"\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=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00222cd1a19c7e494e77936d9eab71a2f0ff\u0022\u003ETUESDAY, 25 JUNE 2019\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000003\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022b2e1e07375534ff68f1e02acbb30f57b\u0022\u003ETUESDAY, 25 JUNE 2019\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000002\u0022\u003EThe Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000004\u0022\u003EKarakia.\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000005\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022abc4f241449a464fbf3950947879a7b4\u0022\u003EVisitors\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000006\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022d000b320c43048ca8ebffdd81e83bfbc\u0022\u003EMalaysia\u2014Malaysian House of Representatives, Speaker and Delegation\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022 data-id=\u00224ccacd7dc8614054b1788c565a23cd06\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000007\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224ccacd7dc8614054b1788c565a23cd06\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m sure that members would wish to welcome Hon Dato\u2019 Mohamad Ariff bin Mohamad Yusof, Speaker of the Malaysian House of Representatives, and his delegation, who are present in the gallery, and accord the Speaker a seat to the left of the Chair.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000008\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003EThe Hon Dato\u2019 Mohamad Ariff bin Mohamad Yusof, accompanied by the Deputy Speaker, entered the Chamber and took a seat on the left of the Chair.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000009\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022d96aea49d8764a8ba2bbdda8c419710e\u0022\u003EOral Questions\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000010\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022f18ba80f2bcf447fb3e8fd2b7770d2b6\u0022\u003EQuestions to Ministers\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000011\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00220ea48b0471e84a1da2c8698b28a8b828\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 1\u2014Prime Minister\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022 data-id=\u0022a961a738cd894ff6a8ed76b01f6f3e0e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000012\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E1. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a961a738cd894ff6a8ed76b01f6f3e0e\u0022\u003EHon SIMON BRIDGES (Leader of the Opposition)\u003C/span\u003E to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all her Government\u2019s statements, policies, and actions?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022 data-id=\u00221d3381ce3369470fa5f0be3d6d7c6d8c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000013\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221d3381ce3369470fa5f0be3d6d7c6d8c\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister):\u003C/span\u003E Yes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000014\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fd9034b1af8645989d193884e30a5e10\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: What is a better reflection of New Zealanders\u2019 living standards: GDP or GDP per capita?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000015\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ac0630e043b34e36a2f8716a6a4dfc52\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: GDP per capita, obviously, is something that has sat around the 0.9 percent to 1 percent mark for some time and is a reflection, actually, of poor productivity. That is something that has been persistent. He would know it well because it sat about the same rate under his Government as well. It\u2019s an area where, unlike his Government, we have a plan: investment in R \u0026amp; D, making sure that we are investing in the skills of New Zealanders, including things like fees-free and apprenticeships. All will make a difference, ultimately, to our productivity.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000016\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d9a36f07dc4b463080690ae942884852\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: What was annual GDP per person growth for the previous 12 months, and how does that compare to other countries in the OECD?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000017\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ea5b0321300c4725989ef7919b3b605f\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: While I don\u2019t have the comparison for other countries with me in the House now, the increase in the last quarter, of course\u2014we are sitting at about 0.9 percent. When you compare that to the 10-year rolling average, that sits at about 1.2 percent, from memory. And, again, actually, the member may do well to reflect on the fact that we\u2019ve actually had an issue with our productivity for some time over the last 10 years. Unlike the last Government, our view is that we do need to address that by investing in our people. That\u2019s something that\u2019s been raised continually by the likes of the OECD.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000018\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228a5bf8f77da5405f9df1ebac3f3ddaa6\u0022\u003EDavid Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: How does the fees-free policy increase productivity? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000019\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220c13e6fae90342e7ac7241e95ccc6420\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: Ultimately, our goal has to be to lift the skills and education level of all New Zealanders. If there is a barrier to that, then that needs to be addressed. I reflect, for instance, that the last time I was up North I had someone, a teacher, explicitly tell me the difference it was making to the number of students who were entering into post-secondary education because of a removal of that barrier\u2014the cost of study. If we can encourage that for more and more New Zealanders, hopefully, we can, of course, make a difference to things like our NEET numbers. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000020\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002283c4b5f4e4104998bc9ec7a7db652e19\u0022\u003EDavid Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: How can the Prime Minister say that the fees-free policy has increased the skills of New Zealanders when participation in tertiary education under the policy has gone down nationwide? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000021\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e2b3aec88a394dc082eb6d3eb390d0dd\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: The member is incorrect to assume that this is solely about those who enter into tertiary education. Our focus, of course, is lifting those who engage in industry-based training; those who enter into, for instance, apprenticeships in construction; vocational pathways\u2014an area that we encourage with fees-free. In fact, an apprenticeship is free for two years, not just one year, and that\u2019s the exact reason why. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c14c9cb2bb364846b1f7c74b2dab64d2\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: In light of her previous answer, isn\u2019t the reality that GDP per capita in the last year has been a paltry 0.7 percent, and, given her reference to the previous Government, wasn\u2019t it much higher at an average of 1.6 percent in the last five years? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000023\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022319ced4af91e402a88d850fa5429e4ed\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: It was 0.9 percent in the year to March. Again, the member, though, is raising an issue that\u2014again, I think he\u2019d be hard-pressed to refute\u2014has been something that we\u2019ve been dealing with since successive Governments; the difference is that we have a plan to deal with it. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000024\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ac04e7474f90487386d9bfcbb034832f\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: Is she aware that New Zealand\u2019s GDP per capita growth in the last year was the seventh worst in the OECD? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000025\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223e1ca347d097406389e3977d05b33892\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: Again, as I say, the member would do well to remember that average GDP per capita growth under his Government was 0.9 percent. GDP per capita grew at 0.9 percent over the last year; that\u2019s the same as the year through to December 2018. Unlike the member, I\u2019m actually recognising an issue that we have, and we are seeking to resolve it. There was no plan, however, when the last Government was in office. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000026\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002220c23ee2de6d4c98a42cc31d5db99bac\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: Why, in the last three quarters, has GDP per capita grown at only 0 percent, 0.2 percent, and 0.1 percent when the terms of trade are at historical highs and exports are rising? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000027\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223f95f6dce571490cb9b10158e93c46e9\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: Again, if the member wants to talk solely about individual quarters, that is his prerogative. I noted that, when his Government was in office, that was the reason it was us that tended to talk about quarterly GDP per capita numbers rather than GDP numbers as a whole, because, of course, on that measure the member wouldn\u2019t want to discuss it because the OECD has pointed out, as it well should, that our GDP numbers, our growth numbers, our inflation numbers, our employment numbers, our surplus demonstrate that our economy is in good shape. You don\u2019t need to listen to me; just ask the OECD. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000028\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022da785a301f6a4d3dabc4fc1a53272155\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: Could the Prime Minister tell us how many GDP per capita growth policies her Government inherited? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000029\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022035237b724744c3f8daef12815728528\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: As far as I can tell, there was no plan to address that issue. The last Government\u2019s economic policy, as far as I can tell, was based on immigration and an inflated housing market. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000030\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c0c2f86a36dc4ab0b6df866b89079474\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: Why is GDP growth slowing when the terms of trade and exports are rising? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000031\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c90bdf903196410cb20fa36fe82e22df\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: We had this discussion the last time the House sat. Again, I have pointed out that, when you look at our GDP growth within the international environment, we compare pretty well. If the member wants to talk about, though, our issue with trade, the growth we have actually seen\u2014relative, though, however, to services\u2014he\u2019ll see that the issue we have raised continually about the international environment is playing out in that number as well. Tourism numbers declining while our export growth continues\u2014that points to the international environment we are operating in. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000032\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223ff329e14e1c4d23babd1a8ee28cb25d\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Before I go to question No. 2, I\u2019m going to ask the Hon Jenny Salesa to move the box that she has to her left. Thank you. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000033\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022acfd895239b948f594fcac5824530b53\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 2\u2014Prime Minister\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022 data-id=\u0022556838e1005a4b89ab026fa3e7810deb\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000034\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E2. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022556838e1005a4b89ab026fa3e7810deb\u0022\u003EHon SIMON BRIDGES (Leader of the Opposition)\u003C/span\u003E to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all her Government\u2019s statements, policies, and actions?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022 data-id=\u0022b1b55cbbf999460a95e63edd9f461799\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000035\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b1b55cbbf999460a95e63edd9f461799\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister):\u003C/span\u003E This will surprise the member: yes. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000036\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f75b8ccb6e8640c7ab717e31f398a833\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: Does she stand by her statement from January, when asked if Phil Twyford would keep his job at the mid-year reshuffle, \u201CYes.\u201D?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000037\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d4ec5a633ab0463eb47e2fa4ba95c611\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: I expressed then confidence in the Minister and I continue to express confidence in the Minister\u2014in particular, because we are now a Government that is building more houses than any Government since the mid-1970s. We have 2,000 additional public housing places. We have expanded Housing First and our work on homelessness across the country. We are building more State houses. I am proud of our record. We have tried something in KiwiBuild that has never been tried before, and it\u2019s an ambition that we are not stepping away from. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000038\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002230e1d3965beb4a23875b5d43b5841f30\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: Why did Phil Twyford say in January that a KiwiBuild reset would be \u201Ca couple of weeks away\u201D, then signalled it would be in April, and then, in May, stated it would be \u201Cprobably mid-June\u201D? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000039\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222bb61aca039548a4b018d57d675b47a4\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: Look, we are absolutely focused on making sure that we do the reset once and do it right. Houses continue to be built in the meantime, and I\u2019ll continue to point out that that includes State houses as well, of which I\u2019m very, very proud of the fact that we have quadrupled the number that are under construction. We\u2019re now at 2,700 State houses under construction. The member would do well to remember that we\u2019ve actually had to pick up the pieces on housing across every single area: transitional, State, public housing places, and homelessness\u2014every single corner you turned in housing, we have had to fix. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000040\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222c6163acfc19406bbd828a54003a2d0f\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: When will the KiwiBuild reset be announced? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000041\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224238d7984c2e4bcb8d11b841d8bc5e3c\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: When we\u2019re ready to announce it. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000042\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022853f4cc939474904a72cb980a9c67d06\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: Are the answers to Mr Bridges\u2019 second primary question the same as her answers to his first primary question, because the questions are the same? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000043\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223670a453ebc542108597580b2cc91cb6\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: One could make that assumption. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000044\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022034e3d2468fc49298e68ce6ee038bcf7\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: Will the KiwiBuild name survive the housing reset? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000045\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226df029812a8d417b9e736330d7266d2c\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: Obviously, the most important thing is whether or not we are continuing to build houses, and the answer is yes. The member, I know, may not be inclined to look at polls, but there was a poll on KiwiBuild where 60 percent of New Zealanders want us to keep going, and the reason for that was that they accept\u2014even if the member does not\u2014that we have a crisis, that it requires intervention, and that we cannot give up on ensuring that we have affordable housing in New Zealand. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000046\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002293645f29027b4560a60582023ebd9c10\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: Will the name KiwiBuild survive the reset? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000047\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228ba03c92216c4a6e9e9e9fd3bdd84b47\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: As I say, I see that as the least of the issues\u2014what something is called. The most material thing is whether or not we are going to keep building houses, and the answer is yes. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000048\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d2df53553783425b9871e80035f4c7d0\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: When was the last time she said \u201CKiwiBuild\u201D, and can she say it today? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000049\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c2183281cb2e4a0db968430645f7f94c\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m pretty sure I actually might have said it in this House, but KiwiBuild. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000050\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229b715fe7920c456d93f4d6cc093bd30b\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: How many KiwiBuild houses has her Government built? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000051\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022834eaf82f747413e91224e79bea50b3f\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: As we have said before, currently\u2014and I said just this morning, if the member chose to listen\u2014we\u2019ve got around 480 that are currently under construction, 10,000 that are currently contracted\u2014[Interruption] \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000052\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224dd8e2d3f39c4a289342405daeb0410a\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Order! Order! The members\u2019 leader asked a question. I think there were about four members there who need to turn down the volume and, in some cases, the frequency and, in some cases, the repetitive nature of their interjections. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000053\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a98fcdea35084c759717b3d19e54a51a\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I think the difficulty is I\u2019ve asked how many KiwiBuild houses have been built and the Prime Minister is not answering that question.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000054\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a76bec53c72243f18e71adfd3fca71cf\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, given\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000055\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223ae7e0c8f7ce430fad8e9fef22f3c9c7\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. To be fair, I didn\u2019t actually complete my answer and I\u2019d be happy to do so if the member would give me the opportunity.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000056\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220cde9ffa788e407dba6b0766955210a7\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s what I was attempting with my intervention. The Rt Hon Prime Minister, completing the answer.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000057\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aa2209f1-1889-4c24-b51d-cb2aedc7aa93\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e295d1343a28445cb3415d8fbc74a6b6\u0022\u003ERt Hon JACINDA ARDERN\u003C/span\u003E: As I said, 10,000 homes are currently under contract to go under construction; 480 are currently under construction; 141 have been completed; 2,700 State houses are currently under construction; 1,200 State homes, since we took office, have been completed; 2,000 more homes have families living in them\u2014public housing because of us\u2014and, of course, we have the additional investment in Housing First. The reason I mention that, for the benefit of members, is because, as I\u2019ve said, in every single area of housing we have had a crisis that we have been addressing and we will continue to address.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000058\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022badb0a39-849c-462a-b32f-77fc017c9fc2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022683cf12746064ee1a6cfc203dc1c83ad\u0022\u003EHon Simon Bridges\u003C/span\u003E: Of all the houses she\u2019s mentioned, KiwiBuild and otherwise, how many of them were not already consented or under construction at the election; and isn\u2019t the answer \u201CStuff all, if any.\u201D?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000059\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002237cb0275371244f290f5d8e621c35aa6\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Order! [Interruption] No, that is not an appropriate question. Does the member have a further question? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000060\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002248ce03a7f2524bb89655c045ba910993\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Would it be reasonable for you to perhaps explain what was inappropriate about that, given the series of answers that we\u2019d had from the Prime Minister?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000061\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ed5ead9ac3824019a194f96b7de33cd2\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I think it\u2019s fair to say that the answers we\u2019ve had from the Prime Minister may have been fuller than necessary but, whether or not that is the case, it is not a reason for the Leader of the Opposition to use inappropriate language as part of his question. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000062\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022503db4a4ca5a4a56a4398771b2a6ba84\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Are you now ruling\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000063\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fef3aac86c234f948b202dab4117f9d8\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Order! Mr Brownlee has the floor; Ms Bennett will be quiet.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000064\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022088b9da5b3b24381849b1ecc4ce677ef\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: Are you now ruling that the use of the word \u201Cstuff\u201D associated with the word \u201Call\u201D is inappropriate parliamentary language?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000065\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c834d641ec11424e890551d4fa469313\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Yes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000066\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002209be371e19114f2b84b0f0bd4f4c8c17\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 3\u2014Finance\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022 data-id=\u002235d55e857d484921a7c04ccba22cdf46\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000067\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022\u003E3. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002235d55e857d484921a7c04ccba22cdf46\u0022\u003EKIRITAPU ALLAN (Labour)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Finance: What recent announcements has he made about the review of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act 1989?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022 data-id=\u00227f5b5ed77bfb4d29a4defad24d1e3d0f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000068\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227f5b5ed77bfb4d29a4defad24d1e3d0f\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance):\u003C/span\u003E It\u2019s a topic of great interest to the House. The coalition Government has been reviewing the 30-year-old Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act to make sure it is fit for purpose for the 21st century. Last year, we delivered on phase 1 of the review by updating our monetary policy settings so that the Reserve Bank takes employment outcomes into account alongside price stability. Phase 2 of the review focuses on the financial policy and prudential regulation side of the Reserve Bank\u2019s operations. Yesterday, I announced a number of in principle decisions that Cabinet has made. These include that the Government will introduce a deposit protection regime in New Zealand to bring us in line with the rest of the OECD. I also announced further\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000069\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022abcdcc2750fd412998d0a96a37c47237\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Order! That\u2019s enough and could well be going beyond the question.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000070\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a52047aee09c4fd387918a4ddda01594\u0022\u003EKiritapu Allan\u003C/span\u003E: Why did the Government decide to implement a depositor protection regime?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000071\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002261b2904b39634098854ecf02d420e4d9\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: New Zealand is an outlier in the OECD in not having a formal deposit protection regime to support Kiwi depositors in the unlikely event a bank were to fail. We know that depositor confidence can help support a strong banking system. The Government has listened to advice of the OECD, the IMF, past Reserve Bank Governors, and sector experts to introduce depositor protection in New Zealand. The proposal being discussed is for a regime with a $30,000 to $50,000 limit, which would cover 90 percent of the deposit accounts in New Zealand. This is an initial suggestion based on advice, and we welcome New Zealanders\u2019 views on this range during the phase 2 consultation process.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000072\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022389b469f419a4a1cb60f64f418c71d0e\u0022\u003EKiritapu Allan\u003C/span\u003E: How is the Government looking to strengthen the Reserve Bank\u2019s enforcement powers?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000073\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002202b57823e67944e999f494f357058637\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: A number of countries around the world, including the UK and Australia, have strengthened their accountability regimes, including for bank executives, to make sure that they are fit for purpose and include the right balance of measures to hold banks to account. Cabinet has now decided that now is the right time to look at whether the Reserve Bank supervisory regime is sufficiently strong. That includes the enforcement tools the Reserve Bank has, including whether penalties are tough enough to discourage certain types of behaviour. The review will look at elements of overseas frameworks, with final decisions to be announced in 2020.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000074\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022d56bb63c24a346b586bca45b1600c592\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 4\u2014Transport\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022 data-id=\u0022489b3f9db56e4902966040b5efb7bdfe\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000075\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E4. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022489b3f9db56e4902966040b5efb7bdfe\u0022\u003EHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Transport: What estimates has he seen on the cost of light rail from Auckland City centre to M\u0101ngere?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022 data-id=\u002205fe7632147a4b948309e3beb104f6d4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000076\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002205fe7632147a4b948309e3beb104f6d4\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD (Minister of Transport):\u003C/span\u003E Light rail will be able to carry 11,000 commuters per hour, the equivalent of four lanes of motorway, through the middle of one of the most built-up parts of Auckland and connect commuters to two of the biggest concentrations of jobs in the country. The most recent cost estimate that I\u2019ve seen is around $4 billion. However, it\u2019s important to note that the business case and final design will provide more certainty on the final cost.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000077\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f6892229ec684b3b8f00577cae05be6b\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree with his colleague the Minister for Infrastructure\u2019s comment last week in the select committee in relation to the Auckland light rail project, \u201CI\u2019m told, Mr Goldsmith, that it could cost $3.8 billion to put a new harbour bridge over Waitemat\u0101; let\u2019s just say that.\u201D, and then \u201CI\u2019m also told that a light rail project could be double that.\u201D?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000078\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b3fbed784d5344f9bedead853fd4a7f0\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I think that might have been lost in translation. I almost always agree with my colleague the Minister for Infrastructure, and I\u2019m sure if we had a correct account of what he\u2019d said in the context, I would agree with it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000079\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b7790d76f37343c98769d752e23bd24b\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree with this statement from the same Minister in relation to the project, \u201CBut as to where the money will come from, I haven\u2019t been, to date, a part of any detailed discussions in that regard and I think we\u2019re quite some way off that.\u201D?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000080\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002264941a5004724f01801570ec058c25e1\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD\u003C/span\u003E: Well, we are indeed quite some way off it. There\u2019s a business case process that\u2019s under way, there\u2019s a procurement process that\u2019s under way, and we\u2019ve always made it clear that there\u2019s $1.8 billion in the Auckland Transport Alignment Project, in the National Land Transport Fund, essentially as seed finance, but it\u2019s our full expectation that the light rail project will be subject to some kind of private financing arrangement.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000081\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e2b197415bfe44859f8d43defdae3d1b\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: What success does he think he\u2019ll have in persuading Kiwis that light rail halfway down Dominion Road is the right priority for spending billions of dollars, if he hasn\u2019t yet persuaded his coalition partners?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000082\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e8435b9dc6784978abed926b9115d500\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I think we have persuaded coalition partners. It\u2019s the Government\u2019s policy to build this project and, as for persuading Kiwis, Aucklanders don\u2019t need any persuading that our city needs a modern rapid transit network that provides 21st century public transport across the city and allows people to move around on a daily basis and get access to the things that they need, whether it\u2019s work or education. They understand that simply adding more lanes to the existing motorway network, which was the policy of the former Government, won\u2019t cut it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000083\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022650f7208c2c34ebe96289969813eee32\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: How many Aucklanders has he met who have agreed with his proposition that a slight improvement to the public transport offering down Dominion Road is the No. 1 transport priority in Auckland?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002278657d9cd01a4d5c9b47891c632a3ba9\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s one of a number of priorities. I know the member likes to caricature the light rail project as a slow tram down Dominion Road, but it is about building a rapid transit network that joins together with the heavy rail network and the rapid transit Northern Busway to move tens of thousands of people around the city at peak hour in a way that the road network can never do.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000085\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229b310d9948064871aad21b5978d60cab\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: Just how fast is this rapid transit?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000086\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225546d903bbcd4fdb9381b2cb23c1727c\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD\u003C/span\u003E: That is actually something that is going to be considered as part of the business case and design process, but I\u2019ll say this to the member: speed in rapid transit is important because, if you want commuters to choose public transport and leave their car at home, you have to provide a fast and efficient service. That is the priority outcome of the business case and design process.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000087\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222ef5bd2d541b437c99eeec1f6fb9ec67\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: What is his definition of \u201Crapid\u201D?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225cd1cee81d824d4099b58726a6382c3f\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD\u003C/span\u003E: Well, when we talk about rapid transit, we\u2019re talking about public transit that doesn\u2019t compete with cars and moves a lot faster than the current motorway network in Auckland, which we\u2019ve inherited, which is jam-packed at peak hour and condemns Aucklanders to daily gridlock.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000089\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00227961d347d35c48f586e8bd9fee659bff\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 5\u2014Health\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022 data-id=\u0022465b0b4ce65243aeaa82031f434627aa\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000090\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003E5. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022465b0b4ce65243aeaa82031f434627aa\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Health: How is the wellbeing of cancer patients in New Zealand affected by the Government\u2019s policies and actions in health?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00225bbd9f26-fdb0-4b85-a836-0fc46e1bba3c\u0022 data-id=\u00220315de287873404b884a56df15588f49\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000091\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225bbd9f26-fdb0-4b85-a836-0fc46e1bba3c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00220315de287873404b884a56df15588f49\u0022\u003EHon Dr DAVID CLARK (Minister of Health):\u003C/span\u003E This Government has prioritised the health and wellbeing of all New Zealanders, including those living with cancer, since day one. The Wellbeing Budget included a $2.8 billion uplift in funding for district health boards (DHBs)\u2014the largest in at least the last decade. That will support DHBs to continue to deliver the full range of cancer treatments and interventions, including screening programmes, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. We\u2019re also moving to make those services better and more consistent through the interim cancer action plan, which is currently being finalised. The Budget also included specific funding of $36 million to extend the bowel screening programme to a further four DHBs, which, when rolled out, will benefit an additional 70,000 New Zealanders per annum. And $1.7 billion in capital spending was included for health in the Budget, some of which will support better and more advanced cancer treatment.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000092\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228af7606cc2d24e7485e0110821e4c4dd\u0022\u003EHon Michael Woodhouse\u003C/span\u003E: Has he seen comments from former Dunedin-based cancer patient Claudine Johnstone, \u201CTo me, this isn\u2019t about politics; this is about people\u2019s lives.