legitimate movement of people, goods, and services.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000490\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022073496a0-73b7-426f-97f8-916bd542b0fa\u0022\u003EAustralia now has the legislative ability to intercept these shipments in international waters. New Zealand is increasingly likely to be seen as a softer target. The fact that illicit drugs tend to attract a high price in New Zealand also makes this country an attractive market. Currently, we have no law that explicitly makes smuggling drugs via international waters an offence in New Zealand. We have no legal framework that allows our Customs Service\u2014or any other agency, for that matter\u2014to take enforcement action against those who are involved in drug-smuggling on the high seas, 24 nautical miles out from our coastline, beyond our territorial waters and contiguous zone.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000491\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022073496a0-73b7-426f-97f8-916bd542b0fa\u0022\u003ENew Zealand is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. These conventions provide New Zealand with rights and obligations to supress the smuggling of illicit drugs in international waters. This bill would both address the gap in our legislative powers to deal with seaborne drug-smuggling and help us meet our international obligations under those United Nations agreements.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000492\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022073496a0-73b7-426f-97f8-916bd542b0fa\u0022\u003ESpecifically, this bill will give customs the statutory power to board, search, and, if evidence of offending is found, take necessary enforcement actions in respect of vessels in international waters beyond the contiguous zone in line with the powers that apply within New Zealand\u2019s contiguous zone. That will include, in certain circumstances, the power to seize the vessel itself. It will also make it an offence, under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, to knowingly be involved in an effort to smuggle drugs to or from New Zealand. It will also ensure that these powers can only be exercised where customs have reasonable cause to suspect that a ship is involved in drug-smuggling. Customs will work with other agencies, such as the New Zealand Defence Force, to exercise these powers far offshore from Aotearoa New Zealand. However, customs\u2019 new vessel, the Hawk V\u2014the launch of which I was fortunate enough to attend as one of my early official duties as customs Minister\u2014also bolsters customs\u2019 capability to enforce our powers at sea.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000493\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022073496a0-73b7-426f-97f8-916bd542b0fa\u0022\u003EI want to acknowledge the support of New Zealand First and the Green Party of Aotearoa / New Zealand for this bill. Collectively, we are committed to stopping the flow of illicit drugs that are causing lasting harm to New Zealand wh\u0101nau and communities. This bill provides an additional option for customs to disrupt and dismantle the networks that are responsible for these harms. I also would like to acknowledge the Hon Nicky Wagner and the Hon Tim Macindoe, who as previous Ministers of Customs provided their support during the early development of this bill. Thank you also to the Government departments and agencies who have assisted with the preparation of this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000494\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022073496a0-73b7-426f-97f8-916bd542b0fa\u0022\u003EIt is vital that our law enforcement agencies have all the tools available to combat drug-smuggling activities. As the risk of maritime smuggling is at its highest in the summer season, I think that we can all agree that there is a need to enact the bill as quickly as possible. I am therefore grateful for the support indicated by other parties and the chair of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee in making this happen. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022 data-id=\u002268fa46c08e334ababa6337cba9df4947\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000495\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002268fa46c08e334ababa6337cba9df4947\u0022\u003ESIMON O\u2019CONNOR (National\u2014T\u0101maki):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you very much, Mr Assistant Speaker. As I begin, I just want to acknowledge all those who have kindly turned out in the gallery from the National Party today to hear this speech. It\u2019s a bit of a surprise to me, but I\u2019m thrilled. Thank you very much, everyone!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000496\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022671c492077cf435c899d4f6bf5057cde\u0022\u003EHon Member\u003C/span\u003E: The good and the great!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000497\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bb9fdd5002c0484d8d6366ea27238860\u0022\u003ESIMON O\u2019CONNOR\u003C/span\u003E: The good and the great. No, in all seriousness, I will assure the House that in taking this call, I will end at the right time to enable Dan Bidois to make his maiden speech, and I am very much looking forward to that, as we have, welcoming him to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000498\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003EThis is a good piece of legislation, and I am very pleased to stand\u2014as the Minister Meka Whaitiri already knows, I acknowledge that the National Party will be supporting this bill in its first reading and, all things accepted, through the House. Look, as the chair of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee and also the National Party spokesperson for customs I\u2019m very aware of the import\u2014all puns intended\u2014of this bill and the powers that customs need.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000499\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003EMinister, thank you for the work that you have taken here, also acknowledging our former Ministers Tim Macindoe and Nicky Wagner\u2014they have worked hard in this portfolio, and you continue to do so.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000500\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003EAt the moment, it\u2019s ambiguous whether or not the New Zealand Customs Service has authority and jurisdiction to intercept and interdict vessels in international waters. It\u2019s very clear that customs can board and seize vessels inside New Zealand\u2019s territorial waters, arguably even into our exclusive economic zone, but beyond that it is not clear. I think, fundamentally, what this bill is seeking to do is to stop any particular legal challenge that might come if New Zealand was to try and enforce what we believe to be our current laws around this. So this tidies things up. It makes things very specific that New Zealand will have the rights to board, to search, and, where needed, to hold ships that are bringing contraband into our country.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000501\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003EReally importantly, it once again aligns New Zealand with our international obligations. It\u2019s no surprise to anyone who sits on the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee that we have a numerous number of treaties. We\u2019ve been looking at a number of them of late, but these ones are particularly around the law of the sea\u2014what\u2019s often known as UNCLOS, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. We have signed up to that, and the long and the short of that is that New Zealand, as a responsible international player, seeks to ensure that drug trafficking is minimised in the world. So I suppose, put in a different way, it\u2019s not really simple for us to just await the drugs to arrive at our border and to try and interdict them there. We have a responsibility, and rightly so, to work with our international partners in international waters\u2014and importantly too. In fact, there are customs officials working in overseas countries who look right from the source of supply. And, really importantly, and I think most in the House would already know or understand this, a lot of the drugs, while they are coming out of Asia, are actually coming from North America as well. Canada I believe is a relatively popular spot. So we are working with those countries as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000502\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003ELook, the scourge of drugs\u2014and this is not going to be a long anti-drug element\u2014is a major problem. But, really importantly, it\u2019s the precursors which are coming into New Zealand which are of particular concern at the moment. A couple of weeks ago, I had the good pleasure of being able to take the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee members to visit the New Zealand Customs Service, particularly in their Auckland base, and it was good to talk to the officials and leading officers there about the work that they are undertaking. One of the most notable elements is around precursors, which are being brought in for drug manufacture, particularly for MDMA, or what we would know as ecstasy\u2014sorry, I don\u2019t want to presume that members here would know what\u2019s that\u2019s about; I don\u2019t want them to perjure themselves in the House, privileged or otherwise. But working on these precursors is relatively important and, if I might, I will acknowledge those officials, who now have a successful prosecution for that diamant\u00E9 horse\u2019s head\u2014a major drug-smuggling there. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000503\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003ESo important work is ongoing. Customs, though, needs greater powers, and I think from the National Party\u2019s side\u2014the Opposition side\u2014we are keen to support this. One thing we will be looking at very carefully is how these powers can be used. It probably goes without saying that we, as a Parliament, will not just want to give unfettered powers to the Customs Service, regardless of the good work they do, but unfettered powers for them to interdict ships in international waters is a substantial power that they will be given. We will look closely at the regulations in this bill. We\u2019ll also want to be very clear of how that is reported back, both to the Parliament but also to the Minister, to understand when it\u2019s used. I suppose the fundamental element when great powers are given is that we also expect quite a high level of responsibility as well in that regard. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000504\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003EImportantly, this bill doesn\u2019t sit alone. It is working on a range of legislation that has been passed of late, and particularly by the former National Government. We had worked quite hard as a Government to increase the powers and influence of customs to make sure they protect the borders. I should probably add within that\u2014and quite importantly\u2014something which came through when the select committee was visiting the Auckland Airport side of things, which is that our customs is not simply working on stopping drugs coming into the country. You\u2019re also looking at elements such as objectionable materials, and I suspect too, when it comes to some of the international waters elements, it could be around people-trafficking as well. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000505\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003ESo I suppose the encouragement remains that we support the Customs Service in their work. They are keeping us safe through their efforts, and when they come to us\u2014in this case, in a request for a change of legislation to help their work\u2014we say yes, but we do it with caution, as I\u2019ve been saying. Bills like this provide enormous power to a Government agency, so in the select committee we\u2019ll be very interested to hear from, obviously, customs themselves to understand exactly what they\u2019re after, but I, for one, and certainly as the chair of the committee, will be very interested to see what safeguards are in place to ensure that those powers are carefully used. In particular, it\u2019ll be interesting, Minister, as to how they\u2019ll report back either to the Minister or to the Parliament around how those are used. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000506\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003ESo, fundamentally, we have a good bill here. As I say, it\u2019s something which needs clearing up. There\u2019s been too much ambiguity to date and I, for one, don\u2019t want to see the Customs Service exercising their current powers and then finding that challenged in the court, and some drug-smuggler is let off on a technicality. I think it\u2019s also fundamentally important that we respect the United Nations. If we\u2019re going to sign up to these treaties, then we need to make sure that we put them into our domestic law as quickly as possible. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000507\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003EBut look, as a politician and certainly as a National Party member, I do believe in trying to keep my word. I think, I say to the whips, I have managed to maintain\u2014in fact, the clocks are broken\u2014about the eight or nine minutes required, but I also promised that we wouldn\u2019t keep talking. We wouldn\u2019t keep talking to\u2014even despite what the Speaker might be indicating to me, I won\u2019t keep chewing into Dan\u2019s\u2014[Interruption] They want me to keep going for two\u2014[Interruption] Oh, good Lord! Oh, all right. All right. Well, this is a good insight for people watching at home into how this Parliament works. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000508\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003EReturning to the bill in this last one minute and 40 seconds, look, UNCLOS\u2014there\u2019s always a problem with using acronyms. Look, it\u2019s the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Now I\u2019m sure that has just brought an amazing insight into a number of people in this House, but the other one we haven\u2019t talked about is another\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000509\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bb4e48c3f624403491d740dd538dd7e0\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: How many members? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000510\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002267ca1a7c36524d539db9356abb25ae13\u0022\u003ESIMON O\u2019CONNOR\u003C/span\u003E: Well, actually, there\u2019s not enough members at UNCLOS, but the other one is the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. Obviously, narcotics are well understood to us\u2014not, I\u2019m sure, by practical experiences\u2014but the psychotropic side of things is more those which are going to have an effect on your mental state. So the likes of ice\u2014or meth, as we know it\u2014falls into that. The upcoming scourge that\u2019s coming\u2014not, fortunately, to New Zealand at the moment, but it\u2019s harassing America\u2014is the use of fentanyl. That would strike itself more as a narcotic, but that\u2019s our response to the United Nations Convention Against the Illegal Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000511\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003ESo, again, I suppose the fundamental element is that this bill in the name of Minister Whaitiri is an opportunity for us to align ourselves appropriately to our UN resolutions and to make sure\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000512\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022610de356d9844cfa8f9d6e543cd94954\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Order! \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000513\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f3d63769c5b840ba97ec480aeee4ef5a\u0022\u003ESIMON O\u2019CONNOR\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014that this speech concludes in good order and time. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022 data-id=\u0022d282c9b6179343108a5433a91dc30fd6\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000514\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d282c9b6179343108a5433a91dc30fd6\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you. The member will have a few seconds next time the bill comes up.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000515\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003EDebate interrupted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000516\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022e3b86c564fe94767b23e67f0f85a678c\u0022\u003EMaiden Statements\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000518\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022e0212ba9f2d145f89f8e28b03ef55f15\u0022\u003EMaiden Statements\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022 data-id=\u0022f14c2e5fef9048c6921509400469f11d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000517\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022f14c2e5fef9048c6921509400469f11d\u0022\u003EDAN BIDOIS (National\u2014Northcote):\u003C/span\u003E T\u0113n\u0101 koutou katoa. Ko Tainui te waka. Ko Waikato te awa. Ko Ng\u0101ti Maniapoto te iwi. Ko Ng\u0101ti Huiao te hap\u016B. Ko Kakepuku te maunga. Ko Te Kauae te marae. Ko Michael Bidois t\u014Dku p\u0101p\u0101; n\u014D Hangatiki t\u014Dku p\u0101p\u0101. Ko Leah Harding-Bennett t\u014Dku m\u0101m\u0101; n\u014D Hokianga t\u014Dku m\u0101m\u0101. Ko Dan Bidois ahau. N\u014D reira, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou katoa.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000519\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003E[Greetings to all. Tainui is my canoe. Waikato is my river. Ng\u0101ti Maniapoto is my tribe. Ng\u0101ti Huiao is my kinship group. Kakepuku is my mountain. Te Kauae is my marae. My father is Michael Bidois; he hails from Hangatiki. Leah Harding-Bennett is my mother; she is from Hokianga. I am Dan Bidois. Therefore, greetings to all.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000520\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003EToday, I rise in the House for the first time to speak on behalf of the people of Northcote. I\u2019m here as the result of a by-election that was held on 9 June, after the departure of the Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman, a man who held this seat for 13 years, with nine of those as a Cabinet Minister. On behalf of the people of Northcote, I wish to thank Jonathan for his service to the Northcote electorate. I wish to thank the people of Northcote for their support and confidence in me. It\u2019s truly an honour to be your representative in this House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000521\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003ETo the National Party\u2014in particular, party president, Peter Goodfellow; leader, Simon Bridges; Paula Bennett; Alastair Bell, Andrew Hunt, David Patterson, the Young Nats; the delegates that chose me as their candidate; all of the volunteers and staff who helped out on our campaign; and to the Northcote electorate executive\u2014thank you for your dedication, for your support, and for your encouragement. I am indebted to you all. To the departing member of the Northcote electorate executive, Gavin Cook, thank you for your service to our party over the 40-plus years that you have been in the position, and to your wise counsel offered to me in the past few months. To my family\u2014Mum, Dad, Wayne, Fleur, Chontelle, and Rob\u2014thank you for your ongoing support for my often crazy and unconventional endeavours.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000522\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003ENorthcote is the hidden gem of Auckland and an area that I could not be more proud to represent, with its diversity, collective aspirations, entrepreneurial spirit, and strong sense of community and identity. What began as a place with only a handful of settlers in the early 1800s developed into a fast-growing, ambitious, and compact electorate, especially after the construction of the Auckland Harbour Bridge in 1959. Today, the tight-knit communities of Birkenhead, Glenfield, Beach Haven, Birkdale, Chatswood, Hillcrest, and Northcote continue to thrive.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000523\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003EThe proximity of Northcote to downtown Auckland attracts many young professionals and aspirational families to the electorate. It is a diverse electorate in terms of ethnicity, socio-economic groups, professions, and generations. And yet despite this diversity, the people of Northcote share some common threads; they are hard-working, entrepreneurial, and family-orientated. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000524\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003ELike many other parts of Auckland, Northcote has its fair share of challenges. With the scale and pace of growth on the North Shore over the past 20 years and in the foreseeable future, investment in key infrastructure such as public transport, schools, healthcare services, car parks, and sporting grounds have yet to match this growth. Congestion is a big problem for many in my area, and the apex of this congestion is Onewa Road, the main arterial route to the CBD. I\u2019m committed to ensuring that Northcote gets its fair share of investment to manage these challenges and to being vocal on all matters, local and national, which impact the people of Northcote.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000525\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003EI come from a place far removed from this House, both literally and figuratively. At nine months old, I was lucky enough to be adopted into a humble, working-class family. My parents are small-business owners. My dad drives trucks and my mum is a saleswoman. They didn\u2019t grow up with much, yet they made a better life for themselves through hard work, personal responsibility, and private enterprise.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000526\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003ETwo women shaped my life views in particular: my late grandmother, Millicent, and my mother, Leah. Millicent grew up poor in Hokianga and was widowed at 35 with two young daughters after her husband, Bill Harding, died from an injury that he sustained during World War II. A devout Catholic, she never remarried or dated and instead dedicated the next 60 years of her life to raising her two children and to helping to raise my siblings and I.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000527\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003EMy interest in politics stems from my grandmother Millie. She was a staunch National Party supporter ever since her local MP, Sir Robert Muldoon, helped her into a State house in Glen Innes in the 1960s. Surviving on only a modest widow\u2019s pension, having access to a State house meant that she could dedicate herself full time to raising her two children and, later on, to helping to raise my sisters and I. She was a person of deep contrasts\u2014for example, even though she was a National supporter, she did have a soft spot for Winston. I guess none of us are perfect. And even though she was poor, M\u0101ori, and doing it rough as a widowed mum, she believed in personal responsibility and freedom of choice. She believed in a hand up, not a hand out. Her values became my values, and I know that she would be most proud to see her grandson serve in the House today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000528\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003EThe other woman was my mother, Leah, who attended boarding school in the electorate that I now represent. My mother faced her fair share of challenges ever since she adopted me, from taking care of a sick baby, later dealing with a troubled and misbehaving kid, watching her son battle cancer, struggling with a separation, and raising three children. I\u2019m inspired by the grit and determination my mum displayed to rise above her challenges and provide for her family. And she worked hard, at one stage holding down eight different jobs in order to make ends meet. My mother\u2019s story is indicative of the promise of living in New Zealand: that anyone can get ahead and make a better life for themselves and their family if they work hard and they have the determination to follow through.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000529\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003EDespite this loving family, I was far from a role model growing up. I spent most of my high school years either in detention, chasing girls, or getting into mischief. I was probably on the pathway to prison if it weren\u2019t for an intervention my high school principal made, which changed my life for ever. My high school principal convinced a local butcher next to my high school to take me on as a butcher\u2019s apprentice. Through this job, I developed discipline, customer service skills, discovered the joys of earning a pay cheque, and later discovered my passion for economics. After completing a butcher\u2019s apprenticeship, I was mentored by a senior leader of Woolworths to go to university and ended up with three degrees in economics, marketing, and commerce from the university, before later completing a fourth degree in public policy at Harvard University.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000530\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003EThat a high school dropout can later graduate with a Master\u2019s degree from Harvard University speaks to the promise of growing up in a free and equitable country like New Zealand, where any kid, no matter where they come from, whatever their skin colour, or what school they attend can succeed if they have the determination, the aspiration, and the work ethic to do so. New Zealand is one of the few places where this story is even possible, and it\u2019s this aspect of our society which I seek to uphold and strengthen.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000531\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003EAn upwardly mobile society based on merit and equal opportunity is the endeavour that brings me into this House today\u2014where every Kiwi kid has the opportunity to reach their potential and fulfil their God-given talents; where every Kiwi kid receives a great start in life through education and gets ahead through private enterprise.