\u201D? And does he believe her wellbeing has been improved by the Government\u2019s policies and actions?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000093\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225bbd9f26-fdb0-4b85-a836-0fc46e1bba3c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223f877d1d8f144d60949e1a4efd61956d\u0022\u003EHon Dr DAVID CLARK\u003C/span\u003E: I haven\u2019t seen those comments.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000094\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022812642b41f62412d97e5a6067d948176\u0022\u003EHon Michael Woodhouse\u003C/span\u003E: Does he support Dunedin North MP Dr David Clark\u2019s advocacy for Dunedin resident Stuart Neil\u2019s wellbeing after his file was misplaced, resulting in urgent surgery for advanced bladder cancer?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000095\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225bbd9f26-fdb0-4b85-a836-0fc46e1bba3c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002281e4edf145884b3380f7b41f3afc7d78\u0022\u003EHon Dr DAVID CLARK\u003C/span\u003E: I have not got that detail in front of me.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000096\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022df9a158630794cbf8f10433656de0711\u0022\u003EHon Michael Woodhouse\u003C/span\u003E: Does he believe Dr Clark\u2019s holding up in this House of the photo of a 79-year-old cancer patient who waited for an extended period at Auckland Hospital is appropriate and tasteful advocacy for the wellbeing of cancer patients?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000097\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225bbd9f26-fdb0-4b85-a836-0fc46e1bba3c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bea1babf92da480bbb6c74cbb4ff2c8b\u0022\u003EHon Dr DAVID CLARK\u003C/span\u003E: I think members do need to be very careful in this House as to how they use individual cases, if that\u2019s the point the member\u2019s making.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000098\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f6187163002d498aa1e571f5b8c3c1af\u0022\u003EHon Michael Woodhouse\u003C/span\u003E: Is it the Government\u2019s intention to make sure all Kiwis get world-class cancer treatment; and, if so, in which Government document, speech, or statement is this commitment contained?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000099\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225bbd9f26-fdb0-4b85-a836-0fc46e1bba3c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223532d420857f48ba9c6417c7cd39c411\u0022\u003EHon Dr DAVID CLARK\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019ve said many times\u2014in fact, in many question times over the past week, I have reinforced this Government\u2019s focus on the importance of the health and wellbeing of all New Zealanders, including those living with cancer. I also think the fact that we are investing in our health system, which was neglected for nine long years under that Government, speaks louder than any kind of pledges.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000100\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227d748a92890447ab976b56a28e0aac1b\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: Well, it\u2019s actually a lie.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000101\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225bbd9f26-fdb0-4b85-a836-0fc46e1bba3c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227aaeef7adb0e42c7a15ad83e752d3ef6\u0022\u003EHon Dr DAVID CLARK\u003C/span\u003E: I actually think that what matters is we continue to deliver the cancer care\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cf37e0db95cc444b80de643c8c8ec50d\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Order! Mr Brownlee, stand, withdraw, and apologise.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000103\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f2e0192a98834618a2b84388f7b33d41\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: I withdraw and apologise. I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000104\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228d419840647d49ceabc5a8c8321b8904\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m going to warn the member that there can\u2019t be an excuse for what he just did.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000105\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221d01657c7229485e98d641634603d5df\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: No, it\u2019s not; it\u2019s a question. What is the remedy for anyone sitting in this House listening to comment delivered supposedly in the public interest that is, if not questionable, certainly very, very debatable?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000106\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f191f2d749ef4093a76db9299216bfa7\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I would have thought the answer to that was obvious: at the end of question time, there\u2019s a debate. Debate it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000107\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022485043de2c55488a9b5cbc3827a20498\u0022\u003EHon Michael Woodhouse\u003C/span\u003E: Has he seen comments from the Cancer Society\u2019s Shayne Nahu, whose society was disappointed to see cancer not being made a priority and\u2014quote\u2014\u201CFor a long time now, we have been advocating for a cancer agency, but we have seen no commitment from the Government for this.\u201D? And is that a sign that he won\u2019t deliver on his promise of world-class cancer treatment?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000108\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225bbd9f26-fdb0-4b85-a836-0fc46e1bba3c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002296cd2c2a71ed4f429c7f4bb0dafb764a\u0022\u003EHon Dr DAVID CLARK\u003C/span\u003E: This Government is focused on delivering an interim cancer action plan in coming weeks. That is what we said would be in place when the director-general pledged to have an interim cancer action plan in place by the middle of this year. That\u2019s not news\u2014that\u2019s not news to the member. That was announced at the time, just to be clear, so that the sector and others can have an opportunity to provide feedback on that interim plan so that we do have a plan that those working in the sector will stand behind. Let\u2019s acknowledge that, while this Government is determined to put a lot more money into health than the previous Government did, because we do believe in making sure we have an adequately funded public health system, we are also dependent on the clinicians and the cancer experts who get up every day and go to work and provide that quality cancer care. And I want to salute them for the hard work they did previously in an underfunded environment, and I also want to thank them for the work that they will do to improve cancer outcomes with the new cancer action plan when it is in place.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000109\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00222dc7f7d26a7c466d84c1e434772d94b6\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 6\u2014Transport\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022 data-id=\u002249a42c0c605543af929c82b9352755c0\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000110\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022\u003E6. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002249a42c0c605543af929c82b9352755c0\u0022\u003EPAUL EAGLE (Labour\u2014Rongotai)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Transport: Will the boost to rail in the Wellbeing Budget benefit New Zealanders; if so, how?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022 data-id=\u002271879d9e464d462ebd9a6116b58ff6e8\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000111\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002271879d9e464d462ebd9a6116b58ff6e8\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD (Minister of Transport):\u003C/span\u003E Yes, rail has huge benefits for New Zealanders\u2019 wellbeing, including unlocking regional economic growth, reducing emissions and traffic congestion, and preventing deaths and injuries. Also our Government is helping create 40 new jobs at the KiwiRail Hutt workshops through our investments in rail, including the Hamilton to Auckland commuter service, which will start next year.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000112\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227e3c09bf34e1448681bb0f787b51ef57\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Question No. 7.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000113\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002254ec37cf476043569394fe72716e8eee\u0022\u003EPaul Eagle\u003C/span\u003E: Supplementary.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000114\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d2743a1639dc435d8467e4d19fd6ae38\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, the member needs to stand up rather than talk to the person beside him if he wants a supplementary.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000115\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002216c770dbd568401da759d9b99563238a\u0022\u003EPaul Eagle\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry, Mr Speaker. What investments has Budget 2019 made in KiwiRail\u2019s business?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000116\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002269862c018598497884232d4bea985934\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD\u003C/span\u003E: Well, rail Ministers\u2014myself, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister Robertson, and the first citizen of the regions, Shane Jones\u2014announced this morning that KiwiRail will kick off the process of getting more than 100 new locomotives and 900 new container wagons as part of the Wellbeing Budget\u2019s $1 billion investment in making sure that New Zealand has a reliable and sustainable rail network.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000117\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002252aa70aa2172476d8b5f0476d87b166c\u0022\u003EPaul Eagle\u003C/span\u003E: Where will these investments be made?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000118\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d2b2706c40284588ba955fd930d3cda7\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD\u003C/span\u003E: The benefits will be felt throughout the country. The new container wagons will be used in the busiest corridors, including Auckland-Tauranga, Auckland-Christchurch, and all lines serving the ports. This will allow the worst of the 900 existing wagons to be retired, with a small portion of those being repurposed to carry logs. Part of the funding package will go towards replacing the tired and worn out old\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000119\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f44431ef-b505-4e94-9f57-a60b0a569bf7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226c162ed6bf6b457b892162ada50bc12b\u0022\u003EHon Shane Jones\u003C/span\u003E: Tired.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000120\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022191e7bdb476f49a1a3a68fcbdfc12ab2\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD\u003C/span\u003E: \u201450-year-old locomotives in the South Island\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000121\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225d2d5f28cbba41f6af73f9834da6e614\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Order! Mr Jones, turn it down.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000122\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f7dc78f72668479daa908eae5a10d4e1\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014which will mean more reliable services and lower maintenance costs. After the chaos that Auckland commuters faced last week, it\u2019s also important to reassure New Zealanders that we are investing in tracks, bridges, tunnels, signals, and control systems around the country to make train services more reliable.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000123\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002241a2e26e044645bfbafed6470f6141e0\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: Could the Minister tell the House and the country how the regions and provinces are receiving these visionary policies?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000124\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222b9a25e762b7470bbb5e6a8f5f8d4a29\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD\u003C/span\u003E: Well, the response from regional New Zealand has been tumultuous, particularly with the recent reopening of the Wairoa to Napier rail line, which has long been a symbol of the regional neglect and the running down of those economies.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000125\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022b6bbf07ff39d44f5a088e628e40d3c58\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 7\u2014Education\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022 data-id=\u0022762435c6994d4861a8373dc9990350db\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000126\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E7. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022762435c6994d4861a8373dc9990350db\u0022\u003EDr SHANE RETI (National\u2014Whangarei)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Education: Does he stand by all his statements and actions around the review of vocational education?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022530ce0c4-c977-40cb-90fb-754f54931ff1\u0022 data-id=\u00225d19a646a0684e84af1e45182fc7c5d3\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000127\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022530ce0c4-c977-40cb-90fb-754f54931ff1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225d19a646a0684e84af1e45182fc7c5d3\u0022\u003EHon TRACEY MARTIN (Associate Minister of Education)\u003C/span\u003E on behalf of the Minister of Education: Yes, in the context in which they were made.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000128\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022868e6b036c2046d3bbaecf2b4ac27cb0\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: Have 80 percent of submissions to the review not supported the idea of a single New Zealand institute of skills and technology?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000129\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022530ce0c4-c977-40cb-90fb-754f54931ff1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c49a16dab07641b7b46a0887f4607088\u0022\u003EHon TRACEY MARTIN\u003C/span\u003E: I understand that the Minister is yet to receive a full breakdown of the submissions. There are parts of the discussion document that they support and there are parts that they have concerns around, but we are looking forward to receiving that breakdown from officials shortly.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000130\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a80f5d33983840f58a5ed66c30efb4f5\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: Under the review, will the organising of apprentices that currently sits with industry training organisations be transferred to providers such as polytechnics, as per the leaked Cabinet paper?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000131\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022530ce0c4-c977-40cb-90fb-754f54931ff1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022302d5de9bf084d2781b5f0daba2b38c8\u0022\u003EHon TRACEY MARTIN\u003C/span\u003E: Firstly, there has been no leaked Cabinet paper, because there has been no actual Cabinet paper. If the member is talking about a draft document that he has seen, then those decisions are yet to be made, so I cannot confirm nor deny.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000132\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002260ab88b921af4f6f9a571964876fc748\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: Under the review, will the New Zealand institute of skills and technology hold the cash and other assets currently owned by polytechnics?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000133\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022530ce0c4-c977-40cb-90fb-754f54931ff1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b112225a49014a9bb7851974e3a233e8\u0022\u003EHon TRACEY MARTIN\u003C/span\u003E: At this stage, Cabinet has made no decisions about the submissions made, the discussion document, and Cabinet has not seen any Cabinet papers. So I\u2019m, unfortunately, unable to confirm or deny.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000134\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b9a9abbc1e874ccabe2c5499a06191c2\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: Under the review, will polytechnics still be able to have campuses and provide services outside of their region?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000135\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022530ce0c4-c977-40cb-90fb-754f54931ff1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022706f1645083c44579784f76195a229a5\u0022\u003EHon TRACEY MARTIN\u003C/span\u003E: Unfortunately, there have been no Cabinet papers go to Cabinet. Cabinet has made no decisions, so at this stage there is no way to actually answer the member\u2019s question\u2014because there has been no decision made.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000136\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00225ac9949c86684ac897fd626586b11fa5\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 8\u2014Workplace Relations and Safety\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002269dfdffa-4227-42b6-875a-fc8033bc25cc\u0022 data-id=\u00220728a0009ba0424abe532b6de490e935\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002269dfdffa-4227-42b6-875a-fc8033bc25cc\u0022\u003E8. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00220728a0009ba0424abe532b6de490e935\u0022\u003EJAN LOGIE (Green)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety: Has he seen the findings in the literature review released today by BERL that sector bargaining through fair pay agreements could increase wages for some of the lowest-paid workers in New Zealand, while fostering sustainable productivity growth; if so, what is his response to those findings?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022490ccdbf-7c22-4e12-98f2-f3aa08f8e676\u0022 data-id=\u00225da94e224ef04e3e95aac0cf79e81f35\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000138\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022490ccdbf-7c22-4e12-98f2-f3aa08f8e676\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225da94e224ef04e3e95aac0cf79e81f35\u0022\u003EHon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY (Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety):\u003C/span\u003E Yes, both the Business and Economic Research Ltd (BERL) and OECD reports released today say that the reduction in sector and collective bargaining after the Employment Contracts Act of 1991 led to a growing inequality in wages and worsening conditions for hard-working New Zealanders. The research out today also makes it clear that sector and enterprise collective bargaining contributes to better pay and conditions for workers. That\u2019s why we\u2019re working on fair pay agreements to build a modern economy fit for the 21st century.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000139\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002269dfdffa-4227-42b6-875a-fc8033bc25cc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221a8819129d464e22a4ebfb156c39de9e\u0022\u003EJan Logie\u003C/span\u003E: Is he concerned that, over the past 30 years, wages for cleaners, security guards, and retail workers have stagnated despite significant productivity growth in these sectors?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000140\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022490ccdbf-7c22-4e12-98f2-f3aa08f8e676\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002214e76106cf804c359100a86b34166937\u0022\u003EHon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY\u003C/span\u003E: I am concerned that previous policies to reduce sector-level bargaining have meant some of our hardest-working New Zealanders have not benefited from productivity gains. We are working on fair pay agreements to address this inequity. Sector-level bargaining is proposed by both the OECD and BERL in order to reduce inequality in wages and conditions for working New Zealanders. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000141\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002269dfdffa-4227-42b6-875a-fc8033bc25cc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022551a38c0c1e849199cf2f55f3893a97c\u0022\u003EJan Logie\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree that Australia\u2019s modern award system is delivering a better deal to comparable workers in Australia, and does he believe fair pay agreements here could help redress this imbalance?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000142\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022490ccdbf-7c22-4e12-98f2-f3aa08f8e676\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221c0c3c3b7e344e12972d97c1251e711b\u0022\u003EHon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY\u003C/span\u003E: I am aware that Australia has sector-level bargaining which has helped them maintain higher wages than New Zealand, especially for those in lower income roles like the security guards that I spoke with a few weeks ago. They told me how their employers were competing for contracts by keeping their wages low and not providing training or decent health and safety. They work long hours in order to pay the bills and don\u2019t get to see enough of their families. This Government is building a sustainable, productive, and inclusive society that supports everyone so more New Zealanders have decent wages and conditions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000143\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002269dfdffa-4227-42b6-875a-fc8033bc25cc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022806c7ac0203749318b2c294a15f7b216\u0022\u003EJan Logie\u003C/span\u003E: Does the Minister think it fair that workers doing exactly the same commercial cleaning job are paid a different rate depending on whether they\u2019re employed directly or employed through a contracting company, and how would fair pay agreements help to fix this? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000144\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022490ccdbf-7c22-4e12-98f2-f3aa08f8e676\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fe681db921ea41218c39f42da14d0772\u0022\u003EHon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY\u003C/span\u003E: Well, everyone deserves a fair day\u2019s pay for a hard day\u2019s work. Fair pay agreements would set minimum pay and conditions for those doing the same work. What is also unfair is that people working two cleaning jobs and doing well over 40 hours a week can\u2019t pay the bills and spend a reasonable amount of time with their children. New Zealanders need good wages, decent conditions, and the ability to train and learn on the job, and that\u2019s why this Government is working on fair pay agreements.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000145\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002269dfdffa-4227-42b6-875a-fc8033bc25cc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022319cad70e46d46068f589e39b261756f\u0022\u003EJan Logie\u003C/span\u003E: Will he commit to implementing the OECD economic survey of New Zealand recommendation to adopt a combined model of sector- and enterprise-level bargaining to promote higher employment and more equal distribution of wages?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000146\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022490ccdbf-7c22-4e12-98f2-f3aa08f8e676\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002265de31b1a69a4fb594e1e12847dc294b\u0022\u003EHon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY\u003C/span\u003E: The coalition Government is working on a form of sector-level bargaining through fair pay agreements, because we want to bring the human face of capitalism to New Zealand. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000147\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298dbeffa-e059-49d5-8bbf-579cbaead9a3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002210111508021f47fb9cca8e1eb8d2de00\u0022\u003EHon Scott Simpson\u003C/span\u003E: Can the Minister tell the House and the country when we can expect to hear the Government\u2019s response to the Bolger working group report on fair pay agreements?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000148\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022490ccdbf-7c22-4e12-98f2-f3aa08f8e676\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a57c0bf9603240b4b7d784ed773323ea\u0022\u003EHon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY\u003C/span\u003E: As soon as the Government has completed the detailed design work that the working group said was still required. When that design work is done and there are proposals ready to go out for consultation, the member will be amongst the first to know.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000149\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022a298cdfc8c3542ff858c13a80853e346\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 9\u2014Police\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022 data-id=\u00227616ae0448d94f75991b6d3a58198f05\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000150\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003E9. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227616ae0448d94f75991b6d3a58198f05\u0022\u003ECHRIS BISHOP (National\u2014Hutt South)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Police: Does he stand by all his statements, policies, and actions in relation to the Government\u2019s firearms buy-back scheme?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022bbded2ec-ac25-4a73-a380-3f4d87693084\u0022 data-id=\u00229eeb5c98e5dd40a19a5e84db8db1b9db\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000151\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022bbded2ec-ac25-4a73-a380-3f4d87693084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00229eeb5c98e5dd40a19a5e84db8db1b9db\u0022\u003EHon STUART NASH (Minister of Police):\u003C/span\u003E Yes, and I would expect all MPs to support police in their work to implement legislation that nearly every member voted for. It is disappointing that the Opposition spokesperson feels a need to constantly undermine our police at public meetings, when I think they do a fantastic job of keeping our communities safe.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000152\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226467c2c527074aa59fbda2533534eaa9\u0022\u003EChris Bishop\u003C/span\u003E: Is it correct, as a member of the Firearms Community Advisory Forum and an expert involved in helping KPMG devise the pricing scheme for the buy-back says, that the experts had just five hours to devise the pricing scheme, and is this really a fair way to treat the thousands of licensed firearms owners who\u2019ll be potentially thousands of dollars out of pocket?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000153\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022bbded2ec-ac25-4a73-a380-3f4d87693084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222ab15a3049fb4b0893a7a235ae740bcd\u0022\u003EHon STUART NASH\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I have seen reports that a large gun owner said that he is encouraging people to comply with the law, I\u2019ve seen another gun owner say that he thinks the price is reasonable, and I think we have landed at the right place.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000154\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223bab86373fcc4eafb9541f66478e2569\u0022\u003EChris Bishop\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000155\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223b79aecf913040a7bea3c0fa6e065c69\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: No, I don\u2019t need a point of order. I\u2019m going to ask the Minister to at least address the question. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000156\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022bbded2ec-ac25-4a73-a380-3f4d87693084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002242ef1f96cc264a27b0c3871ec65d17fe\u0022\u003EHon STUART NASH\u003C/span\u003E: Mr Speaker, yes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000157\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022328f9706a3774ad595479164027ff8eb\u0022\u003EChris Bishop\u003C/span\u003E: Why are accessories only being compensated at up to 70 percent of the value when the experts involved in the pricing process and KPMG agreed they should be compulsorily acquired at full retail value?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000158\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022bbded2ec-ac25-4a73-a380-3f4d87693084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a1dee7eb68be4601a6ec8a9421cbae38\u0022\u003EHon STUART NASH\u003C/span\u003E: Because we think we\u2019ve got the value right at 70 percent if they\u2019re in near-new condition. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000159\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227a4abe58a617498896741e68d17eaae9\u0022\u003EChris Bishop\u003C/span\u003E: Does he stand by his statement, \u201CYou know, this is not about ripping people off. This is about paying fair market value for these firearms\u201D, and why are thousands of licensed firearms owners saying that the price list for the compulsory acquisition of their firearms does indeed rip them off?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000160\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022bbded2ec-ac25-4a73-a380-3f4d87693084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022383654a365dc4a0db2a1dfc15593639a\u0022\u003EHon STUART NASH\u003C/span\u003E: Well, that\u2019s interesting, because I have seen reports where a large gun dealer has said he will encourage gun owners to comply, I\u2019ve seen a spokesperson for the gun lobby say that her organisation would be encouraging people to follow the law, and I\u2019ve seen the owner of The Gunshack in Blenheim say, quote, \u201CIn reality, the price is fair.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000161\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229a6ea9c6680f4211a9627862b2cfbadc\u0022\u003EGinny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: What reports has the Minister seen about inquiries to the police website and the 0800 number from firearms owners?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000162\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022bbded2ec-ac25-4a73-a380-3f4d87693084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022dd2a40df80824b0a9dab344cb8f2830e\u0022\u003EHon STUART NASH\u003C/span\u003E: Thousands of gun owners are already playing their part to make the country a safer place and have handed in their weapons or have notified police that they intend to. This amounts to more than 5,000 weapons. Since March, police have also seized around 700 unlawful weapons during the ordinary course of policing. There have been almost 800 calls since the buy-back details were announced. Of the phone calls received, on average, around 80 percent of calls were positive and only 5 percent of calls have been negative. Police have had over 32,000 views to the dedicated firearms page on their website and have announced the community collection points for the first three months.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000163\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220ecc15b61b864417be96ef5843ef3c9f\u0022\u003EChris Bishop\u003C/span\u003E: Why is there no pricing information for Bushmaster AR-15 rifles, of which there are thousands in New Zealand?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000164\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022bbded2ec-ac25-4a73-a380-3f4d87693084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221e5de2bf74224113b074eb8665383a0c\u0022\u003EHon STUART NASH\u003C/span\u003E: We have always been clear that, if there is a weapon that is now prohibited that is not on the list, the commissioner has the ability to amend that list.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000165\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229187c03d7ee7484ab46f680918eae90b\u0022\u003EChris Bishop\u003C/span\u003E: Why is no compensation being offered for now prohibited ammunition made illegal by Order in Council and for safes that people have spent thousands of dollars investing in for firearms they are no longer allowed to own?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000166\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022bbded2ec-ac25-4a73-a380-3f4d87693084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ee78071fc85440fcb5b2047cfe258a38\u0022\u003EHon STUART NASH\u003C/span\u003E: Well, as the Minister of Finance alluded to, there were no tanks in the Wellbeing Budget, so I don\u2019t see why Kiwis need armour-piercing bullets.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000167\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022fb3ba92723024675b06dd98c2f291f28\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 10\u2014Police\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022 data-id=\u0022dd1ed5e4c8214ea5abcc1b6ea6622773\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000168\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E10. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022dd1ed5e4c8214ea5abcc1b6ea6622773\u0022\u003EGREG O\u2019CONNOR (Labour\u2014\u014Ch\u0101riu)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Police: Will the extension of video victim statements in Budget 2019 help victims of family violence; if so, how?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022bbded2ec-ac25-4a73-a380-3f4d87693084\u0022 data-id=\u00225889984687a94bddae2f3e6a51dfe78d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000169\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022bbded2ec-ac25-4a73-a380-3f4d87693084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225889984687a94bddae2f3e6a51dfe78d\u0022\u003EHon STUART NASH (Minister of Police):\u003C/span\u003E Budget 2019 provided a major boost of $41.8 million to police\u2019s raft of family harm initiatives, and, more specifically, $5.86 million was earmarked for victim video statements. Victim video statements provide police the ability to take online statements from victims of family violence. By using video victim statements, police are helping reduce the trauma for up to 30,000 victims of family violence every year. This funding directly provides victims of sexual violence with the ability to provide evidence in court in alternative ways to help reduce the risk of experiencing further trauma. Breaking the cycle of family and sexual violence and better supporting survivors is a major feature of the Wellbeing Budget.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000170\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d6d3a8e6cb88410198c3852a0dee95e1\u0022\u003EGreg O\u2019Connor\u003C/span\u003E: What reports has he seen on recent evaluations about victim video statements?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000171\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022bbded2ec-ac25-4a73-a380-3f4d87693084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a1104c5f4c7a4d9d9ae75d46fcbd6c58\u0022\u003EHon STUART NASH\u003C/span\u003E: In 2018, an evaluation was carried out by the University of Canterbury and the New Zealand Police on the use of video victim statements. The report described that there were often multiple complex reasons for victims\u2019 retractions of their statements, including, in some cases, direct pressure by the offender on the victim to recant, victims not wanting to end their relationship with a violent partner, and, most frequently, fear of retaliation. The results showed a 50 percent increase in early guilty pleas as well as an increase in overall guilty pleas of 77 percent. These results indicate that video victim statements be used to reduce demand pressures on the criminal justice system due to a reduction in cases proceeding through the court system, saving both time and resources. In addition, witnesses do not have to appear in court, reducing the chance of additional trauma.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000172\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022484aa3f750404bf5b6f12bb64732da44\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 11\u2014Fisheries\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022 data-id=\u00224bc928adf20b40db91aea501549fd20e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000173\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003E11. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224bc928adf20b40db91aea501549fd20e\u0022\u003EJAMI-LEE ROSS (Botany)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Fisheries: Why is Cockle Bay subject to a season ban, when Eastern Beach, Ngunguru, and Whangateau are closed for the taking of cockles, despite having a higher cockle density, and is he confident that the season ban at Cockle Bay is sufficient to protect the cockle fishery from over-harvesting?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022bbded2ec-ac25-4a73-a380-3f4d87693084\u0022 data-id=\u00223f1cb878fd8e468dbcd253f0d1a34ac9\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000174\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022bbded2ec-ac25-4a73-a380-3f4d87693084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00223f1cb878fd8e468dbcd253f0d1a34ac9\u0022\u003EHon STUART NASH (Minister of Fisheries):\u003C/span\u003E Because, in the other bays, there is actually evidence that shows there is a downward trend in terms of cockle numbers. However, the evidence in Cockle Bay does not show such a trend. However, if the scientific evidence does begin to show such a downward trend, then we will take the appropriate sustainability measures.