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000532\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003ELike all of you, I\u2019m here today because I want to improve the lives of New Zealanders and improve the social, economic, and environmental future of this great nation. But New Zealand\u2019s future success first and foremost depends on creating a vibrant, dynamic, and knowledge-based economy, for it is only through a strong economy that we\u2019re afforded the opportunity to strengthen our environment and address our social issues.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000533\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve always believed in the power of free and competitive enterprise to transform lives and lift all of our communities to a better place in life. It certainly worked for me, from working for $6 an hour as a butcher\u2019s apprentice, then as a strategy consultant with Deloitte, then as an economist at the OECD, and most recently as a senior executive for Foodstuffs. It\u2019s also worked for my family, from seeing my parents work their guts out to get ahead and from seeing my older sister\u2019s struggle from pay cheque to pay cheque. Through my life and through the life of my family, I\u2019ve witnessed the engines of economic growth in our society and its ability to reward hard work, incentivise people, and, ultimately, improve lives.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000534\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003EYes, saving rates, interest rates, unemployment rates, real GDP growth rates, and bond yields are all important measures of economic progress at the macro level. But, more importantly, a strong economy is about individuals: the young kid who\u2019s employed and earning money instead of roaming the streets looking for trouble; the father who takes pride in the fact that he is providing for his family and ends each day with a sense of accomplishment; the disabled person who feels included in society and that they are contributing to something larger than themselves; and the single mother who feels empowered, free, and independent, and is able to provide for her children.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000535\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003EI am proud to be a member of the National Party: a party that backs Kiwi businesses and strives for a strong economy first and foremost, where everyone can get ahead and improve their lot in life; a party that favours free, competitive enterprise, where Government sets the rules of play and then just gets out of the way.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000536\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003EMy time overseas, living and working in America, France, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Malaysia, gave me an immense appreciation for having grown up in this country. It made me proud to call myself a New Zealander, and it also gave me the opportunity to reflect on some of the great challenges that our nation faces in the coming years: climate change; rapid advances in automation and artificial intelligence; a population that\u2019s getting older and living longer; a shifting centre of geopolitical and economic power from the West to the East; and accelerating globalisation that\u2019s calling into question the role of the nation State. Responding effectively to these challenges and opportunities will determine whether our great nation endures or declines. This is going to be a monumental task, but I relish the opportunity to play a small part of this effort.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000537\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003EI\u2019m positive that New Zealand can and will rise to the challenges we face to prosper well into the next century, provided we take a long-term perspective to policy development and effectively capitalise on our natural advantages as a nation. We are small enough to be nimble and agile in our policy responses. We are not straddled by the chains of history; we are young and forward-looking as a nation. We dare to dream big and we are not afraid of rolling up our sleeves and mucking in.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000538\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003EI\u2019m immensely proud to call myself a New Zealander and to call this place home. I\u2019m proud to represent the people of Northcote in this House in what is the best part of Auckland to live in and raise a family. And I\u2019m proud to be a member of a party that unashamedly backs Kiwi businesses and entrepreneurs to show us the better pathway to a better life.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000539\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003EThere\u2019s a M\u0101ori proverb that says that a person with a narrow vision sees a narrow horizon, while a person with a wide vision sees a wide horizon. The horizon I see for New Zealand is positive, full of economic opportunities for our kids and their kids, and prosperous. It\u2019s my purpose in this House to ensure that the people of Northcote are included in this horizon and that our nation\u2019s actions reflect these aspirations.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003ET\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou katoa.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000541\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003E[Applause]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000542\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003EWaiata\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000543\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003ESitting suspended from 6 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022\u003EBills\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000544\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022fe731a5a927247fcb73b0aa5d79b0999\u0022\u003EMaritime Powers Extension Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000545\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022c715b7dfe91140a196a46dcbb0f5f7fa\u0022\u003EFirst Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000546\u0022\u003EDebate resumed.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022 data-id=\u00222c4faaba98ea46aaa557dbb76230f208\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000547\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222c4faaba98ea46aaa557dbb76230f208\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON (Minister of Employment):\u003C/span\u003E Kia ora, kia ora, Madam Deputy Speaker. Tuatahi, e tika ana ki te maumahara t\u014D t\u0101tou rangatira k\u0101tahi an\u014D kua hinga, te p\u0101p\u0101 a Shane Jones, Munro Peter Jones. N\u014D reira e te p\u0101p\u0101, kei te m\u014Dhio m\u0101tou t\u014D \u0101hua, ko koe te pukumahi i ng\u0101 w\u0101 katoa. N\u014D reira e te p\u0101p\u0101, moe mai, moe mai, a moe mai r\u0101. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000548\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003EKa nui t\u0113n\u0101, ka nui t\u0113nei w\u0101 hoki ki te mihi ki a Dan Bidois m\u014D tana k\u014Drero \u0101taahua i t\u0113nei r\u0101, n\u014D reira t\u0113nei te mihi ki a ia me tana wh\u0101nau i t\u0113nei r\u0101, n\u014D reira ki a koutou Te R\u014Dp\u016B N\u0101hinara, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou. Ng\u0101 mihi ki a koutou.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000549\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003E[Kia ora, kia ora, Madam Deputy Speaker. Firstly, it is only proper to remember our recently deceased chief, the father of Shane Jones, Munro Peter Jones. Therefore, sir, we know what you were like: hard-working all the time. Therefore, sir, rest in peace.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000550\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003EEnough of that, and this time is also important to congratulate Dan Bidois for his lovely speech today, so I acknowledge him and his family today, therefore to you the National Party, greetings. Greetings to you all.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000551\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003EKia ora, Madam Deputy Speaker. I just wanted to acknowledge, first and foremost, our colleague and friend Shane Jones for the loss of his father in the last day. I was just doing a mihi to him and the wh\u0101nau and wishing them all the best in the North. I\u2019m sure everyone in the House would support that. I also, just before continuing on, wanted to mihi to the young man Dan Bidois, who did a tremendous speech. He did a good job here today. I think he is a role model for M\u0101ori; it\u2019s just a shame he chose the wrong party to represent. But well done to him and to his wh\u0101nau today. Those are always special moments.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000552\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003EI mention Shane Jones because Shane Jones is so anti-drugs\u2014anti-drugs. This Maritime Powers Extension Bill is all about stopping the drug dealers coming into the country. We\u2019re seeing international crime groups targeting New Zealand by smuggling large quantities of illicit drugs into the country. So this bill is needed to give authorities the powers to act outside our territorial waters. This will allow customs officials to intercept mother ships. They sit outside the 24-nautical mile zone with a supply of drugs and they send in smaller boats to try and smuggle their rotten cargo ashore.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000553\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003EOur country\u2019s become more and more appealing for these drug-smugglers who don\u2019t care about communities\u2014don\u2019t care about the communities that Shane Jones represents in the North. Why the Hon Shane Jones is so vigilant in this area is because we have had our communities ravaged by these drug dealers. Sadly, we see intergenerational drug use along with intergenerational unemployment. We see it in the North. I\u2019ve seen it myself in South Auckland. So it\u2019s time that we get a strategy together, and that\u2019s what this bill\u2019s all about.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000554\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003ESo I want to congratulate our Minister Meka Whaitiri on her vigilant work. Part of the reason why she does this is because she knows the type of damage that drugs and drug dealing can cause in M\u0101ori communities, particularly communities that she represents in the Ikaroa-R\u0101whiti. So I say well done to her. Also well done to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee, who sat on this, led by Simon O\u2019Connor over there, who went on and on and on before the Dan Bidois speech. Well done to our select committee\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000555\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002275a05f96-2474-4c90-a6ea-cf7b5798e03e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221bac736d35ab4dbaa7342b479b55a620\u0022\u003EHon Ruth Dyson\u003C/span\u003E: Excellent speech!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000556\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b91f88eaf9dc4759946de7ef2f9f0afa\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you very much\u2014for moving this through, but the essence of this is to protect our communities and you cannot doubt that\u2014a structure of support for our customs people, a strategy in place to stop those dirty, rotten drug dealers. We\u2019re talking about $1.8 billion in social harm that\u2019s happening annually, and this includes police involvement, courts, and prison beds. So, 45,000 Kiwis receive support each year to reduce their alcohol and drug use. We are now on the way in terms of turning that around, all thanks to this Government. So I have no hesitation in recommending this bill to the House. Kia ora.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022 data-id=\u0022085442eeec6548e68e5e1369b67acb39\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000557\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022085442eeec6548e68e5e1369b67acb39\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019ll just point out to the member resuming his seat that it is actually a first reading. It hasn\u2019t yet gone to the select committee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022 data-id=\u0022168f6230c1ab422a8717d07ff7682e06\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000558\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022168f6230c1ab422a8717d07ff7682e06\u0022\u003EKANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI (National):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for your contribution also. I was about to throw a point out that the Hon Willie Jackson is on the second reading of this bill, and the rest of the House is on the first reading, so that shows how much involvement we have got from the Ministers. So that was a really, really good contribution, Hon Willie Jackson. I really appreciated it. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000559\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003EBefore I go further, I would like to acknowledge the contribution of our newest member, Dan Bidois. He did very well, and I hope he will have a very long innings in this House. Whereas Hon Willie Jackson said that he was in the wrong party, I think he is in the right party, because whatever he did, that is what is expected from a National Party member. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000560\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003EI would also like to pay my condolences to the Hon Shane Jones on his father\u2019s passing away. I hope that when we see him, we will do it in person also. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000561\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s my privilege to stand in the first reading of the Maritime Powers Extension Bill and support it during the first reading. As the previous speaker from our party, Simon O\u2019Connor, mentioned, we will be supporting this bill through the first reading and the process, and, hopefully, during the select committee there will be some more changes. I would also like to acknowledge the Hon Nicky Wagner and the Hon Tim Macindoe for their contribution to this bill, which was developed during their leadership. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000562\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003EWe live in a country which we feel is a fortunate opportunity for us. It is a neat and clean place to live in and to welcome our tourist guests with open arms. Some of these people who want to enter New Zealand through our various ports of entry have malicious intentions. Due to these bad intentions, over the years there has been a rapid increase in the number of attempts to smuggle drugs into New Zealand. The New Zealand Customs Service does a good job to stop that and they have a mandate to stop harm to New Zealanders. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000563\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003EThe New Zealand Customs Service plays an important role in this. We want to ensure that New Zealand takes all steps possible to make it harder for the global criminal groups to target New Zealand. We know that each year, the use of illicit drugs, particularly methamphetamine, is estimated to cost New Zealand $1.8 billion in social harm. The criminal networks don\u2019t care about the devastating effects of these drugs. They are motivated by greed and a relatively high price in New Zealand, and they are getting more sophisticated. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000564\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003ECustoms is seeing more and more importation of these drugs, and the number of attempts to smuggle these drugs has increased in recent years. Last year, it is estimated customs did a great job in stopping these drugs. It is estimated that more than a tonne of methamphetamine was prevented from being imported into New Zealand, and the street value of that drug was around a billion dollars. In 2015, the seizure of these drugs almost tripled, with customs and police intercepting 293 kilos compared to 105 kilos in 2014. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000565\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003EKeeping methamphetamine off our streets and away from our communities was a big priority for the National Government. That\u2019s why we were taking the initiative to make sure that this bill went through as soon as possible. Most importantly, these seizures have protected our families and the wider community from a considerable amount of potential harm. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000566\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003EWe hope that this bill progresses as soon as possible and that it stops such importation and gives the authority to customs to work in international waters so that we can intercept such consignments coming through to New Zealand. I commend this bill to the House. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022 data-id=\u0022ea6e52cbb7434451b2abce2ed6353674\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000567\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ea6e52cbb7434451b2abce2ed6353674\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Just before I call the next member, I\u2019ll just point out to members that the time isn\u2019t working. So we\u2019ll go back to the old-fashioned way in which I\u2019ll ring a bell at two minutes. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002207dc4112-8a19-4dd6-a57c-878b47f8a9b6\u0022 data-id=\u0022da36f95dea6a4a8898947df8c3bb680d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000568\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002207dc4112-8a19-4dd6-a57c-878b47f8a9b6\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022da36f95dea6a4a8898947df8c3bb680d\u0022\u003EHon RON MARK (Minister of Defence):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Look, it\u2019s a pleasure to be able to speak on behalf of New Zealand First on the Maritime Powers Extension Bill. I know that\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000569\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002203fd985b-4fb8-4111-ba38-5033a254d962\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a401152386314b2cb92499f1c303f942\u0022\u003EBrett Hudson\u003C/span\u003E: The old sea dog, Ron Mark.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000570\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022094b0ff4-e404-451b-b4a9-ad12bd4dee56\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225855bef5188b496fb8004af98d175015\u0022\u003EStuart Smith\u003C/span\u003E: Are the P-8s on the way, Ron?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000571\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002207dc4112-8a19-4dd6-a57c-878b47f8a9b6\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002246c8259d34bd499c87d4888cf7b09b05\u0022\u003EHon RON MARK\u003C/span\u003E: It was a good dinner, was it? It shows. It\u2019s an interesting bill\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000572\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002241146229-4d11-415b-a4ac-f4e2b923e95d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228f195acfc96c413fb807ab671c7e3c9a\u0022\u003EHon Christopher Finlayson\u003C/span\u003E: Yeah, like your leader after lunch.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000573\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002207dc4112-8a19-4dd6-a57c-878b47f8a9b6\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002253d7ecc276e947feb4c2691f3bc81a5a\u0022\u003EHon RON MARK\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014because I know the reasons and the rationale behind the bill, a bill that was put together under the Hon Chris Finlayson\u2019s Government\u2014and he\u2019s obviously enjoyed dinner as well. I\u2019ve got to say of young Mr Bidois, knowing some of his family: it\u2019s good to see him here.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000574\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002207dc4112-8a19-4dd6-a57c-878b47f8a9b6\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s an interesting bill, and it doesn\u2019t surprise me that most of the focus in the debate thus far has been around what I would describe and New Zealand First would describe as the scourge of drug trafficking and the methodology by which international drug traffickers seek to get their wares into New Zealand. We know\u2014the documentation and the papers are all very clear\u2014that one of the reasons we\u2019re seeing an upswing in the illegal importation into New Zealand of illicit drugs and their precursors is because of the profitability. The National Party, more than any party in this House, understands the market forces, or says it understands the market forces, and if you look into that sort of philosophy, it\u2019s easy to understand why drug barons, drug lords, drug traffickers see some lucrative gain to be harvested here in New Zealand by peddling their wares amongst our vulnerable.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000575\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002207dc4112-8a19-4dd6-a57c-878b47f8a9b6\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s an easy argument to put up in support of this bill, and New Zealand First supports that, but, as the Minister of Defence, one of the things that concerns me is the fact that, for this bill to have effect, it needs an enabler. The enabler in this case is and always will be the Defence Force, particularly the men and women in the navy and in the air force.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000576\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002203fd985b-4fb8-4111-ba38-5033a254d962\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f1cc9d824ea54328ae9efc30b2d473ed\u0022\u003EBrett Hudson\u003C/span\u003E: Replace those Orions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000577\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002207dc4112-8a19-4dd6-a57c-878b47f8a9b6\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221b2f1fb54a4e4a1ca37fc943f5c7bc43\u0022\u003EHon RON MARK\u003C/span\u003E: Mr Hudson, I know\u2014he\u2019s commenting to me across the House, and that\u2019s because I know he understands maritime law. He\u2019s probably going to make a far better contribution on this bill than I will, because I do not profess to be an expert in maritime law, but I do know a little bit about the responsibilities that skippers, captains of warships, must bear, and the responsibility of ensuring that their crew, firstly, themselves do not contravene international law; secondly, that they do not jeopardise the safety of the vessel that they are in command of; and, thirdly, that they do not jeopardise the lives of their sailors, of the service personnel on board in the execution of their duty. I understand also that there is a line of authority that exists between the customs officers who are placed on board those vessels\u2014and let\u2019s be clear: the bill we\u2019re talking about empowers customs officers to exercise their authority, but from a naval vessel. The lines of authority are very clear and set down in international law, and it doesn\u2019t matter what the customs officer may think, what sort of intelligence that person may have, and what their aims or goals may be; the skipper of the vessel cannot breach the international laws of the sea.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000578\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002207dc4112-8a19-4dd6-a57c-878b47f8a9b6\u0022\u003EThe reason that this piece of legislation is important is because it gives the power for the skipper of the naval vessel to actually put aboard or to\u2014I think the naval term is to \u201Cvisit\u201D\u2014visit a foreign vessel that is believed to be engaged in illicit trafficking activities or illegal activities on a scale and a size that is recognised internationally and is specifically noted in the convention that this bill seeks to ratify.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000579\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002207dc4112-8a19-4dd6-a57c-878b47f8a9b6\u0022\u003ESo as the Minister of Defence, it concerns me that when we pass laws such as this, we are cognisant of the duties and responsibilities that we\u2019re now asking our naval personnel in particular to exercise and that what they have is the full toolbox of law on their side to enable them to assist customs to (1) pull alongside, (2) board or visit that foreign vessel, (3) search it, (4) detain the people on board, and (5), at worst, to confiscate\u2014either take into tow or take command of\u2014that vessel and return it back to New Zealand waters and to New Zealand authorities. Understanding the lines\u2014and I\u2019m really looking forward to the select committee looking into these questions to make sure that we\u2019ve got it covered off right, because this is a bill that started, for all the right reasons, under the previous National Government, which this Government is responsibly picking up and advancing. So it will be encouraging for me as the Minister of Defence to know the select committee has cast its eyes across these questions of legality to make sure that our Defence Force personnel are not jeopardised and that they are not short-changed in terms of their powers. So I\u2019m keen to see that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000580\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002207dc4112-8a19-4dd6-a57c-878b47f8a9b6\u0022\u003EEssentially, the key points that the law is going to address are the questions around the fact that the current international law doesn\u2019t provide for the right to visit vessels on the high seas\u2014that is, in international waters\u2014that one suspects of smuggling drugs unless they have flag-State consent. This bill provides that if one does have consent, or if the vessel doesn\u2019t have a flag\u2014and I\u2019ll get into that\u2014then one can not only board and take off the drugs but also prosecute under New Zealand law. This would require bringing the people to New Zealand, which is another question again, if that vessel has been apprehended, let\u2019s say, for argument\u2019s sake, just outside of the Fijian exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or just outside of, you know, Vanuatu\u2019s EEZ or maybe off the coast of the Horn of Africa.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000581\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002207dc4112-8a19-4dd6-a57c-878b47f8a9b6\u0022\u003ESo those are questions, and we know, from our operations that the navy\u2019s been engaged in to date, that New Zealand Defence Force personnel, particularly from our Royal New Zealand Navy, have been involved in some massive drug busts. I think there was one\u2014$235 million worth of drugs apprehended. Now, that was not actually just an operation involving our navy. That involved air force capabilities as well, which, I guess, brings me to the next point, and I\u2019d ask the House at this point in time, as we pass this first reading, to consider, going forward, what capabilities the Defence Force is going to require to do this sort of work. The combination of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, of a P3 or a P1 or a C Hercules or a P8 to do that sort of work, concurrently with a naval frigate or an offshore patrol vessel on the water, jointly staffed, manned, crewed by customs, police, and naval personnel, is what actually delivers the punch at the end and actually enables us as a nation to protect ourselves. So we have to have a capability. We have to have a capability that can deploy over long ranges and have that level of endurance, but we also must have the law that protects our personnel when they finally do make that decision.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000582\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002207dc4112-8a19-4dd6-a57c-878b47f8a9b6\u0022\u003EThe point to note in here is that if the vessel we\u2019re talking about in this legislation is unflagged, this law is quite clear: the skipper has the authority to put the customs police and his own crew aboard and to do what has to be done. Where the grey area is is when the vessel is flagged. At that point, the communications have to come from the skipper, back through joint force headquarters, and then out to the flag nation, where we are required to ask for consent to board. Now, all things being equal, if they\u2019re all signatories to this UN convention, they\u2019re going to give that consent. The question then becomes a little murky if they do not. We know there are many nations out there who are not too good when it comes to the corruption indices, who turn a blind eye to drug trafficking, and we\u2019re seeing quite a bit of that on the news lately with a certain particular nation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000583\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002207dc4112-8a19-4dd6-a57c-878b47f8a9b6\u0022\u003ESo I\u2019d just say to the House: I\u2019m looking forward to this bill coming back from the select committee, looking forward to the select committee giving some consideration to the legalities as they affect the navy, as they affect our skippers, who will be the ones held accountable for decisions that are made\u2014either rightly or wrongly\u2014as to whether or not there are gaps in the legislation, or whether there are some things that we just have to accept where the legislation and the Treaty don\u2019t quite go as far as we might well have liked. Fundamentally, at the end of the day, this is about protecting our nation, and it\u2019s about protecting our service personnel who will be doing this work.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022868f3a11-6a23-474f-a25e-6bc1d4c6e93f\u0022 data-id=\u002212ae19f728aa4a25a5b164f0156a60ef\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000584\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022868f3a11-6a23-474f-a25e-6bc1d4c6e93f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002212ae19f728aa4a25a5b164f0156a60ef\u0022\u003EHARETE HIPANGO (National\u2014Whanganui):\u003C/span\u003E It\u2019s quite timely that I am scheduled to follow the speech of our Minister of Defence. Before I do though, in taking this short call, I first of all acknowledge my colleague Dan Bidois in giving his maiden speech and well supported by his wh\u0101nau here today. Secondly, the last time that I spoke in this House was on the evening of the tragic seven-death car fatalities in my electorate of Whanganui, north of Waverley. So my thoughts again are with the grieving families as they\u2014the final passage of their loved ones. So this is the ebbing and flowing of life, and as grief washes over the families, I now turn to speaking and addressing the House on the Maritime Powers Extension Bill. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022868f3a11-6a23-474f-a25e-6bc1d4c6e93f\u0022\u003ESo the Minister of Defence has shared with us his insight and analysis of the bill. Just last evening, there was a gathering of many of us from here in the House, courtesy of the American ambassador, for the Fourth of July celebrations. I had the opportunity to reconnect again with Rear Admiral John Martin, chief of the Royal New Zealand Navy. At the time I didn\u2019t know that I\u2019d be speaking to the House on this bill. Had I, I would have addressed these issues, but I certainly acknowledge the Minister in terms of heeding the service and the regard that we have for our service personnel. This bill is very much about those who will be giving service on those surveillance vessels within the navy. I also seized the opportunity because last night I briefly met with the Chief of Defence Force on his first official appointment and occasion last evening\u2014Air Marshal Kevin Short. I make reference because, Aotearoa, we are a small nation, and these are the relationships that we have, and we are able to duly acknowledge each other for the contributions that we make.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000586\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022868f3a11-6a23-474f-a25e-6bc1d4c6e93f\u0022\u003EIn being a small nation, Aotearoa New Zealand has a vast, vulnerable, and exposed coastline. Our coastline is 15,000 kilometres; that is 9,300 miles. It\u2019s the ninth-longest in the world\u2014just a little bit of information there\u2014following behind Canada, Norway, Indonesia, Greenland, Russia, the Philippines, Japan, Australia, and the USA. So because of the expanse and vastness of this coastline, we are terribly exposed and vulnerable. Drugs are a plague and a scourge in our society. This is an area that\u2014having worked in the criminal law field, I know what a scourge it is, and it needs to be purged from our communities.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000587\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022868f3a11-6a23-474f-a25e-6bc1d4c6e93f\u0022\u003EThis Maritime Powers Extension Bill will enable\u2014picking up on the word \u201Cenable\u201D. A key focus is about preventing harm to those in our community. So this bill amends the Customs and Excise Act 2018, and also the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975. It has the following objectives: \u201Cto provide the New Zealand Customs Service \u2026 with an additional option to disrupt drugs smuggling.\u201D; also, \u201Cto establish clear jurisdiction over offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act\u201D.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000588\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022868f3a11-6a23-474f-a25e-6bc1d4c6e93f\u0022\u003ESo there was reference to the detail, which will be canvassed and scrutinised with keen eyes. Seated here in front of me is my colleague Chris Penk, who is a former naval officer of both the New Zealand and the Australian navies. My colleague Chris serves on the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee and will have a particular investment in terms of this and the service that he\u2019s given there.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000589\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022868f3a11-6a23-474f-a25e-6bc1d4c6e93f\u0022\u003ESo a key focus is about preventing harm and making it harder for transnational criminal groups targeting New Zealand. Many of us will recall that on the news\u2014I certainly do, very clearly\u2014there was an incident back in 2016, I believe, where\u2014Operation Frontier it was\u2014there was some 449 kilograms of methamphetamine that had been located in the back of a campervan, with a further 52 kilograms that were buried at Ninety-Mile Beach. There was another incident in February 2017 where a New Zealand - flagged yacht was intercepted off the Australian coast, just east of Sydney, with 1.4 tonnes of cocaine. Now, the fiscal value of that was $320 million, but it\u2019s about the value, and the scourge, and the imposition on the health and safety of our community.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000590\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022868f3a11-6a23-474f-a25e-6bc1d4c6e93f\u0022\u003ESo my call is short this evening. The detail will be scrutinised before our select committee before it comes back. I look forward to hearing speeches and addressing the House at the second reading. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022 data-id=\u002280a41852be6948f3ae972f262c1972c1\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000591\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002280a41852be6948f3ae972f262c1972c1\u0022\u003ELOUISA WALL (Labour\u2014Manurewa):\u003C/span\u003E T\u0113n\u0101 koe e Te M\u0101ngai o te Whare. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. Sorry, I\u2019ve lost my voice after last night, I\u2019m not sure why. Anyway, on this, the Maritime Extension Bill, on this, the first reading\u2014and I do so as a member of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee. Like my colleague Harete Hipango, I too want to talk about the context and the need for this piece of legislation. It really does stem from a 2015 Cabinet paper, and then a 2018 Cabinet paper that essentially has highlighted that it\u2019s true\u2014that 17,000 kilometres of New Zealand\u2019s coastline is providing a bit of a highway for drugs to come into our country.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000592\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022\u003EJust a bit of context out there: so, in 2015, we intercepted meth\u2014258 kilograms. It had a street value of $219.8 million, and ephedrine at that time was the other big player\u2014761 kilograms valued at $87.8 million. As Harete Hipango pointed out, in June 2016, 448 kilograms of meth valued at $438 million was found in a campervan in Northland. So this trade is growing and expanding, and it\u2019s growing and expanding here because we have the highest prices for cocaine and ecstasy in the world, which I find fascinating. So a gram of cocaine in New Zealand, based on the Global Drug Survey in 2018\u2014it\u2019s outrageous\u2014is $360. One pill of ecstasy costs $35. So, wow, what an amazingly lucrative business.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000593\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022\u003ESo where are these drugs coming from? Well, we know they\u2019re coming from Hong Kong, from Zhangzhou. They\u2019re also coming from Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia. These are based on reports from the United Nations and other international monitoring agencies. So the other interesting part of all of this\u2014and I didn\u2019t realise this, and I do and I should reference that this bill also incorporates New Zealand\u2019s rights and obligations under article 108 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and article 17 of the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances into our domestic legislation. In international shipping law, actually, vessels can seek shelter in New Zealand waters and bays and inlets without clearing customs. So that\u2019s a really interesting situation, I guess, that we find ourselves in.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000594\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022\u003ESo the intention of this piece of legislation is to make sure that our agencies, and namely\u2014as my colleague the Hon Ron Mark has highlighted\u2014those agencies, our Defence Force and our Customs Service, who will provide the vehicles that will patrol our waters, are going to help detect these illicit drugs. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000595\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022\u003EI also neglected to contribute the actual harm to New Zealand of these illicit drugs. We\u2019re talking about a social cost that\u2019s estimated at $1.8 billion in social harm annually. The Drug Foundation have said that that involves 45,000 New Zealanders who receive support for their drug and alcohol addiction. So that combined cost also looks at the investment by the police, by our courts, and by our prison beds. These illicit drugs actually are costing us a lot of money. So this legislation, I believe, and we obviously believe, is part of a solution to detecting these drugs while, hopefully, not just detecting but providing some sort of\u2014you know, with increased patrols maybe not so many people will get into the trade. So who knows? It may prove to be a deterrent. Time will tell. The reality of us having the vehicles out there on our waters patrolling an extension of our borders to make sure that these drugs do not enter our territory is incredibly important.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000596\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022\u003EI don\u2019t really want to speak for much longer. I don\u2019t think it\u2019s going to be valuable for the House\u2019s time for me to do that, but can I just say I look forward to hearing from the submitters and, actually, us quantifying a bit more the actual damage to our country through this trade, and us all working together to stop these drugs coming into New Zealand. I do have to read this because I did do a bit of research, but heroin apparently is coming mostly out of Afghanistan; cocaine from South America; and amphetamines from China, South-east Asia, West Africa, and the Americas. And the other context that we should all be really interested in is that drugs are also coming to New Zealand via the Pacific and from New Zealand to the Pacific and to Australia, but the countries where we we\u2019ve detected these illicit drugs have been Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and Timor-Leste. So, obviously, if we can stop the flow of those drugs we\u2019re also going to stop the impact on our Pacific brothers and sisters. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000597\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022\u003EWe know that there is an increasing drug problem in the Pacific. So this legislation isn\u2019t only relevant for us but it\u2019s also relevant for our Pacific Islands Forum nation partners, I\u2019ll call them, and I also want to highlight that. This also provides a really good opportunity for us to work with our Australian colleagues and other colleagues around our Asia-Pacific area so that we can work collectively to get this rubbish off our streets. Kia ora.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022 data-id=\u0022169d313a92ad45d99232329085bbb5d0\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000598\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022169d313a92ad45d99232329085bbb5d0\u0022\u003ECHRIS PENK (National\u2014Helensville):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity to rise and speak in this, the first reading of the Maritime Powers Extension Bill. I wish to make a relatively brief contribution focusing on the context of this proposed legislation, its purposes, and ways in which it can, hopefully, achieve the aims that it sets out to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000599\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EAs for the legislative context, we\u2019ve already heard on both sides of the House some good background regarding this, including that it will change our Customs and Excise Act and the Misuse of Drugs Act. I\u2019ll note only in passing that various colleagues have spoken eloquently on the scourge of drugs and the desire that we must have as a Parliament, and, indeed, as a nation, to reduce\u2014ideally eliminate, but, of course, at least reduce by every means possible\u2014their flow on to our shores.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000600\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EThe context of this legislation also includes the fact that we are a maritime nation, of course. While it might truly have been said that no man is an island\u2014or, perhaps, today we\u2019d say no \u201Cperson\u201D is an island\u2014New Zealand is, of course, a succession of islands and yet we\u2019re not an island in the sense of being isolated. It is very much in an international context that we will be passing this legislation; if indeed it does proceed all the way through beyond the select committee to a second and third reading. It will be precisely for the reasons that the member Louisa Wall has outlined in relation to those international conventions that we will be making these changes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000601\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EI think it\u2019s appropriate that the Minister of Defence has acknowledged the role that our Defence Force will be playing in implementing this legislation\u2014effectively, doing things that they already do so well but with certain additional powers. It will be entirely appropriate for the select committee, which I\u2019m very pleased and privileged to say I\u2019m a member of, to examine exactly how it is that they will be able to carry these out in accordance with international law, again, as Minister Mark has said, and also in accordance with rules of engagement that do give them the tools that they require to do exactly that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000602\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EI acknowledge as well the other agencies involved\u2014customs and police\u2014and in doing so it is, of course, the customs Minister, Meka Whaitiri, who is bringing this bill to the House. I acknowledge her and her work and that of her department so far. No doubt we\u2019ll work constructively with various advisers and, indeed, those who have drafted the bill at select committee along with those who will be making submissions in relation to seeing exactly what we can do by way of clarifying and strengthening the law so that it is fit for purpose.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000603\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003ESpeaking then of the purposes, it\u2019s been outlined already that the provision of the Customs Service with the opportunity to disrupt drug-smuggling will be important, as is the jurisdictional matter that has, again, already been touched upon in relation to clarifying the position of vessels that are not flagged, or maybe have different flagged or unflagged statuses, and are within and beyond our exclusive economic zone.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000604\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EBriefly, on the subject of protecting our shores and, indeed, our people from the harm caused by illicit drugs, the bill is reasonably careful, it seems to me already\u2014but, again, we can examine it to ensure that it remains as robust as it can and should be\u2014to set out that there will be reasonable cause to suspect that a drug-smuggling offence has been committed or is likely to be committed, and it is that forward-looking opportunity, that ability, that rather hefty tool in the tool kit of our various agencies that will be very important. So, again, it\u2019s exactly the parameters of that type of operation that will be significant to give to our respective services.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000605\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EAs well as the navy, I\u2019ll also mention the air force, as has already previously been acknowledged. On a slightly parochial note, it\u2019s no doubt various members of my electorate of Helensville, specifically the Whenuapai airbase and its residents, who will be conducting much of this good work. Also, on a parochial note, having had some background in the navy, I recall, perhaps on a light-hearted note, if I may, that we used to joke that the word \u201Cnavy\u201D was in fact an acronym for \u201Cnever again volunteer yourself\u201D, but I can assure you that the good men and women of the navy will be volunteering and happily carrying out their tasks to do such work as this because they know, as indeed we all know\u2014I hope, indeed the whole country knows\u2014how important this work is to support and to protect our people from the scourge of these drugs.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000606\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EMy final comment is just to note that setting out the purpose of the Act and referring specifically to those international conventions has a threefold purpose. One is that it makes the Act accessible in terms of showing exactly what it is that the Act is setting out to do. Second, in \u201Crelated purposes\u201D, that it will be an aid to interpretation so that we will see, hopefully, our lawmakers and those carrying out its provisions do so in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for example. Finally, it will also signal to the rest of the world\u2014again, going back to that point that New Zealand is not an island except in the geographical sense\u2014that we are ratifying and taking seriously and implementing those international obligations.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000607\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003ESo, with that, I join all members of the House, it seems so far, in commending the bill to the House and saying that I look forward to our work as a select committee in ensuring that it is fit for purpose.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022 data-id=\u002220d3cc4360424a41b76c07bbd4943451\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000608\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002220d3cc4360424a41b76c07bbd4943451\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: This next call is a split call and you\u2019ll get a bell at one minute. I call Jan Tinetti.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00229eef65cd-ce82-441c-af1b-954ea0782a04\u0022 data-id=\u0022c6e962aff43446d4803bd2638086ca6b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000609\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229eef65cd-ce82-441c-af1b-954ea0782a04\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c6e962aff43446d4803bd2638086ca6b\u0022\u003EJAN TINETTI (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Not being on the select committee where this bill is eventually heading to\u2014and it sounds like it will eventually be heading there after tonight\u2014I had to do a bit of research around this bill, more so than normal for me. So I thought what is this bill about? Is it just a little bill, the Maritime Powers Extension Bill? But then when I did my research I found that, actually, this is a really, really important bill that we\u2019re putting through here tonight in its first reading, because, as we\u2019ve heard here from every member that has spoken so far, we are a country that is in the midst of a drug epidemic.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000610\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229eef65cd-ce82-441c-af1b-954ea0782a04\u0022\u003EWhy I think it\u2019s so important for me personally is that we\u2019ve seen this\u2014more so probably than in a lot of places\u2014in the middle of Tauranga. Everywhere I go in Tauranga, one of the main issues that people talk to me about is the rise in the use of methamphetamine. People are really, really concerned about the access to the boats, the drugs coming in from the boats, and the spreading of that use of those particular drugs throughout the community. This was really brought home to us last year, in November, when there was a $20 million cocaine seizure. That was horrific for our community, to actually hear that that was so close to being distributed throughout our community, and had that happened it would\u2019ve caused significant destruction within our community.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000611\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229eef65cd-ce82-441c-af1b-954ea0782a04\u0022\u003EWe need to see, and we are seeing, a commitment from all sides of the House here to attack this issue from multiple angles, and that\u2019s what\u2019s so exciting: to see that people are on board with actually attacking this. The powers contained in this bill will make it harder to get illicit drugs into New Zealand. We need to do whatever we can to protect vulnerable people who use the drug. So it\u2019s about not just stopping the illicit drugs getting in but also protecting those vulnerable people, and on that I will commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022 data-id=\u00227da7937d6cd54893a84aa608b6558df7\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000612\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227da7937d6cd54893a84aa608b6558df7\u0022\u003ETIM VAN DE MOLEN (National\u2014Waikato):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. All right, now\u2014I\u2019m looking forward to this call, of course\u2014we\u2019ve seen that a number of the aspects that are relevant to this bill have already been traversed tonight, some in shorter calls than others, but tonight I just wanted to touch on a few of those aspects. Really, what we\u2019re looking at here is trying to provide greater flexibility to our fantastic men and women in customs to carry out the duties required of them in their roles\u2014in particular, protecting our borders from the transition of a broad array of illicit drugs coming in or going out of New Zealand. This is a scourge on our society, and we\u2019ve heard about that already somewhat this evening, but I just wanted to expand a little on that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000613\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve already got a vast array of laws under the Acts we\u2019ve heard about tonight, covering those obligations or options that customs can deploy, at their disposal, as necessary, within our territorial waters or in the contiguous zone further out\u2014again, another 12 nautical miles past those territorial waters. This bill is about expanding that and providing that flexibility to go beyond that, as necessary, to ensure that we can carry out those functions for any situation that is impacting on us in New Zealand, or has the ability to take these drugs offshore and provide further detrimental impacts in other nations. So I think it\u2019s really important that we do extend this to give that flexibility, because otherwise what we can see\u2014and at the moment we\u2019ve seen\u2014is a vast array of diverse manners in which drug traffickers are able to bring their products into New Zealand, or, indeed, look to take them out. So this provides that capacity to reach a little bit further, to capture them, perhaps, in staging areas outside zones that we\u2019re not currently able to reach into.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000614\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003EI\u2019d just like to take a moment to acknowledge the great work of the New Zealand Defence Force\u2014primarily the navy and, indeed, also the air force\u2014in supporting customs through this role. They do some fantastic work, and work that\u2019s nearly as good as the army! I have to put that plug in, of course, with some background in the army myself.