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000175\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b7603a969d2444d588b3cc9330641b4b\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m just going to ask Mr Nash: next time, when he answers a question, can he make sure he\u2019s talking to the mike. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000176\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223ef943e884174c988a6a4f23681a0aba\u0022\u003EJami-Lee Ross\u003C/span\u003E: Will he review the partial closure at Cockle Bay given that the beach has been depleted so much that it now has fewer cockles than those comparable beaches where complete bans on harvesting are in place?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000177\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022bbded2ec-ac25-4a73-a380-3f4d87693084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b9720e257e5f4848bd1f47e7b2b2701a\u0022\u003EHon STUART NASH\u003C/span\u003E: What we will do, and what we always do with fisheries, is take an evidence-based approach, and if the evidence does show a downward decline, like it does in the other beaches mentioned by the Minister, then we absolutely will look at sustainability measures, but at this point the evidence does not point to a downward trend. But we are monitoring this if not every year then at least once every two years.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000178\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224ae4433dda5b4fad9d194513409097d7\u0022\u003EJami-Lee Ross\u003C/span\u003E: How does he account for his belief that there has not been a downward trend at Cockle Bay given the number of cockles in 2011 has been declining since that year and, all of a sudden, in one year it doubled in 2018?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000179\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022bbded2ec-ac25-4a73-a380-3f4d87693084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022edf1cee07a484532a11555e793c46ebb\u0022\u003EHon STUART NASH\u003C/span\u003E: When I talk about taking an evidence-based approach in terms of density\u2014that\u2019s cockles per square metre\u2014in 2014 there were 212 per square metre, in 2016 there were 136 per square metre, and in 2019 there were 275 per square metre. As mentioned, if that trend continues downwards, then we will have a look at sustainability measures.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000180\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002214008661daa4413d9066d598e222e47b\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 12\u2014Corrections\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022ee649aea-c6fa-4610-9fcf-5c4bb2d3cd33\u0022 data-id=\u0022993d2f41d9a1404b8489977013cf068d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000181\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ee649aea-c6fa-4610-9fcf-5c4bb2d3cd33\u0022\u003E12. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022993d2f41d9a1404b8489977013cf068d\u0022\u003EMATT DOOCEY (National\u2014Waimakariri)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Corrections: Does he agree with the decision by the Department of Corrections to not notify local schools after two child sex offenders were placed in the Waimakariri electorate; if yes, why?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022 data-id=\u0022466d479b3ca2421aa069e0cd110738a3\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000182\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022466d479b3ca2421aa069e0cd110738a3\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE (Acting Minister of Corrections):\u003C/span\u003E On behalf of the Minister, I do not accept that schools in the Waimakariri electorate were not advised that sex offenders are placed in that community. Corrections has regular contact with schools, early childhood centres, and other community organisations about the presence and management of offenders, including sex offenders, in Waimakariri. In relation to the two offenders the member is referring to, one is an adult sex offender and the other a familial child sex offender. One was first released into the Canterbury region under an extended supervision order in 2015. The other was released into Canterbury in 2016. From November 2018, both were housed in Waimakariri. This was notified to that member in December 2018. Both continue to be electronically monitored. In all the time they have been monitored, no black spots have been evident in the monitoring. Both have been under daily supervision, and apart from one incident when one of the offenders refused an instruction in 2016 to get into a car, both have been fully compliant with their conditions since released three and four years ago respectively.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000183\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ee649aea-c6fa-4610-9fcf-5c4bb2d3cd33\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fb975d334562453c880c35a31cc11eea\u0022\u003EMatt Doocey\u003C/span\u003E: Following that answer, if the Minister\u2019s saying corrections notified the school, why did corrections write to me in May saying they placed two child sex offenders and did not make notifications?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000184\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d3393774a2db4625baee7b09ab76bc05\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: On behalf of the Minister, the corrections advice to me is that they routinely speak to schools and other relevant community organisations about the placement and management of offenders, and that advice to those organisations includes words to the effect that there will be offenders, including sex offenders, placed in this community.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000185\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ee649aea-c6fa-4610-9fcf-5c4bb2d3cd33\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223fe54fbe5f5d498ab38340f23af48dfe\u0022\u003EMatt Doocey\u003C/span\u003E: I seek leave to table a letter from the Department of Corrections informing me they placed two child sex offenders without notification\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000186\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223e3d6ba001d8462493dcdadbe70e61e1\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Order! [Interruption] Order! The member knows that he does not go into that detail. The member\u2019s asking for the House to agree, in an unusual way, for a letter to be tabled to him from corrections relating to sex offenders. Is there any objection? There is none.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000187\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=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000188\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ee649aea-c6fa-4610-9fcf-5c4bb2d3cd33\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221d2a50d43e184008bfd4bc24e3da9a6d\u0022\u003EMatt Doocey\u003C/span\u003E: Does the Minister believe that parents should know whether two child sex offenders have been housed near their children\u2019s school?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000189\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224792c1908174469cb75060d9382a166a\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: On behalf of the Minister, I am confident that corrections are doing their job appropriately in maintaining regular contact with schools and other relevant organisations about the placement and management of sex offenders in Waimakariri and the wider Canterbury region, as indeed that member was notified as part of their routine engagement with relevant people in the community. This is always a difficult area, when offenders\u2014particularly sex offenders\u2014come to the end of their sentence and have to be released. Corrections takes a very, very clear approach with community safety first and manages offenders appropriately and properly. That member also has a duty to his constituents to advocate for community safety, but in all his public commentary on this issue he has not identified a community at risk.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000190\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ee649aea-c6fa-4610-9fcf-5c4bb2d3cd33\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bc3c86d82ce642c9b40e97a2c1cacff6\u0022\u003EMatt Doocey\u003C/span\u003E: What does the Minister say to parents of students at the four schools in the town of Kaiapoi, in Waimakariri, who recently received an email from school principals warning them that a child had been approached by an adult male in the community just days after it was revealed that corrections failed to notify schools about the placement of two child sex offenders in the area?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000191\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022250b3c320c5a478b9a1d10eaeb41b131\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: On behalf of the Minister, I would say to all the parents and all of those schools and to that member who represents them as their local MP, that corrections\u2019 track record on working with schools, notifying schools, as well as placing offenders and managing the risks associated with them is a very good one. Those schools are told, as part of the routine advice from corrections, that if they have any concern whatsoever, they must notify corrections. I go back to the track record in relation to these two offenders who have been released, respectively, for three and four years: with the exception of one breach of conditions that related to failure to comply with instruction to get into a car by a correction officer, they have been fully compliant with all conditions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000192\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ee649aea-c6fa-4610-9fcf-5c4bb2d3cd33\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e432e7f7854b4ffabcfadf80a09408ba\u0022\u003EMatt Doocey\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree with former Labour corrections spokesperson Kelvin Davis, who said in 2016, in relation to the placement of two sex offenders in the community: \u201CPersonally, if I was the Minister I would\u2019ve said, \u2018That\u2019s just not good enough and I\u2019ll look into it,\u2019 instead of just doing the old Pontius Pilot and wiping her hands of it and putting it on to everyone else.\u201D?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000193\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224fd8b8c1ca484abd9173b570ae30a991\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: On behalf of the Minister, I stand by the assurances that I have given on behalf of corrections in relation to their engagement with that member and his community and the schools and education institutions within it, and the management of these two offenders.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000194\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ee649aea-c6fa-4610-9fcf-5c4bb2d3cd33\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a1c001cf773e42e09eb97eeedda1dde1\u0022\u003EMatt Doocey\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree with M\u0101ngere Labour MP Aupito William Sio, who was reported in 2016 as saying there needed to be changes in the law to stop sex offenders being placed near schools; what changes have occurred?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000195\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022070163efba814af2be47fcf81444cd68\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: On behalf of the Minister, I refer to my earlier answer, in which I acknowledged that this is a difficult issue, especially for corrections, who do not make the decision on length of sentence, but when an offender comes to the end of their sentence, then corrections has to manage that offender. They have access to the device of extended supervision orders. That applies to both of these offenders, who have been in the community now for three and four years respectively and, with the exception of one minor breach unrelated to any issue to do with community safety, they have been fully compliant. It\u2019s because, in addition to the daily supervision that they are subject to, they are subject to electronic monitoring. Corrections has managed these two offenders appropriately and properly.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000196\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022587414e3d1574440ba93ea73fcbc4eed\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 7 to Minister\u2014Amended Answer\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022530ce0c4-c977-40cb-90fb-754f54931ff1\u0022 data-id=\u00223f444154ce854a54a2cc3eca5ff589ee\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000197\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022530ce0c4-c977-40cb-90fb-754f54931ff1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00223f444154ce854a54a2cc3eca5ff589ee\u0022\u003EHon TRACEY MARTIN (Associate Minister of Education)\u003C/span\u003E: I seek leave to make a personal statement to correct an answer to a supplementary question to oral question No. 7.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000198\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002279db8b64-1f9b-4416-9b81-a12963db9cbf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f400787f5694478e82fba4db6d9d3afc\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Is there any objection to that? There appears to be none.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000199\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022530ce0c4-c977-40cb-90fb-754f54931ff1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b70a98826c154ce79a06051bce9104e0\u0022\u003EHon TRACEY MARTIN\u003C/span\u003E: I have been subsequently informed that the Minister has seen a summary of submissions around the review of vocational education. I have also been informed that it is not correct that 80 percent of the substantive submissions oppose the full reforms.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000200\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022530ce0c4-c977-40cb-90fb-754f54931ff1\u0022\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000201\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022b15f9ea6e06a4633b1ff6e4c0bc5dcb7\u0022\u003EBudget Debate\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=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000202\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022de94a2519a314fe8ab373abc05e05d58\u0022\u003EAppropriation (2019/20 Estimates) Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000203\u0022\u003EDebate resumed from 20 June on the .\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022 data-id=\u0022a0341d9d17844e1a820a4592c953bcc6\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000204\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a0341d9d17844e1a820a4592c953bcc6\u0022\u003EMICHAEL WOOD (Labour\u2014Mt Roskill):\u003C/span\u003E Mr Speaker, I am very pleased to be able to stand in the Chamber today and acknowledge both our Prime Minister and our Minister of Finance for delivering a Budget that has done something that not only has not been done in New Zealand before but something that the whole world is looking at as a new and a better way of delivering a Budget, to ensure the wellbeing of all of the people who we in this Chamber are elected to serve.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EI am, of course, talking about the Wellbeing Budget, delivered in this House just a few short weeks ago. It is a Budget that does things differently. It is a Budget that fundamentally focuses not just on the narrow strictures of GDP; not just on the narrow measurement of a surplus or a deficit; this is a Budget that says, \u201CYes those things are important, but they are means to an end.\u201D And that end, which we in this Government stand towards and serve, is the wellbeing of all of our people and all of our community. This is a Budget which delivers in a big way on those objectives.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000206\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EThis Budget picks up that concept of wellbeing and delivers practical, real-world change. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000207\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022431173ee901b42d5a8a676f5d6a55f9c\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: Name two things.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000208\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fe7d134a07924226858af25bdd543c06\u0022\u003EMICHAEL WOOD\u003C/span\u003E: One thing that I have been enjoying doing over recent weeks\u2014and I\u2019m sure the honourable member for Ilam, on the other side of the House, has done this as well\u2014has been to go around my community and speak to my community about the things that really matter to them. When you ask a room of New Zealanders what the things are that matter, what are the things that they tell us? They tell us that what matters are the health and the happiness of their children, living in a decent environment, having a good education system so that everyone can be equipped to do well in life, knowing your neighbours, and having good social relationships and friends. The National Party needs some friends\u2014we know about that\u2014and most New Zealanders want to have friends and good relationships as well. These are the things that are important in the lives of New Zealanders, but for too long successive Governments haven\u2019t focused enough on those things that actually make our lives worth living. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000209\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EThis Wellbeing Budget says that we will not only talk about those things but we as a Government will measure ourselves against those things and ensure that the policies that we are delivering are driven by evidence and can actually be tracked to show the difference that we are making to the lives of our fellow New Zealanders. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000210\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EThere are three key areas in which the Wellbeing Budget says that we will work differently as a Government to the way that Governments have worked previously. For a start, this is going to be a Government that doesn\u2019t just look down narrow departmental budget lines; this is going to be a Government and a Budget which works across Government departments to actually deliver the outcomes that New Zealanders need. This is going to be a Government and a Budget that doesn\u2019t just focus on the short-term sugar hits to make a Government look good\u2014something to get us through the next three years and make us look good at the next election\u2014we\u2019re going to focus on the real long-term challenges that we need to reach to make New Zealand a better country for our fellow citizens. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000211\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EWe\u2019re also going to focus on different and wider measures of success. I just want to speak about each of those in turn and some of the initiatives that point to the way that this Wellbeing Budget is different. The first is that cross-agency approach. After this debate in the House, I am looking forward to going to a unique Estimates hearing that the Finance and Expenditure Committee will be hearing, with a number of Government Ministers and Parliamentary Under-Secretary Jan Logie, to talk about and ask questions about the family and sexual violence package, a $300-plus million package that brings together different Government Ministers and different Government agencies and says, \u201CWe have to work together as a country and as a Government if we want to solve the scourge of family and sexual violence in our country.\u201D \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000212\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EI know that there is not a single person in this Chamber who believes it\u2019s acceptable that we have the rates of family and sexual violence in our country that we do, but for too long individual agencies have been going down their own tracks and not working together. Well, that changes with this Wellbeing Budget, because in this Budget our Ministers were told by the finance Minister, \u201CDon\u2019t just come to me and ask for a cheque to be written to your department; come to me and tell me how you are going to reach our Government priorities to make life better for New Zealanders.\u201D One of those priorities was improving child wellbeing and dealing with that scourge of family and sexual violence. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000213\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003ESo we had multiple agencies and multiple Ministers coming together with an integrated plan. They have worked with the community agencies and there has been outstanding feedback from all of those people in our community groups who work with our families, who work with the victims of sexual violence, who have said, \u201CYes, finally there is a Government that listens, and it\u2019s working collaboratively with us and collaboratively between Government departments to actually deliver a better outcome for our families.\u201D That is going to make a huge difference and I\u2019m proud of it. This is a Budget that focuses on the long term, not just the next electoral cycle. I want to speak about the relentless focus that our Prime Minister and the Minister for Child Poverty Reduction, the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern, has brought to that issue within this Budget, because this is a Budget which does something that no other Budget has done before. No other Government has had the courage before to put numbers down in the Budget and commit themselves to reducing child poverty. Because of this Wellbeing Budget, and the different approach that we are taking, this Government and future Governments will be held to account at Budget time for reducing the number of kids living in poverty in Aotearoa. I don\u2019t think there can be a bigger stain on our nation\u2019s conscience than the potential of our children being squashed by living in poverty. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000214\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EThis Government has said we will halve child poverty within 10 years, and they\u2019re not just words; they\u2019re hard numbers in our Budget. We have put the programmes in there and the evidence in there to show that we are on track to reduce child poverty in this country. We, on this side of the House, are immensely proud of that. This is a Budget that builds on the Families Package last year that will shift between 50,000 and 70,000 of our kids out of child poverty. This is a Budget which does what the Children\u2019s Commissioner Andrew Becroft said last year was the single biggest thing that we could do to lift our kids out of child poverty and that is the indexation of benefits within our system. This is a Government which has had the courage to take on those steps for the benefit and the wellbeing of our children. This is a Budget which has a different measure of success; not just GDP, not just a surplus or deficit. Those things are important and we are meeting all of our targets in this area. Let\u2019s not forget, this is a Budget which delivers consistent surpluses over the next few years. This is a Budget which sees unemployment down at 4 percent, lower than that previous Government ever got it to. This is a Budget which sees economic growth continuing at good levels well above most of our major trading partners. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000215\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EBut it doesn\u2019t just measure those things\u2014this Budget also says that we\u2019re finally going to take mental health seriously. I know that every person who is listening to this speech will have someone in their family or someone in their community who has suffered from mental health problems over the years and hasn\u2019t had the support that they needed. Well, I am so proud that this Government finally takes mental health seriously and will invest a $1.9 billion package that will deliver free community-level mental health services for all New Zealanders who need that help. No longer, once this package is implemented, will Kiwis have to wait until they\u2019re at an acute or crisis stage to get mental health support. Kiwis will have access to a free and comprehensive mental health service in their communities, delivered at the community level, in a culturally appropriate way, getting people the help they need when the problem can be dealt with. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000216\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EThis Budget invests $40 million in suicide prevention measures and $100 million in Housing First so that the people who are living rough on our streets, who often have mental health problems, can get into a decent house and deal with those other problems\u2014substance addiction, mental health, alcohol abuse\u2014that so blight their lives. I am very proud that under our Minister for Ethnic Communities\u2014who I serve as under-secretary\u2014the Hon Jenny Salesa, this Budget sees a significant uplift in our support for ethnic communities; the first major increase in resource since the early 2000s when the Office of Ethnic Communities was first set up. Nearly a 50 percent reduction in staffing across the Office of Ethnic Communities to directly work at grassroots with our ethnic communities\u2014that is going to make a real difference. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000217\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EAs I finish, I would like to paraphrase the great Robert F Kennedy who spoke about the limitations of GDP around about 50 years ago, and I\u2019m paraphrasing here for a New Zealand context. He said that\u2014well, I\u2019ll say, that GDP counts alarm systems for our homes and new prisons for those who break into them. It counts the repairs from rebuilding from climate change disasters and the culverting of the streams and urban sprawl. It counts the healthcare costs for preventable cancers and body armour for our police. It counts the buyback of dangerous military-style weapons and social media revenue driven by hate and intolerance, but it measures neither our goodwill nor the great coming together of our people after the tragedy in Christchurch. It measures neither the happiness nor the health of our tamariki. In short, GDP measures many important things but it does not measure the wellbeing of our country. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000218\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EThis Government does measure the wellbeing of our country, and this Government and this Budget support and improve the wellbeing of all of our fellow New Zealanders. Thank you, Madam Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022 data-id=\u0022976e9981eabe456ab708b8a977343abc\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000219\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022976e9981eabe456ab708b8a977343abc\u0022\u003EKANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI (National):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. I stand in opposition to this debate. The previous speaker, Michael Wood, whatever he said, I think it will be summed up in this line: that Labour is failing on delivering their promises. This Labour-led Government\u2014all the three parties made different promises. Every time we see what\u2019s happening in this House, we can see that this Labour-led Government is failing on delivering their promises. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000220\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003EI would like to start by quoting one of the journalists who I feel is very independent and well-respected in journalism, Duncan Garner. In one of his articles he wrote, \u201Cbut the truth is Labour told you a bunch of utter garbage. They told you what you wanted to hear\u2014dog-whistle politics to keep up with Winston Peters. But the truth is, they have done diddly-squat to get there \u2026 I\u2019ve watched politics closely for the last 25 years and this Government is the least effective of them all, by some margin\u201D. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000221\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003EThat sums up what this Labour-led Government is, including their coalition partners New Zealand First and the Greens. We see, from time to time that their policies\u2014what New Zealand First is advocating, Greens are opposing. What Greens are advocating, New Zealand First is opposing. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000222\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ec805f498f484b38aaf2c12cf64a0f21\u0022\u003EDarroch Ball\u003C/span\u003E: What nonsense. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000223\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f955be653db148d6b21ef4df51316ea4\u0022\u003EKANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI\u003C/span\u003E: I will prove it\u2014listen to this. It is not nonsense, you listen, have some patience. Keep some patience. First of all, when the Green Party defence spokesperson Golriz Ghahraman said the country should be spending all that money which they are spending on big planes, equipment in defence\u2014that that can be invested in smaller planes and the rest of the money can be invested somewhere else. New Zealand First is advocating for all this spending in the defence area, and the Greens are opposing it\u2014that was what I wanted to say then. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000224\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224cc2ab4474354662b796fe8fbdf39a94\u0022\u003EDarroch Ball\u003C/span\u003E: How could they oppose it? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000225\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fe02301d2765413f8d0bd7fd84d72453\u0022\u003EKANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI\u003C/span\u003E: They are opposing it. They are opposing\u2014there is a crack. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000226\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a0d673e97a4f4dd9ba0a93f1563e6221\u0022\u003EDarroch Ball\u003C/span\u003E: They have voted for it. How could they oppose it?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000227\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e42b0732408545d19ad003f0cd304384\u0022\u003EKANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI\u003C/span\u003E: Yeah, listen to it. Listen to it. What she is saying, you haven\u2019t heard it. You haven\u2019t read what they are saying. So what you are proposing, they are opposing it. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000228\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003EThe second point where I would like to show that the cracks are coming up is that all the three Government parties had a policy to reinstate the Mental Health Commission, but it had had long standing support from the Greens. The Greens advocated for this policy for a long time, and we just heard from Michael Wood how he was proud that the Labour Party has implemented the mental health policy. On the other hand, New Zealand First issued a press release claiming credit for it even before it was announced, and it claimed that New Zealand First had identified that mental health was the major issue this country was facing, as if no other party realised it. That shows, again, what I am trying to say, which is that the policy was advocated by the Greens and New Zealand First claimed that that was their policy. That is a total crack in these three parties, and we will see further that this is going to happen from time to time. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000229\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003EAnother point which I would like to pick up on in their broken promises is that every day I go out in the community\u2014and we have got the Minister of Immigration sitting over here\u2014and people are, time and again, asking me what\u2019s happening to the parents category. The Minister has had, sitting on his table, the report\u2014which has been sitting there for almost the last 18 months\u2014about when the review was to be taken up and the decision was to be made. I hope that the Minister is going to take a call and explain why the decision has not been made on the people who are waiting for the decision for their parents to come over and join them. They are just very eager about it, and National said that this policy will be reviewed after two years and the decision will be made. But it is another broken promise, I would say, for the people who are expecting that this policy will be reviewed. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000230\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003EAnother area in immigration that I would like to touch upon is the delay in the processing of visas. Time and again, we are seeing\u2014particularly from the Asian subcontinent\u2014that the visa processing time is taking longer and longer. In particular, I would like to touch upon the student visa, and it has been reported that with the way this policy is going ahead there could be at least a $33 million cost to the New Zealand economy because of the lack of visa processing for the students. There are so many institutes that are coming and talking to us and saying that there is not any kind of assistance from New Zealand Immigration for getting these visas processed. These are the broken promises which are not being delivered on by the Labour-led Government. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000231\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003EAnother broken promise is on KiwiBuild. We were promised that there would be 100,000 houses in the next 10 years, which meant that every year there would be 10,000 houses. The goal for the first year was reset so that 1,000 houses would be delivered in the very first year, but what we are seeing is that not even 100 houses are being built. It is less than a few weeks from 1 July when those 1,000 houses were supposed to be delivered. Now, the talk about the next year was that another 5,000 houses were to be delivered\u2014no clue what is going to happen. In the third year, 10,000 houses were supposed to be delivered, but we are seeing nothing happening on that front. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000232\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003EWhat we are seeing is the Minister, every day, coming to the House and talking about those houses which were already consented or were being built. They are being included in this KiwiBuild project, and they are buying the houses in bulk from the developers, from the plans. So, again, I will repeat that the Labour-led Government is not delivering on their promises, and the people are disappointed in the performance of this Government. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000233\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003EI would also like to touch upon some of the taxes. The promise was that there would be no new taxes, but what we have seen to date is that seven new taxes have been introduced. We saw on the day of the Budget, under urgency, that two new taxes were introduced and passed. It is going to\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000234\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225cbcce9969494d97b6dba399b202a786\u0022\u003EBarbara Kuriger\u003C/span\u003E: Tax, tax, and more tax. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000235\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022296e63d1ecbc4536abdaee0de6b9e830\u0022\u003EKANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI\u003C/span\u003E: Exactly. Tax, tax, tax\u2014that is the policy of this Government, whereas the promise was that there would be no new taxes. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000236\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003EThey also promised that there would be cheaper doctors visits: $10 for a visit to the doctor. What is happening? Nothing. They also promised $20 million for access to lifesaving medicines for New Zealanders with rare disorders, but in this Budget there is nothing. Again, our Labour-led Government is not delivering on their promises. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000237\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003EWe also had the promise from this Government about the annual health and eye check for seniors. Seniors are totally disappointed. They thought this Government was going to look after them, but they are very much disappointed. They also promised for early childhood education funding for 100 percent qualified teachers\u2014nothing in this Budget. They also promised that no one would be sleeping in their cars last winter. We are now in the next winter, but still that promise has not been delivered on. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000238\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b398827c-6bf5-403e-90dc-ff03205302a5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022385da3b137744d2f8708c18f31c7a2ff\u0022\u003EHon Aupito William Sio\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s what your lot caused. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000239\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c13dc36568454f2cb52a66b84ac79a96\u0022\u003EKANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI\u003C/span\u003E: Aupito William Sio knows very well that in his electorate a lot people are sleeping in cars and garages, and he is doing nothing. He has got all the power. He can do a lot for his people, but I am seeing nothing happening from his side. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000240\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226dc89bbf-c2ef-45c9-89e4-d2b5952d8d16\u0022\u003EWe also saw the commitment in housing that people would be moved into houses, but what we are seeing is that more and more motels are being taken up to accommodate those people. They also promised light rail to the airport from Auckland within four years, and I think that light rail was supposed to go through, again, Aupito William Sio\u2019s electorate, but still we haven\u2019t seen the business plan for how it is going to happen. We know that the Minister is not able to deliver what he has promised. So those two major projects, which are housing and transport, they are totally failing on, and I think that this is the time to oppose this coalition Government to ensure that we give the message that this is a failure of this Government. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022490ccdbf-7c22-4e12-98f2-f3aa08f8e676\u0022 data-id=\u0022fb892ca2cde04eb2a489153c80820d1d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000241\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022490ccdbf-7c22-4e12-98f2-f3aa08f8e676\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022fb892ca2cde04eb2a489153c80820d1d\u0022\u003EHon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY (Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety):\u003C/span\u003E The good people of New Zealand are excited by the Wellbeing Budget and all that it brings in dealing with things like taking mental health seriously; delivering cheaper education for families; delivering housing for the homeless; lifting Kiwi children out of poverty; and delivering low unemployment, low debt, and a strong surplus. New Zealanders are excited about their Government. They\u2019re not excited about Simon Bridges\u2014they\u2019re not excited about Simon Bridges. I think the National Party has hit on a new strategy and that is to deploy Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi to stupefy the population of New Zealand, to hypnotise them with his long, drawn-out speeches like the one we\u2019ve just had. But there is no curbing the enthusiasm and excitement from New Zealand about the Wellbeing Budget. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000242\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022490ccdbf-7c22-4e12-98f2-f3aa08f8e676\u0022\u003EBut before we can have a Wellbeing Budget, we\u2019ve got to make sure the Government manages the books responsibly, and I want to start my contribution by acknowledging the finance Minister, Grant Robertson, because in all the excitement I think what people might have overlooked is that the fundamentals of the New Zealand economy are incredibly strong, and that\u2019s because we have a Government that is focused on wellbeing but is equally focused on managing our economy and maintaining those fundamentals. So this Budget does deliver a strong, sustainable surplus and strong, sustainable GDP growth, and it maintains the Budget responsibility rules that the Labour and Green parties agreed to before the last election. Net core Crown debt as a percentage of GDP is forecast to be just 19.9 percent by 2021-2022, delivering on our promise to get net debt down below 20 percent. That strong surplus is projected to grow to $6.1 billion by 2022-23. And, of course, we all know that unemployment is now stable at a little over 4 percent. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000243\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022490ccdbf-7c22-4e12-98f2-f3aa08f8e676\u0022\u003EIn fact, going around the country and talking to employers from Cape Reinga to the Bluff, I hear one story over and over again, and that is that the thing that employers need more than anything else is people to fill the roles that are being created in this strong economy. Over the last 18 months, 70,000 new jobs have been created. And I would say, even more importantly, the average income for New Zealanders is up by $65 a week. That means wages are rising at a faster rate than inflation. That means that working people are better off in real terms, and no small part of that is the fact that the Government has lifted the minimum wage to $17.70 an hour. So people are not only in jobs, they\u2019re in good jobs that pay well, put a roof over their head, food on the table, and clothes on their children. That, ultimately, is what budgets and governing are all about. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000244\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022490ccdbf-7c22-4e12-98f2-f3aa08f8e676\u0022\u003EThe other person that we all must acknowledge in this Budget debate is our Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern, who has chosen to lead with kindness and compassion and, as a result, the world is watching New Zealand. The world is impressed with what they see, and the world is deeply impressed with the Wellbeing Budget because it is a Budget that puts the real wellbeing of people and families at the centre. The biggest set piece\u2014the biggest single piece of funding: $1.9 billion\u2014went to finally taking mental health seriously. In this Government, we do want to make sure that all New Zealanders who are in need can access free mental health and addiction support and support that works for them, that they have choices about what that support looks like, that they can get it when they need it\u2014that when people present with a mental illness or they present with an addiction, they are able to get the support and treatment that they need immediately, when they are looking for it, and that they can get it where they need it, whether it\u2019s in cities, whether it\u2019s in provincial towns, or whether it\u2019s in our rural communities. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000245\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022490ccdbf-7c22-4e12-98f2-f3aa08f8e676\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s important that that mental health support is delivered through our primary care system so that people can go to their local health centre and they can talk to someone who knows how to respond to the issues that they are presenting with. We need intensive support for those who need it, including suicide prevention services. We also need to support the people who are bereaved by suicide. Suicide can do enormous damage to families and communities. We need to make sure we are not only doing a better job of preventing suicide but we are supporting people who deal with its fallouts. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000246\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022490ccdbf-7c22-4e12-98f2-f3aa08f8e676\u0022\u003EInvestment in mental health and addiction facilities: we need people and we need the bricks and mortar, the facilities that people can go to to get the support that they need. We need to provide better mental health and addiction support to those in our corrections system to help break the cycle of addiction and of reoffending. This is a very good example of the approach that this Budget takes where we don\u2019t work in our departmental silos but we actually get cross-portfolio bids like the mental health bid that covers health, education, corrections, and a variety of other portfolios to make sure that we are taking the holistic approach that is necessary to deal with those significant, ingrained community issues that New Zealand expects their Government to work on.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000247\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022490ccdbf-7c22-4e12-98f2-f3aa08f8e676\u0022\u003EWe\u2019re reducing child poverty and improving child wellbeing, including addressing family violence. We\u2019re committed to tackling New Zealand\u2019s persistent and long-term challenge of child poverty and making New Zealand the best place in the world to be a child. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000248\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022490ccdbf-7c22-4e12-98f2-f3aa08f8e676\u0022\u003EWe\u2019re addressing family and sexual violence through the largest ever investment in family and sexual violence support and support services. The package to address New Zealand\u2019s long-term record on family and sexual violence includes funding and support for sexual violence crisis support services for children and young people, enabling victims of sexual violence to give evidence in alternative ways to reduce the risk of further trauma, dedicated funding for a kaupapa response to sexual violence, and covering one million New Zealanders with integrated safety response sites. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000249\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022490ccdbf-7c22-4e12-98f2-f3aa08f8e676\u0022\u003EThese are the interventions that are needed to break these long-term and ingrained cycles, and it\u2019s only by making this kind of investment and setting the improvement of child wellbeing as one of the priorities of a Wellbeing Budget and looking at things through a wellbeing lens. That\u2019s the only way that we\u2019re going\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000250\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222dbcb26920234367859f54672c0d6530\u0022\u003EBarbara Kuriger\u003C/span\u003E: Where\u2019s the money going to come from?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000251\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022490ccdbf-7c22-4e12-98f2-f3aa08f8e676\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022aacf720e16e14fa8a538adaa190a2b16\u0022\u003EHon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014to address these issues. Now, the member opposite is asking \u201CWhere is the money going to come from?\u201D Well, this is the brilliant thing. It is all budgeted for and there is a surplus\u2014a surplus that is going to grow to $6.1 billion. We\u2019ve reduced debt. We\u2019ve done something the National Party was not able to do in its nine years in Government. We are on track to reduce core net debt down to 19.9 percent, below 20 percent\u2014something the National Party was never able to do. So I say to the member, Barbara Kuriger, who is a reasonable member who I have respect for\u2014a reasonable member I have respect for\u2014that, actually, it\u2019s not about where the money is going to come from; it\u2019s about priorities. It\u2019s about setting your priorities and determining as a Government what you\u2019re going to do. And if you run the books sustainably, if you manage the books responsibly, you run surpluses, you get debt down, you can find the money to pay for the services that make a real difference in people\u2019s lives. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000252\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022490ccdbf-7c22-4e12-98f2-f3aa08f8e676\u0022\u003EI spoke earlier about housing. We do have a housing crisis. That is something we inherited from the previous Government\u2014an enormous housing crisis that they were not prepared to deal with. And, yes, this Government is ambitious and, yes, sometimes when you have ambitious plans things won\u2019t always go right the first time, but I want to point members opposite to the enormous investment in public housing. There are 1,200 additional public housing sites, 1,200 additional families in public housing, new State houses going up all across the country\u2014getting the people who are in greatest need into the warm, dry, secure, affordable homes that they need. That has been an enormous success over the last 18 months, but more is needed. We all know more is needed, such was the scale of the crisis that this Government inherited that it was never going to be fixed in one year, two years, or even five years. This is a decade-long project that this Government has the ambition to tackle, something that the National Party did not have when it was in Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000253\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022490ccdbf-7c22-4e12-98f2-f3aa08f8e676\u0022\u003ESo I want to acknowledge Grant Robertson, the finance Minister. I want to acknowledge the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern, our incredible kind and compassionate and visionary leader, who has led the work on this Wellbeing Budget, this new approach to doing budgeting and governance in New Zealand, and I commend this incredible Budget to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022094b0ff4-e404-451b-b4a9-ad12bd4dee56\u0022 data-id=\u002206c502438f14404b85b7870f6a8d339a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000254\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022094b0ff4-e404-451b-b4a9-ad12bd4dee56\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002206c502438f14404b85b7870f6a8d339a\u0022\u003ESTUART SMITH (National\u2014Kaik\u014Dura):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. I\u2019d actually like to start by addressing something my cousin from the top of the South over the hill from me, Dr Smith, raised about KiwiBuild and why they\u2019re not actually mentioning it. I think the Labour caucus has fallen into the trap of the well-worn habit of thespians, not to mention the play. They won\u2019t mention the play Macbeth and the Labour caucus won\u2019t mention the word \u201CKiwiBuild\u201D. It\u2019s a curse. It\u2019s an absolute curse that they are trying to distance themselves from as much as possible. When the reshuffle is announced, I have it on very good authority that Mr Twyford has statistics and seeing that James Shaw\u2019s made such a mess of the census he\u2019s going to get KiwiBuild, so we\u2019ll just see an ongoing disaster unfolding in front of us. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000255\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022094b0ff4-e404-451b-b4a9-ad12bd4dee56\u0022\u003EHowever, I want to address the Budget, the Wellbeing Budget. Wellbeing: no one can suggest anyone doesn\u2019t come into this House seeking to help the wellbeing and the livelihoods of New Zealanders. That\u2019s what we all come in for. However, I think this Wellbeing Budget is actually a \u201Cwell-meaning Budget.\u201D And Kiwis deserve more from their politicians than being well-meaning; we have to be able to deliver, and that\u2019s why I support the amendment moved by the fine Leader of the Opposition, the Hon Simon Bridges, which was that we have no confidence in this Government and their botched Budget and all of the other promises that they will fail to deliver along the way.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000256\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022094b0ff4-e404-451b-b4a9-ad12bd4dee56\u0022\u003EI think it\u2019s quite strange. Michael Wood raised some very interesting questions about the \u201CWell-meaning Budget\u201D, saying that he thought it was going to do things differently. But what is \u201Cwellbeing\u201D? That\u2019s what we\u2019d like to know. What actually is wellbeing? It is a subjective measure. What wellbeing is to me may well be quite different to what wellbeing is to you, Madam Speaker, and to other Kiwis. So there is no definition of what \u201Cwellbeing\u201D is, and there are no measures. He said they were going to measure it. What are the measures? We haven\u2019t seen any measures. The Better Public Services targets were all deleted as soon as they got in\u2014no measures. So if you can\u2019t measure it, you can\u2019t manage it. That\u2019s a well-known maxim in business. It works because that\u2019s how it has worked many times through business\u2014they know that if they can\u2019t measure it, they can\u2019t manage it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000257\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022094b0ff4-e404-451b-b4a9-ad12bd4dee56\u0022\u003EChild poverty\u2014he talked quite a lot about child poverty and how they were going to get it down, but I would ask the member: what\u2019s happened to the stats on child poverty in the last 12 months? They\u2019ve gone up under their watch\u2014they\u2019ve gone up. Where was that Wellbeing Budget? Why didn\u2019t they bring this Wellbeing Budget in in the first Budget that they had? If they cared so much about it and wanted to make some traction on it they should have moved on it right in the beginning.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000258\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022094b0ff4-e404-451b-b4a9-ad12bd4dee56\u0022\u003EI think one of their biggest failings is the oil and gas ban that they brought. This is just an appalling piece of legislation. The cost of the ban has actually been estimated at $28 billion by 2050. Where is that $28 billion going to come from?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000259\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c7afbbf8749749fcb374c1dbae97d3fd\u0022\u003EBarbara Kuriger\u003C/span\u003E: What about the cost to climate change?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000260\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022094b0ff4-e404-451b-b4a9-ad12bd4dee56\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022767102ede53d4a67827aafc6d71f1aaf\u0022\u003ESTUART SMITH\u003C/span\u003E: Well, the cost to climate change\u2014the member Barbara Kuriger raises a very interesting point. In fact, the Interim Climate Change Committee has actually pointed that out: it will likely increase our emissions. So where\u2019s the money coming from? Where are the jobs going to come from that are going to be lost because of this oil and gas ban? We know Taranaki has the highest GDP per capita in the country, underpinned by that industry, and we are all underpinned by it. I think the big issue, really, from this transition to a renewable electricity target, which is in 2035, is that the climate committee estimated that electricity prices for consumers would go up by 14 percent and it would be 39 percent for industry. For those people who think that what electricity prices the industry pays won\u2019t affect them, believe me they will. All of that will flow immediately through to costs in our economy, and unless it is mirrored offshore, that will also impact our exports. And that will have a huge impact on the wellbeing of New Zealanders.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000261\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022094b0ff4-e404-451b-b4a9-ad12bd4dee56\u0022\u003EHigher electricity prices will also, the committee points out, slow the rate of decarbonisation in our economy. We will have to change quite rapidly to electric cars, and electric cars are more expensive than internal combustion engine cars, are higher priced, and we also have an average age of our vehicle fleet of 15 years. We\u2019ll have to turn that fleet over far more quickly than we have been to date to get up to that target. Yet the people that are going to be impacted the most by increasing energy prices will be those on lower incomes. It is quite a regressive tax, and that has not been addressed. Among other things we\u2019ve seen from this Government, they haven\u2019t actually done the homework. They had nine years in Opposition, and they just simply didn\u2019t do the homework.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000262\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022094b0ff4-e404-451b-b4a9-ad12bd4dee56\u0022\u003EIt is estimated we have only a 10-year gas supply left, and that is running down quite quickly. We\u2019ve seen two exploration companies that have walked away from block offers just off the East Coast of the North Island, which could have been a phenomenal resource for New Zealand. In the first quarter of this year we\u2019ve seen an increase in coal consumption for electricity generation of 138 percent. We are on target to burn 500,000 tonnes of coal this year in electricity generation, and that is in part due to the interruption in supply for maintenance on the gas fields. We don\u2019t have enough gas here now. We need more supply, and we need more than one or two fields; we need these fields on stream to drive our electricity system.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000263\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022094b0ff4-e404-451b-b4a9-ad12bd4dee56\u0022\u003EThe renewable electricity options are simply not here yet. They were just out here 10 years ago; they\u2019re still just about out here. We\u2019re almost there with these renewables and these batteries, but we haven\u2019t got those technological breakthroughs enabling us to shift to a renewable electricity system by 2035 yet, and it looks unlikely to be there. We need that oil and gas exploration for our economy to be less at risk. We only have to look at Germany, where they tried to decarbonise there and push renewables by highly subsidising them, but they have the luxury of importing electricity from offshore or from over the border. We don\u2019t have that luxury, and, ironically, their electricity prices are the highest in Europe. And, on top of that, they also have increased their carbon emissions, because they\u2019ve had to burn more coal as well. So it\u2019s not been a very good outcome all round. Actually, the last thing I\u2019ll close on, on that, is: can businesses and households afford a 39 percent increase in their energy costs? I would argue that they cannot.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000264\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022094b0ff4-e404-451b-b4a9-ad12bd4dee56\u0022\u003EWe move on to methane targets, which is certainly an area of concern for anyone who lives in provincial New Zealand. These methane targets are out of line with what is being considered overseas. It\u2019s out of line with the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment\u2019s recommendations in his fine report, and it is also\u2014with these subsidies and all of the work that the Government is doing around its billion trees\u2014forcing good, productive farmland into forestry. The question for the members on the other side is: how many schools are going to close in rural New Zealand as a result of these policies? How many small towns will simply become ghost towns because of this target? It is unwise, and also the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment thinks that the policy of allowing CO2 emissions to be offset with the planting of trees\u2014we\u2019re the only country in the world to allow 100 percent of that\u2014is a very bad policy and it should be done away with.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000265\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022094b0ff4-e404-451b-b4a9-ad12bd4dee56\u0022\u003EI want to close on earthquake-prone buildings, because the Minister of Finance, actually\u2014his own electorate\u2014has a significant number of apartments in his area which are earthquake prone. I went along to the inner city Wellington meeting of those affected apartment owners, and the finance Minister is acting like a backbench MP, making quite sweet noises that he really sympathises with them; he\u2019s in a position to deal with it\u2014overnight if he wanted to\u2014for his constituents. Instead, he put a miserly $10 million in the Budget to help those people in some way\u2014and other apartment owners around New Zealand. It\u2019s totally inadequate. The Minister should actually man up. He\u2019s their electorate MP. If he can\u2019t do anything, simply be honest and tell them that he can\u2019t and he won\u2019t, but don\u2019t try and have a dollar each way, as he is now.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000266\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022094b0ff4-e404-451b-b4a9-ad12bd4dee56\u0022\u003EIn closing, I support the Leader of the Opposition\u2019s amendment. This is a botched Budget, and it is really bad for New Zealand. We have no confidence in this Government. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022 data-id=\u0022b62537e909ca4339af718747783e7c8e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000267\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b62537e909ca4339af718747783e7c8e\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I understand this is a split call. I call Clayton Mitchell.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022919a8e8d-afaf-4342-ad6f-71cbb6024544\u0022 data-id=\u0022beb9623fb5a244adac877d9cc60b30ad\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000268\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022919a8e8d-afaf-4342-ad6f-71cbb6024544\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022beb9623fb5a244adac877d9cc60b30ad\u0022\u003ECLAYTON MITCHELL (NZ First):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have to say the member across from me, Mr Stuart Smith, is a well-intentioned member\u2014one of the nicest people in Parliament\u2014but I have to say I think he\u2019d be a better sleep therapist than he would be a politician, because that 10-minute monologue even put his backbench and the gallery to sleep. Anyway, let\u2019s spark things up again. Right, here we go\u2014this nonsense about it being a botched Budget.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000269\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022919a8e8d-afaf-4342-ad6f-71cbb6024544\u0022\u003EBut, before we get to that, ladies and gentlemen, let\u2019s talk about what people actually care about, which is the fact that 7 percent of New Zealanders actually feel that they have confidence in members of Parliament and that they trust us. Now, why do you think that is? I\u2019ll tell you why it is: it\u2019s because we get a constant barrage from the Leader of the Opposition, where leaking information from him to the Rt Hon Winston Peters in the build-up to the last election was acceptable\u2014\u201CIt\u2019s pretty legal.\u201D\u2014but yet, when his information gets leaked from his expenses three days early, all of a sudden we need a royal commission of inquiry\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000270\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b7fc329ccae04e979f3dc74f24e47f69\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019d rather the member actually addressed the Budget. Can we talk about the Budget? If it relates to the Budget\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000271\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022919a8e8d-afaf-4342-ad6f-71cbb6024544\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223de82265f2854f5c922a903691c8e5ce\u0022\u003ECLAYTON MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, it\u2019s about the integrity of the Budget.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000272\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022899af4fdb3aa49e6a36f4053265d05cf\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, you get to the Budget. You need to actually bring that into your speech.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000273\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022919a8e8d-afaf-4342-ad6f-71cbb6024544\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226b515543058d4b3ead4aee1f202e96aa\u0022\u003ECLAYTON MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: So the Budget\u2014it\u2019s important for people to understand what we said when we set out on a pilgrimage to build our economy from the bottom up, because we\u2019d had enough of neo-liberal, trickle-down, free ideological thinking from this previous Government for nine years.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000274\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022919a8e8d-afaf-4342-ad6f-71cbb6024544\u0022\u003ESo the first thing we set out to do was to ensure that we gave capitalism a human face, and by doing that, we had to build this economy from the bottom up by lifting the minimum wage, which we\u2019ve taken another big step towards, building an economy surrounded by a living wage. We\u2019ve invested money into areas that this country hasn\u2019t seen investment in for a very long time. Ten years of neglect, and our rail system now is seeing a boost. And we see the members across the Chamber shaking their heads, saying, \u201CIt\u2019s not going to go far enough.\u201D It\u2019s not going to go far enough because we had 10 years under a previous Government where no money was ever funded there\u2014well, nine years. I have to say I gave them a year\u2019s credit there. It was actually only nine years of neglect. So now we\u2019ve got a Government that\u2019s absolutely committed to start looking after those integral parts of our community: the people\u2014the workers\u2014on the bottom that are actually creating the opportunities out there.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000275\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022919a8e8d-afaf-4342-ad6f-71cbb6024544\u0022\u003EWe put $300 million into the idea that we\u2019re going to have venture capital where young, emerging, innovative businesses in New Zealand can get that kickstart they need to put that innovation in, to get it really working so we\u2019re not so reliant on international money. We\u2019ve got the $1 billion R \u0026amp; D tax credit, which is a huge boost to people, to actually lift our R \u0026amp; D spending to 2 percent of GDP in this country. It doesn\u2019t get us away from the fact, though, that we have seen the neglect by a Leader of the Opposition, and this royal inquiry that was being brought upon them, and asking for a public execution of one of his own members for leaking information. And yet it\u2019s acceptable that the member can leak other people\u2019s information, like the absolutely unacceptable, deliberate, unauthorised assault on the Treasury books\u2014to release that information. Now, that\u2019s the integrity that people want to see lifted. It\u2019s absolutely unethical, it\u2019s absolutely immoral what has taken place, and they wonder on the other side why the voters of this country have had a gutsful of their behaviour.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000276\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022919a8e8d-afaf-4342-ad6f-71cbb6024544\u0022\u003EThey are not trusted, because they promised everything and haven\u2019t delivered on it\u2014from 10 bridges to ghost highways that have never been built, with no money that\u2019s ever been put there for State Highway 2A going north from Tauranga\u2014all these loose promises: 15th Ave, Turret Road.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000277\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227940e9f2-9cea-43d5-8f16-3b470e34f47f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228ec1fbf4bc88438bb475284e3cfe7e98\u0022\u003EMatt King\u003C/span\u003E: Three bridges have been built! You should come up sometime.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000278\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022919a8e8d-afaf-4342-ad6f-71cbb6024544\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002250f3b26b864a435aa4652b11c060168e\u0022\u003ECLAYTON MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: No money has ever been brought forward by that Government\u2014just a lot of hollow promises. That member over there is like a sneeze looking for a mouth to shoot out of. Isn\u2019t that right, Mr King?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000279\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022919a8e8d-afaf-4342-ad6f-71cbb6024544\u0022\u003EAnyway, we\u2019ve got a minute left on the clock and I\u2019ve still got so much more to say. We\u2019ve got LSV numbers doubled under this Government\u2014these are Limited Service Volunteer schemes. We\u2019ve got not engaged in employment or training\u2014we\u2019ve doubled that from 800 to 1,600 people. We\u2019ve got a huge amount of money\u2014$49.9 million\u2014going into our Mana in Mahi to get disengaged youth off the couches, my colleague over here Shane Jones likes to refer to it as getting those nephs off the couch, giving them an opportunity, giving them something to work towards, building their pride in themselves so that they can become an asset to themselves, to their families, and to our country and our economy moving forward.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000280\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022919a8e8d-afaf-4342-ad6f-71cbb6024544\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve got $21 million that we have put into a very important service that we have with St John\u2019s, but we have also turned around the racing industry with recent changes in the Racing Amendment Bill, with more changes to come to get that industry up on its feet again. And that\u2019s about my time, and I\u2019m going to hand it back to my colleague\u2014over to you Darroch Ball.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022 data-id=\u002281fd9de7805846a496c07443290e6dc6\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000281\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002281fd9de7805846a496c07443290e6dc6\u0022\u003EDARROCH BALL (NZ First):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. This has been a very good Budget for the coalition Government. I might be a bit biased, but I\u2019d like to say that New Zealand First has had some very, very good, serious wins out of this Budget.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000282\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve just previously heard my colleague Clayton Mitchell list a few; I\u2019d like to list a couple as well. These wins focus not only on the regions, though we did make some good wins in the regions, but we are focusing on our services, we\u2019re focusing on our seniors, our vulnerable children as well, and everyone in between, I must say. We\u2019ve put a billion dollars for KiwiRail. We\u2019ve got over a billion dollars for Oranga Tamariki with our vulnerable children. We\u2019ve got over $2 billion for our defence force\u2014our underfunded defence force that was neglected under the National Party\u2014all of the three services: the navy, the air force, and, of course, the army as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000283\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve invested $7 million into a super SuperGold Card. We have\u2014as my colleague Clayton Mitchell said\u2014managed to secure funding for our ambulance services and St John\u2019s over the next couple of years; over $4 million for veterans, and around $60 million for our forestry sector. So you can see that we have wide-ranging and effective and very serious wins on this side of the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000284\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003EBut one thing that hasn\u2019t been mentioned which I think is ultimately important as well is the increase in funding to our police force. The reason why I want to mention it is because last week we had Chris Bishop stand up in the House and, unbelievably, criticise this side of the House for increasing the police numbers\u2014that\u2019s what he did. So New Zealand First, as part of our coalition agreement, is to strive for 1,800 new police officers over the next four years\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000285\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e978865e-57e5-41d6-a7f6-b49daae78630\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f23fb6a474a0487bac34afc33af26955\u0022\u003EHon Dr Nick Smith\u003C/span\u003E: And you\u2019ve done 450.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000286\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022de301db7b73848f5b0f99dae019c393b\u0022\u003EDARROCH BALL\u003C/span\u003E: \u20141,800 over the next four years. We\u2019ve got the likes of Chris Bishop, but now we\u2019ve got Dr Nick Smith as well, talking about that we\u2019ve only got around 500 so far. Well, over the nine years that that National Party was in Government, how many did they add to the police force?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000287\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e978865e-57e5-41d6-a7f6-b49daae78630\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002226c6b0834b214bb99779416712c3bba3\u0022\u003EHon Dr Nick Smith\u003C/span\u003E: Hundreds.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000288\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221be01196602849e4a6953cf6192a65e3\u0022\u003EDARROCH BALL\u003C/span\u003E: One-hundred-and-fifty, Mr Smith, 150. So now they\u2019re complaining that, 18 months in, we\u2019ve got 500 and climbing. That\u2019s net by the way\u2014that\u2019s net by the way. Over nine years, Dr Nick Smith\u2019s Government only had 150. In fact, in 2017 they went down by 60. They lost police officers. The year before that they lost another 40. And now they stand up in the House and want to criticise us for striving for 1,800 police officers.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000289\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003EI\u2019ll tell you why that\u2019s important\u2014I tell you why it\u2019s important, because there\u2019s what\u2019s called a golden ratio of one police officer per 500 members of public. If it goes above that\u2014if there\u2019s more members of public per police officer then it makes it very, very difficult for our police force to do the job effectively. In 2009, when the National Government took over, that was one police officer for every 498 members of public\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000290\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226dbf5626ffdc4194a51e2d11949c0483\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Just relate it to the Budget.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000291\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220d0c53dcfd874c72a1136b7336c86401\u0022\u003EDARROCH BALL\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I\u2019m talking about the increase\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000292\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224770e676c0b347f1817784a50f521f84\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Just keep it focused on the Budget, not on history.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000293\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f5408b03861e4ec1a5b72ef0f3a4e3e2\u0022\u003EDARROCH BALL\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m talking about the increase in police numbers\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000294\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bb9bcf0736b942199077e2dcf0c90b53\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Don\u2019t argue with me or I\u2019ll stop the member. Relate it to the Budget.