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000615\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003ESo, look, the drugs are the issue here. It\u2019s about getting tough on crime, and that\u2019s a stance that, in the National Party, we have long supported. We\u2019ve seen, over a number of years now, and not just in New Zealand but internationally, an increase in the volume of drugs coming into different jurisdictions, and an increase in the ingenuity, perhaps, of members of the illegal drug trade looking to bring their product in with different innovative approaches\u2014and we\u2019ve already heard some of those tonight, during the debate, with the hauls that have been intercepted. So this is about trying to adapt, to evolve, and to ensure that we remain able to best respond to this ongoing threat to our society\u2014and, indeed, it is a significant impact on our society. You can look all around the country and, unfortunately, see the negative impact of drugs in our communities. I think every member here who represents an electorate would be able to agree with that and point to instances in their areas. Certainly in the Waikato we are not exempt, either, despite some of our areas being some of the most inland in New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000616\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003EThat aside, what we\u2019re looking at, just to recap here, is providing the additional discretion to operate outside current jurisdictional boundaries and to respond in an appropriate manner. Now, this is quite succinct, around seizure options, boarding vessels, to ensure that, actually, there is some restriction to what we\u2019re proposing when we\u2019re operating outside our boundaries, because that is important to give context and confidence internationally that we\u2019re operating in accordance with international law in this regard.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000617\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003EI think that\u2019s probably about enough on those aspects, but I just want to recap that we are here, really, trying to evolve and to adapt, to ensure that we can continue to provide the best options to our team and to customs to carry out their great work. And I\u2019d just like to finish on a wee trivia point if I may: customs was actually the first Government department in New Zealand, set up in 1840, actually\u2014around the time of the Treaty signing, I believe. So it was really interesting to see that as the first department. Here we are now, continuing to evolve, continuing to ensure their relevance and their ability to conduct their duties in a professional and succinct manner. So I commend this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022 data-id=\u002284a4299a5204433c942b8f8706f914bd\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000618\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002284a4299a5204433c942b8f8706f914bd\u0022\u003EGOLRIZ GHAHRAMAN (Green):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. It\u2019s a pleasure to get bills come through the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee and connect this Parliament to international law in that way, so I do look forward to hearing submissions on this bill. As others have said, this is a law that proposes to bring our domestic law and the powers that we have for monitoring this area in line with two UN conventions: article 108 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and article 17 of the UN Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000619\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003EIt is a technical bill, and it will amend the Customs and Excise Act and the Misuse of Drugs Act in a way that just extends the jurisdictional area of those two Acts. One of the things that was important for me to look into was that we weren\u2019t, in fact, substantively extending the powers to search. So I was pleased to see that the bill only proposes to extend the powers in terms of the geographic area and customs are still required to show a reasonable belief that one of the offences under their ordinary powers has been committed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000620\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003ESo in terms of search and seizure law, when that reasonableness standard is applied it means that there is an objective standard, where customs, just like New Zealand Police, would have to meet an objective evidential standard if they were tested, and the \u201Cbelief\u201D rather than \u201Csuspect\u201D\u2014all these words, very technical, but they do mean a lot in terms of the power to search. So I was concerned that we weren\u2019t allowing a broad power to just board vessels and search them based on, sort of, a hunch. But we are still upholding the rule of law in terms of search and seizure law at sea; we\u2019re just extending the geographic area, which is something that we have agreed to do in terms of doing our fair share to monitor an area of the sea in our neighbourhood\u2014essentially, in our Pacific neighbourhood\u2014based on our agreement in assenting to those UN conventions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000621\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003EAs others have said, this is something that will protect our Pacific neighbours who are being used, at the moment, as sort of transiting points for the dealing of drugs at sea and importation of some seriously expensive narcotic drugs, as we\u2019ve heard over and over again. So this is something that we know: if drug trafficking is happening in a country, it will give rise to other types of criminal activity as well, and our Pacific neighbours are vulnerable to that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000622\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003EWorking on the defence portfolio, I learn every day that a lot of the work of the New Zealand Defence Force is done in monitoring in the Pacific for things like fishing and environmental offences. So that\u2019s something that New Zealand is really active in, and this is extending that role for customs, which is important because we have those resources here, and we\u2019re going to be cooperating more with our Pacific neighbours and also with our Australian counterparts to keep the area safe.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000623\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003ESo we have heard over and over again that drugs cost New Zealand an estimated $1.8 billion in social harm annually. So it is important that we make sure that drugs aren\u2019t imported regularly into New Zealand and into the Pacific. It is something that we do need to invest in, but it is only part of a more nuanced approach, as we know this Government has to all criminal offending but especially to drug offending.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000624\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003EWe know from recent reports that came out in the annual reviews that the class A controlled drug methamphetamine is about to, this year, overtake its prevalence in our criminal justice system\u2014it\u2019s about to overtake cannabis. We\u2019re not just talking about possession of small amounts; the kind of methamphetamine offending that\u2019s coming up as being so prevalent as to take over cannabis is the supply, manufacture, and importation offending. This is a type of offending that has life imprisonment as its maximum penalty, and, regularly, we are sentencing people to imprisonment of up to 20 years, 18 years\u2014and that is enormously costly. Drugs, once they\u2019re imported into New Zealand, of course, then draw in all sorts of other counterparts to the offending that kind of disseminates drugs throughout the community, and our criminal justice system bears the brunt of that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000625\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s costly in terms of policing. It\u2019s costly in terms of the court system, which affects access to justice for victims of other types of offending. It is, in fact, one of the only criminal offences outside of homicide that our High Court hears any more. Everything else has been relegated down to the very busy District Courts because class A drug offending is now so prevalent. And it is costly in human terms. It\u2019s costly to our communities. It\u2019s costly to victims of addiction. It\u2019s one of those types of offences that have as their victims the actual user as well. So we know that this is happening, and this monitoring of our seas is part of the way that we\u2019re going to keep our communities safe but also our Pacific neighbourhood.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000626\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003EBut beyond that, I do want to highlight that this isn\u2019t the only kind of remedy that this Government will be looking to. We\u2019re not only going to be policing the seas, and we\u2019re not only going to be policing even within New Zealand. What we are going to focus on is addressing the causes of drug offending, which, actually, is the demand point. So we are going to invest in drug and alcohol addiction services and mental health services. We know drug addiction is often caused by more serious mental health concerns\u2014anywhere from anxiety to behavioural disorders to mental illness to brain injury, that cause people to become addicted\u2014and we\u2019re going to invest in addressing those causes of this type of offending as well as creating jobs and housing and all of those things that keep our communities connected enough that they don\u2019t fall prey to drug offending.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000627\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003EAs we do all of that, we are also committing to passing this rather technical bill that does that little bit which is actually incredibly important in terms of monitoring and controlling the transport and the dealing of drugs internationally. It is part of what we\u2019ve signed up to do. It is doing our fair share, so I am very pleased to commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022 data-id=\u0022878f8c75ab3a4ef5bd62b951102a4f39\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000628\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022878f8c75ab3a4ef5bd62b951102a4f39\u0022\u003ENICOLA WILLIS (National):\u003C/span\u003E I rise to speak on the Maritime Powers Extension Bill at this, its first reading, with National in support. Before I speak on this bill, I do want to acknowledge our new colleague Dan Bidois, who gave a wonderful maiden statement this afternoon, and it has been a pleasure to be able to celebrate his entry into the House\u2014and, in fact, to have Minister Ron Mark, as well, comment on the contribution he will make.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000629\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003EI, in speaking about this bill, also want to acknowledge former National Party Ministers\u2014in particular, Tim Macindoe and Nicky Wagner\u2014who had a hand in bringing this legislation to life. It is a sign of the goodwill of this House that we do have a tradition of this sort of legislation shifting from one Government to the other where it is to the benefit of New Zealand. If only Labour could see fit to do that with a few more bills which New Zealand could benefit from.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000630\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003ENow, what this bill does, of course, is empower the good people of the New Zealand Customs Service. It is very important that, where we have people who we are putting into enforcement roles on behalf of New Zealand, we ensure they have clarity over the powers they have, the jurisdiction in which they can use them, and the circumstances under which those powers are lawful. There is nothing worse than being someone in possession of powers that are vague or ambiguous, because this means that expectations are unclear and people aren\u2019t sure about what actions they can take. In this instance, the bill makes powers explicit, giving additional options to disrupt drug-smuggling, and establishing clear jurisdiction over offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000631\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003EIt goes without saying, and has been acknowledged by previous speakers, that drugs are a global issue. They\u2019re not an issue that New Zealand can overcome by acting alone; we have to act in cooperation with other nations. It\u2019s here that we see, in this bill, a very good working example of New Zealand being a member of a rules-based international order in which we seek to cooperate with other countries, through international conventions, to ensure that rules that are to the benefit of people across the world can be enforced.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000632\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003EIn reflecting on that, it\u2019s appropriate that we have come from a GLOBE-NZ conversation this afternoon, where we have had members of the House, across the Parliament, talking about how the international rules-based order applies when it comes to climate change legislation. Here we can see that, in New Zealand, we are giving effect to our rights and obligations under article 108 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Of course, that these conventions are in place and that we, as a good State actor, adopt them shows, I think, the relevance of the UN continuing throughout the world. Similarly, it allows for the adoption of article 17 of the UN Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances\u2014the drug-trafficking Act.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000633\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003ENow, of course, the reason this is necessary is that we have a difficult context, and it is good to hear the acknowledgment by the Greens speaking just now that drugs, illicit drugs, do considerable harm in our community. It is therefore to the dismay of us all, I am sure, that the number of attempts to smuggle drugs into New Zealand and past our maritime border have increased significantly in recent times. We know that behind these efforts are transnational criminal groups, and, of course, they are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their efforts to bring illicit substances into New Zealand. It\u2019s therefore appropriate that we update our law to ensure that, just as those criminal groups become more sophisticated, our enforcement agencies have clear and unambiguous jurisdiction with which to go against them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000634\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003ESo, with this bill, the customs agency has an enhanced tool kit that will allow them to fight against those international drug traders. The clear framework is really explicit about how customs can stop and in what circumstances, how they can board vessels and under what circumstances, and how they can search those vessels and then what enforcement actions they can take. And, of course, it\u2019s very important that those are set out in law so that there aren\u2019t questions after the fact about whether or not actions have been appropriate or not. The rules apply in both New Zealand\u2019s territorial waters and in our contiguous zone. Of course, they allow for reasonable cause to be established, and flag States have to have authorised the implementation of these laws.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000635\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003EIn a sense, we could say that this piece of legislation allows for more preventative action by the New Zealand customs agency, and that is because it allows our customs agents to respond before a ship has entered New Zealand\u2019s territorial waters. That\u2019s significant because having that made explicit means that customs can make better operational decisions about when enforcement action would best occur and most efficiently occur. Of course, the bill also allows for enforcement action to be taken after a vessel leaves New Zealand\u2019s waters, and, again, this is significant because, in some instances, evidence may only come to bear or become clear after a ship has left New Zealand\u2019s waters and after smuggling activity has occurred.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000636\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003ESo, ladies and gentlemen, we are in agreement across the House today, I think, that illicit drugs do considerable harm in our community. We want to reduce the amount of illicit drugs coming on to our shores. This bill empowers the good men and women of the Customs Service to take better enforcement action and makes New Zealand, once again, a good actor within the international rules-based order, and we commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022 data-id=\u00227d2d623ae8b74eb8807565b967739ea1\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000637\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227d2d623ae8b74eb8807565b967739ea1\u0022\u003EDr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour\u2014Christchurch Central):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to be the last speaker in this first reading. I don\u2019t want to go too much into the detail of the bill, but I do want to touch on the matter of\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000638\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d3b33016e8114a25a05baeeae3735aef\u0022\u003EHon Members\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, do it. Come on!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000639\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227b363c9b08724c57b9bc0deee6aa3011\u0022\u003EDr DUNCAN WEBB\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014I expected that kind of response. I want to talk about the principle underlying this bill, because it\u2019s a very important one. It\u2019s really a principle about freedom of navigation on the high seas. What this bill does is it, essentially, curtails freedom of navigation. It says, \u201CYes, everyone has freedom of navigation on the high seas, except in certain instances.\u201D I want to sound a word of caution, because freedom of navigation has been a pretty fundamental element of international law since it was first propounded by Hugo Grotius in 1609. The idea that trading nations can freely ply the seas is absolutely pivotal. What we have here is a recognition that trafficking in drugs, along with some other serious maritime offences, is an incursion into that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000640\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003EThe bill, as we\u2019ve heard Minister Mark explain, has some constraints\u2014the fact that a flag State must give consent for a vessel to be boarded\u2014but, nevertheless, what we have is an extension of sovereignty of one State on to the high seas. I\u2019m sure that, when this matter comes before the courts, as it inevitably will, that will be viewed with caution, that any extension of a power to encroach on this freedom of the high seas will be restrictively interpreted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000641\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003EThis is the interface between both the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. It\u2019s recognised in the UN convention that, firstly, there is freedom on the high seas, but that that is for peaceful purposes\u2014it is for navigation, for trade\u2014and that no State can exercise sovereignty on the high seas. However, that convention itself recognises that there are limits on that, in terms of piracy and also in terms of narcotics.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000642\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003ESo, really, all I want to do in this final contribution on this bill is to say that this is an important piece of legislation. We do absolutely want to confer these powers on our customs officers, in cooperation with other States, but let us also recognise the very high value of these ancient principles of navigation. On that basis, I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000643\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003EBill read a first time. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000644\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003EBill referred to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022\u003EBills\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000645\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00223c255bb552894a87ad2945eac5319605\u0022\u003EMilitary Justice Legislation Amendment Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000646\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002291ed91b46fcb49f4b643c6f82ea8afe5\u0022\u003ESecond Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000647\u0022\u003EDebate resumed from 28 June.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022 data-id=\u0022cae933ec734d4f20995b2800b814381e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000648\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022cae933ec734d4f20995b2800b814381e\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: When the House was considering the Military Justice Legislation Amendment Bill last time, Chris Penk had the call. He has nine minutes and 45 seconds remaining to speak.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022 data-id=\u0022de55ba03c52d4e2fab7aa37d56288c0f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000649\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022de55ba03c52d4e2fab7aa37d56288c0f\u0022\u003ECHRIS PENK (National\u2014Helensville):\u003C/span\u003E I look forward to resuming my contribution on the Military Justice Legislation Amendment Bill. I might take the liberty, effectively, of starting over, only having had a 15 second run-up initially\u201415 seconds of fame, I understand, just to tweak that slightly, is accorded to us all, but I\u2019m going to be greedy and take just a little more to discuss this piece of legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000650\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EIt amends, of course, the Armed Forces Discipline Act\u2014as those who were watching with great intent and interest, no doubt, last week will recall\u2014and also the Court Martial Act and the Court Martial Appeals Act. Before proceeding any further, I\u2019d like to acknowledge the good women and men of the New Zealand Defence Force. They are, of course, the \u201CMilitary\u201D in the title\u2014the Military Justice Legislation Amendment Bill\u2014and I think it\u2019s worth noting that the matters contained in this bill and referred to are somewhat exceptional. They\u2019re exceptional in that the rule of the operation of the Defence Force and its fine people is, of course, very much law abiding, so these are circumstances in which we are deciding how conduct is to be regulated and determined when things are outside those bounds and an exception occurs. So that\u2019s something I just wanted to place on the record, lest anyone listening to the debate were to gain an impression that these are more regular matters than in fact they are.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000651\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EI acknowledge both Ministers involved in the passage of this bill, by which I mean the present Minister but also his predecessor, on our side of the House, at the time that we were in Government and this legislation was first contemplated. I acknowledge too the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee, those who had been drafting the bill, and also those who have submitted on it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000652\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EThere are three things I\u2019d like to touch on briefly in the remainder of my contribution, and they relate to the things that I believe this bill does achieve pretty well. The first is that it aligns, the second is that it updates, and the third is that it strengthens. Taking each of those briefly in turn\u2014the first is \u201Caligns\u201D. This bill aligns the military and the civil law, at least to some extent. The key aspect of this is that it sets out in a way that is similar\u2014in fact, in certain respects identical\u2014to the civilian, that is non-military, law, how we are to regard the burden of proof in a trial. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000653\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EThe burden of proof here relates both to the onus and the standard of proof, such that whereas currently the Armed Forces Discipline Act provides that the onus is on the accused to prove, on the balance of probabilities, any excuse, etc.\u2014any exculpatory consideration, I believe, might be the phrase, and any Queen\u2019s Counsel in the area will no doubt correct me if I\u2019m wrong on that. But that onus is different in the sense that it\u2019s not for the accused to prove that thing, but indeed for the innocent to be presumed guilty, so that will change, and also the standard of proof will be going towards \u201Cbeyond reasonable doubt\u201D as opposed to \u201Cthe balance of probabilities\u201D, which is the more normal civil standard, to use the word \u201Ccivil\u201D in a different context. So that\u2019s a valuable thing to me, it seems, in that this bill aligns the military and the civilian justice systems.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000654\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EThe second thing that it does is that it \u201Cupdates\u201D. Here I refer to the fact that, actually, not the bill so much as the report back from the select committee allows an update whereby this bill will be subject to a Supplementary Order Paper to bring it into line with the general legislation that will come before the House, the Courts Matters Bill. Just by way of explanation, the select committee that was considering this bill did not know what exactly the Courts Matters Bill would look like when that came back to the House, and yet the committee, desiring that those two things would be aligned, contemplated that a Supplementary Order Paper might go in, and ensure that once the Courts Matters Bill has progressed through, that this one could be amended, effectively, to ensure that it is along similar lines. So that\u2019s the background for that one, and that particular change that I\u2019ve referred to will go to the question of a mentally impaired person, as defined in other legislation\u2014whether they are fit to stand trial, that being the first thing to determine, and then to see whether they\u2019ve in fact committed the offence, as opposed to the other way around, which is presently the case.