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000295\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022145f09456cbf42098d6338a9874cb99c\u0022\u003EDARROCH BALL\u003C/span\u003E: In 2009, we had one police officer for every 498 members; in 2017 that went from one police officer\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000296\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228001d1f26d3f46718114e8988915d4b9\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Relate it to the Budget now.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000297\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cf3174a1184e4442b43f72eb41ae75a7\u0022\u003EDARROCH BALL\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014to every 547 members of public, Madam Speaker. The increase in police numbers that this Budget has overseen has done a couple of things. There were, in the 2018/19 financial year, 831 new recruits. That is a record number. Never once in the history of this country has there been more police recruits gone through the Police College. The previous record, actually, funnily enough, was 683 new recruits, and that, again, was when New Zealand First was in Government. We\u2019ve got the largest police workforce in New Zealand history, with more than 13,000 men and women, and because of that our victimisation fell by 7,000 within the last year.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000298\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002236c8c596-d890-4cca-9767-1eeb5c9ce710\u0022\u003ESo I find it a bit incredulous that the National Party stand up and want to criticise this side of the House for having record funding in the police force, record numbers going through the recruitment process, and the largest police workforce in the history of this country. This is a good Budget for the coalition Government and for New Zealand First.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022 data-id=\u0022fa70cfbf51bc43a39ed2fe512f8e03d4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000299\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022fa70cfbf51bc43a39ed2fe512f8e03d4\u0022\u003EJAMI-LEE ROSS (Botany):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. This is the ninth Budget that\u2019s been delivered in the time that I\u2019ve been a member of Parliament. Normally I stand up and give some tub-thumping speech saying what the other side\u2019s doing is wrong and what my side\u2019s doing is right. Of course, I don\u2019t have a side to be yelling at now in the Chamber, and it\u2019s an interesting situation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000300\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003EBut the upside that I\u2019ve found through my current situation\u2014where I am an independent, sitting up the back, looking down at the rest of the Chamber, and also spending considerably more time in my electorate talking to real New Zealanders and not getting too wound up in what happens in this place, in \u201CPlanet Parliament\u201D\u2014is the world out there and the way New Zealanders see our politics in New Zealand isn\u2019t as black and white as we make out in this Chamber. It isn\u2019t the case of everything the Government does, if you\u2019re a Government MP, is right and everything the Government does, if you\u2019re an Opposition MP, is wrong. It isn\u2019t a case of members on that side and the Government saying, \u201COur Budget is great. Our Budget is perfect. We\u2019re delivering on everything.\u201D, and then the Opposition to say, \u201CThey\u2019ve got it all wrong. They\u2019ve broken all their promises. It\u2019s a botched Budget.\u201D That\u2019s not how New Zealanders see budgets in this country. It\u2019s not how New Zealanders see our politics.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003EOne of the real downsides that I see now that my eyes are really opened up too is just the fact that we don\u2019t do enough to work together in this Parliament and Government on addressing solutions for all New Zealanders. I want to say, actually, congratulations to the Minister of Finance. He\u2019s delivered a reasonably good Budget. Actually, it delivers on most of their promises. Actually, it\u2019s a Budget that could have been delivered by Bill English, or it could have been delivered Steven Joyce. The only difference is rather than it being called a Wellbeing Budget, Bill English would have talked about social investment. When it comes to the likes of job creation, when it comes to the likes of investment in important areas like health and education, a National Government probably would have done many of the same things.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000302\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003EThe Government is doing more in mental health. This Government is putting $1.9 billion into the mental health system, and good on them for doing that. It\u2019s 19 times what the National Government promised in 2017\u201419 times. Through that election campaign\u2014because I was a National MP at the time\u2014many of us would go to public meetings or go to mental health - specific debates and we\u2019d be hauled over the coals for the lack of investment in mental health. Actually, National got it wrong in that area. We did a lot to increase the number of operations, we did a lot to improve health services, but we didn\u2019t do enough for mental health. So good on the Government for doing what they\u2019re doing in mental health.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000303\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003EThe great thing about what this Budget\u2019s doing around mental health is it\u2019s going to get some of the funding into those front-line services and into the areas where people can get access to care early, so they don\u2019t end up in the acute system. If an individual gets in that system, they\u2019re exposed to hospital-grade services and they do get quite a lot of support. But where we\u2019re failing New Zealanders when it comes to mental health is we\u2019re failing to help people to get the support they need early on when they\u2019re identifying that they\u2019ve got challenges; when they\u2019re identifying that they\u2019re needing support, before they get to that crisis point.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000304\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003EIf we can solve a situation where people don\u2019t get enough support before they get to crisis point, where they don\u2019t get enough help and assistance, then we\u2019ll be able to ensure that we reduce that suicide number. And getting access to mental health services in the community\u2014if the Government can crack that nut then they\u2019ll be doing a huge amount for New Zealanders.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000305\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003EBut in terms of the overall Budget, I really struggle when I hear the terms being flung about about how the Government is doing something wrong, or how the Government is botching a budget. That\u2019s not how New Zealanders see it. The taglines we give policies, and the taglines we give budgets, and the debate we have in this Chamber, that\u2019s not reflected out there in reality.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000306\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003EThe Government is doing a lot when it comes to the economy that, actually, the National Party could have done as well. That debt target that I heard Iain Lees-Galloway talking about\u2014getting debt to below 20 percent of GDP by the early 2020s\u2014that\u2019s the target that Bill English announced four or five years ago. They\u2019re doing exactly what National put in place. The Government can\u2019t stand up and say they\u2019ve solved it all and they\u2019ve done everything right and it\u2019s their Budget which is achieving that because the fundamentals were put in place by the National Government\u2014the fundamentals were put in place by Bill English and by Steven Joyce. So what I\u2019m trying to say is that when we look at Budgets and when we debate them, we\u2019d do New Zealanders and ourselves a lot better if we were to actually identify things where we can work together as a Parliament and identify things that we agree on. When I read the amendment from Simon Bridges, basically saying that the Government\u2019s bungling and incompetent and they\u2019re overseeing a slowing economy and declining job creation\u2014well, actually, that\u2019s not the reality. It\u2019s a nice political point to make, but it\u2019s not the reality. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000307\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003EI have to say, the Government isn\u2019t getting everything right, though. I do struggle when it comes to housing and understanding what the vision is. There was no vision delivered on housing in this Budget. The key question that many people, particularly in Auckland, want to know and have answered is: what is a Government, whether it\u2019s blue or red, going to do to deliver on a vision where young people can get access to housing? KiwiBuild\u2014for all that they\u2019ve tried to throw at it\u2014it\u2019s not working. It\u2019s failing. It\u2019s not delivering cheaper housing for New Zealanders. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000308\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003EBut at the same time, my old friends in the National Party\u2014we couldn\u2019t claim that we got everything right either. Nick Smith, I have to say, put a huge effort into trying to make changes in housing. He sweated blood and tears to try and get reforms in the housing sector, and good on him. He did very well. He tried very hard, but we didn\u2019t crack that nut either. We left Government in 2017, leaving young New Zealanders without the ability to access affordable housing. We left Government not delivering a vision on how young New Zealanders and how children and grandchildren can afford housing into the future. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000309\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003EThe solution has to be genuine Resource Management Act reform. The solution has to be increasing land supply. Sitting back and hoping that small changes and tinkering around the edges will make big adjustments to housing won\u2019t work. Sitting back and thinking regulating a little bit more and a little bit here and there is going to work is not actually going to achieve the solution. We have to open up considerable chunks of land in Auckland so there can be greater housing supply. We have to put more infrastructure in place so that the people that will be moving into that new housing can get good transport, can get good water, can get good access to services. But by sitting back and just tinkering around the edges it\u2019s not going to be doing very much.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000310\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003EWhile I\u2019m talking about housing, I want to say that we also need to seriously look at the way Auckland Council is operating. The way I relate this to the Budget is that there is a review that\u2019s going on at the moment around rates, and there\u2019ll be work internally within the DIA around how local government is operating efficiently or not. I have to say, it\u2019s been almost 10 years now that the Auckland Council has been in place, and if the Minister of Local Government is sitting back asking herself, \u201CWhat do Aucklanders want to see from local government?\u201D, I think the answer that she needs to arrive at is that Aucklanders aren\u2019t being delivered efficient local government. They\u2019re not being delivered local government services cost-effectively. They\u2019re seeing costs escalate. They\u2019re seeing staffing numbers grow year on year, but they\u2019re getting less and less for their money. It\u2019s about time\u2014it\u2019s been almost 10 years\u2014we start to seriously consider whether the changes that this Parliament put in place in Auckland are working for Aucklanders, and whether or not Aucklanders want to see some more reform and some more changes in that area. If we don\u2019t get local government in Auckland working right and we don\u2019t have local government working with the Government to deliver a vision on housing, then those young New Zealanders aren\u2019t going to get access to the housing services that they need. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000311\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003EFinally, I also want to say thank you to the Government for putting in place measures to deliver more police. They\u2019re not doing it fast enough, though. We do need to see more front-line services in the police force and we do need to see more support there for those officers. In the emergency services space, why did the Government stop at the level that they did when it came to ambulance services? It wouldn\u2019t have cost much more to fully fund ambulance services, and I think that\u2019s something New Zealanders would like to see happen into the future. Ambulance services and dental services\u2014whilst the health system is receiving considerable boosts, those are two areas that I think New Zealanders would expect the health system to do more on and that the health Minister could work on for future Governments. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000312\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022163d0b68-eb0e-4094-9bed-99e184f063e1\u0022\u003EThis Budget delivers on many of the fundamentals that New Zealanders want to see Government deliver. It doesn\u2019t present enough vision and it doesn\u2019t solve all the problems, but, actually, it delivers much of what New Zealanders want. It\u2019s a Budget a National Government could have delivered with a different name and a different tag line. It\u2019s not as bad as the Opposition makes out, but it\u2019s nowhere near as visionary as the Government makes out either. I think we should work better and closer together in the future as a Parliament. I think there are more areas we could collaborate on. The \u201Cthem and us\u201D attitude that we take in this Chamber doesn\u2019t serve New Zealanders well. When you take the blue-tinted glasses or the red-tinted glasses off and you actually sit there and observe politics in New Zealand, actually, there\u2019s a lot we agree on, there\u2019s a lot we can work together on, and there\u2019s a lot that we should do more on as a Parliament.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022 data-id=\u0022644650d56cc14fe9914bf5b5b898944a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000313\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022644650d56cc14fe9914bf5b5b898944a\u0022\u003EBARBARA KURIGER (National\u2014Taranaki - King Country):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. I\u2019d like to start my part in the Budget debate by acknowledging our finance spokesperson, Amy Adams, who\u2019s just made an announcement today that she\u2019s going to be leaving Parliament at the next election. Amy Adams did a fantastic job of guiding us through this Budget process, as she\u2019s done in the past in her roles, back even right down to when she was an associate. She\u2019s a great person with the numbers, and we\u2019re dearly going to miss her skills. She\u2019s made a fantastic contribution thus far to this place and she\u2019s not finished yet, so I acknowledge her. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000314\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003EI would disagree adamantly with the previous speaker. New Zealanders do care about the Budget, and they\u2019re not impressed. We talk about a Wellbeing Budget. Stuart Smith asked before, \u201CWhat is the meaning of wellbeing?\u201D Well, wellbeing, when I just looked it up in the dictionary on my phone, it said \u201Cthe state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy\u201D. So if we say the words \u201CKiwiBuild\u201D and \u201Ccancer treatment\u201D, there better be a lot of \u201Ckinder\u201D and \u201Cmore caring\u201D going on to make up for the other two parts of wellbeing that seem to be in some sort of disarray. Michael Wood said, when he spoke up, about this Budget being a means to an end. Well, my constituents are hoping that this will mean an end to this Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000315\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003EI was at Fieldays just after the Budget came out, and it was where the Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries was released. If you go through that document, it shows that things, the expectations, are good at the moment for dairy, for sheep and beef, for a range of other products. We all know that horticulture is going very well. But what I was finding at Fieldays, and what myself and my fellow members of Parliament from this side of the House who joined us at Fieldays\u2014there were a large number of us. We could not get over the uncertainty of the mood of the primary producers at the Fieldays, and it was down to the uncertainty related to this Budget. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000316\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003EIf you actually look at some of the reasons why, and there\u2019s money in here\u2014we\u2019ve got down here \u201CMeeting the climate change challenge\u201D. Well, we\u2019re all very concerned about putting all of this\u2014there\u2019s $95 million in here related to the climate change challenge. Well, the climate change challenge in their eyes is not having the right tools for the methane targets. It\u2019s also those small communities that are really, really worried about, you know, the billion tree programme\u2014$183.8 million operating going into the billion tree programme. There is no strategy to that billion tree programme. That\u2019s what they\u2019re worried about. Nobody\u2019s opposed to planting trees. We all believe that we need to do things for climate change. But it\u2019s a right tree, right place, right catchment, right time strategy, and they are really worried about planting all those trees\u2014what\u2019s it going to do to the rural roads? We already have Ministers talking about slowing down rural roads because\u2014that\u2019s a funding issue, in terms of dollars. We all know what\u2019s happened to most people\u2019s roads. I\u2019m still hoping that the Mount Messenger project, which is up for appeal shortly, is going to happen. I have heard the Prime Minister and the Minister of Transport say that it\u2019s going to happen\u2014trying to also claim credit for it when it was actually appropriated in Budget 2016, but at least it looks like that road is still going to be happening.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000317\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003EWe see $197 million in here for the reform of vocational education. Well, we\u2019ve heard questions in the House today from our member Dr Shane Reti, who\u2019s been looking at this reform of vocational education, and all it seems like is everything else that I\u2019ve read in this Budget document is pulling everything back into Government level, because it appears that everything in these documents says this Government knows best, and the people who are trained in farming, education, whatever field that they\u2019re in\u2014their knowledge is not important: \u201CLet\u2019s take it back in here and do something about it.\u201D I\u2019ll give you an example here: \u201CProductive and Sustainable Land Use: Climate Change Commission and Government Response\u2014$42.7 million operating\u201D, and then there\u2019s a little bit of capital on top of that. It \u201Csupports New Zealand\u2019s transition to more sustainable land use\u201D and low emissions, and it talks about \u201Ckey institutions and regulations\u201D and ensuring the \u201Cresources to deliver on its obligations\u201D. What about asking the community? They\u2019ve been out there flat-stick trying to find some solutions. They don\u2019t want more key institutions and more regulations and more red tape. They want to be able to have some tools that they can use, that can put the power in their hands, that can make sure that they have some control over their own future. They don\u2019t want everything done to them. This Government is leaving people behind.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000318\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003EThe second one is \u201CProductive and Sustainable Land Use: Enabling the Transition in Agriculture\u201D. So it\u2019s funding for \u201Con-the-ground advice for farmers\u201D. You know, we hear again, \u201COh look, there\u2019s going to be some more advice, because we know best.\u201D Well, what happens to the Dairy NZs, the Beef and Lambs, the people that are actually already out there giving advice? Why don\u2019t we just collaborate a little bit? Why don\u2019t we sit around and talk to each other and find out solutions instead of all of these things coming down from the top, coming down on communities, coming down and telling people \u201CThou shalt do.\u201D and \u201CThou shalt be done.\u201D and \u201CWe\u2019re going to regulate you.\u201D and \u201CWe\u2019re going to find the answers for you.\u201D Ninety percent of the answers are already out there, so they don\u2019t want more institutions; they just want more autonomy to be helped to find their own solutions. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000319\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003EAlso, in this Budget there is more funding for Mycoplasma bovis. Now, that\u2019s been a huge, huge, huge process, that eradication process, and we know what that eradication processes has meant in terms of cow numbers, cows, trying to stop that disease from spreading throughout the country. You know, we\u2019re monitoring and we\u2019re still evaluating around the whole feasibility of it, and I hope that is being monitored all the time. But it\u2019s actually not been a great process for the farmers involved. It\u2019s been a terrible, terrible wellbeing situation for all of them. I have seen, over more recent times, how the care and the wellbeing for those people has picked up, but I know that our rural support trusts have spent hours and hours and hours out there, actually trying to deal with the people welfare of this issue. So it hasn\u2019t actually been a very kind process, and while the decision was made to do that, I think the way people were treated on the way could have been much better. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000320\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003ENow, on to the subject of Taranaki\u2014on to the subject of oil and gas. We all know that in that process, all of the advice was ignored, and not just around the Budget dollars. So it\u2019s all very well for people to say, \u201COh, we\u2019re going to do wellbeing.\u201D, but wellbeing takes money, and you actually need money to be able to sustain the wellbeing. You need it to sustain the health system. You need it to sustain the education system. There is nothing in this country that\u2019s going to run without money. So if you ignore the figures that were put in front of us around the oil and gas, around, you know, making the decision that this Government has made\u2014which, by the way, makes absolutely no benefit to climate change in all the advice that I\u2019ve seen; in fact, it only has detrimental results in that light.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000321\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003ELook, developing a new energy development centre in Taranaki is a little bit like\u2014you know, it\u2019s just a lolly scramble in comparison to coming along and taking away not only the bread and butter for that province but for the whole country before they\u2019ve had a chance to develop the new technology. Everyone knows that when you go from A to B, you need to know where am I today, how am I going to get there, how long it\u2019s going to take me, and what\u2019s it going to cost. Now, we all know where this wellbeing Government wants to be in 20 or 30 or 40 years in terms of what they want for this country, but nobody out there is certain about what does it mean tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year, because the tools that we had are being taken away before new tools have been developed, and taxes are being talked about before we have the tools to mitigate. So it\u2019s a disaster. Thank you, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022 data-id=\u0022ddd874efce67490d86467772371913de\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000322\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ddd874efce67490d86467772371913de\u0022\u003EMARAMA DAVIDSON (Co-Leader\u2014Green):\u003C/span\u003E T\u0113n\u0101 koe e Te M\u0101ngai o Te Whare. Huri noa ki a t\u0101tou katoa \u014Dku hoa kaimahi, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou. The wellbeing of our people and our environment should be at the centre of everything that we in this House do. It should be at the centre of all the decisions we make because it will ensure that our grandchildren\u2019s grandchildren have any sort of dignified and sustainable future. So I am proud to be part of a Government that is starting to take a different approach for the first time through this Wellbeing Budget, an approach which the Greens have long championed and called for, because right now truly transformational economic, social, and environmental solutions are needed more than ever. The way that we respond to the climate, inequality, and biodiversity crises in Aotearoa will lead the way for a world based on justice for people and our planet. So I wanted to pick up on a few of the initiatives that I\u2019m proud of that the Greens, being at the table, have managed to secure, including across welfare, transport, mental health, and the environment.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000323\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003EAlso, I wanted to be very clear that the Greens know that there\u2019s more we need to do, that we need to be even bolder right now to meet the urgency and the scale of the challenges we face, because the climate crisis poses an existential threat to our planet and way of life. The science already shows us that we only have 12 years, tops, to transform our economy to focus on sustainability and wellbeing rather than what we have been held hostage to forever, which is profit at all costs. While our economy has grown in some measures, other measures are still a raging concern. Too many people are facing housing insecurity, our waterways have been degraded to the point where too many of our awa are too polluted to swim in and 4,000 of our native species are facing the risk of extinction.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000324\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003ESo I\u2019m pleased to see that the climate change and environmental and conservation work that the Greens have been able to do under the leadership of our fabulous Ministers has come through in this Budget, including laying the foundations to tackle the climate crisis with a transition to a low-carbon economy and getting up the Climate Change Commission. But I also want to acknowledge many civilians, societies, and groups, including School Strike 4 Climate and their calls for more honest and substantive Government action. So that is something that the Greens will absolutely have a strong voice on.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000325\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003EI cannot leave out in my speech heralding the $180 million in conservation funding, especially through the tourism levy and the international visitor conservation levy, because our indigenous species are calling out for our protection, and so safeguarding indigenous biodiversity was able to be championed through this Budget.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000326\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003EI want to acknowledge iwi leadership and water and the funding that will help iwi in Whanganui, Gisborne, and in my northern \u014Cm\u0101pere area improve the health of local waterways, because the leadership of m\u0101tauranga M\u0101ori will be essential to enduring conservation for our whole country, for all of our waterways, and for our generations to come.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000327\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003EI want to be very clear that we need more investment in public and State housing. Everyone needs a decent home to live in, and we need real investment in public housing, not just extraction of profit by private landlords, which is what we have seen for far too long. We need to move away from housing as a commodity and understand housing as a human right for everyone. The Wellbeing Budget made significant steps to ensure the improvement and expansion of support under programmes like Housing First, which, essentially, puts in the supports\u2014social supports and health supports\u2014and ensures that we can put people into homes. We\u2019re going to extend that with an extra 1,044 people and places. So I was particularly pleased to see that for people with a disability and families with children who struggle with homelessness and insecure housing in particular.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000328\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003EBeyond this Budget, though, the Greens will keep focusing on ensuring a rent-to-own or a progressive homeownership scheme, and that\u2019s what we agreed to with Labour as part of our confidence and supply agreement. A rent-to-own scheme is just one policy that will help the very people that, actually, my colleague Jami-Lee Ross previously talked about\u2014people who are not even entertaining the thought of ever owning their own home and properly putting down roots in their own community. They haven\u2019t got a chance of raising any sort of a deposit. The Green Party is very clear that we want to bring back the principle of a Government-funded scheme in partnership with other organisations to allow for more people to actually own a home. This will add to the security and sense of community relationships\u2014schooling, ensuring children can stay put for longer, is what I see would fill a massive gap in the trend that we are currently seeing of less people being able to afford to raise a deposit and own their own homes. So we\u2019ll stay really strong and loud over that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000329\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003EListen, we\u2019ve heard Ministers across the House, actually, rightfully, praise Under-Secretary Jan Logie and her leadership on the work to eliminate sexual and domestic violence and the work to a joined-up approach, across ministries and agencies, to be able to, for the first time ever, have such a transformational approach to ending and eliminating domestic and sexual violence. I too proudly\u2014proudly\u2014herald the work of Jan Logie in pushing something in a way that the Hon Grant Robertson as finance Minister also upholds as being quite a revolutionary approach to working with our Budget bids. So we are particularly proud of that work.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000330\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003EBut change needs to continue, and I want to finish my focus somewhat on the Whakamana T\u0101ngata report, the expert advisory report\u2014quite a historical report that seeks to understand what needs to change in our social security support system. A range of diverse experts who were on that panel came out with a very clear blueprint for how we can actually ensure that people can seek security and income with a sense of dignity. For decades, successive Governments, actually, have at best allowed our social support system to stagnate, but at worst we\u2019ve deliberately eroded it, leaving families and people without enough to survive, leaving people in low-paying jobs, struggling to be able to survive without a good social security net.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000331\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003ESo we are very clear, and it was good to see some changes come through this Budget, including tagging benefit increases to wage growth, including removing some of the harsh sanctions and allowing for people to earn more before their budgets are cut. But the report, the expert report, was very clear: we need base income amounts to increase, and that is something that the Greens will be very clear on as part of our confidence and supply agreement to properly overhaul our social security support system.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000332\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003EWhen we are facing entrenched inequality and poverty and unstable climate and rapid loss of species and ecosystems, we know that truly transformative economic, social, and environmental change has never been more important. I\u2019m proud of what our team, our Green team, has been able to achieve in Government, but we also know that there\u2019s so much more that needs to happen right now, that we can actually do right now. The Greens will be insisting on seeing more of those changes coming through in the next Budget. Thank you, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002263776108-58dc-4cab-baf1-95282c61d0de\u0022 data-id=\u0022eedc469963cb4232ae9a0f6ae3551b61\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000333\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002263776108-58dc-4cab-baf1-95282c61d0de\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022eedc469963cb4232ae9a0f6ae3551b61\u0022\u003EHon PAULA BENNETT (Deputy Leader\u2014National):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. I believe I just have a few short minutes before\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000334\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022540794e810354e83860b8105feb7f3cc\u0022\u003EHon Grant Robertson\u003C/span\u003E: Precious moments.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000335\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002263776108-58dc-4cab-baf1-95282c61d0de\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224d26e396937e4a0b83e6faa6b467bc8b\u0022\u003EHon PAULA BENNETT\u003C/span\u003E: \u201CA few precious moments.\u201D, says the Minister of Finance, and I am going to take them, because, ladies and gentlemen, I was just looking at it, and there is no doubt about it that this well-meaning Budget is an abject failure\u2014an abject failure. It fails to deliver for New Zealanders; it fails to deliver on the many promises that we have seen from this Government. It is a well-meaning Budget; there\u2019s no way that there is that level of wellbeing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000336\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002263776108-58dc-4cab-baf1-95282c61d0de\u0022\u003EWe heard earlier when, actually, Winston Peters decided to go with Labour and form a Government and he talked a lot about how this was going to be the change and it was going to be a transformational Government and it was the pinnacle of where we were going to see\u2014rather than the modified status quo that was National\u2014this absolutely amazing change. Yeah, nah\u2014yeah, nah. Maybe he meant that was in the big billion-dollar KiwiRail, but it certainly wasn\u2019t a transformational Budget in what it could\u2019ve been.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000337\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002263776108-58dc-4cab-baf1-95282c61d0de\u0022\u003ESo, well-meaning\u2014and I looked it up. The Collins Dictionary says well-meaning\u2014[Interruption] I know, thank you. I know you guys didn\u2019t, so that\u2019s why I did. I know they didn\u2019t look at wellbeing and what it means, because if they\u2019d looked at wellbeing and what it means, they\u2019d be delivering for New Zealanders on their promises. If they knew what wellbeing means, there would be more jobs for New Zealanders and not fewer. If they knew what wellbeing means, we would not have New Zealanders going overseas for cancer drugs and going to Givealittle because this Minister would not even give a little to Pharmac to see them. If they knew what wellbeing means, they would actually see fewer people living in cars and we\u2019d see fewer children that are actually in poverty, both of which have gone up under this Government and are not getting delivered to in this Budget. So, Minister, if you want to start giving this side of the House a lecture on what wellbeing is, let me help you out.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000338\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002263776108-58dc-4cab-baf1-95282c61d0de\u0022\u003EWell-meaning, though, which is what I think it actually might be, because well-meaning means a person that intends to be helpful or kind but is unsuccessful or actually causes problems, and that, ladies and gentlemen, pretty much sums up this Budget. Yep, it might be kind, it might even have tried to have been a bit helpful, but it certainly has not delivered for New Zealanders.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000339\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002263776108-58dc-4cab-baf1-95282c61d0de\u0022\u003EI have been through what I think is missing in some of it, but let\u2019s get to KiwiBuild. Can we get to KiwiBuild, because what\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000340\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224a25943b-cb3b-49c3-bd10-74316fae17f1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c6e8dd3753b0455380404848a764f4f9\u0022\u003EHon Jacqui Dean\u003C/span\u003E: Well, they haven\u2019t.