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000655\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EThe third and final thing is that this bill \u201Cstrengthens\u201D. I refer to victims\u2019 rights, which are strengthened in the case of the information that\u2019s to be provided to them on their request. That\u2019s set out in new section 155A, inserted into the Armed Forces Discipline Act 1971 by clause 10, a new provision that will be included in this bill; certainly, at this stage, the legislation is looking like that will be so. That\u2019s something that we as a party support\u2014indeed, we supported it, each of our members on the select committee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000656\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EI\u2019ll finish by saying that the process of getting to this stage has been collegial and constructive\u2014no doubt that will continue\u2014and so it\u2019s with no hesitation that I commend this bill to the House to proceed to the next stage.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022 data-id=\u00227c6841b2b3db42a1bbcf6a4eaa7d7072\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000657\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227c6841b2b3db42a1bbcf6a4eaa7d7072\u0022\u003EGOLRIZ GHAHRAMAN (Green):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Again, it was a pleasure to sit on the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee while we heard submissions or advice on this bill, and the lawyers among us took some pleasure in questioning the experts on some of the finer points. This, essentially, is a bill that brings the military justice system in line with the civilian justice system, and that\u2019s important because one of the central tenets of the rule of law is that the law is clear and knowable before it applies to anyone. In this case, the discrepancies between the procedural safeguards, the standards for fitness to stand, and even victims\u2019 rights were not in alignment and therefore, I would argue, not really knowable to those who they apply to. And that kind of discrepancy really kind of undermines the rule of law across those jurisdictions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000658\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003EI would like to start by talking about the victims\u2019 rights issues. This bill brings the military justice system in line with the 2002 Victims\u2019 Rights Act\u2014that\u2019s been in application in the criminal justice system at large for some time now. Victims of certain serious sexual and violent offending have had the right to be informed about not only the application of bail but also breaches of bail, release, and escape of offenders that have offended against them in the civilian justice system; whereas in the military justice system, victims of those same types of serious offences have only had the right to be advised and to give their input on bail being granted. So, to look at that and think about it carefully, even if an offender escaped custody, victims in the military justice system were not advised. They were not advised of bail breaches, whilst they\u2019d be consulted on whether or not bail is granted. And they\u2019re not advised when the offender is released.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000659\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003ESo those types of offending, when you think about the power and control dynamics and when you think about how traumatic these offences are to a victim and their wh\u0101nau\u2014when you think about that and realise that, actually, by leaving them in the dark about the release or escape or bail breaches by those offenders, we\u2019re actually re-traumatising those victims. To find out later\u2014to find out through seeing the offender\u2014whether the bail breach is actually against the victim the next time it happens. It\u2019s enormously traumatising for victims not to know and not to be involved in that process, at least by being notified. So the military justice system, thankfully, is now coming into line with what we\u2019ve known is necessary for victims to have access to justice in the civilian system in those ways.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000660\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003ENext is the procedural safeguards, and I was somewhat aghast to find that the onus of proof is reversed in the military justice system, so that if charged with an offence, an accused person in the military system has to prove their innocence to a balance of probability standard; whereas in a civilian system, as we all know, the prosecution bears the onus of proof\u2014they have to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. That exists because, of course, every accused person is considered innocent until proven guilty so that fairness prevails in a criminal trial before we can sanction someone. And, I mean, it is considered incredibly serious to be convicted of any crime in any jurisdiction and to be sanctioned\u2014for an accused person\u2019s whole life to be affected, whether it\u2019s through their career or through imprisonment. Where they\u2019ve not had the benefit of presumption of innocence, it goes against, again, another central tenet of our criminal justice system. So, gladly, this bill will bring that procedural safeguard to protect those accused of criminal offending in the military justice system.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000661\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003ELastly, the other important standard that\u2019s being adopted in this bill, through the civilian system, is the standard of requiring two expert psychiatric reports before someone is, essentially, declared or considered unfit to stand trial. In the criminal context, \u201Cunfit to stand trial\u201D means that someone has proven that they suffer from a disease of the mind that renders them unable to know the nature and quality of their actions. So it\u2019s a very high standard, and this will require the same procedural framework as in the civilian system, where we have two psychiatric reports before that\u2019s proven. And that, again, is something that\u2019s important for consistency and sort of clarity of our law where someone\u2019s being sanctioned or, indeed, being excluded from ordinary criminal sanction.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000662\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003ESo I am very happy today to commend this bill to the House, because I was so shocked at the complete lack of consistency between these two criminal justice systems for, essentially, no clear reason. But our law is, after the passing of this bill, going to be far more consistent and logical across those two jurisdictions, so I\u2019m glad to commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022 data-id=\u00221283d0d6e8f74d9db7e0668103f29291\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000663\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221283d0d6e8f74d9db7e0668103f29291\u0022\u003ETIM VAN DE MOLEN (National\u2014Waikato):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Assistant Speaker. So, look, it\u2019s a privilege to take a call on the second reading, now, of this Military Justice Legislation Amendment Bill, following on from the call I took in the first reading. It\u2019s great to have seen this progress and the recommendations we have received off the back of that. Fundamentally, we\u2019re talking about alignment\u2014looking to align more closely the military justice system with the New Zealand civilian criminal justice system.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000664\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003EThere\u2019s a number of aspects in this that have already been touched on tonight that are in need of an update because there has been disparity between these two different justice systems. I would like to acknowledge, of course, that there are some unique aspects of the military justice system that are not applicable in a civilian setting. One quick example that springs to mind is \u201CUAD\u201D, as it\u2019s called in the army\u2014an unauthorised discharge\u2014where a weapon is inadvertently discharged during the course of any operations or training without the intent to have done so. Now, of course, that ranges on a spectrum, and within that, this would not, necessarily, be one of the most serious offences but is an example of something that is specifically unique to a military environment. And, of course, there are numerous examples of how that can happen, whether it is inadvertent, through an inability to conduct the correct drills with your weapon system, or through, perhaps, a miscarriage of that weapon system throughout the training procedures you\u2019re in. These things can happen from time to time, and that is an appropriate element that needs to be captured in the military justice setting but, of course, is not applicable to the civilian or mainstream criminal justice setting.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000665\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003ENow, before I carry on, I would also like to acknowledge the fine members of the New Zealand Defence Force: those men and women who, every day, put on their uniform and perform their duties to the best of their ability on behalf of our country. I\u2019d also like to echo the comments made by Chris Penk, highlighting that, whilst we\u2019re talking here tonight about amendments to this military justice legislation, it by no means suggests or indicates there is a high level of use for this particular piece of legislation. Indeed, it captures those very few scenarios that we have to have an appropriate set of laws in place for, but, by and large, the conduct within our defence forces is exemplary, and so I\u2019d like to commend them on that as well as their service.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000666\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003EThere are a couple of key aspects that I want to highlight in particular, and one is the victim\u2019s rights. And we\u2019ve heard extensively about that from the previous speaker, Golriz Ghahraman, from the Green Party. That\u2019s a really important aspect and we need to make these updates to bring these into line with civilian law and provide better support for those victims or confidence around knowledge or information, in particular. One of the reasons I think that is of particular importance is that any victim needs to be supported, of course, but in this system, typically, victims\u2014and I\u2019m a very passionate supporter of the defence forces, and anyone who has committed to being a part of that, I believe, is going above and beyond in their service, whether they get offshore or not, and should indeed be extended additional victims\u2019 rights to ensure that they are being supported in every manner possible, given what they have done or offered to do for their country. So it\u2019s great to see some improvements being made in that space. Onus of proof, as well, of course: an important change here to make sure that we are bringing that into line. Changing that onus of proof from the defence to the prosecution is an important and relevant change to make across these pieces of legislation, as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000667\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003EAnother aspect I do want to touch on, which hasn\u2019t been widely traversed tonight, is fitness to stand trial, and that, for me, is one particular area that we, I think, are still learning a lot more about. When you look at some of the mental wellness issues that have presented over time in military settings, and in any manner of settings as well, it\u2019s important to note that we have perhaps not had an appropriate or advanced understanding of those issues to the level that we might desire or have now, if we were to reflect on some of those decisions made previously. So this is a great way to acknowledge that we do need to take greater account of those particular impacts that are not necessarily visible on the victims or the perpetrators of these crimes as well. So that\u2019s one area I\u2019d just like to finish on, and I commend this bill. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022 data-id=\u0022dfb4897dde124edeb169fd36b12e0ef4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000668\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022dfb4897dde124edeb169fd36b12e0ef4\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: I understand this is a split call. Dr Liz Craig\u2014five minutes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00223c5917bd-9c2f-4bdf-af2f-b13cd1a2c8bb\u0022 data-id=\u0022db79eb45293043489e3723ae7e6439bb\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000669\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223c5917bd-9c2f-4bdf-af2f-b13cd1a2c8bb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022db79eb45293043489e3723ae7e6439bb\u0022\u003EDr LIZ CRAIG (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Assistant Speaker. It\u2019s a pleasure to take a call on this bill. While it\u2019s actually quite a non-controversial bill, I think it\u2019s really, really important in terms of what it does for those serving in the armed forces. What it does is it makes sure that the victims of serious offences of a sexual or violent nature get the same rights as they would in the civilian justice system, and that\u2019s absolutely crucial because I think experiencing these things as a victim is the same wherever you are in terms of your workplace. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000670\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223c5917bd-9c2f-4bdf-af2f-b13cd1a2c8bb\u0022\u003EOne of the rights\u2014the right to be consulted on the accused\u2019s release from bail\u2014is actually in the military justice system already, but there\u2019s a whole lot of other things that we\u2019ve talked about tonight that actually aren\u2019t. So what this bill does is it adds a whole new lot of things and rights for victims, and it adds a new section to the Armed Forces Discipline Act 1971. While the onus is still on the Director of Military Prosecutions to consult the victim when they\u2019re talking about whether the offender should be released on bail, it adds a whole lot of other things in terms of informing those victims and keeping them in touch with what\u2019s happening with the process. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000671\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223c5917bd-9c2f-4bdf-af2f-b13cd1a2c8bb\u0022\u003ESome of the important ones are actually informing the victim if the accused or the offender is indeed released on bail, because I think that has a whole lot of safety and security issues for those victims, and, if they are released, informing the victim if there\u2019s any conditions about the release that are to do with the safety of them or their family, and, in particular, things like any conditions about the accused not actually contacting them or members of their family. Also, if the offender does breach these conditions, making sure that the victim is aware of that, plus also if the accused escapes or the offender dies in custody\u2014being aware of those things is crucially important. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000672\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223c5917bd-9c2f-4bdf-af2f-b13cd1a2c8bb\u0022\u003EWhat research suggests is that if you are a victim of a violent crime, then you experience further trauma if you\u2019re not kept fully informed and up to date with what\u2019s happening and taken through the process about what\u2019s happening now and why. But, in contrast, if you are informed, if your views are taken into account, and if you\u2019re consulted, it can have significant therapeutic effects for the victim and it can also help with their recovery. I think it\u2019s also got other spillover effects, because if other people who are thinking about potentially stepping forward with their own experiences see other victims having good experiences in terms of being kept up to date and knowing what\u2019s going on, they may be more likely to actually step up themselves and engage in a process. I think some of this is the culture change. When the National Council of Women submitted in support of this bill, they were thinking about some of those effects in terms of what\u2019s happening in our military system at the moment. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000673\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223c5917bd-9c2f-4bdf-af2f-b13cd1a2c8bb\u0022\u003ESo, just to sum up, I think ensuring the victims of serious crimes receive the same rights in the military courts as they do in the civilian courts is really, really crucial because it will ensure better outcomes for the victims in our armed forces. So I, therefore, commend this bill to the House. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227940e9f2-9cea-43d5-8f16-3b470e34f47f\u0022 data-id=\u0022726df17b2351479b9e344b3f76d66676\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000674\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227940e9f2-9cea-43d5-8f16-3b470e34f47f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022726df17b2351479b9e344b3f76d66676\u0022\u003EMATT KING (National\u2014Northland):\u003C/span\u003E It\u2019s a real pleasure to speak on the Military Justice Legislation Amendment Bill in its second reading. First of all, I\u2019d like to acknowledge and welcome to the \u201Cclass of 2017\u201D our newest MP, Dan Bidois, who made an exceptional maiden statement a couple of hours ago. I think he\u2019s going to be a great MP.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000675\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227940e9f2-9cea-43d5-8f16-3b470e34f47f\u0022\u003EI\u2019d like to acknowledge the Hon Mark Mitchell for bringing this bill to the House, and I\u2019d like to acknowledge the Hon Ron Mark for taking it through the House. It\u2019s an omnibus bill. The purpose of this bill is to update the military justice system and to align it with the criminal justice system in certain respects, including enhancing victims\u2019 rights. It amends the Armed Forces Discipline Act 1971, the Court Martial Act 2007, and the Court Martial Appeals Act 1953.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000676\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227940e9f2-9cea-43d5-8f16-3b470e34f47f\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve got a bit of experience with the criminal justice system\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000677\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002290ea1538-43e8-4257-bd80-df3ccd1e5f27\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ff9660298b9f46c0bdc7ee976a73ee69\u0022\u003EHon Kris Faafoi\u003C/span\u003E: How long have you got? You\u2019ve only got 10 minutes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000678\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227940e9f2-9cea-43d5-8f16-3b470e34f47f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a796c589809f4642ac17aa7ee8fb0c70\u0022\u003EMATT KING\u003C/span\u003E: Remember that interjections are meant to be witty\u2014that\u2019s what the Speaker said. I am particularly interested in victims\u2019 rights, based on my time as a police detective. I felt that the victim had no rights and that everything was weighted towards the offender. I can recall many times while I was taking a serious sexual offence case through the court process, it felt like it was myself and the poor victim against the rest. So I\u2019m really interested in anything that progresses victims\u2019 rights. Many times I felt that it was wrong and many times I felt like chucking it in. Eventually, that\u2019s why I left the police. I felt a little burnt out, and I felt someone else could pick up the load. Thankfully, times are changing and good law is being made to address these issues.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000679\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227940e9f2-9cea-43d5-8f16-3b470e34f47f\u0022\u003EPart 3 of the Victim\u2019s Rights Act 2002 confers rights on the victims of certain serious offences of a sexual nature or that involve violence: the right to be kept informed, to be consulted, and, most importantly, to have their views taken into account in respect of decisions around bail. So this legislation seeks to align victims\u2019 rights and protections in the military justice system with those in the criminal justice system.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000680\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227940e9f2-9cea-43d5-8f16-3b470e34f47f\u0022\u003EThis bill also amends some aspects of the procedures of the Court Martial of New Zealand. This bill aligns provisions governing whether an accused is unfit to stand in the military justice system and steps associated with that determination with the provisions of the Criminal Procedures (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act 2003.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000681\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227940e9f2-9cea-43d5-8f16-3b470e34f47f\u0022\u003EIt cleans up some procedural issues relating to courts martial. A key improvement, in my view, is the change to the onus of proof. I understand that, under the Armed Forces Discipline Act, the onus is on the accused to prove, on the balance of probabilities, any excuse, exception, exemption, or qualification that the accused relies on as a defence to a charge. Provisions placing the onus of proof on the accused have largely been removed from the criminal justice system following the decision of the Supreme Court in R v Hansen in 2007. There is no good reason for members of the armed forces who are tried under the military justice system to have an onus of proof imposed on them that is not imposed in the criminal justice system. Accordingly, the bill repeals section 3(2) of the Armed Forces Discipline Act 1971.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000682\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227940e9f2-9cea-43d5-8f16-3b470e34f47f\u0022\u003EThis, along with the improvements to victims\u2019 rights, in my view, are the most important changes in this bill. Accordingly, I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022 data-id=\u00226622908af93044b9a3d16906c8cfa90d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000683\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226622908af93044b9a3d16906c8cfa90d\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Before I call the next member, I just want to encourage members who have been in the House for several months now that it\u2019s the expectation that members will not read speeches and that, when they are in the debating chamber, they will actually deliver arguments from notes only. So this is the last time I\u2019m going to mention it. Next time, I will be stopping members from reading speeches, except for our newest member, who arrived in the House today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022 data-id=\u0022f0269a6ab8c54ab19f71bbcb9e4cc87e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000684\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022f0269a6ab8c54ab19f71bbcb9e4cc87e\u0022\u003ELOUISA WALL (Labour\u2014Manurewa):\u003C/span\u003E T\u0113n\u0101 koe e Te M\u0101ngai o Te Whare. T\u0113n\u0101 koutou katoa. It\u2019s my pleasure to speak on this, the second reading of the Military Justice Legislation Amendment Bill, as a member of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000685\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022\u003EI just want to highlight one aspect of this bill, actually, and it\u2019s the matter of principle that this Government believes that the military justice system should grant to our armed forces personnel the same rights enjoyed by civilians in the criminal justice system. So, in wondering why we would state that, which is the intention of this piece of legislation, I found some international research, and it is by Arne Willy Dahl from the University of Oslo. It was published in 2011, and it\u2019s called International trends in Military Justice.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000686\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022\u003EThe interesting thing in all of this actually stems from a European Court of Human Rights case called Findlay v the United Kingdom, dated 25 February 1997. Essentially, it was a challenge to the independence and impartiality of the court martial system, and a challenge to the UK Army Act of 1955. In this particular case\u2014and I think we all should know where the history of philosophies come from and changes come from. But in this case, the governing officer who played a central role actually decided what the charges were. He convened the court martial. He appointed the members and the prosecuting and defending officers. All military personnel were subordinate to his rank as convening officer. And so this whole human rights case in the European Court of Human Rights was about conflicts of interest, power, and the military actually having a system that did not uphold this individual\u2019s rights as a civilian. So if he\u2019d gone through a civilian court\u2014obviously, we\u2019d take care of conflicts of interest. We make sure that people are adequately represented. There\u2019s fairness and justice in the system.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000687\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022\u003EAnd so the reason I highlight that is because it seems that all the changes in the military justice system aligning the military justice system\u2014and it actually has gone through several iterations. From courts martial convened for individual cases, standing military courts, specialised civilian courts, general civilian courts in peacetime, to now, which is kind of like this intersection between a stand-alone military and our\u2014what I would call a normal and ordinary court system, but the coming together of those to uphold these principles, which is that people deserve the right to be heard, to be represented in a fair and just way. But also, central to everything we do now is putting victims at the centre of a criminal justice system where we\u2019re innocent until we\u2019re proven guilty. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000688\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022\u003EAnd so this piece of legislation that has gone through the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee actually made no recommendations, but with a caveat that there does have to be a cross-reference between our legislation and the Courts Matters Bill that is going through this Parliament at the same time, so there may be a Supplementary Order Paper introduced by the Minister at committee stage. We\u2019re fully aware of it as a committee. So I won\u2019t speak any longer, other than to commend the bill to the House. Kia ora.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022868f3a11-6a23-474f-a25e-6bc1d4c6e93f\u0022 data-id=\u002236acfea5a88c433dac5036b09f79b17a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000689\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022868f3a11-6a23-474f-a25e-6bc1d4c6e93f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002236acfea5a88c433dac5036b09f79b17a\u0022\u003EHARETE HIPANGO (National\u2014Whanganui):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you. Look, I stand to attention to take this call on the second reading, and I\u2019m grateful that I\u2019m able to address the House again\u2014because I did in the first reading\u2014on this Military Justice Legislation Amendment Bill. I\u2019m grateful because of the fact that I do have a connection, personally and professionally, in speaking to this legislation: professionally, having practised law, and this is a piece of legislation, proposed law, soon to be passed\u2014I am confident that it will be\u2014where there is a better alignment of the military justice system with, as my friend across the House there, Ms Louisa Wall, mentioned, a \u201Cnormal\u201D court or a \u201Cusual\u201D court; I would say that it\u2019s our criminal justice system. So it\u2019s an alignment, and the purpose of this legislation is around aligning, updating, and enhancing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000690\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022868f3a11-6a23-474f-a25e-6bc1d4c6e93f\u0022\u003EThe other personal connection that I have is very much, as I\u2019ve indicated and shared with the House before, my military background. My family has given military service since the 1850s through to date; so this is quite personal, but it\u2019s also professional in being able to address the House and members of the public in this reformation\u2014reshaping\u2014of the military justice legislative system.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000691\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022868f3a11-6a23-474f-a25e-6bc1d4c6e93f\u0022\u003EBeing the last speaker, most of the significant messages have been conveyed to the House and the public, and my time is limited. I\u2019d be grateful, Madam Assistant Speaker, for you to keep a check on my time, because I\u2019ve just lost it on my phone.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000692\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222c8340ee73264297bd5913327b923f05\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: You can be assured I will. You have eight minutes and 22 seconds left.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000693\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022868f3a11-6a23-474f-a25e-6bc1d4c6e93f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022aec8dcc891c840f7bd060c2f3e369046\u0022\u003EHARETE HIPANGO\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you. I\u2019m taking a brief call on this, but the three key areas that I would wish to address the House on are really along the lines of the areas that I have practised in. One is around victims\u2019 rights, and this legislation is certainly acknowledging and enhancing victims\u2019 rights under the bill\u2014the Act to be. It\u2019s also, as we\u2019ve heard, around repealing a provision in the Armed Forces Discipline Act that has placed the onus of proof on the accused. Now, this is reshaping and aligning it with our criminal justice system so that the onus of proof is on the prosecution and no longer will it be just on the \u201Cbalance of probabilities\u201D; it will be \u201Cbeyond a reasonable doubt\u201D. That\u2019s so significant and important.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000694\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022868f3a11-6a23-474f-a25e-6bc1d4c6e93f\u0022\u003ESo victims\u2019 rights there have been addressed in detail, and that is covered specifically in the bill itself, in new Part 10A, in clause 19, outlining, for example, victims\u2019 rights; having views about release on bail of the accused or the offender. As a criminal lawyer for many years\u2014also a family lawyer, actually\u2014representing many women and sometimes men who were victims of domestic violence, they are entitled to be enlightened about what is happening in terms of the offender and the conditions that they may be released on bail under. New Part 10A of the bill, soon to be Act, addresses that in detail.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000695\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022868f3a11-6a23-474f-a25e-6bc1d4c6e93f\u0022\u003EThe other part that I do wish also to speak to\u2014and I mentioned it in the first address to the House\u2014is the provision of fitness to stand trial. So the bill is aligning where an accused is deemed to be unfit to stand trial\u2014and noting also that, under the Courts Matters Bill, it is seeking to amend the Criminal Procedure (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act, where I\u2019ve represented, and there\u2019s been the fact that a hearing had to take place to establish whether a person was unfit or otherwise before it was deemed that the act had been committed or omitted. So this is very much aligning, and with an amendment to the bill before the Justice Committee, I believe, there will be a reversal of the sequence. So it will be very much about first determining whether the person who has a mental impairment is fit to stand trial, then determining whether the defendant was actually involved in the commission or the omission of the offence.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000696\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022868f3a11-6a23-474f-a25e-6bc1d4c6e93f\u0022\u003EI have been instructed to take a brief call on this. The details are there within the bill. I have spoken and addressed those particular provisions that I\u2019ve practised in law, and it\u2019s significant now that the military justice system be aligned and in accord with what everybody else is entitled to, in terms of our criminal justice system. I commend this bill to the third passage of the reading. Kia ora.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002295945ace-51e8-4dbc-a0e3-c19f4ed99ed9\u0022 data-id=\u0022d861427590394fdb890fbe0938371204\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000697\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002295945ace-51e8-4dbc-a0e3-c19f4ed99ed9\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d861427590394fdb890fbe0938371204\u0022\u003EANAHILA KANONGATA\u2019A-SUISUIKI (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Kia orana, e Te M\u0101ngai. It\u2019s an absolute privilege to take the last call on the second reading of the Military Justice Legislation Amendment Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000698\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002295945ace-51e8-4dbc-a0e3-c19f4ed99ed9\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve been in the House now for a while, and we\u2019ve heard members speak on how collegial it\u2019s been and how we can all work together in this House. There is one thing that I\u2019d like to bring to members\u2019 attention, which is that the men and women\u2014in fact, all genders\u2014of the military, of the Defence Force, take the Oath of Allegiance just like we do, just like members of Parliament do, but the difference is that the men and women and all genders who are in the armed forces are there to lay their lives on the line to defend this nation we call Aotearoa New Zealand. So it is only fair that a justice system is provided to ensure that all behaviours conducted in the forces are fair and integral in terms of the men and women who have chosen to give their service, their lives if they have to, to defend this country. Like all the other members of this House, I want to acknowledge the honour that those members of our society have chosen to take on our behalf.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000699\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002295945ace-51e8-4dbc-a0e3-c19f4ed99ed9\u0022\u003EI believe that the amendments actually make sense, and I believe that these amendments are exactly about this: they are about justice and they are about fairness of behaviours expected of everybody that serves our country. I\u2019m not a member of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee, but I am a person who subs into most committees.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000700\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002295945ace-51e8-4dbc-a0e3-c19f4ed99ed9\u0022\u003EI want to conclude by reading a caution from the National Council of Women of New Zealand, where they said that although they agree with the bill, they \u201Chave reservations about possible conflicts of interest \u2026\u201D, and if the select committee can take note of the last paragraph of the select committee evidence provided by the National Council of Women of New Zealand. Other than that, all members have actually covered most points, and I\u2019d like to commend this bill to the House. Malo.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000701\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002295945ace-51e8-4dbc-a0e3-c19f4ed99ed9\u0022\u003EBill read a second time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022\u003EBills\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000702\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00227e5f8872189d4ba08552a30e84dcfb6c\u0022\u003ECourts Matters Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000703\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00227e5f8872189d4ba08552a30e84dcfb6c\u0022\u003ETribunals Powers and Procedures Legislation Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000704\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00220ce3a378d4d0460ea78839051433a44e\u0022\u003ESecond Readings\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b398827c-6bf5-403e-90dc-ff03205302a5\u0022 data-id=\u00225d7c485ec8364a49a8d258feb1313383\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000705\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b398827c-6bf5-403e-90dc-ff03205302a5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225d7c485ec8364a49a8d258feb1313383\u0022\u003EHon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO (Associate Minister for Courts):\u003C/span\u003E I move, That the Courts Matters Bill and the Tribunals Powers and Procedures Legislation Bill be now read a second time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000706\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b398827c-6bf5-403e-90dc-ff03205302a5\u0022\u003EAt the outset, I want to thank my ministerial colleagues of the coalition Government and support partners for working constructively with me and my staff to ensure that the necessary policy changes were made to improve these bills and to approve the necessary funding that\u2019s going to be required to implement the changes that this bill will entail.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000707\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b398827c-6bf5-403e-90dc-ff03205302a5\u0022\u003EI also want to acknowledge the efforts of the Justice Committee members in examining the bill. I want to thank the committee members for their hard work in ushering this particular bill through the select committee stage. The committee received 48 written submissions and heard 15 oral submissions. The submissions came from the judiciary, professional organisations, interested groups, and individuals. I want to thank those who took the time to present to the committee. I want to thank them for their energy and for sharing their experiences. I believe that, by sharing their experiences, they were able to add value to the final outcome, as presented to the House this evening.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000708\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b398827c-6bf5-403e-90dc-ff03205302a5\u0022\u003EPeople\u2019s experiences with courts and tribunals shape their views of the integrity of our justice system. Some of the legislation governing the courts and tribunals system is outdated and does not meet public needs and expectations, and, therefore, it needs to be changed. These two bills contain relatively small but important changes to the courts\u2019 and tribunals\u2019 powers and processes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000709\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b398827c-6bf5-403e-90dc-ff03205302a5\u0022\u003EThe Tribunals Powers and Procedures Legislation Bill, which I will hereafter refer to as the \u201Ctribunals bill\u201D, amends the powers and procedures of 21 tribunals which the Ministry of Justice administers. These tribunals include the disputes tribunal and the Tenancy Tribunal, which almost 30,000 New Zealanders accessed in the 2016-17 financial year. The tribunals bill will also disestablish the defunct Birdlings Flat Land Titles Commissioner, the rarely used Health Boards of Appeal, and the Maritime Appeal Authority. The District Court will hear any future cases of the latter two tribunals.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000710\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b398827c-6bf5-403e-90dc-ff03205302a5\u0022\u003EI will highlight some of the changes to the tribunals bill that the Justice Committee has recommended. I consider these will improve the bill\u2019s effectiveness. One of the most significant changes being made through the tribunals bill is a result of the actions that this Government has taken to address the backlog of cases at the Human Rights Review Tribunal. The Human Rights Review Tribunal provides important services for people who may have had their human rights, rights to privacy, or health and disability services rights breached. Since 2015, the number of claims filed with the tribunal has exceeded its resources. A significant case backlog has developed over the past several years. Between the 2014-15 and 2016-17 financial years, the number of new cases received by the Human Rights Review Tribunal grew by 92 percent. This led the number of backlog cases to grow by 144 percent\u2014from 52 cases, as it was at the end of 2014-15, to 127 cases at the end of 2016-17. As of 30 June 2018, there are currently 135 active cases before the tribunal.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000711\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b398827c-6bf5-403e-90dc-ff03205302a5\u0022\u003EFollowing advice from the Ministry of Justice, including that of submissions made by the public and, notably, by the chairperson of the Human Rights Review Tribunal, Rodger Haines QC, I took a paper to Cabinet to get agreement to amend the Human Rights Act 1993 to enable the appointment of deputy chairpersons to the Human Rights Review Tribunal. I want to thank the Minister of Justice, and also both New Zealand First and the Green Party, for working with me and my office to reach agreement quickly so that we can collectively work towards a solution that will address the backlog of these cases.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000712\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b398827c-6bf5-403e-90dc-ff03205302a5\u0022\u003EThe Justice Committee has incorporated the Government\u2019s proposal to reduce the case backlog at the Human Rights Review Tribunal. The tribunals bill now authorises the appointment of one or more deputy chairpersons to this tribunal instead of a second chairperson. The new deputy chairpersons will be able to perform the same functions as those of a chairperson. This will help to reduce the unacceptable backlog, because much of this tribunal\u2019s work has to be undertaken by the chairperson and will provide people with greater access to justice. The tribunals bill will now also include procedural changes to help further reduce the Human Rights Review Tribunal backlog. For example, the chairperson or deputy chairperson will be able to decide minor matters on the papers instead of a hearing being held.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000713\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b398827c-6bf5-403e-90dc-ff03205302a5\u0022\u003EThe reported-back bill has amended the procedures governing the awarding of compensation for financial losses arising from a real estate agent\u2019s unsatisfactory conduct. This amendment will reduce duplication of effort. In addition, the bill now clarifies that compensation for financial losses caused by a real estate agent\u2019s poor behaviour must be an order that a court could make. There are currently no constraints on the nature of the compensation that the Real Estate Agent Disciplinary tribunal can award.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000714\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b398827c-6bf5-403e-90dc-ff03205302a5\u0022\u003EThe amended bill has also addressed other anomalies. For example, the bill has authorised the enforcement of fines, fee refunds, and compensation that the Legal Complaints Review Officer has ordered. It is currently unclear if these orders can be enforced. This bill has also removed the requirement for these orders to be enforced in the High Court if the amount is more than $12,000. In future, orders of up to $350,000 will be able to be enforced in the District Court. Enforcement in this court is simpler and cheaper.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000715\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b398827c-6bf5-403e-90dc-ff03205302a5\u0022\u003EThe reported-back bill has authorised insurance companies to be represented at disputes tribunal hearings by agents as well as by employees or officers. This will achieve a better alignment with the way that insurance companies operate. Insurance companies are party to around one-third of disputes tribunal cases.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000716\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b398827c-6bf5-403e-90dc-ff03205302a5\u0022\u003EI will now turn to the amended Courts Matters Bill, and I will highlight some of the changes the Justice Committee has recommended to this bill. The Courts Matters Bill amends 15 Acts that govern court security, fines enforcement, and criminal and Family Court procedures. The reported-back bill makes further amendments to criminal court procedures. This bill is now amending the Courts (Remote Participation) Act to enable judges to allow any participant in a criminal procedure hearing to appear via audiovisual link technology, or \u201CAVL\u201D as it is commonly known, if AVL is available and it\u2019s use is not contrary to the interests of justice. This will enable participants such as counsel witnesses to appear by AVL during criminal procedural hearings. Currently, defendants who are in custody must appear in criminal procedural hearings via AVL if it is available. AVL can be used in criminal sentencing hearings or in civil proceedings.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000717\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b398827c-6bf5-403e-90dc-ff03205302a5\u0022\u003EThe committee has removed the amendments for the Court Matters Bill that authorise the Minister for Courts to extend the scope of the Courts Security Act to include further courts and tribunals through a Gazette notice. Instead, these decisions will continue to be made by regulations. I plan to progress regulations to extend the scope of the Act to include further tribunals that the Ministry of Justice administers.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000718\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b398827c-6bf5-403e-90dc-ff03205302a5\u0022\u003EThe committee has recommended changes to the Care of Children Act to limit the release of psychological report writers\u2019 material so that a party can only obtain information about themselves. The court will be able to impose any conditions concerning the release of the information it considers necessary. This will give judges greater powers around the release of this information. I note that the psychological report and any associated materials belong to the court. The committee has recommended this House consider further changes in the committee of the whole House to entirely prohibit the release of psychologists\u2019 notes and other materials. The Minister of Justice is leading a review of the 2014 family justice system reforms. We\u2019ve discussed this matter and are in agreement that this important issue is better dealt with in the review. This will enable consultation with the Family Court judiciary, the report writers, and the Law Society to ensure that changes made are the right ones. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022 data-id=\u00226301cc43de7b421db8fa7b6871b81542\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000719\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226301cc43de7b421db8fa7b6871b81542\u0022\u003ECHRIS PENK (National\u2014Helensville):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Assistant Speaker. It\u2019s a pleasure to begin the contribution on this side of the House in relation to the Courts Matters Bill and the Tribunals Powers and Procedures Legislation Bill, taken as a cognate debate, of course. I will say at the outset that my party supports the intent of this legislation\u2014and, indeed, the legislation itself, I should clarify. Indeed, it was originally from our side of the House, or at least our party, when in Government, that this legislation was proposed, so I acknowledge Minister Adams, as she then was, but also the current Minister and his colleagues, who have seen the continuation of the legislation to this stage.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000720\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EThere are a number of different purposes of these bills, and I intend to step through those now rather than delve into the detail of each those two specific bills. No doubt my colleagues on this side of the House and, indeed, the other will get into that detail\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000721\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002288631505cf9240ec963bb00f52e5e3e5\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: This will be fascinating.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000722\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222f43607b9453420cb17750e8db22b074\u0022\u003ECHRIS PENK\u003C/span\u003E: It is a case very much that the devil is in the detail. I don\u2019t know what brought that phrase to my mind when I looked up, but perhaps the interruptions coming opposite put the word \u201Cdevil\u201D into my mind. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000723\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EThere are, as I say, a number of different purposes of the bills, and I think perhaps, at a sort of a higher level, it would be appropriate to talk about those each individually and then see where we come to terms of time, whether we should get into, perhaps, the Courts Matters Bill at that stage.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000724\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EThe first thing is that the bills will reduce the time that it takes to hear and resolve matters. That\u2019s an important aspect of our justice system, of course. It\u2019s a well-known phrase, to the point of being a clich\u00E9 or perhaps a truism, that justice delayed is justice denied.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000725\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229012e585f8314370adb9cca1b552b212\u0022\u003EChris Bishop\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s right\u2014well said.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000726\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022018437738c1c4564a2a7d755d3f07d8f\u0022\u003ECHRIS PENK\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s right. I think that the reasons for that are many, the first of which is actually a practical reason. It\u2019s harder to determine the truth of a matter some time after an offence or a possible offence or an act or an omission in a civil context have actually taken place, so the sooner that matters are able to be heard by our courts and, indeed, our tribunals, the more likely it is that we will have a just outcome.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000727\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EThe second reason is that the players of the game, those involved, whether litigants\u2014again, in a civil context or in a criminal context. For their sake, it\u2019s important that these matters are heard quickly, and so the bills, to the extent that they are able to reduce the time that people are affected by our justice system, to the extent that these bills do achieve that purpose, they are very worthy changes. Similarly, in terms of reducing the costs associated with the service, the administration of justice, this too is a worthy aim because, naturally, the State\u2014and, indeed, it is always the State involved in these matters when a dispute of some sort does reach our courts. It\u2019s to the benefit of the State and therefore the citizens of the State that these matters are heard quickly and efficiently.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000728\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EFinally, the stakes are increased, often, when matters are delayed, and so in a civil matter, for example, if a matter is not resolved quickly, there might be interest, for example, applied to an amount that\u2019s in contention, and so the longer a matter goes on\u2014the more time, in other words, that it takes to be heard by our courts\u2014the harder it will be, perhaps, for a resolution to be found. I\u2019ve heard from a very good lawyer who\u2019s a friend of mine that a bad lawyer can delay a case for weeks but a really good one will delay it for months. So, perhaps, in that spirit, with a bit of tongue-in-cheek involved, I note that it is in the interest of almost all players in the justice system to have speedy resolution of their cases\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000729\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c980b1634953433bbb6cb491b56e758a\u0022\u003EGreg O\u2019Connor\u003C/span\u003E: Are you extending or delaying this debate?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000730\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002232c61085c0e64c0c8c4f520802bab3aa\u0022\u003ECHRIS PENK\u003C/span\u003E: So I move now, to the relief of all present, no doubt, including even Mr Gregory O\u2019Connor, to the second purpose, which is to improve users\u2019 experience of the courts and tribunal system. It is an intimidating process to be involved in, no doubt, for many, and so, to the extent that these bills can provide some relief and some remedy in relation to the substance of the case but also relief in terms of the process and the smoothness of that, again, we regard that, on this side of the House\u2014and I think they do on that side of the House, too\u2014as a very positive thing indeed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000731\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EThird, to enable a greater use of modern technology. This is pretty well self-explanatory, so I shan\u2019t dwell on it any further, except to say that efficiency and effectiveness, which I might define as the passage of a dispute in the most expedient way possible, and effectiveness meaning, on the other hand, the most robust process possible to achieve the right result in any given case, and timeliness, which I\u2019ve already touched on and I do not intend to belabour that point further.