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000341\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002263776108-58dc-4cab-baf1-95282c61d0de\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227e4707fd94e047849c77bd0952f01285\u0022\u003EHon PAULA BENNETT\u003C/span\u003E: Well, they haven\u2019t got to KiwiBuild. Ladies and gentlemen, it\u2019s like the babysitters are currently looking after the country and they\u2019ve been on a little bit of a sugar rush, they\u2019ve spent a lot of money, but it ain\u2019t going to be long before they need mum and dad back because the food\u2019s running out, they\u2019re now living on the credit card, and, quite frankly, the mortgage needs to be paid.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022 data-id=\u0022b32c6751282b405fbb2336b99acdc5b5\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000342\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b32c6751282b405fbb2336b99acdc5b5\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance):\u003C/span\u003E That was a fairly solid leadership bid there from the Hon Paula Bennett. Although, I strongly advise her not to use the Collins Dictionary\u2014because I think if you look up, in the Collins Dictionary, the meaning of the word \u201Cutu\u201D you might find that member\u2019s name, possibly, under there.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000343\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EI thank all members of the House for their contributions to the Budget debate. It is an important part of our system that we have a robust analysis of the Budget in this House. I\u2019ve heard some magnificent speeches given, mostly from this side of the House, I have to say, but I also do acknowledge those on the other side of the House who have contributed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000344\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EOn that note\u2014just to diverge, briefly\u2014I do want to acknowledge Amy Adams for her announcement today. She has dedicated herself to public service for well over a decade, was a Minister in the last Government, and, as I noted earlier on today, was part of an historic move to expunge convictions for people who were convicted before homosexual law reform; so I want to put on the record today, my appreciation for that and my acknowledgement of her service in this House. I wish her well for the future.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000345\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EThis Budget is fundamentally different from every Budget that has gone before in New Zealand. We promised, at the outset of this process, to focus on the long-term wellbeing of New Zealanders. I have news for the members opposite\u2014that is, as I have travelled around New Zealand over the last few weeks, talking about the Budget, time and time again what I\u2019ve heard from New Zealanders is finally there is a Government taking mental health seriously. Finally, after all these years, one of the biggest issues that has faced New Zealanders in terms of their wellbeing is actually being looked after. I want to give credit to Dr David Clark, the Minister of Health, who at the core of that package has come up with something that will change the lives of New Zealanders, that will save the lives of New Zealanders: and that is a new frontline mental health service\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000346\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e978865e-57e5-41d6-a7f6-b49daae78630\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227e3466f2770d4d0c9df42b87b665b38a\u0022\u003EHon Dr Nick Smith\u003C/span\u003E: What happened to your suicide target?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000347\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002242d9cc405531460999ba31df907fa9cf\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014so that wherever we are in New Zealand, we know that if there are issues for us or our wh\u0101nau or our friends, we will actually be able to support those people to get the help they need at the front line. That $455 million investment will pay off time and time again.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000348\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EDr Smith is yelling out about suicide prevention services\u2014$40 million in this Budget to finally actually begin the process of supporting New Zealanders who find themselves in those situations. But more than that: taking addiction services seriously, finding more residential prices for people who need support in that area, making sure that we enhance our nurses in schools programme, making sure that we actually deal with the addiction and mental health issues of people who are currently in prison. We know that if we can actually get to the root causes of crime, we can actually make sure not only that those people don\u2019t reoffend again, but they come back and join us in society in a way that means they can contribute positively. Minister Kelvin Davis has produced, I think, one of the big step changes that are in this Budget in the way in which we focus on people in prison being supported to not reoffend again. I want to acknowledge Kelvin Davis for the terrific work that he did.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000349\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EOn the priority around improving child wellbeing, I do want to acknowledge what Marama Davidson said before. We have in front of us the Welfare Expert Advisory Group. Again, this is not a Government afraid to face up to the big challenges that are in front of us; and in this Budget we take meaningful steps to address that. For example, we are moving to the indexation of benefits to the average wage\u2014again, the meaningful contribution that will make to people\u2019s lives is recognised as I go right around New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000350\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003ESo also is the decision to stop so-called voluntary school donations. Actually, right across the country, those in decile 1 to 7 schools know that they can actually bank on this Government. I want to read what one school principal said: \u201CAs a citizen of Aotearoa, I want a Budget that is driven by values that result in a quality life for every person who lives here.\u201D She went on to say: \u201CThe school donation change means that my school will be better off by $40,000.\u201D The most the school had ever received in donations was $2,000. This principal went on to say: \u201CSo much in this Budget will start to move us to a country that is more equitable, compassionate, respectful, tolerant, and rich\u2014in the widest sense of that word.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000351\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EWhat that lot over there don\u2019t understand is that being wealthy and being rich in a country is not just about money. Yes, we want to be prosperous, but we also want to be rich as people. We want to be rich in terms of our environment. We want to be rich in terms of our communities. The myopic view of the other side of the House of what constitutes success is going to mean that they stay there for a very, very long time, because what they\u2019re missing is that New Zealanders want a Government that values our overall wellbeing. They want a Government that is investing in children. They want a Government that is investing in making sure that our mental health system works properly.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000352\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EI am also proud of the priority in this Budget that says that we can support M\u0101ori and Pasifika aspiration, because time and time again, when the evidence had shown that we needed to do better by M\u0101ori and Pasifika populations, the previous Government ignored that. Well, this Government\u2019s not doing that\u2014nearly half a billion dollars of initiatives to support M\u0101ori development, a big boost for Wh\u0101nau Ora, and a big boost for languages.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000353\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EI am proud to say that on this side of the House, the coalition Government has come together to say that we can do universal funding\u2014and we are\u2014and we can do targeted funding where we know that that works. I know among the Pasifika community as well, there\u2019s a lot of support for the initiatives that we\u2019re taking there too.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000354\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EThe priority where I think a lot of New Zealanders will see the long-term benefit is our work to build a more productive nation. I want to acknowledge my colleague David Parker for the work that he did to produce the $300 million fund that is going to lift the prospects of entrepreneurs in New Zealand and make sure that venture capital stays and flows through the New Zealand economy\u2014I believe that will make a massive difference. A huge investment in innovation. A huge investment in transitioning to a new low-carbon economy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000355\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EThen there are the practical things. I was at the Tauranga Chamber of Commerce\u2014perhaps you might not think of it as the most welcoming of places for a Labour finance Minister, but at that event the first thing they were saying is: \u201CWhat\u2019s Simon up to?\u201D The second thing that they were saying to us is: \u201CThis is a Budget that supports productive business. This is a Budget that\u2019s focused on a 21st century economy.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000356\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s the small things in a Budget that can matter. The Business Connect programme: a single platform for business to interact with Government. It has been asked for for years; never came from the supposed party of business over there, but this Government is delivering on that. I am extremely proud of the fact that we\u2019re doing that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000357\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EThen there are the big investments in our infrastructure that are contained in this Budget. Today we were down at the Wellington Railway Station with the four tenors: myself, Minister Jones, Minister Peters, and Minister Twyford\u2014thankfully, Minister Jones was the only one who sang today. At that announcement, we were talking about the practical difference that more than a billion dollars of investment in our rail system will make in this country. On the other side of the House, they neglected rail. They didn\u2019t care about the decline of our rail system. Today Simon Bridges was interjecting saying: \u201COh, it\u2019s a drop in the ocean.\u201D It\u2019s a billion dollar bigger drop than what that Government did at any point. We know this will need a sustained commitment\u2014this will need a sustained commitment to rail. But on this side of the House, we have three parties in this Government who believe in rail\u2014believe in the importance of it for our climate change goals, for improving productivity, for creating jobs, and for connecting the regions of New Zealand back with the cities of New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000358\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve made a big change in this Budget to a multi-year capital allowance, so we can plan ahead properly. Schools know what they\u2019re going to be getting in terms of buildings for the next four or five years. The construction sector knows what they\u2019re going to be getting for the next four or five years. In the health sector, we\u2019ve got two $850 million capital spends. The last lot put virtually nothing in year on year.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000359\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EThis is a Budget that will transform New Zealand. This is a Budget that is about the overall wellbeing of our population. That means that in New Zealand we truly value the contribution of every New Zealander, and we measure our success alongside the values of New Zealand that, yes, we believe in prosperity but we also believe in making sure our environment is clean and protected. We believe in our people and we will invest in our people. We believe in strengthening our communities. That is what wellbeing is. This is the first Wellbeing Budget, and I am extremely proud of it, and there will be many, many more to come from this coalition Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000360\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EThe question was put that the following amendment in the name of the Hon Simon Bridges be agreed to: \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u0022cacae66e034244a9ae413a26ce4098b4\u0022 name=\u0022division\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003Ereplace the words after \u201CThat\u201D with: \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003Ethis House has no confidence in this bungling and incompetent Government because they are overseeing a slowing economy, declining job creation, a rising cost of living, and they are failing to deliver on their promises to New Zealanders.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, That the amendment be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 56\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 55; Ross.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 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 of Aotearoa New Zealand 8.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAmendment not agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u0022d554836bfd6e42d7b75ddceabb0738fa\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 Appropriation (2019/20 Estimates) Bill be read a second 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 of Aotearoa New Zealand 8.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 57\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 55; ACT New Zealand 1; Ross.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBill read a second time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000361\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022de94a2519a314fe8ab373abc05e05d58\u0022\u003EImprest Supply (First for 2019/20) Bill \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000362\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022e526990471f849caaebee424cff7f29a\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=\u0022272ab30a9d8242da9fac3faa8ea4abd8\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000363\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022272ab30a9d8242da9fac3faa8ea4abd8\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance):\u003C/span\u003E I move, That the Imprest Supply (First for 2019/20) Bill be now read a first time. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u002223a51715868c4ff0ae896256f5ec2587\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 Imprest Supply (First for 2019/20) 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 of Aotearoa New Zealand 8.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 57\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 55; ACT New Zealand 1; Ross.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBill read a first 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=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000364\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022492b77a4ff264258899082a8e2a57f69\u0022\u003EAppropriation (2018/19 Supplementary Estimates) Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000365\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022492b77a4ff264258899082a8e2a57f69\u0022\u003EImprest Supply (First for 2019/20) Bill \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000366\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002224880e0e024c4049b6983b7115043076\u0022\u003ESecond Readings\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022 data-id=\u002262cb8d513ef24e019622af08c734e0b5\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000367\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002262cb8d513ef24e019622af08c734e0b5\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance):\u003C/span\u003E I move, That the Appropriation (2018/19 Supplementary Estimates) Bill and the Imprest Supply (First for 2019/20) Bill be now read a second time. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000368\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EI thought it might be helpful at the outset to let members know exactly what these two bills are. The Appropriation (2018/19 Supplementary Estimates) Bill makes new appropriations and changes to appropriations in the 2018/19 Estimates, to reflect decisions taken by the Government since the 2018/19 Estimates were finalised in April 2018, prior to Budget 2018. The Imprest Supply (First for 2019/20) Bill provides interim bulk spending authority for the first three months of the 2019/20 financial year, until the Appropriation (2019/20 Estimates) Bill is passed by the end of September. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000369\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EMembers should note that a sessional order, agreed to by the House on 8 November 2018, requires that the third reading debate on the main Appropriation Bill should be completed within four months after the Budget day, instead of the previous three months. Accordingly, the Imprest Supply Bill that is now in front of the House now provides for the first three months of the new financial year, instead of the first two months as in previous years. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000370\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EI will run through some of the specific items in the Appropriation (2018/19 Supplementary Estimates) Bill that are outside of the normal process and are major items around the $50 million - plus mark. They actually highlight a number of the things I was talking about before, which are priorities for the Government. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000371\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EI do want to start with one that will be noticeable for anyone who gets into the weeds and the detail of financial Estimates, and I welcome Mr Goldsmith to the House. That\u2019s his future: in the weeds of those Estimates, trying to work out if he can understand what it all means in the finance portfolio. One of the things he\u2019ll find, when he gets into the Supplementary Estimates, is that there is an extra $259.5 million to deal with Mycoplasma bovis. I do want to mention that today, as one of the things that the Government had to face up to and deal with that was unexpected. The first time we actually got any kind of indication of the bill for this was just after we confirmed the Budget for 2018, and so it is only appropriate today that when we look at the Supplementary Estimates bill, that amount of money is there. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000372\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EI do want to put on the record of the House my acknowledgement of those farmers and those in the communities affected by Mycoplasma bovis, because this has been difficult. This has been a very challenging time. There were teething problems at the outset, in terms of the way in which the Ministry for Primary Industries and farmers work together. But, actually, they\u2019ve come together now. Payments are being made, and forms of compensation, and I know around the Fieldays this year, there were still a few restrictions with moving day, but, actually, people had a much better understanding of how that works, and the additional funding provided in here for Mycoplasma bovis is extremely important in that regard.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000373\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EAs we go down the list of extra funding that\u2019s required in the Supplementary Estimates, we come to the injection required to support the school property portfolio. This is an excellent example of the way in which this coalition Government is changing the way that we think about issues like school property. Shortly, the Minister of Education will release a long-term plan and vision around school property, but what we know is that for too long, the annualised allocation of money for school property has created uncertainty for schools, but it\u2019s also created uncertainty for the construction sector. One of the things that we are moving to do is to provide much greater certainty.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000374\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EAnother initiative that\u2019s covered in the Budget this year is the creation of the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission: another thing that the business community have been calling for for years, to have a clear pipeline of construction activity going out 30 years. Again, the so-called \u201Cparty of business\u201D across the aisle didn\u2019t do anything about that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000375\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EWell, in this Budget we\u2019re funding it, and combined with the multi-year capital allowance that we\u2019ve established, there is now a pipeline, there is now certainty, and the construction and infrastructure sector are very pleased to be able to support that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000376\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EAnother item that we\u2019ll find in the Supplementary Estimates is around the question of health expenditure, and, in particular, the equity required for capital projects in health. Towards the end of my contribution in the last debate, I was making the point that last year the coalition Government put aside $750 million for health capital expenditure. Now, as the Prime Minister has made the point, some of the spending is actually not all that sexy. She\u2019s going to the reopening of lifts. Well, that\u2019s because the lifts weren\u2019t working in a whole lot of our hospitals. And that\u2019s why we have to do the very, very basic maintenance that was let go under the previous Government. What we know is that there were actually some years where there was almost no health capital expenditure set aside. In the year before we came into office, I think it was around about $150 million. We upped it to $750 million, and now we\u2019ve given two years of $850 million for health capital, because we know that investing in the quality of our health facilities will save lives. It will also improve the working experience of those dedicated health professionals that we have. So the money in the Supplementary Estimates to support health capital is absolutely essential.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000377\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EAnother of the initiatives in the Supplementary Estimates is the gun buy-back fund. I do want to make an acknowledgement here of the New Zealand Police and the work that they are doing to facilitate the decision of this House by 119 to one\u2014I\u2019m not even sure if Mr Seymour actually made it for the vote in the end, but certainly the vast bulk of people in the House supported the passing of the law to ban military style semi-automatic weapons. We now have to have a system in place to make sure that those weapons are returned safely. We have done that via the funding that is in this Budget and in this bill. We have acknowledged that it may be that there is some additional funding needed for this. We\u2019re going on the basis of the advice that officials have given us up to this point. But this is a significant moment for New Zealand\u2014that we move not only in response to the events of 15 March but also to make sure that New Zealanders feel safe in their own country, and that those people who go about using guns on their farms or through duck shooting also know that they\u2019re in a position to be able to do that. I am very pleased to be able to say that that funding is in this Budget.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000378\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EI also want to make a special reference to the support that is in this Budget around tertiary education and, indeed, the funding of tertiary education through tuition subsidies. We made a very conscious decision in this Budget to shift funding across to support vocational education and training. What that means, in laypersons terms, is that we are actually, finally, going to be supporting trades training and apprenticeships in the way that we should have for a very long time. I greatly value the fact that people in New Zealand go to universities, get qualifications, and carry on and contribute to our society, but that will not be the only pathway for people. We need to properly value the trades in New Zealand, and through this Budget, through the allocation that we\u2019ve made of $197 million towards our reforms of vocational education training, we will start to properly value those apprenticeships in our scheme. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000379\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EThe other half of this piece of legislation is the Imprest Supply (First for 2018/19) Bill. I just want to make really clear to members opposite, who, bizarrely, voted against the first reading of the Imprest Supply (First for 2018/19) Bill: that\u2019s what keeps the lights on in Government for the next three or four months. That\u2019s what pays the salaries of the public servants that we have. This is about making sure that money is available, and, historically, I think you\u2019ll find that mostly the imprest supply bills have flowed through this House. But what that shows you is the incredibly negative mindset of members opposite. We\u2019ve seen throughout the Budget debate, and then in that vote on the first reading of this bill, an Opposition party that only knows the negative; they cannot see the positive. Well, actually, that\u2019s nearly true\u2014the Leader of the Opposition actually said, in commenting on the Budget, that there were some things he really liked in it. He hasn\u2019t told us what they are yet, but he did say that there were some things that he really liked in it. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000380\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003ESo it is my pleasure to commend these two bills to the House. They represent the changes that have been made in the Estimates over the last year and appropriations, and they represent the next three months of expenditure after 1 July so that the operations of Government can continue. This represents further the implementation of the Government\u2019s wellbeing agenda, and this is a bill that I am very proud to commend 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=\u00226a8fc99262c240f8a5bfd6a35b26b35a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000381\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226a8fc99262c240f8a5bfd6a35b26b35a\u0022\u003EHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. It\u2019s my pleasure to stand and speak on this bill. I, up until about an hour or so ago didn\u2019t have this spokespersonship, and so it\u2019s been an interesting afternoon. I\u2019d like to start by, I suppose, acknowledging my predecessor in the role, Amy Adams, who today has announced her impending retirement from politics. She will have had 12 years and made a massive contribution over many years to New Zealand\u2019s politics in her many roles in Cabinet, and through the time in Opposition. Over the past 18 months she\u2019s worked hard to hold this Government to account for its spending decisions and its taxing decisions. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000382\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ll be opposing this bill primarily on the grounds that it relates to some of the Supplementary Estimates that have been added to this bill, which are a reflection of very poor Government decision-making over the past few months; not all\u2014some. I\u2019ll take the House through this over the next little while, but the point I\u2019d make, first up, as the Minister said, is that these are issues that we work together constructively on and that is, indeed, the case. I\u2019ve taken up the role as finance spokesperson and am very keen to work constructively in support of this Government where it makes suitable decisions, and where it\u2019s working in the interests of all New Zealanders to grow our economy. I\u2019ll also be very focused on holding them to account where things go wrong. We\u2019re seeing plenty of examples of this, because when we look at what this bill is about, it\u2019s about ensuring that we\u2019ve got an extra $150 million that we\u2019ve spent, that we haven\u2019t budgeted for, for the gun buyback, for example, and an extra couple of hundred million for dealing with the Mycoplasma bovis incident. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000383\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EThe point that that shows is that there\u2019s always something unexpected turning up in Government\u2014anything. There\u2019s always something unexpected that you don\u2019t plan for when you do your annual Budget. The previous National Government had, of course, a couple of colossal examples of that, with the Canterbury earthquakes, which sent us from being in a position where we could have got ourselves back into surplus to, suddenly, having an $18 billion deficit in one year. Then, of course, you have the global financial crisis, which is another thing where it came along out of the blue and all of a sudden the accounts that the Government had made for the Budget, suddenly, no longer step up. So it reinforces the importance of having well-disciplined and thought through Government policies in the Budget every year, and that, unfortunately, is not what we\u2019re seeing from this Government. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000384\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EWhat we\u2019re seeing so far is pretty much a bog-standard left-wing Government where you come in and say, \u201CWe\u2019re going to take the economy for granted and just assume that it doesn\u2019t matter what additional costs and uncertainty that we add to business; business is there to continue to be milked and the economy will just keep clipping along\u201D. That doesn\u2019t happen, and we\u2019ve seen that, in this Government, in this country, at a time when we have got historically high terms of trade, where the prices that New Zealand exporters are getting for their products, with the exception of wool, are at historic highs and we should be booming as a country. When you go around the regions, as Mr Jones does on a regular basis, you go to Hawke\u2019s Bay and places like that and you see that all the mayors will tell you, \u201CI can\u2019t remember a time when the prices that we\u2019ve been getting for our goods have been so high\u201D. So at a time when New Zealand should be booming, in fact, what we\u2019re seeing is the economy slowing dramatically. As the Governor of the Reserve Bank said a couple of months ago, there\u2019s been a \u201Csharp decline\u201D in the New Zealand economy. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000385\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003ESo that\u2019s one path. At the same time, the Government is rapidly increasing its spending up to $3.8 billion of new spending, this time. We were spending, back in 2015, for example, a billion dollars. So they\u2019ve almost quadrupled the amount of new spending. So on the one hand, you\u2019ve got a slowing economy; on the other hand, you\u2019ve got rapidly increasing spending, and New Zealanders can work out what\u2019s going to happen as a result of that. They can work out, well, where does all the money come from? Well, it\u2019s going to come from extra taxes somewhere down the line, or increased borrowing, and that\u2019s what worries New Zealanders, and it\u2019s why there\u2019s such low levels of confidence, and such concern, out there. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000386\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003ESo given that, when you have a bill like this which reminds you that anything can come out of the blue in the economy and you can, suddenly, be hit by massive unexpected expenditures, and if you\u2019re not budgeting well, you\u2019re not keeping within your means, and if you\u2019re not disciplined about how you spend, then you quickly run into trouble. So this Government, when it came into power less than 20 months ago, inherited an amazing set of books with surpluses out as far as the eye could see, getting bigger and bigger. Already, we\u2019re only in the second year of this Government, and its second Budget, and when we look at the forecasts for next year, the surplus is wafer thin. Wafer thin, zero point\u2014what is the surplus presumed for 2019? As a percentage of GDP, it\u2019s very small indeed. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000387\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a9aecf14603b4ee987b23459fbef0183\u0022\u003EHon Willie Jackson\u003C/span\u003E: What is it? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000388\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002257643f8fc65841f09f51ee29cec06aa4\u0022\u003EHon PAUL GOLDSMITH\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I\u2019m trying to find it. It\u2019s so small I can\u2019t see it\u2014so small I can\u2019t see it. Here we go: 0.4 percent of GDP for 2020. Now, we can see when we consider this bill, if you\u2019ve got a projected surplus of 0.4 percent of GDP, then there\u2019s a very high chance we\u2019ll be back in deficit in no time at all. So you\u2019ve come in, you\u2019ve inherited an economy that was booming at nearly 4 percent with surpluses as far as the eye can see, and within 20 months you have halved the growth and we\u2019re looking at potential deficits within a year or two\u2019s time. So that is an indictment on the economic management of this Government, and it\u2019s something we\u2019ll be holding them to account on. It\u2019s one thing just to say you want to spend more; you actually also need to focus on how the wealth is created and accept that Government policies have a real influence upon that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000389\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003ESo if we look at some of the other things that have been done by this bill, which as I, again, explain\u2014the purpose of this bill, the primary purpose with the Supplementary Estimates, is to say that this time last year, the Government brought in a Budget, they said this is what we\u2019re going to spend, this is what we\u2019re going to bring in, and this is what we\u2019re going to spend for this year. But by the end of the year, they figured out, actually, there\u2019s a whole bunch of things that they had to spend that they didn\u2019t plan for. So this bill makes those expenditures legal. So one of things that we\u2019re changing is the extra $167 million for job seekers\u2014for benefits. Well, what an astounding thing. So when this Government came in, they inherited an economy that was creating 10,000 jobs a month\u201410,000 new jobs a month. We\u2019ve got Willie Jackson in charge of employment, and under his stewardship of the portfolio, we\u2019ve gone from 10,000 jobs a month to negative\u2014we\u2019re losing jobs. We lost 4,000 jobs in the last three months. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000390\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve got Shane Jones over there, who\u2019s been given $3 billion in a job creation scheme, and he\u2019s spending all that money to destroy jobs. You\u2019ve got half a billion dollars devoted to forestry, where you convert land that\u2019s currently used for sheep and beef farming, and convert two-thirds of it into native forestry, destroying jobs in the process. So we get to spend half a billion dollars to destroy jobs. It\u2019s very strange. Then, the jobs that actually do need to be done to plant the trees\u2014he wants to bring people from Melanesia to do those jobs, so it\u2019s very hard to work out how that system works in terms of getting value for money. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000391\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EBut the upshot of it all is that notwithstanding the record high export prices we\u2019ve got and the huge job creation we had in the previous Government, we\u2019re now having to spend an extra $67 million on job seekers\u2014on benefits\u2014because benefits have increased. One explanation for it, apart from the poor economic management is the fact that one thing the Government have done in the welfare space is remove sanctions and obligations on people in order to get back to doing work, which I think the average New Zealander struggles to understand. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000392\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EThen, we\u2019ve got an extra $50 million shifting the underspend in the free fees area for universities, which is another, frankly, fiasco from this Government. They came in, they said that they were going to spend $2.8 billion on tertiary education in order to increase the access to tertiary education for New Zealanders, and then, lo and behold, they found out that fewer New Zealanders were going. That is, I suppose, one of the most dramatic examples of where this Government seem to think that they can achieve things merely by announcing that they\u2019re going to spend more money on it, but, actually, the delivery of quality outcomes is much, much harder. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000393\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EThe other famous example of that, of course, is KiwiBuild, where they said they were going to build 100,000 new homes over 10 years, and they\u2019ve completely given up. Poor old Phil Twyford should be shifted on on Thursday. Nobody\u2019s quite sure if he will be, but in any normal Government that lack of delivery would be curtains. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000394\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003ESo this bill should be making the Government think very carefully about\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u002290a9af9c51764bf6906851b64d8d5622\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000395\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002290a9af9c51764bf6906851b64d8d5622\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Adrian Rurawhe)\u003C/span\u003E: Order! The member\u2019s time has expired. Before I call the Hon Willie Jackson, can I just remind members\u2014I didn\u2019t interrupt the member. But when members are speaking, I remind members to use the correct honorifics and the correct titles and full names, even in interjection. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022 data-id=\u0022d7184a187f8c454fa9514149662c3600\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000396\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d7184a187f8c454fa9514149662c3600\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON (Minister of Employment):\u003C/span\u003E Kia ora, Mr Speaker. Tuatahi ko taku mahara ki t\u014D t\u0101tou rangatira, a Jim Maniapoto. E te matua, haere ki te taha o t\u014D t\u0101tou matua tipuna kua riro ki te p\u014D r\u0101. Haere, haere, haere atu r\u0101. Ko t\u0113nei te p\u014D, nau mai te ao.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000397\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003E[May I firstly pay tribute to our revered leader, Jim Maniapoto. Farewell, sir, to take your place alongside our ancestor who has gone before you. Farewell, farewell, fare thee well. This is the darkness; I welcome the light.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000398\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003EI\u2019m just doing a little poroporoaki there, Mr Assistant Speaker, to someone who passed away last week in your electorate, a man who made a major contribution to M\u0101oridom and to New Zealand: Jim Maniapoto, the last of the Maniapoto line. I mention him because I know how much he supported the type of people who we in Labour are supporting, particularly in that area. He was a brother-in-law, a whanaunga, to Georgina te Heuheu, who is part of the National Party. I suspect a number of the Maniapoto wh\u0101nau voted for National, but they were supporters of the principles of what we talk about. It was a sad loss last week, the last of the Maniapoto brothers dying, and it was a big tangi up there\u2014legends in rugby, legends in Te Ao M\u0101ori\u2014and it\u2019s only right that I mihi to him. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000399\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s a pleasure to talk today after Mr Goldsmith\u2014the Hon Mr Goldsmith, I should say\u2014because after his big promotion, it\u2019s good to see that he has been supported there in the National Party. They\u2019re looking for talent, and who knows where he\u2019s going to be tomorrow. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000400\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003EBut I stand today to take a call on the second reading of this bill. I want to congratulate our Minister of Finance in terms of what he\u2019s done, and I\u2019ve already made a contribution in terms of M\u0101ori and the Budget and what\u2019s happened. I\u2019ve covered those gains in terms of M\u0101ori, but I\u2019d like to talk about what Budget 2018-19 and what the Wellbeing Budget means in terms of employment. In 2018-19, we announced funding for skills in employment programmes, and at the very heart of them, we wanted to address the skills shortages that were left by the previous Government\u2014a huge hole in terms of the previous Government, a huge hole left in our communities that we have had to go out and fix up. That\u2019s why I celebrate the work done in terms of the Hon Shane Jones and the Provincial Growth Fund. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000401\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003EWe have seen, first-hand, regions who have been crying out for help. In the Ng\u0101ti Kahungunu area\u2014a classic example\u2014in the East Coast area, and in the Tai Tokerau, we have had regions that have been surviving just on baseline, and we have seen employers who have asked for help. So we can tell you today the type of work that\u2019s been happening there and the type of support that a lot of our regions are getting. In terms of young people, we don\u2019t want young people having to abandon their regions in search of dignified, skilled employment pathways. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000402\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003EWe want an economy that works for everyone, and the previous speaker, the Hon Paul Goldsmith, talked about this wonderful economy that was left by the previous Government. Yes, we know employment was going well and things were going well for so many people, apart from M\u0101ori people and Pacific Island people and women and disabled people and all the people in all the groups that count in our world. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000403\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003EIn our first two Budgets, we have committed funding for our employment programmes, that I want to briefly talk about, and those four programmes have been He Poutama Rangatahi, Mana in Mahi, Pae Aronui, and cadetships through Te Puni K\u014Dkiri. Now, He Poutama Rangatahi received $26 million of new funding from the Wellbeing Budget over two years, focused on supporting rangatahi\u2014young people\u2014across the four existing regions of He Poutama Rangatahi but extending to the surge regions of the Provincial Growth Fund. Existing programmes are working with over 2,500 young people\u2014rangatahi\u2014who are most at risk of becoming long-term unemployed. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000404\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003ENow, these are the people the Hon Shane Jones has talked about. We all remember his k\u014Drero when he talked about getting the nephs off the couch. This is the type of programme that is backing that, giving young people an opportunity where they never had an opportunity. They are young people, sometimes, who have come from intergenerational unemployment. Sometimes, they\u2019ve come from families that struggle, families that have had too much drug use, too much alcohol. These are the sorts of wh\u0101nau that we\u2019ve been hitting. The Hon Shane Jones talked about them, and it may have been a provocative k\u014Drero about a year back, when he said he wanted to get his nephs off the couch. That was not exactly embraced by some of the politically correct, but it was a message that rang home the fact that we had too many of those young people just wandering around doing nothing. So we have been able to get to them through He Poutama Rangatahi and Shane Jones\u2019 Provincial Growth Fund. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000405\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003EThe new funding will allow for further investment into these young people in the community in which they live, meaning they don\u2019t have to move away from their support networks in order to have strong employment futures. I want to give some of those examples out there of the types of groups we\u2019ve been funding: the Northland College pine plantation, completed with 12 of the 15 participants still in full-time work; Tupu Ake, a forest protection service with 30 rangatahi, developing skills and employment in forestry and ecological management; and a Hastings District Council youth connector programme, with more than 45 rangatahi into full-time employment and with 17 employers engaged in that programme. Everywhere we\u2019re looking, we\u2019re getting the support and the encouragement from people in the regions, and sometimes we get National Party MPs coming to our releases, which we embrace and we support, despite the criticism I\u2019m hearing today. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000406\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003EAlso, Mana in Mahi is a major kaupapa for us. Formerly seen as working for the dole, I changed that name. I changed it because there is mana in mahi. There is mana\u2014whatever type of job you\u2019re doing, whatever type of work you\u2019re doing, at least you\u2019re working, at least you\u2019re being productive, and at least you\u2019re supporting yourself and your wh\u0101nau. That\u2019s why Mana in Mahi fits the bill perfectly. We budgeted $49.8 million from the Wellbeing Budget over four years in terms of Mana in Mahi participants. Mana in Mahi is an existing programme that supports people, particularly in the 18- to 24-year-old area. With the $49.8 million, we want to extend Mana in Mahi to an extra 1,850 places. It was funded through baseline during phase 1 for 150 places. That number has been met and phase 1 was intended to strengthen the settings of Mana in Mahi, particularly around partial care both for participant and the employer. Mana in Mahi will contribute to lifting M\u0101ori and Pasifika income, skills, and opportunities by assisting participants to achieve and maintain employment, and will motivate them to participate in formal industry training. It\u2019s a scheme that I think we should all be proud of, because we\u2019re getting our young people productive and we\u2019re supporting employers and we\u2019re supporting our communities.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000407\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003EI\u2019ll read again the next part. More than 225 young people have commenced employment\u2014225 people\u2014through Mana in Mahi placements, with 385 employers registering interest in the programme. Where someone is unable to complete their Mana in Mahi placement, the Ministry of Social Development will work with both participant and employer to see if they can do things differently, to ensure that their participant is supported further.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000408\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003EAlso we have what\u2019s called Pae Aronui. Now, that\u2019s funded through Budget 2018. It\u2019s a programme aimed at tackling the number of M\u0101ori young people who aren\u2019t engaged in earning and learning\u2014very similar to Poutama Rangatahi. [Member knocks his microphone] Excuse me, Madam Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000409\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002295945ace-51e8-4dbc-a0e3-c19f4ed99ed9\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022269ca6dd2c5845599b8de6a3955a926a\u0022\u003EAnahila Kanongata\u2019a-Suisuiki\u003C/span\u003E: Passionate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000410\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022dea3abee4701458a9a2c2ba4506b523d\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: Very passionate, yes. It\u2019s very similar to both Poutama Rangatahi, looking after our young people in the urban areas, in the south, in the Aucklands, in the West Aucklands, in the Hamiltons, in the Poriruas, in the Hutt Valleys\u2014young people wandering around not doing enough, not being productive enough, but we\u2019re getting them engaged, getting them into training, and getting them into possible mahi.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000411\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003EAlso, there are the cadetships through Te Puni K\u014Dkiri (TPK). We\u2019ve got $6 million, from the Wellbeing Budget, over four years to expand the cadet programme through TPK. This is achieved by providing funding to employers to support the employment, development, and mentoring of M\u0101ori candidates.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000412\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s clear that when we became the Government there was a tremendous amount of work to do, but I\u2019m proud of some of the initiatives that we now have out on the table. This is a Government that cares. This is a passionate Government who inherited nine years of no investment. We believe in dignity for our people, dignity for our young people, dignity in terms of jobs, and I\u2019m proud to support this kaupapa. Kia ora, Madam Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022 data-id=\u0022d8bbe836262542229b04493e7ec80603\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000413\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d8bbe836262542229b04493e7ec80603\u0022\u003EANDREW BAYLY (National\u2014Hunua):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. It\u2019s very nice to be able to talk in this debate. It was good hearing that Minister talking about work, and, of course, that\u2019s his key responsibility. I think the first thing I would say is that we also support the ideal of working, because of all the dignity that comes with that. That is an essential role. But I just couldn\u2019t but help, as I listened to the Minister talk about his portfolio\u2014you know, he talked a good shop about all these wonderful proposals they\u2019re doing. It sounds really nice\u2014Mana in Mahi, and all that sort of stuff\u2014but the reality is, I think, the essence is: what are we delivering\u2014what are we delivering? That is the issue with this Government. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000414\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003EThis is a Government that is failing to deliver on its promises. The very point that he\u2019s chosen to talk about\u2014we have seen a wholesale decline not only in economic activity over the last 19 months; we\u2019ve seen a $3 billion loss of economic activity per annum\u2014per annum. That is a huge impact on every small business in New Zealand, with the consequential loss of preparedness to go and employ someone. And that\u2019s why we\u2019re seeing the trend in the loss of new job creation. It\u2019s nice talking about the platitudes and the new policies, and it sounds wonderful, and lots of money. That\u2019s just talking about outputs and putting money into new programmes because we want to be seen to be doing lots. But the issue is: what are the deliverables and what are the targets and what are the outcomes?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000415\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003EWhat I know is that when we were in power, only a short 19 months ago, we were creating 10,000 jobs a month, and we actually created 240,000 jobs over a period of three years\u2014an incredible number of new jobs. And since this Government\u2019s come into play\u2014since this Government has come into play and in operation\u2014we have seen a wholesale decline. In fact, as the newly appointed finance spokesperson noted\u2014and the Hon Paul Goldsmith will be excellent in the role\u2014that\u2019s come about through people losing confidence. And it\u2019s not hard to understand why that is.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000416\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003EWhen you think about what it means for small businesses, and I\u2019ve got our spokesperson beside me, the Hon Jacqui Dean\u2014you know, when you bring in much more union-friendly labour laws, and there is always a role for unions, but when you talk about higher minimum wages, which will ripple right through the employment of a business, and when you talk about capital gains tax and when you add all the other uncertainties, that\u2019s what leads to people saying, \u201CI\u2019m not going to take on new people.\u201D That\u2019s the issue about job creation, and that\u2019s why I think that Minister\u2019s not going to be able to deliver anything in this term of Government while he is in charge. [Interruption] He is failing; that is right.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000417\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003EYesterday, I had a fascinating day. I happened to be in Auckland and I\u2019d been asked to go along to quite an interesting conference. It was actually called the BuildNZ conference, and it had a whole stack of components, actually. It had KiwiBuild, and a very exciting and interesting discussion going on there. It had a suite of rooms at the Auckland showgrounds with all these people who were demonstrating all the fantastic products and services that are taking place in the housing and building and construction industry. So I was very lucky because I was able to be asked, and I was given half an hour, to talk about what National might do in the area of building and construction. Of course, I accepted that invitation very readily when it was sent to me, because why would I not go and be proud of what we\u2019re going to do and what we\u2019ve done? That\u2019s why when I went there and there were, I think, probably about 200 people in the room\u2014I don\u2019t want to exaggerate, but of that order. It was good to be able to traverse a whole range of issues about what needs to be done and what we will do. I\u2019ve got to say it was a relatively friendly sort of atmosphere.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000418\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003EI also had the opportunity to go into the KiwiBuild section and actually got asked a question while I was there, because people acknowledged me. Duncan Garner, who was MC\u2019ing, gave me the opportunity to briefly respond to some questions. It was interesting\u2014it was interesting\u2014it was interesting. It was interesting that the Minister wasn\u2019t there. I just was at a loss\u2014I was at a loss because there were so many excited people in that room who were saying, \u201CLook, get on with it. Get on with KiwiBuild.\u201D But, unfortunately, there was no one there. There was no there to answer that question at the time when it was raised. Now, I do want to acknowledge the Hon Jenny Salesa. I do have to acknowledge you, Minister, because you did have the courage to turn up at one o\u2019clock, I think. Unfortunately, I had to go just before you turned up, but I know you came for I think about 40 minutes\u2014for about 40 minutes. What you should have been, Minister\u2014and I know you were very careful not to talk about housing, because that\u2019s not\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000419\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226a0e78a4bbe84ca68d9bc6ed37f96ca2\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Address your comments to the Chair, thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000420\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fc69ac833d6a4313bc5e96f44be80428\u0022\u003EANDREW BAYLY\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry. I know the Minister was very careful not to talk about housing, even though she was asked on a number of occasions, because, you know, that\u2019s not your portfolio. But that\u2019s right. You are certainly building and construction. I think the Minister of Housing and Urban Development should have been there. I really do. There were a lot of people asking about it and it was a missed opportunity. Do you know why\u2014do you know why? The question is that this is the Government that promised 16,000\u2014I have to repeat it to myself; 16,000\u2014new homes in their first term\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000421\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223022d2e11c6042c8bf04602cd6796895\u0022\u003ETim van de Molen\u003C/span\u003E: How many?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000422\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022871ec3b802af4649a1d073b9e197e78c\u0022\u003EANDREW BAYLY\u003C/span\u003E: 16,000, and there\u2019s 140, I think, done. There are 140 built. And of course those owners of those building firms in that room who rely on the housing market to make a living, to look after them and pay for their families, and create a living for new people to get new jobs\u2014oh, sorry. They\u2019re not employing people at the moment because they were so concerned about the conditions of the housing market and the signals that are coming out of this Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000423\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003EI actually had one woman come up to me and she asked a public question about the stresses that they were facing in their business. They had had no orders for four months. The stress coming out of that industry because of the concerns about what\u2019s going on\u2014she talked about the liquidity, the banks toughening up. She was even talking about what she might do with her house. This is a market that is not working at the moment, and that\u2019s why the people were there. They wanted to have an honest conversation. I think it was a very disappointing thing that the Minister didn\u2019t show up. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000424\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003EBut the worst thing, I think, is the claim that this Government is making: you know, they talk about all the different shops and different things they\u2019re doing. They talk about Hobsonville Land Company\u2014and I know Chris Aiken personally from a long time ago. He has done a great job. But that was a project initiated under the National Government. And then there are all the projects that they\u2019re talking about that they\u2019re doing, which I find slightly disconcerting, because Minister Twyford is very, very keen to talk about further developments at Mount Roskill, Northcote, Porirua, M\u0101ngere\u2014a total of 27,000 houses, but unfortunately all those were commenced under a National Government. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000425\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003EIn this Supplementary Estimates debate, one of the things that has come into these Supplementary Estimates is the issue of the buying off the plans cost. Now, we had Minister Twyford in before the select committee, and when we asked him publicly what is the cost of the underwrite, which is in effect the cost of buying houses from developers, should they not be in a position to sell, he repeatedly says that it is a zero cost. However, in this Budget\u2014in this Budget\u2014there is $210 million set aside for the cost of the underwrite. I struggle to reconcile the comments of the Minister. But the other issue that came out is that this Government is paying and buying those houses off the developers after 60 days. That\u2019s a current sell time for a house, yet they\u2019ve allocated $200 million to do that underwrite.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f44431ef-b505-4e94-9f57-a60b0a569bf7\u0022 data-id=\u00224639a51b643841129072465e063db62c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000426\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f44431ef-b505-4e94-9f57-a60b0a569bf7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224639a51b643841129072465e063db62c\u0022\u003EHon SHANE JONES (Minister of Forestry):\u003C/span\u003E Ordinarily, it\u2019s midnight when you hear howling. But the word \u201Chowl\u201D, which is a verb, a doing word, is actually a protracted, prolonged cry of distress. That is not a cry for what was; it\u2019s for what\u2019s lying ahead. And in the context of this Budget, it is difficult for our colleagues on the other side of the House to understand it, because it\u2019s got such a long-term vision they can never envision themselves being on this side of the House until the new leader of the National Party\u2014leaving Air New Zealand\u2014arrives. That\u2019s got to be at least 2029.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000427\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f44431ef-b505-4e94-9f57-a60b0a569bf7\u0022\u003EI just want to remind the member Andrew Bayly, who\u2019s sat down, that this is the Imprest Supply (First for 2019/20) Bill. This is the imprest supply bill which actually enables us to enjoy interim spending authority until such time as the magnum opus has been passed. Now that I have explained that technicality to my colleagues on the other side of the House, let me focus\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000428\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226f89f3b0b8114216a1f1c1dee43e9701\u0022\u003EChris Penk\u003C/span\u003E: You voted against it in the last Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000429\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f44431ef-b505-4e94-9f57-a60b0a569bf7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229ce2d8ab05f9449ca66a0caad59a9738\u0022\u003EHon SHANE JONES\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014let me focus. Ah, I hear further noises from the back. Those are the noises actually inversely related to TV ONE on Friday, where the sitting member of Northland gushed enthusiastically. There was a torrent of congratulatory remarks in the National Party as to how well I\u2019m doing in the provinces\u2014how well I\u2019m doing in the provinces. He\u2019d better go and tell the new guy Christopher Bishop that he\u2019s already agreed with a lot of what\u2019s covered in this particular bill, in the sense of what the Budget represents\u2014that he\u2019s already conceded\u2014but, of course, Christopher Bishop will soon understand, when he stands on his feet, that I\u2019m not a M\u0101ori like Wally Haumaha. I\u2019m not a guy to be bullied. I\u2019m not a guy to be lied about. However, let me come back to transforming the economy, for fear of your issuing yet another admonition in my direction.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000430\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f44431ef-b505-4e94-9f57-a60b0a569bf7\u0022\u003EThere\u2019s a lot of fear amongst the people who wanted to tarmac\u2014tarmac\u2014New Zealand\u2019s economy into the treacherous zone of climate change danger. Now, we have taken a more balanced and fair approach, which is why the interim authority that we seek is necessary, because, as a consequence of this morning, we\u2019ve already started in terms of projects, employing people, rolling out the strategy for KiwiRail. Of course, the rail vision is not only in the regions. We are redressing the neglect in Auckland. And, today, Mr Twyford spoke about something that I do agree with, actually, in Auckland, which is providing another track to cope with the congestion. But, in relation to \u201CWhere is rail\u201D in this Budget, and going forward, going to stand, it gives New Zealand businesses, investors\u2014both domestic and foreign\u2014a new opportunity to create both improved freight strategies but tourism as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000431\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f44431ef-b505-4e94-9f57-a60b0a569bf7\u0022\u003ENow, of course, the other side of the House aren\u2019t interested in reducing emissions; they are creating them. But the pollution isn\u2019t to the climate; the pollution is to the body politic. Now, of course, there\u2019s a lot of cynicism expressed on the other side of the House about our extension services for agriculture. Now, we know that the farmers, we know that agribusiness leaders, do have a lot of anxiety about the future, and I have agreed to meet with the \u201CShady\u201D group and I\u2019ve said, \u201CCome to the office and talk to me about your problems pertaining to the conversion of farmland into trees.\u201D I have acknowledged that it\u2019s physically impossible for them to channel Nathan Guy, because that would be a public health warning. So I look forward to them coming and working constructively on the projects currently covered in the Budget and in the interim authority we are seeking and passing as we wend our way through this process. Forestry has an incredibly important role to play not only in biodiversity, not only in catchment consolidation, not only in employment and exports but in providing an option to buy time while the heavy emitters\u2014the heavy industry\u2014seek ways to invest in science, technology, and improvements to their business in the context of our new climate change challenges.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000432\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f44431ef-b505-4e94-9f57-a60b0a569bf7\u0022\u003ENow, of course, research and development is something that our party regards as a key enabler, and we\u2019re looking forward as the farmers come forward and say, \u201COK, we know that we\u2019re being dragged along on a journey. We\u2019ve mucked around. We tried to destroy Peter Hodgson in the days of Helen Clark. We knew we\u2019d get a free pass from the John Key - Government.\u201D\u2014I shouldn\u2019t mention the former Prime Minister\u2019s name; I might receive the ire of my own leader. I\u2019ll leave him and Mr Key to their unfinished business. But if we don\u2019t have focused research and technology investment in areas such as gene editing, it\u2019s very difficult to see where the farming community, where the agribusiness community, is going to find the solution. So I look forward to working with them. There\u2019s considerable scope in that regard.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000433\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f44431ef-b505-4e94-9f57-a60b0a569bf7\u0022\u003EOf course, I should finish, as would be required of me, by talking about the Provincial Growth Fund. Now, just to remind the tiny group of New Zealanders who may not have heard me speaking about the fund in the past, the fund is dedicated, over a three-year period, to turn around the fortunes of the provinces by identifying deserving projects in terms of infrastructure. And, of course, recently we opened the Kerikeri Airport, M\u0101ori language mishaps aside, and then we have proceeded to invest in enablers within the agribusiness sector, because we like water storage; water storage is very important for the rural economy, and Hawke\u2019s Bay has enjoyed our attention in that regard. Then there are specific injections of equity. I tried unsuccessfully on behalf of the Government to do something with Westland dairy. I didn\u2019t know that Westland dairy was going through a process of being offloaded, but I\u2019m sure others will talk about that at another time. But the most important thing is that the Provincial Growth Fund is going into territory that the earlier Government was unwilling to invest money in. They were prepared to take the money that we have used and are recycling into deserving projects, and they were going to give it away in tax cuts, and those tax cuts were going to benefit a tiny minority of New Zealanders; whereas our focus, quite frankly, is boosting equity in the provinces.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000434\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f44431ef-b505-4e94-9f57-a60b0a569bf7\u0022\u003EAn area where that equity is now coming to pass is in digital connectivity. Now, there\u2019s one thing I\u2019ll say for Steven Joyce, despite what the Minister of Finance might say about him; there\u2019s one area that did work out well\u2014he may not have come up with this\u2014and that was the investment in digital connectivity. An area, however, that has been overlooked is those particular spots around rural New Zealand that have not been able to attract attention. Therefore, the significant amount of money that we\u2019ve dedicated\u2014nigh on $80 million to $100 million\u2014through the Provincial Growth Fund will provide an opportunity to create regional digital hubs, continue to connect those areas with there are black spots, where ordinary things that we take for granted in this House are denied our rural folk because we haven\u2019t been able to attend to those areas of neglect.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000435\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f44431ef-b505-4e94-9f57-a60b0a569bf7\u0022\u003EAnd, on the M\u0101ori side\u2014obviously, I\u2019m very interested in this\u2014is digitising the connections with marae to bring the young people back to the marae so that the marae represents a modern opportunity for them not only to celebrate identity but to remain connected all around the world. Now, of course, I accept that as more marae are connected, there\u2019s going to be an increased awareness about how important security is, because a lot of the marae are in neglected areas, but that\u2019s a specific case where we\u2019re doing things at the big end of town with the agricultural sector, we\u2019re doing things at the largest end of town with infrastructure and KiwiRail, and we have not forgotten about the people in the k\u016Bmara garden, down in the weeds and seeds. And when you have a Government that seeks to join all of those elements together, then you have sustainable economic development. You don\u2019t have the self-induced feeding frenzy that we\u2019re seeing in our largest bank. You don\u2019t have that culture of entitlement which we\u2019re seeing in the ANZ, our largest bank. I\u2019m sure the Governor of the Reserve Bank will have more to say about that, and, hopefully, he penalises the directors, not unlike those who have paraded around believing their corporate virtue is beyond cavil. So watch this space. I\u2019m sure there\u2019s bad news on the way for them. Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e4b09a29-dfd3-42c0-8585-11463bd6077b\u0022 data-id=\u0022308c7deeb1ff435397e1942890913c06\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000436\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e4b09a29-dfd3-42c0-8585-11463bd6077b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022308c7deeb1ff435397e1942890913c06\u0022\u003ERt Hon DAVID CARTER (National):\u003C/span\u003E It\u2019s a pleasure for me to take a call on the Appropriation (2018/19 Supplementary Estimates) Bill, and I want to start with a bouquet to the Government. I want to acknowledge that, in the Supplementary Estimates, there\u2019s a belated appropriation of $259 million for the Government\u2019s effort and the farmers\u2019 efforts and the meat industry\u2019s efforts to do away with Mycoplasma bovis. This is a very large appropriation in the Supplementary Estimates, and I think it\u2019s a good call. What the Government and the industry are embarking on is, potentially, a world first\u2014to eradicate a disease that\u2019s known to have recently arrived to New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000437\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e4b09a29-dfd3-42c0-8585-11463bd6077b\u0022\u003ESo I want to take this opportunity to thank the Government for agreeing to be part of the programme. It\u2019s a Government that farmers don\u2019t often see as being attuned to rural New Zealand. It\u2019s a Government that certainly hasn\u2019t got a lot of credibility within the farming community. But this was a call that was made by the Government. It\u2019s a brave call; it\u2019s not a programme that\u2019s guaranteed to succeed, although, at this stage, the information we\u2019re getting on a relatively regular basis via the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) suggests that the programme is on track. It hasn\u2019t been enacted without huge frustration amongst some of the farming community, and anybody who\u2019s incurred this disease on their farm has certainly had some frustrating moments dealing with MPI. I think one of the biggest challenges has been around compensation when animals have been forcibly culled from properties. The compensation issue is not an easy one, and it does require realistic applications and realistic anticipation by the farmers of what is fair and reasonable compensation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000438\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e4b09a29-dfd3-42c0-8585-11463bd6077b\u0022\u003ECan I just say, while I\u2019m talking about Mycoplasma bovis, that one of the things the Government needs to grapple with is the current NAIT system\u2014the National Animal Identification and Tracing system. It does not work satisfactorily, and I can say that from a personal perspective, as a Banks Peninsula farmer. We were recently required to re-register on to the NAIT system and identify the properties that we owned. I went on well before due date to do so only to be told by the NAIT programme that I no longer owned my farm; somebody else did. Well, I\u2019m paying the rates, I\u2019ve been there for nearly 40 years, I know which land I own, and the NAIT system is wrong. I emailed the NAIT people immediately to say their system was wrong. The email bounced back, and I\u2019ve had no further communication with them. So for Damien O\u2019Connor to blame farmers for not using the NAIT system correctly, he needs to get his officials in and have a good look at the system, because unless it\u2019s user-friendly, farmers will struggle to use it properly, and until we get that right, then this disease and any other that may occur in New Zealand is very difficult to fight.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000439\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e4b09a29-dfd3-42c0-8585-11463bd6077b\u0022\u003EI want to refer to the earlier remarks of the Hon Grant Robertson, Minister of Finance, when, in his Budget closing speech and in the debate on the Supplementary Estimates, he made the comment that this Budget that he\u2019s presented is fundamentally different. He then went on to talk about it being a wellbeing Budget. Well, I can say to that Minister, having listened to the presentation of the Budget, having now been around many parts of New Zealand listening to New Zealanders\u2019 impressions of the Wellbeing Budget, it\u2019s nothing but rhetoric. This Budget in many ways is no different to most of the other Budgets I\u2019ve seen over my period of time. I guess there is one big difference\u2014yes, it is fundamentally different: I never recall a Budget being given to the Opposition two days before it\u2019s to be officially announced by the Government. So, in that respect, it\u2019s fundamentally different, and I want to thank the Government\u2014this current Labour - New Zealand First - Green Government\u2014for their promise to be open and transparent, but to release Budget documents to an Opposition two days early is taking openness and transparency a little too far.