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000732\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EThe fourth is that we will simplify and standardise the statutory powers and procedures of various offices by passing this legislation, albeit that it\u2019s subject, of course, to a further reading and, indeed, a committee stage, at which some changes might be made. But I do acknowledge at this point that the select committee, the Justice Committee, has paid considerable care and attention to the legislation that had come to them after the first reading. Many submitters gave their time very freely and generously in suggesting amendments, and so it is I think that, in terms of simplification and standardisation, we have a better result now for that process having taken place. No doubt colleagues, again, on both sides of the House, will have an opportunity to set out some of those changes that they agreed to, actually, in their select committee report, and as reflected in the departmental report, often as a direct result of various key players in the profession and in the industry, if I may use that word, as to the reality on the ground for these different courts and tribunals.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000733\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EFinally, to provide better consumer protection and redress and greater access to justice. So much for the purposes; as to the substance, I won\u2019t go through it all in detail\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000734\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002284ad220a6a264c7d9858244bfbb922b0\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: Why not?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000735\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c38cfee66bed439d8740b2d389cc65de\u0022\u003ECHRIS PENK\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014and, indeed, I would\u2019ve if time had allowed, but it certainly doesn\u2019t. Some of us are on a tight time frame, Mr Peters. We don\u2019t have the luxury of as much time as you seem to take to get things done. The Courts Matters Bill amends\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000736\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002203559f1832ba47288fe655373a196c95\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Order!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000737\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022172d6a75282c4da09df5c8b23e15e9ce\u0022\u003ECHRIS PENK\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014excuse me, Madam Assistant Speaker\u2014no fewer than 14 Acts\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000738\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222afddce157ff478bb0781478cbc6ca48\u0022\u003EChris Bishop\u003C/span\u003E: How many?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000739\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224038bf719e2242d49e73b2fe4f6c740e\u0022\u003ECHRIS PENK\u003C/span\u003E: Fourteen, that\u2019s right\u2014that\u2019s right; no fewer. Courts security, criminal procedure, fines enforcement, and other court processes. So there\u2019s a lot in there, obviously, and the Tribunals Powers and Procedures Legislation Bill naturally relates to tribunals, as the name would suggest.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000740\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227c8e434cde904641b41f38e4723a6513\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: Do tell.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000741\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d5ff90af5318497fa079970aa66eba41\u0022\u003ECHRIS PENK\u003C/span\u003E: The clue\u2019s in the title; it does what it says on the tin. And I shall tell. I shall at least tell to the extent of saying that there are 21 tribunals that are affected, and there are even more pieces of legislation than that on our statute book that will have consequential amendments. Of course I won\u2019t go through them all, but they range very widely from the Accident Compensation Act, Customs and Excise Act, Immigration Act, Social Security Act, and Weathertight Homes Resolution Services Act. I\u2019m sure that many members of this House and, indeed, the vast number of New Zealanders who are watching this debate will be able to think, in each of those cases, of specific tribunals that relate to each of them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000742\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s a measure of the nature of the bill, I think, that the departmental report on the Courts Matters Bill alone contains an entire page of acronyms and abbreviations. Any piece of legislation that includes a CSA, a CDA, and a CPA I think is a force to be reckoned with, and we\u2019ll continue reckoning with it in this House by grappling with its subtleties, its intricacies, getting these things right, because they are important for the people of New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000743\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225c0c7b120a534476a232f4097933f871\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: Who wrote this?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000744\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002287ad0beb00c741d584f9373c50598fa5\u0022\u003ECHRIS PENK\u003C/span\u003E: Who wrote this stuff, Mr Peters asks. It\u2019s all up here, sir\u2014it\u2019s all up here. Yes, sir, it is. Mr Peters, I don\u2019t know where Mr Peters gets his speech from, but I think I can guess.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000745\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EWith that note, I will draw my speech to a conclusion. I look forward to hearing other members\u2019 contributions and, indeed, to the legislation continuing its passage through this House. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002237a99b65-4919-4800-830d-3dd7c920d5cd\u0022 data-id=\u00229ec234ddb89a4e2ab7d31bd721f22097\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000746\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237a99b65-4919-4800-830d-3dd7c920d5cd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00229ec234ddb89a4e2ab7d31bd721f22097\u0022\u003EHon Dr MEGAN WOODS (Minister of Energy and Resources):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Assistant Speaker. I\u2019m very happy to take a short call on this bill and to follow the member Chris Penk, who certainly did take the bait that was laid out for him. Look, I would like to congratulate my colleague, the Hon Aupito William Sio, for bringing this bill back to the House in the state that we are seeing it today. It is a vastly improved bill than when he took over as the incoming Minister. What we have is an important piece of legislation, and what we are doing is updating and modernising\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000747\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226cb553d5466c4c0ea5ee9fc715bcb6d1\u0022\u003EChris Bishop\u003C/span\u003E: He\u2019s had literally nothing to do with it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000748\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d0575a16700e43c4b4a2781c3e3f30d6\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Order! [Interruption] Order! Mr Bishop\u2014[Interruption] Order! I cannot hear the member delivering her speech.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000749\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022351ffb0e93034e3689dce2fcca6c5ec0\u0022\u003EChris Bishop\u003C/span\u003E: You\u2019re not missing much.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000750\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022572605e971e84c2bb4cbd4735f580af2\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Mr Bishop, settle.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000751\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237a99b65-4919-4800-830d-3dd7c920d5cd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ce188252632942edbe896d91ecb7ed72\u0022\u003EHon Dr MEGAN WOODS\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Assistant Speaker. This is important. This is where over 30,000 New Zealanders accessed justice last year\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000752\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f19af6cf445842fea06f5ab1cadda15b\u0022\u003EGreg O\u2019Connor\u003C/span\u003E: A new rival arrived in the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000753\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022538da1d6e8894d54ae2dfbc282e280d0\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Mr O\u2019Connor, you are not helping.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000754\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237a99b65-4919-4800-830d-3dd7c920d5cd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225b19ba24436d47f2a44752af6fd20bba\u0022\u003EHon Dr MEGAN WOODS\u003C/span\u003E: The previous Government had allowed a backlog to build up within our tribunal system, and it had not adequately resourced them. So I congratulate my colleague, the Hon Aupito William Sio, for actually making the necessary changes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000755\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237a99b65-4919-4800-830d-3dd7c920d5cd\u0022\u003EIt is clear to see that some of these needed updating. When we have a look at one of the bodies that\u2014[Interruption]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000756\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223564335e093846aaa847565e9d4092c6\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Order! Order! [Interruption] Order! I apologise to the Minister\u2014[Interruption] Order! Now, when I ask for order, I expect it straight away. I cannot hear the member delivering the speech. I will ask for members to interject if it is witty and relevant, but not for a general barrage across the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000757\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237a99b65-4919-4800-830d-3dd7c920d5cd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022044417d81f434cfba04d7ae371c7aa25\u0022\u003EHon Dr MEGAN WOODS\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Assistant Speaker, and I understand this is important legislation, but it\u2019s good to see what lights the Opposition\u2019s fire\u2014that this is what brings them down to the House tonight to get them so riled up in terms of that. But as I was saying before I was so inadequately interrupted by the Opposition, actually, it was obviously time for some modernisation for some of the tribunals on our book. I would like\u2014given the member sitting next to me, Kris Faafoi\u2014to make special mention of the Birdlings Flat Land Titles Commissioner, who is being disestablished under this bill. He was telling me that this was a favourite place of his as a child to go surfcasting. So a proud Cantabrian could not stand by and watch that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000758\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237a99b65-4919-4800-830d-3dd7c920d5cd\u0022\u003EThis is important legislation. These are the tribunals where ordinary New Zealanders do access justice. We need to make sure that we do adequately resource them, and we don\u2019t allow the kind of backlogs to build up. When we hear the submissions such as Mr Rodger Haines QC who came to the Justice Committee and said, \u201CFor the past three years, a workload of now five full-time decision-makers has been carried out by one person, i.e. the present chairperson.\u201D, we can see that this was just another area of neglect from the previous Government. Thank you, Madam Assistant Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022736a5c0b-8df3-4047-ba26-632ba2798b4c\u0022 data-id=\u0022bb999cc65e8a4e41bfd4692b4d3b8bf0\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000759\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022736a5c0b-8df3-4047-ba26-632ba2798b4c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022bb999cc65e8a4e41bfd4692b4d3b8bf0\u0022\u003EHon MAGGIE BARRY (National\u2014North Shore):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Assistant Speaker. I rise to speak to the Courts Matters Bill and Tribunals Powers and Procedures Legislation Bill at their second readings. Of course National supports this bill, because it was conceived and gestated under our watch. I commend the member Aupito William Sio, who introduced it to the House tonight, but it\u2019s got Amy Adams writ large all over it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000760\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022736a5c0b-8df3-4047-ba26-632ba2798b4c\u0022\u003EWhen I look at a thorough and comprehensive approach\u2014which we are well used to on this side of the House, dealing with Amy Adams; how incredibly thorough she is\u2014we see something that is worth modernising. The other side of the House, they never modernise, and this may be very fresh territory for them\u2014an arcane and unknown territory. But modernising and getting around things to ensure modern and efficient practices are used, along with efficient courts and tribunals, are very much what the former Government was all about; so I do commend this member for bringing, in his own way, this piece of legislation to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000761\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022736a5c0b-8df3-4047-ba26-632ba2798b4c\u0022\u003ESo the Courts Matters Bill alone, as Chris Penk mentioned earlier, amends 14 Acts.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000762\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e1110a0b07674d6daa76ee8c95cfde46\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: He said that!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000763\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022736a5c0b-8df3-4047-ba26-632ba2798b4c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f4b717ac9ec740ddb8f684db8deed57e\u0022\u003EHon MAGGIE BARRY\u003C/span\u003E: The Tribunals Powers and Procedures Legislation Bill standardises and modernises\u2014something that would be unknown to Mr Peters. Modernising is something that he probably couldn\u2019t even spell, let alone deal with on an intellectual level\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000764\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ab76095d6e894e55aefccdd1fac2c966\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Order! [Interruption] Order! [Interruption] Order!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000765\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022736a5c0b-8df3-4047-ba26-632ba2798b4c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022516fadd4a7594361ad56e27d08d7f5f7\u0022\u003EHon MAGGIE BARRY\u003C/span\u003E: So we have legislation that deals with that across 21 tribunals. It has been alluded to before. It is such an important area that I\u2019ll bring it up again: the Birdlings Flat Land Titles Commissioner. Now, this has been noted by the Opposition as a job that has been finished. It has now moved on; so the authority will be disestablished. These are good things. This is why National supports it. The Health Boards of Appeal and the Maritime Appeal Authority also are probably unknown to members of this House because they were seldom used, and their functions will instead be taken up by the District Court.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000766\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022736a5c0b-8df3-4047-ba26-632ba2798b4c\u0022\u003ESo when we work through some of the extraordinarily rich detail of the amendments\u2014I could dwell, for example, on the Real Estate Agents Act 2008, but I choose not to; I would rather look at the Disputes Tribunal Act and the clarification of the Chief District Court Judge, who is wholly responsible for rostering and training disputes referees. Others may mock the detail of this legislation, but it\u2019s extremely important to the smooth workings of our judicial system.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000767\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022736a5c0b-8df3-4047-ba26-632ba2798b4c\u0022\u003EI think that updating the range of legislation that fails to keep pace with modern practice is something that the former National Government concentrated on a lot. Coming up to speed with the 21st century practices is something that the Hon Amy Adams was devoted to. I\u2019m glad that the Government is now picking up on it, because they are slow to acknowledge and embrace consistency, transparency, and efficiency in everything, including the courts. So it is good that they\u2019ve picked this up.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000768\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022736a5c0b-8df3-4047-ba26-632ba2798b4c\u0022\u003EI think the Government has made a number of recent reforms to our justice system that will make that system far easier for people to deal with. There will be fewer backlogs and there will be fewer people waiting. The flexibility and responsiveness and transparency of our court system depend on this piece of legislation going through. I know the Hon Mark Mitchell is right across the detail of this bill and will speak to it with a level of conviction that will astound and astonish this House, because it is really something that he believes in implicitly and to his core. He\u2019s had a lot of experience in this, unlike other members on the opposite side, who have not.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000769\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022736a5c0b-8df3-4047-ba26-632ba2798b4c\u0022\u003EMy colleague Chris Bishop had pointed out that the Justice Committee worked long and hard on this and with a lot of intellectual rigour and grunt\u2014\u201Cgrunt\u201D, do I dare say that word in this House?\u2014and have done tremendous things. My colleague is now nodding sagely, having spent much of his youth embracing the changes that this piece of legislation is about to usher in. It is very important that we modernise and that we are thorough and comprehensive.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000770\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022736a5c0b-8df3-4047-ba26-632ba2798b4c\u0022\u003EI see, unfortunately, that my time is almost up with this call. Although I\u2019m being robbed of, you know, a longer dissertation on the many, many arcane and fascinating elements, I can see someone poised on the opposite side of the House, like a coiled spring, with venom exuding from him, about ready to pounce. So I will commend this bill to the House because it came from us, it makes sense by us and for us, and it\u2019s good for New Zealand. So I commend this bill to the House. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022 data-id=\u002272a1d8bc68854720b3241236b177c038\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000771\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002272a1d8bc68854720b3241236b177c038\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Acting Prime Minister):\u003C/span\u003E I move an extension of time, because we like a good joke over here, and that\u2019s been the most comedic half-hour I\u2019ve heard for a long, long time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022 data-id=\u0022b17fa977b6f347c2ad4d78eb5b1263c7\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000772\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b17fa977b6f347c2ad4d78eb5b1263c7\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s very generous of the honourable member, but I don\u2019t think we\u2019ll be taking up that offer.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022 data-id=\u00222059549d32e340239c4bf6839598cabe\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000773\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222059549d32e340239c4bf6839598cabe\u0022\u003EDARROCH BALL (NZ First):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Assistant Speaker. I was actually looking forward to coming down and speaking on this bill tonight because it\u2019s quite an important bill\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000774\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220554b2203207427db47f27e89e44e519\u0022\u003EBarbara Kuriger\u003C/span\u003E: I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. Was that the New Zealand First call? This is the second New Zealand First speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000775\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f7abfdf494164675bd24609bab07d52e\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Actually, it wasn\u2019t. The honourable Acting Prime Minister was actually making a request on behalf\u2014he was actually seeking a procedural motion.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000776\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220b0b66eca1e3424586d29caa359885c8\u0022\u003EHon Member\u003C/span\u003E: Was he doing it under a point of order?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000777\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c0e3dc7001b94a06a824fe1e35adfb56\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: He didn\u2019t call a point of order, but he sought the will of the House to make an extension to the Hon Maggie Barry\u2019s call.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000778\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e646c669b2e741dca5fa57efee3d8c1d\u0022\u003EDARROCH BALL\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Assistant Speaker. Like I was saying, I was actually quite looking forward to coming down and speaking in this House, not necessarily because they are very, very important bills but because I wanted to hear what the Minister had to say in bringing these changes that have been made to these bills in the previous Government, and about the very good changes coming through. But the excitement actually dissipated from me when I had to hear from the Hon Maggie Barry and the ridiculousness that was coming out of her mouth and the viciousness\u2014the venom that was coming out of her mouth in regards to the insults coming across to this side of the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000779\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003EYou know, I have been known once in a while to be a bringer of fact. It\u2019s not a nice job, but some people have to do it in this House. Obviously the speeches in the House from the National Party tonight have been absolutely and totally bereft of fact, but the reason why it is absolutely necessary for this legislation to be brought to this House\u2014not only that, but the changes that have needed to be made by the Justice Committee and by this side of the House. Here are a couple of facts: as of June this year, there\u2019s been a backlog. There has been a backlog 135 people to the Human Rights Review Tribunal\u2014135.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000780\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227187459ce03f41c2bcd228e1ddb94e8b\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: How many?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000781\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ebbb6d7f1d9149ceae7e88365ba04278\u0022\u003EDARROCH BALL\u003C/span\u003E: One hundred and thirty-five, but that\u2019s just the start of it\u2014that\u2019s just the start of it. This incompetent National Party, when they were the Government, the incompetence was palpable. One of the facts in regard to this topic was the fact that between 2014 and 2017 the backlog jumped 144 percent.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000782\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002218fdad2554a4428cb3c3bf0215b5f23d\u0022\u003EHon Member\u003C/span\u003E: How much?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000783\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a3a0e132ee3f41efa15942f506e8a51d\u0022\u003EDARROCH BALL\u003C/span\u003E: One hundred and forty-four percent. So we can hear all of the nice one-liners that they seem to want to repeat, because they hand around the speech notes that they\u2019ve been given because they\u2019ve run out of speechwriters for them because they\u2019re in Opposition right now. They want to start talking about the one-liners: how it was the Hon Amy Adams who brought this to this House and how it was the National Government that brought this important legislation to this House. Well, that may be true\u2014that that member who said she did actually did. That may be true, but why was it nine years? Why did it take nine years? If this was such an important piece of legislation that those National Party members have been standing up and saying was so essential and that it was the National Party and the previous National Party Minister that had the initiative to bring it to this House; why did it take nine years? Why did it take nine years? Not only that fact, but the stats that I\u2019ve read out were from June this year and 2017. You can\u2019t get any more current than that. If it was one of the reasons why the Minister brought it last term, it was because of the reactionary nature that that Government was producing for the people of this country.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000784\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003EThese are a couple of bills that are very important, and that is why\u2014and they\u2019re very similar bills. For those that have been watching that have heard the term \u201Ccognate bills\u201D, it\u2019s because they are similar in nature, but very, very important. One of the major reasons is because of the technology that, obviously, this country and society, and Western society in general, especially in our courts, have needed to update, but over the past 10 years there has been under-resourcing and neglect from the National Party to be able to achieve that. That\u2019s what this piece of legislation is going through right now in the House and it\u2019s taken us less than nine months to do so. We are willing, as a Government, as a coalition with the support of the Greens, to make sure that our courts and our justice system\u2014and that includes the police, Mr Mitchell\u2014are all fully resourced to ensure that the continuum of the justice system is 100 percent working for the people of this country.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000785\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003EThere are a couple of things that I just want to point out before I finish on my short call, and it\u2019s quite important. We\u2019ve been hearing that these bills do one major thing and that\u2019s speed up the process: saving time or reducing the time and making sure it flows for the people of this country. As you all know, the foundation of a robust democracy is a functioning, fair, and accessible justice system, and that\u2019s what this piece of legislation does. But I think it\u2019s very important to point out that even though one of the main intents and objectives of this bill is to speed up the process, it needs to be ensured that it\u2019s balanced with the process being fair and robust. I think that this bill does that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000786\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003ELastly, I just wanted to go through the report. Unfortunately, I\u2019m not sitting on the Justice Committee at this point. I would love to dearly, but I\u2019m just going through the report of the Courts Matters Bill, and one of the most important things\u2014and there\u2019s many points that have been pointed out from all of the speakers in the House today; that it\u2019s quite a detailed bill of smaller changes, but I think one of the most important ones that I\u2019m interested in is about Youth Court proceedings.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000787\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003EAt the moment, as the legislation stands, if a conviction of a young person has come to its conclusion in the District Court, that conviction would stand even if there was a filing error and that young person shouldn\u2019t have been in a District Court in the first place; that young person should\u2019ve actually gone through the Youth Court, and, at this stage, the conviction was found. That is clause 40, and the recommendation from the Justice Committee is that it be removed, because we feel that that is wrong.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000788\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003EI\u2019d just like to finish there, and I\u2019d like to thank the Minister and the Labour - New Zealand First coalition Government for bringing this forward in such a timely manner\u2014with the support of the Greens. Thank you, Madam Assistant Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000789\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002290ea1538-43e8-4257-bd80-df3ccd1e5f27\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228fd2b61a1dbf45f48d8d8c4642a61d46\u0022\u003EHon Kris Faafoi\u003C/span\u003E: \u201CDeputy Dawg\u201D!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022 data-id=\u0022d64a48a50a9d4a8eb9e8b53609073415\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000790\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d64a48a50a9d4a8eb9e8b53609073415\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: I call the Hon Mark Mitchell, and I will just caution the member Kris Faafoi to remember to use a member\u2019s proper name.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022 data-id=\u002225a16730b6304e80ac26bc5f6d0a9107\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000791\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002225a16730b6304e80ac26bc5f6d0a9107\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL (National\u2014Rodney):\u003C/span\u003E Oh, he\u2019s been waiting for this all night, Madam Assistant Speaker. Let him have his fun.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000792\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003EIt is a pleasure to stand and take a call on the second readings of the Courts Matters Bill and Tribunals Powers and Procedures Legislation Bill. Can I acknowledge the Associate Minister of Justice, Aupito William Sio. I\u2019m sure he felt that all his Christmases had come at once when he saw the quality of this bill and he realised that he was going to be given the opportunity to actually shepherd this bill through the House. He wouldn\u2019t have seen work like this in his nine years in Opposition, and he came into Government and he thought, \u201CWow, look at this\u2014the quality of the bill.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000793\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b398827c-6bf5-403e-90dc-ff03205302a5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a809057b293640eba3522a15f48b1ae2\u0022\u003EHon Aupito William Sio\u003C/span\u003E: Madam Assistant Speaker, I\u2019m leaving!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000794\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f62798fe9d3e48328c846412a67bfbc9\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: No, stay, please\u2014don\u2019t go! I\u2019m only just getting started. I just want to acknowledge the Minister and also the ministry staff that have worked on putting this very good bill together.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000795\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003EIn all seriousness, it is very important, actually, especially for victims. Going to court can be a pretty traumatic experience; so any work that can be done around making sure that that experience is actually eased for them a bit more is actually a very good thing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000796\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003EI just wanted to talk, too, about the tribunals briefly. I want to talk about the disputes tribunal, because I actually brought a private member\u2019s bill to this House back in 2013, I think, and it was around the disputes tribunal, and it was about raising the threshold from $15,000 to $30,000.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000797\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fe4ea9d041644c979b96af069d659706\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: What happened?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000798\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e8f3a0bf81ff4c7e8bcc00f697559123\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: Well, the reason why I did that is because\u2014well, it got taken up as part of this bill. It\u2019s now in this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000799\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228cf4faf010cb41a3ac9896f1c615789b\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: Really?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000800\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228b26dac61cd6429b95e707e99b84ed70\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: Have you read the bill?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000801\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a3b45710be9e4878aba9a7c0a5a07e55\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: In 2018?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000802\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225937a2490f1b441095298da3380d9121\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: Yeah, it\u2019s right there. It\u2019s been taken up by the Government, and it\u2019s a very, very good piece of the bill. The reason it is is because, at no other time in the last nine or 10 years, have businesses ever needed more help than right now. The reason for that is that we have a Government that doesn\u2019t like business. They\u2019re implementing policy after policy, and they\u2019re finally starting to get some of their own legislation into the House tonight. I have to go back to the comment made by Mr Ball, which I found fascinating, that, after nine months in Government, finally they\u2019re starting to get some of their own legislation into the House. Up until now, they\u2019ve been passing all ours; they\u2019ve been bringing in all our legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000803\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003ELook, I do want to acknowledge Mr Ball as well. He\u2019s got a very good bill that he\u2019s proposing to bring to the House. We had a meeting\u2014myself and Mr Bishop\u2014with him on it the other night. It\u2019s the Protection for First Responders and Prison Officers Bill. It\u2019s an outstanding bill, because what it\u2019s going to do\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000804\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022376bef396dfc4b80a194a1674082d446\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Order! Can we come back to this bill?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000805\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022008107a5808d49469fde8d4f6781aec3\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: If you can bear with me for just a minute, I\u2019ll be very quick, Madam Assistant Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000806\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228b8fdc4f514e47ad9a36b75f09e7a06a\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: No.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000807\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002243edf0d9787344e9a0351c9a67d1dd1b\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: OK. Well, I\u2019d just like to say that it was a great bill. I have to say that Andrew Little didn\u2019t seem that happy about it, but certainly we support it. So, coming back to the disputes tribunal, we extended the limit from $15,000 to $30,000. It\u2019s actually a great idea, because what it means is that, with this change, especially small businesses, which, really, had to almost give up a claim because the threshold was not high enough\u2014so they had to give up large parts of their claim\u2014they can now take it to the disputes tribunal. So they can stay away from lawyers, they can stay away from the costs associated with actually trying to get that hard-earned money back, and they can take it straight into the disputes tribunal. Wouldn\u2019t you agree that that\u2019s a great part of it?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000808\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237a99b65-4919-4800-830d-3dd7c920d5cd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227d6ce2cc34e84f25a2ac6ed80b5ee12a\u0022\u003EHon Dr Megan Woods\u003C/span\u003E: Why didn\u2019t you do it while you were in Government? Why didn\u2019t you do it?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000809\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d3b0a8ddbdaf4e57a85966686c4066af\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: Isn\u2019t that a fantastic part of the bill? We have done it; this is our bill. We have done it; it\u2019s in the House. It\u2019s our bill; we have actually done it. I\u2019ll tell you what, tell me about clause 40. Do you think clause\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000810\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b2cd271ec7dc46eabb55df1795b0d3fe\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Mr Mitchell. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000811\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224e46e2d8e9964aa48b723f31cd559b81\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry, I apologise. I get a bit over-excited with this stuff, Madam Assistant Speaker. I apologise. So can I ask the member\u2014actually, can I ask the Rt Hon Winston Peters: do you think that removing clause 40 from the Courts Matters Bill was a good move? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000812\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002262dbaba17da84cb8be0ee876ef2960f2\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. Now look, I know it\u2019s late at night and some of those of those members over there are getting tired, but they must not bring you into the debate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000813\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ab33fe47219f46babe27fc6b9bbc9ef5\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you very much.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000814\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b11caa9789d840c5b91c0f9a77543d3b\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: So let me rephrase it: does the Rt Hon Winston Peters think the removal of clause 40 was a good decision on this bill? What does he think?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000815\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e9bf3716178a49adaa6c0b14413d1074\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Continue with your speech.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000816\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002235a9e72929c64c9e84c42cab7ea4431d\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, I\u2019m very interested to know, because he\u2019s had a lot to say. He wanted the detail. He wanted to know the detail.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000817\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220b2996f8940d496792a9c8cbf6b91073\u0022\u003EHon Member\u003C/span\u003E: Take another call.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000818\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002275e1558310dc4387828b9b00ae62cb38\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: Take another call? Someone take a call and come and talk to me about clause 40. I\u2019ll tell you what: I\u2019ll let you off the hook and I\u2019ll tell you what clause 40 is all about. Clause 40 was taken out and, actually, I think it was a good move because, fundamentally, what it meant was that they were trying to\u2014it related to section 380, which meant that if, by mistake, the prosecutor lodged the information with the District Court, which meant that you had a youth that should have been tried in the Youth Court taken into the District Court, clause 40 was proposing that, actually, if it was discovered during the case, then they\u2019d have to remain in the District Court. But actually what happened was that\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000819\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221e1bc37145124549a2113279586bbd13\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s what he said.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000820\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002222d2f2122c024af8b8fae57658e43e93\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: Well, you were very silent a minute ago when I was asking you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000821\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c5aa3dc9fef54532a987ff029af91e19\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Order! Order!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000822\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225ddf47a629a8455a9c70d2d8353dc001\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: So I\u2019m a bit confused\u2014did you know or didn\u2019t you know? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000823\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227e63d8f6c17e423281c8dc2febc543c0\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Order!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000824\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227836fb92c1d74acbae3d21b4a817fdff\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry, Madam Assistant Speaker. I thought it was polite to engage. But, anyway, clause 40 was removed because, actually, it was decided that you don\u2019t want to remove the right for a youth to actually have access to all the support services in the Youth Court. So that was a very good decision; one that we supported, in this bill. [Interruption] \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000825\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fc5b3c592601414ab2856cce0e057d3a\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Order!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000826\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b961e117dd2046bdad6522e925ea404b\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: The other thing that I wanted to talk about very briefly was around actually giving court officers more powers in their ability to do their job. They are now able to deal with drug paraphernalia under the Misuse of Drugs Act, which is very important.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000827\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003EIt expands the definition of \u201Ccourt\u201D to include \u201Cany space between the building and the road\u201D. I\u2019ll tell you why this is important\u2014and it comes back to talking about the rights of victims and the trauma that they experience when they go into court\u2014very often you will get the family of defendants, or if it\u2019s a gang member or multiple gang members that might be facing charges in court, they will all accumulate outside the court. They do that for one reason and one reason only: to intimidate the victim or the victim\u2019s family or the victim\u2019s friends when they are entering the courthouse. So what it means now is that the court has got jurisdiction and control over that area, which once they did not; it was a public area between the courthouse and the road. So that means that they\u2019ll actually be able to make it a bit safer and control that area a lot more, which means that victims are not going to have to face the intimidation that I\u2019ve often seen myself when they are just trying to do a basic thing like get inside the courthouse.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000828\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003EThey are also going to be able to have the power to use reasonable force when pursuing an escapee, and I think that this is\u2014[Interruption]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000829\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022530ce0c4-c977-40cb-90fb-754f54931ff1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c16017fa8d654af7b137aefb9a65e336\u0022\u003EHon Tracey Martin\u003C/span\u003E: Ha, ha!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000830\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c4f55ac78719495ab4bf88495298762e\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: Well, it\u2019s funny that Tracey Martin finds this funny. I don\u2019t want to get started on her\u2014a politician that should be in Somaliland rather than New Zealand, with her foot soldier there sat beside her, but we\u2019ll wait for a general debate on this one. Why don\u2019t we wait for a general debate on this one, right?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000831\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220f3dcf07ad1746d59a1a398c6b3e90ca\u0022\u003EChris Bishop\u003C/span\u003E: How\u2019s the inquiry going?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000832\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b9c1885ef3214d78bfd00a2ce7b01c49\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: Yeah, the inquiry\u2014exactly. Well, let\u2019s wait for some other time on that one. Anyway\u2014[Interruption]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000833\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a803b00a239e4523bf02d3f7d0b8ccf3\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Order!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000834\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d783c07e7fa842e385b87150c03c0933\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: A court security officer is able now to pursue someone that is trying to escape court. Fundamentally, I think this is\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000835\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022530ce0c4-c977-40cb-90fb-754f54931ff1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221da7ea32de744343b9ef5a47896ed314\u0022\u003EHon Tracey Martin\u003C/span\u003E: Spell my name right. Spell my name right, for goodness\u2019 sake!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000836\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226107de1ed4d94263b2679171fac51d3c\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s very hard. It\u2019s like nails on a blackboard. It\u2019s very, very hard to\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000837\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229f2ac2668b624000b251d475ce80aa32\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: It is indeed a disorderly session tonight. Can we just settle, please? We\u2019ve only got a few more minutes till the end of the evening.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000838\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228dc87ced15794eb9a7a2c0f0b63a3213\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Assistant Speaker. So this is another very good change that\u2019s being implemented in the bill, which will actually discourage offenders from thinking that they can decamp from the courthouse, because now the court officers\u2014and many of them are ex - law enforcement officers\u2014have got the ability to stop that. This is a very good bill. I\u2019m very happy to have taken a call and recommend this bill to the House. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022 data-id=\u0022a54e8b36219e41c3ab02f65e25bda10f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000839\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a54e8b36219e41c3ab02f65e25bda10f\u0022\u003EGOLRIZ GHAHRAMAN (Green):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Assistant Speaker. It\u2019s a pleasure to rise to speak to both these bills and leave aside the great raging dispute that\u2019s gone on in the House tonight, between members from both sides, about who, in fact, is responsible and should be commended for bringing these reforms to our criminal justice system or justice system as a whole. Leaving all of that aside, I wanted to focus on some of the details, in terms of the Courts Matters Bill, that jumped out to me. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000840\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003EThis is a bill that covers matters from the very functional powers of security guards to the very complex procedures that apply where a person is claiming mental impairment and fitness to stand trial. That particular process is one that I\u2019ve got some experience of and I know was absolutely nonsensical under the previous law. I was very happy to see the procedure reversed. Previously, where a person was potentially unfit to stand trial\u2014suffered from a disease of the mind, which is the very high standard\u2014the court would first hear, in an actual disputed hearing, whether or not the actual crime is likely to have occurred, before that person had access to expert reports on their sanity. So, as a lawyer, where a client was potentially not fit to stand trial, it was very hard to adduce from them, for example, alibis and things like that so you could even have that hearing. So, essentially, that\u2019s being reversed so that the expert psychological reports come first, and if the person\u2019s not fit, then the matter is disposed of\u2014far more efficient.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000841\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003EMany of the matters covered by this bill go to efficiency. One of the main ones is the procedure to use audiovisual links (AVL) in all sorts of new ways\u2014so video linking to accused persons from where they\u2019re held, for example, for types of hearing where there\u2019s no need for them to attend. This does expedite proceedings, but I would just note, from the front lines of the justice system, that not all procedures, not all matters heard by the criminal courts, are actually suitable for this kind of process. So while this is available and it will help to address the backlog in our courts, it would be good to see the new funding that this Government is going to put into our justice system so that we do, in fact, have enough judges to hear things that do require a higher level of procedural safeguard, like opposed bails, for example, that actually affect a person\u2019s rights not to be arbitrarily held. Where a person is using AVL in a process like that, they very rarely have access to counsel, who are in court and not able to speak with them via AVL.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000842\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003ESo, moving on to the Tribunals Powers and Procedures Legislation Bill, I would like to focus on the effects that this will have on the Human Rights Review Tribunal. We\u2019ve heard tonight a few mentions of Rodger Haines QC, which I was very happy to hear. He\u2019s just been honoured in the latest Queen\u2019s Birthday honours. He has been a world-renowned human rights lawyer, focusing on refugee law, which I wish most New Zealanders knew something about. He was the previous president of our refugee appeals authority and changed the world when he recognised the rights of the rainbow community to asylum. He is now the president of the Human Rights Review Tribunal, and the Justice Committee has heard from him about the backlog.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000843\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003ENow, those of us who have worked in the human rights sector know that the right to justice itself is, in fact, denied when it is so delayed that victims are waiting two years for a hearing and up to three years now for a decision. When we think about the types of cases that go to the Human Rights Review Tribunal, these are discrimination cases, privacy cases, and cases that affect the disabled community.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000844\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003EThe last one that I had anything to do with was actually involving the family carers\u2019 case. So just to put into context the kind of cases that are coming through this tribunal and are so badly delayed, the family carers case involved family members caring for their profoundly disabled loved ones without proper financial support. Where their family members were placed into corporate care, they would get up to $70,000, but the family carers were fighting to get minimum wage. So they brought a discrimination case\u2014discrimination based on family relationship is unlawful in New Zealand\u2014and they eventually won. It took them years. They won and the National Government passed legislation, under urgency, to cut the family carers off from the Human Rights Act\u2019s remedies regime\u2014under urgency, in the dead of night, without consultation. These are important cases, these are important issues, and they are so delayed as to be waiting two years for hearing\u2014two years, vulnerable people.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000845\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003EDebate interrupted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20180703b940a553d63549989d6c3383705880c7000846\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003EThe House adjourned at 10 p.m.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n  \u003C/body\u003E\n\u003C/html\u003E"