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000440\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e4b09a29-dfd3-42c0-8585-11463bd6077b\u0022\u003EThe next point I wanted to comment on was with regard to Vote Social Development and to say to this Government: this economy is contracting, and contracting fast, and if you want evidence of that in the Supplementary Estimates, look no further than an appropriation in the 2018-19 year of a $167 million additional money for job seeker grants. For those listening, job seeker grants are the old unemployment benefit. So what you\u2019re seeing is an economy that was strong under a former National Government\u201410,000 jobs a month in the period leading up to the last election\u2014and we now have, in the last quarter, under this Government, 4,000 jobs lost from the employment sector. And that\u2019s because employers haven\u2019t got confidence.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000441\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e4b09a29-dfd3-42c0-8585-11463bd6077b\u0022\u003EWhen you look at the terms of trade\u2014the way this country should be trading\u2014it should be booming. Meat prices: the highest I have ever seen. Dairy prices: good. Fine wool: good. The economy based on agriculture is in as good a space as it\u2019s ever been. But go to the Fieldays and talk to the farmers and, while their confidence should be high, it\u2019s not, and the reason it\u2019s not is that they don\u2019t trust the current Government. They don\u2019t have confidence that they\u2019ll get a fair deal out of the current Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000442\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e4b09a29-dfd3-42c0-8585-11463bd6077b\u0022\u003EI guess, in my closing comments, I wanted to talk about Vote Building and Housing. Of course there\u2019s a large transfer there of $84 million, and I guess it\u2019s around the ability of the Hon Phil Twyford to talk about KiwiBuild. I noted the Prime Minister, during a post-Cabinet speech on Monday night, saying the Hon Phil Twyford has done an incredible job. I want to know what she means by \u201Can incredible job.\u201D, because KiwiBuild was meant to deliver 100,000 houses in 10 years and 10,000 houses each year. To date, 19 months into this Government, it\u2019s delivered 141 houses via KiwiBuild. So I say to Mr Phil Twyford, \u201CBye bye. You\u2019ll be pleased to be getting some new portfolios, I suspect, when the Prime Minister does a reshuffle on Thursday afternoon.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000443\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e4b09a29-dfd3-42c0-8585-11463bd6077b\u0022\u003EAs a Christchurch MP, the last comments I wanted to make were around Vote Finance and Christchurch facilities following the earthquake. Can I say that the convention centre, started well and truly under the former National Government, is making good progress. It\u2019s going to be a very impressive facility when it is completed and opened, but there is the Metro Sports Facility which appears to just be stalled. There\u2019s a huge fence around the site that\u2019s been apportioned to it, and I didn\u2019t see anything happening from the time that this Government was elected. There is also the red zone\u2014this massive area that\u2019s now been depopulated to the east of Christchurch. Talk about some ambitious plans that were meant to be released months ago. I haven\u2019t seen them, and I think there was a tremendous opportunity to utilise that land properly. It requires foresight, it requires ambition, and it requires things like a multi-international rowing arena that could really be used in the future and put Christchurch on the map. But, again, under this Government those projects are stalling.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000444\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e4b09a29-dfd3-42c0-8585-11463bd6077b\u0022\u003ESo\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000445\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223880fea02298414f936c50fd436b3f50\u0022\u003EDr Duncan Webb\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s rich coming from you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000446\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e4b09a29-dfd3-42c0-8585-11463bd6077b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022243085041a7f42819041a834770013cb\u0022\u003ERt Hon DAVID CARTER\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000447\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022abf6b62bd92c4b38a34e47e7132faf04\u0022\u003EDr Duncan Webb\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s rich coming from you. What did National do for nine years for Christchurch?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000448\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228ca1657be65844b69f517db642e8934a\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Order! Order! Don\u2019t bring the Speaker into the debate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000449\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e4b09a29-dfd3-42c0-8585-11463bd6077b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229cbd137e3d7d48899379a826e21c1651\u0022\u003ERt Hon DAVID CARTER\u003C/span\u003E: That is Dr Duncan Webb, the member for Christchurch Central, whose electorate these projects I\u2019m talking about are in. He should be standing up, speaking for Christchurch Central and Christchurch generally, but he\u2019s one of those people who, in Opposition, or before he came into this place, was an absolute lion about a lack of progress. He\u2019s been an absolute lamb since he\u2019s been here in Parliament.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000450\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e4b09a29-dfd3-42c0-8585-11463bd6077b\u0022\u003EWhat you see is an economy that\u2019s declining. You\u2019ve got employers right around the country worried about the direction of this economy. You\u2019ve got terms of trade that are never better. We should be exceeding the growth rates of most of our trading partners and we\u2019re not. That is because this Government\u2019s not attuned to what drives an economy. What drives an economy is business. Business needs confidence to operate. It needs certainty. It needs sensible policies, and it needs a Government that\u2019s prepared to tax reasonably and spend reasonably. What you get with this Government is one that taxes hugely, spends hugely, and when those figures don\u2019t add up, it\u2019s now going to be intent on borrowing more and handing a bill to the next generation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022 data-id=\u00229de0d13d96b6475e9cf9fdfb67c2cdf8\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000451\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00229de0d13d96b6475e9cf9fdfb67c2cdf8\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: Kia ora. I apologise to the member; your time has expired.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002255bb390e-f6c3-498c-bbf6-ea1a8fc993c7\u0022 data-id=\u00221365af49d683487bb0d1d334da4630e2\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000452\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255bb390e-f6c3-498c-bbf6-ea1a8fc993c7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221365af49d683487bb0d1d334da4630e2\u0022\u003EGARETH HUGHES (Green):\u003C/span\u003E Kia ora, Madam Speaker. Ng\u0101 mihi nui ki a koutou. Kia ora. Oh, moan, moan, moan\u2014that\u2019s what we heard from that side of the House. You\u2019d think it\u2019d be a pretty negative place to hang out, on the Opposition benches. Moan, moan, moan\u2014I haven\u2019t heard so much negative doom and gloom in an awful long time. Basically, David Carter spoke to a couple of people at Fieldays and he\u2019s diagnosed all the issues of the country. Moan, moan, moan\u2014that\u2019s all that National was doing, moaning about roads, moaning about tax cuts. Moan, moan, moan.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000453\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255bb390e-f6c3-498c-bbf6-ea1a8fc993c7\u0022\u003ENow, I\u2019d like to start with something positive. I\u2019d like to congratulate Paul Goldsmith for taking on the role as the shadow finance spokesperson for National. Now, if I was Paul Goldsmith, I\u2019d be very happy that I gave that speech after I got the job, rather than before, because it was an incoherent, rambling exposition from the new finance spokesperson, who can\u2019t even name an economist who he respects, apart from Bill English\u2014who I don\u2019t think was an economist. We heard a rambling, incoherent speech. I don\u2019t think that should give the National Party much confidence. Maybe that\u2019s why they\u2019re so doom and gloom and depressed about everything in New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000454\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255bb390e-f6c3-498c-bbf6-ea1a8fc993c7\u0022\u003EWhat I heard that National member say was that he used the term a \u201CBog-standard Left Budget\u201D, but then I just heard the last speaker, David Carter, say it was a \u201CNothing New Budget\u201D. It was a type of Budget that National could have done. We had Paul Goldsmith say it was all about inefficient spending, when, actually, then National says, \u201CIt was the kind of things we would have done.\u201D Now, it\u2019s absolutely incoherent, because then National says that wellbeing\u2019s nothing new, but then they\u2019re criticising it. So what is it? Is it the worst Budget ever or is it nothing new? That\u2019s why National was just focusing on the leak, because there\u2019s actually nothing of substance to criticise in the Budget.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000455\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255bb390e-f6c3-498c-bbf6-ea1a8fc993c7\u0022\u003EActually, when you look at the economic indicators of New Zealand, it\u2019s incredibly positive: incredibly low unemployment\u20144.2 percent; growing business confidence and optimism, the forecasts are looking positive\u2014a forecast surplus of $6 billion. But, crucially\u2014and this is what you won\u2019t hear National MPs talk about is how the economy is reorienting to the future. Previously, it was built on massive migration, it was built on massive commodities, dairy intensification, and some sort of Beverly Hillbillies, Wild West fantasy of finding oil, which has never been found. We\u2019ve seen a succession of oil companies leave New Zealand. What the Government is doing is reorienting towards the future. With the innovation in the R \u0026amp; D tax credit changes and with the investment in infrastructure, you are seeing growth in the productive sectors of the economy, not just trying to chase the lowest dollars when you\u2019re trying to chase commodities.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000456\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255bb390e-f6c3-498c-bbf6-ea1a8fc993c7\u0022\u003ENow, National, they don\u2019t have a great economic track record to stand on. What we saw, actually, was a massive underspend in infrastructure, which this Government is having to catch up with; I\u2019m thinking about our schools, our hospitals, our Public Service. We saw a National speech which focused on the desire and the wish for tax cuts. Now, what those tax cuts would have delivered was super profits for the Hiscos world and nothing for the people doing it hard in New Zealand. Under National, we saw growing homelessness, growing child poverty, and growing environmental degradation\u2014the things this Government is turning around.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000457\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255bb390e-f6c3-498c-bbf6-ea1a8fc993c7\u0022\u003ENow, why I think National is so incoherent and negative and focused on the petty politics of the leaks rather than the substance is because it\u2019s incredibly popular. It\u2019s exactly what the country needs, which has a focus on wellbeing. Now, this was something new. This is something which has received glowing international attention. The focus on wellbeing, rather than just gross domestic product, is a new concept. Treasury\u2014all the spending contained in the imprest supply and Supplementary Estimates process for Budget 2019 actually went through Treasury\u2019s processes, which asked how does it improve wellbeing. Previously, the Government would have asked how does it just improve GDP. This Government\u2019s asking how does that improve wellbeing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000458\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255bb390e-f6c3-498c-bbf6-ea1a8fc993c7\u0022\u003ESo that\u2019s why you\u2019re seeing the decisions contained in this legislation like the minimum wage\u2014that\u2019s up to $17.70. You see the indexation for benefits, which is going to make a real difference in the medium term to those families reliant on a benefit. You see the Families Package helping 384,000 Kiwis\u2014more than 50,000 Kiwi kids lifted out of poverty. I see the member Jacqui Dean sneering\u2014speaking under her breath. What I\u2019m talking about is lifting 50,000 Kiwi kids out of poverty. Rather than just ignoring them, this Government\u2019s acting and lifting them out of poverty as part of the Families Package and the tax changes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000459\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255bb390e-f6c3-498c-bbf6-ea1a8fc993c7\u0022\u003ENow, when you look at the actual substance of the Budget, the $1.9 billion extra in mental health is going to make a real difference for Kiwis. They\u2019ve been doing it tough. They haven\u2019t had access to the services because of the underfunding. This massive investment in the free front-line services and the massive investment in addiction services will help reduce the mental health challenges Kiwis face and will increase the country\u2019s wellbeing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000460\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255bb390e-f6c3-498c-bbf6-ea1a8fc993c7\u0022\u003EAs a Green, part of where I find my wellbeing is knowing that the environment which we love is protected and not being opened up for mining or drilling or fracking, knowing that threatened, endangered species are protected. That\u2019s how I and many New Zealanders respect wellbeing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000461\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255bb390e-f6c3-498c-bbf6-ea1a8fc993c7\u0022\u003ENow, in this Budget you see an additional $180 million for the conservation estate. That\u2019s on top of the single largest increase in the Department of Conservation\u2019s history, which you saw in the last Budget. An additional $180 million is going to make a difference for the kakapo, the kiwi, the M\u0101ui dolphin, and the special places that we love. Economically, of course, this is the golden goose which so many tourists come from all around the world to experience, this beautiful natural environment of ours.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000462\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255bb390e-f6c3-498c-bbf6-ea1a8fc993c7\u0022\u003EWhen you look at the sustainable land use package\u2014this was something I was talking about this morning in Blenheim at the organic winegrowers conference. Here you\u2019ve got the biggest organic conference in the country: 350 attendees from around New Zealand. What they heard was the good news that there\u2019s an additional $229 million going into sustainable land use. When you look at their sector, organics in New Zealand in the last two years has grown 30 percent domestically to a $600 million industry. Organic exports are up 42 percent in the last two years. So we\u2019ve got a massive growth opportunity in what\u2019s a growing global market, and it\u2019s that brand integrity, the credentials on sustainability\u2014which our international customers are so discerning of and demanding at the moment\u2014and the sense of a national story. That\u2019s exactly what you see with the sustainable land use package, of which they were glowing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000463\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255bb390e-f6c3-498c-bbf6-ea1a8fc993c7\u0022\u003ENow, to get those products to market, you also need a modern, balanced transport network, and that\u2019s why I was so rapt to see the billion dollars extra going into rail infrastructure in this Budget. Now, I will give the former Government credit. There was a little bit of money invested in KiwiRail, but not nearly enough to actually turn it around to make it economically self-sufficient. Yet at the same time, we saw, you know, the Hillside works closed down and some pretty retrograde policies. So this billion dollars extra for rail is going to help keep trucks off the road, which improves road safety, it reduces pollution, reduces congestion for people who have to be on the roads, but more importantly, it builds the national infrastructure transport backbone, which our exporters rely on. Coming from the East Coast, I was absolutely rapt to see the opening of the Napier to Wairoa rail line. I want to see it all the way up to Gisborne eventually, and there\u2019s a feasibility study, thanks to the Provincial Growth Fund, looking into that area. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000464\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255bb390e-f6c3-498c-bbf6-ea1a8fc993c7\u0022\u003EBut we have to invest in infrastructure if we\u2019re going to go forward as a country, and transport\u2019s always going to be a mix between coastal shipping, rail, road, and air travel. What we did see under the previous Government, though, was a myopic focus on the seven roads of National Party significance. Here, National borrowed up big, with billions of dollars for just seven mostly urban motorway projects. What this Government is doing is finding a balanced, modern, smart approach.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000465\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255bb390e-f6c3-498c-bbf6-ea1a8fc993c7\u0022\u003EWhen you look at the energy component of this Budget, of course there\u2019s the winter energy payment, which is making a huge difference for Kiwi families, but, importantly, it\u2019s also transitioning New Zealand into the future. Now, I don\u2019t know if members are aware but National threw more than $200 million at one very wealthy industry, the oil and gas industry, as special financial treatments\u2014$235 million over the preceding nine years. What this Government is doing is actually looking towards the future, because when you listen to, say, the former Saudi Arabian oil Minister, he says, \u201CWell, the Stone Age didn\u2019t end for want of stones; it ended because we found something better.\u201D That\u2019s exactly what\u2019s happening with the global economy, where there\u2019s more net international investment in clean energy than fossil fuels. In fact, what we see with the forecast is the price decline. I mean, just across my lifetime, the cost of solar panels has dropped 99 percent, and that\u2019s going to keep going into the future. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000466\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255bb390e-f6c3-498c-bbf6-ea1a8fc993c7\u0022\u003ESo if National wants to keep being the cheerleaders for coal and fracking, go right ahead. The future, the markets, and the public all want to focus on clean energy, and that\u2019s why the money for the clean energy R \u0026amp; D centre in Taranaki and the winter energy payments will help transition New Zealand towards the clean energy economy. When you couple that with the other work the Government\u2019s doing, from the zero-carbon bill, the massive increase in public transport, walking, and cycling funds\u2014the work to help grow a low-carbon economy. So across the Wellbeing Budget, you see this great focus on people and the environment and the economy going forward, which, of course, is built upon the people and the environment. So this is legislation I\u2019m very proud to support on behalf of the Green Party. We have been very privileged to play a role with our focus on protecting people and the environment, and it\u2019s a good day for New Zealand, despite all the moan, moan, moans from that side. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022 data-id=\u00227b71c94f3b1644a7b42aae3348a4b44f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000467\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227b71c94f3b1644a7b42aae3348a4b44f\u0022\u003EIAN McKELVIE (National\u2014Rangit\u012Bkei):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. Despite the best efforts of the previous speaker, Gareth Hughes, where I come from, you can\u2019t get the train to Wellington, you can\u2019t get the plane to Wellington, you can\u2019t bike to Wellington, you can\u2019t walk there\u2014well, you could if you walked better than me. But that\u2019s one of the problems we have in rural New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000468\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EAnyway, I want to talk about a few things in respect of this bill, but the first issue I want to raise was a very interesting thing that happened to me last week when a young woman from Taihape, who came into this House for the first time with a group from Taihape, as I just said, asked me what made me think I could represent the Rangit\u012Bkei. Well, I nearly sat down, I suppose, but it was a very interesting question. I think every MP should ask themselves what makes them think they can represent the people they come here to represent, because it does take a bit of thinking about. So, having thought about that, I thought I would talk about the issues in this bill that actually impact on the electorate that I come here to represent. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000469\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003ELike David Carter, I think there\u2019s some things in this bill and in this Budget that actually have quite a positive impact on my part of the world. Of course, the Rangit\u012Bkei has the three big defence bases in New Zealand in it. Well, I call them the three big ones\u2014can\u2019t worry about Auckland or Christchurch\u2014in \u014Ch\u0101kea, Linton, and, of course, Wai\u014Duru. The significant spend in defence and the increase in personnel that will follow that spend in defence I think is not only positive for the Rangit\u012Bkei, it\u2019s positive for New Zealand. So I commend the Government on that, and I think it\u2019s good to see faith in our defence forces. From our perspective, that\u2019s a hugely positive thing. From my electorate\u2019s perspective, it\u2019s positive as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000470\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EOf course, we, like every other electorate in New Zealand\u2014every large rural electorate\u2014have some special challenges with health, education, and things like that, and a lot of them relate to transport. It\u2019s very difficult\u2014and going back to the last speaker\u2019s words on transport\u2014for us to find other ways or alternative forms of transport when you\u2019re as remote as places like Taumarunui. I was a bit intrigued by Minister Jones going on about his railways. If he gets the Taumarunui railway station up and operating like it did in the 1950s, he really will have achieved something. But I\u2019m not sure how he\u2019s going to do that, because, of course, Taumarunui on the main trunk line was a very famous railway station in its day. You always got a good pie there.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000471\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298dbeffa-e059-49d5-8bbf-579cbaead9a3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fa273d1a32e54e2195808a69337344aa\u0022\u003EHon Scott Simpson\u003C/span\u003E: Will the pies be better?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000472\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a563e4fe44314c1fb24bf35e2034ae74\u0022\u003EIAN McKELVIE\u003C/span\u003E: They will be better now. The meat quality\u2019s a lot better than it used to be. Of course, my electorate also runs on the sheep\u2019s back, so to speak. But I wanted to get back to one or two other things that impact the Rangit\u012Bkei, and the tertiary sector is one of those, in that Massey University is part of the Rangit\u012Bkei electorate and the Universal College of Learning (UCOL) serves a large part of my electorate from Taumarunui\u2014where Unitec comes in at the top end, as well\u2014to Palmerston North, and, of course, it goes across to Whanganui and down into the Wairarapa. So I have a very large tertiary sector either related to my electorate or sitting in my electorate. The fees-free scheme, which was designed to boost that sector, didn\u2019t really have the outcome it set out to achieve, and, of course, money has been returned to the Treasurer as a result of that. But the tertiary sector is none the less very important for me, and I\u2019ll be watching with interest the changes to UCOL, which is, of course, the tertiary institute in Palmerston North. It will be significant and it will be very important for my electorate, the result of that, but it\u2019s equally as important to those remote towns because they do provide services into those towns\u2014hugely necessary. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000473\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003ESo I wanted to now turn to the gun buy-back scheme and the $150 million - odd that\u2019s allocated in this document for that purpose, and, of course, it\u2019s a bit more than that now with the top-up from ACC. We supported the legislation around the gun legislation, with some reservations but certainly we supported it, and I think the legislation achieved what it set out to achieve. There\u2019s some areas that, with hindsight, could have been done differently and perhaps better, but that\u2019s all very well. The heat of the moment brings out some interesting decisions. But the reason I want to comment on the gun buy-back is because I think we have, in a way, undermined the work that was done by that bill, because I think the lack of confidence in it is going to be significant and I think it\u2019s going to take some getting over. I just hope when they start to come in, which will be any day now, that it does work, because I\u2019ve got my grave doubts about that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000474\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EThe other thing that seriously challenges me about the gun buy-back scheme is that there\u2019s no real provision for all those guns out there that are held by people with no licences or are held illegally. Now, just because someone\u2019s got a licence doesn\u2019t necessarily mean they were held illegally before this bill was put in place. Those people will not be able get anything for those guns. Are they going to hand them in? Who knows, but it certainly could well force those guns underground. So I think that, effectively, our gun buy-back scheme looks like it\u2019s going to\u2014I was going to say it\u2019s going to penalise gun owners; it won\u2019t penalise every gun owner but it will certainly penalise a number of gun owners unless some reasonable recompense is reached. It\u2019s certainly not going to penalise all those people that hold illegal guns in the country, because if they don\u2019t take advantage of the amnesty\u2014well, if they take advantage of the amnesty, they don\u2019t get any money for the gun, so are they going to do it? Probably not. I think it\u2019s going to force a whole lot more guns underground and I think it\u2019s very unfortunate. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000475\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EI think it\u2019s interesting, because the other thing that happens in rural New Zealand\u2014and I saw the list of venues that they\u2019re going to host these things at, and they\u2019re quite well spread, so, I think, in that respect at least, they\u2019ve got a spread that will enable rural New Zealanders to hand those guns in when required. But none the less, I\u2019m hugely, I guess, disappointed in the way they\u2019ve got to the point of pricing those guns and the way that they\u2019ve encompassed the guns that aren\u2019t necessarily legal in New Zealand. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000476\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EI want to talk about a couple of other things. David Carter touched on one of those, and that\u2019s the M. bovis situation. I think I\u2019ve said before in this House that I go back to a time when I saw large numbers of cows going out the gate in the early days of the TB clean-up in New Zealand. It was much easier in those days because it cleaned up the TB\u2014well, it hasn\u2019t cleaned TB up yet entirely, but it\u2019s done a great job, really. But there was a payout and the meat was valued, and it worked in that extent. There was never a compensation for milk or anything like that. The world\u2019s different now, and so it\u2019s a much more complex compensation system we\u2019ve got to go through. But I want to congratulate the Government for carrying that on. Very difficult circumstances\u2014I think they\u2019ve done pretty well. It is difficult for those families and those people who are in that situation, particularly in the South Island. In the Rangit\u012Bkei, it\u2019s not nearly such a serious problem but I do have great sympathy for those people caught up in that, and I think it\u2019s an issue that the Government is managing about as well as they can. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000477\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EI want to move on to, I guess, what I think is a very interesting issue. So I attended the national Fieldays on the first day of the Fieldays, and since then have had a number of meetings in the rural parts of my electorate. Last night, there was quite a large meeting run by the dairy section of Federated Farmers in Palmerston North, really about the climate change bill and the legislation around that\u2014the methane situation. The speakers, I think, did a very good job, but I\u2019ve never known in my time in rural New Zealand\u2014particularly with prices like they are; as good as I\u2019ve ever seen them\u2014where there\u2019s kind of like an air; it\u2019s almost a sombre air, so an air of nervousness, and there\u2019s no confidence in rural New Zealand to invest in anything. It\u2019s an unusual circumstance, I think, we\u2019re in, because there\u2019s so much change up in the air, but none of it\u2019s definitely been confirmed. I think farmers and rural towns are very nervous about where we\u2019re getting to with the future, and I think the Government needs to make some positive decisions and make them pretty quickly. Whatever the decisions are, they need to be made, because I think the air of uncertainty is certainly going to drive our economy backwards and it\u2019s certainly providing significant nervousness in rural New Zealand. So I\u2019d urge the Government to move in that area. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000478\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EI just wanted to talk very quickly about the tree situation in respect of that as well, because we\u2019ve got a situation in rural New Zealand where trees are being planted about as quick as they can be bred, actually\u2014in fact probably they\u2019re not going to get bred quick enough to plant the trees that are wanting to be planted. I think that there\u2019s some issues with that, and I know the Government\u2019s aware of those issues, but I think the real problem for us is where there are going to be trees planted, and there will be large tracts of them planted that will never be harvested because they\u2019ll never be economic to harvest. Now, some of those trees that are being planted will be economic and they\u2019ll do a great job for New Zealand and they\u2019ll be planted in the right places, but there are some problems with some of that and some inhibitions in the way they can be planted in the right areas. I think we need to seriously consider how that happens moving forward, and it\u2019s urgent that we do it, too, because we could see some land use change that we don\u2019t want to see, and in 25 years\u2019 time the country will be paying the price for that, because carbon\u2019s only\u2014you know, basically, if the trees aren\u2019t cut down, its use is going to expire and the trees will, effectively, rot away. That would be very unfortunate, and I don\u2019t think they\u2019ll revert very easily, because pine trees don\u2019t have a great impact on the rest of our community. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000479\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003ESo those are a few things I wanted to touch on. There\u2019s other things going on in our community which I think are pretty positive, but there is that air of nervousness that I think the Government needs to move quickly to get over. I think that a lot of the issues that are included in the Supplementary Estimates papers are issues that are sort of unknown and are things that we need to get on top of quite quickly, so I urge the Government to get on with that. And that\u2019s my words on the bill. Madam Speaker, 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=\u002299e56c82b42342fea75bf7baa5b6d5bc\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000480\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002299e56c82b42342fea75bf7baa5b6d5bc\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams)\u003C/span\u003E: I understand this is a split call. Dr Deborah Russell, you have five minutes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022 data-id=\u002252a8c24383bc425d91287dff319635a0\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000481\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002252a8c24383bc425d91287dff319635a0\u0022\u003EDr DEBORAH RUSSELL (Labour\u2014New Lynn):\u003C/span\u003E This is actually a highly technical bill. It is actually designed to ensure that we have ticked all the boxes and gotten all the words correct with allocating money for expenditure, partly for the past year but also for the future year. I think something that demonstrates just how technical this bill is comes from the Supplementary Estimates for Vote PCE, or Vote Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, where, if someone takes the time to actually read the document, they\u2019ll see that $1,000 is allocated\u2014an extra $1,000\u2014and carefully recorded as a \u201C1\u201D in the correct column. I think what this demonstrates is the care and attention which our public servants bring to the jobs that they do to ensure that we actually get all the money right, that we record it properly, that we ensure that it has been properly endorsed by Parliament. So as I open with these few words, I would like to pay tribute to the public servants who have done all the work behind the numbers on this Budget in getting them all together. I think it\u2019s very important that we acknowledge their work, because Government doesn\u2019t happen just in this room. It doesn\u2019t happen just in the Beehive. It also happens with the work from our public servants, and I commend them for what they do.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000482\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003EI wish to address some of the issues that have been raised by other speakers in this debate. In particular, I want to think about the strength of the economy. Again, we can see some of this by looking at some of the actual appropriations that are sitting in these documents that have been so well prepared for us by our public servants. In particular, I\u2019m looking at extra appropriations for child support payments and decreased appropriations for the family tax credit. They actually point to increased strength in our labour markets, that people are getting more and better-paying jobs, because the appropriation for child support payments has changed due to stronger-than-forecast labour market growth. It means that if you\u2019ve got an improved labour market, then their non-custodial parents are receiving more money, and, quite appropriately, more of that money is being passed on to their families.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000483\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003ESo that actually demonstrates, through looking behind the numbers, the increased strength in our labour market. Again, sitting in this Budget, in these appropriations, with respect to the family tax credit, as people\u2019s incomes go up from their employers, then the amount they receive in family tax credits does go down. So if the amount being received via family tax credits is going down, it does indicate increased wages, increased workforce, a stronger labour market. So those numbers indicate something very, very important about our economy, and digging into them, what we see there is a greatly strengthened labour market under this Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000484\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003ETurning to some of the issues raised by the previous speaker, I really want to address some of the issues raised by Mr Ian McKelvie, who has a great deal of affection for his electorate, as we all do for our electorates. But he also has a huge affection for rural New Zealand. As someone who came from rural New Zealand myself as a child, I retain a great deal of affection for it too, and I understand the worries that rural communities have about the increased numbers of trees and what that might do to rural communities. The question for the Opposition, however, is do they wish to interfere in sales between willing buyers and willing sellers? I think that needs to be addressed. Now, we do need to think about what is going on in those rural communities, but there are more ramifications than just a wall of trees.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000485\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003EOf course, those trees are going to be critically important because of climate change, and I think that is one of the critical issues that this Government\u2019s Budget has started to address. Again in the Supplementary Estimates, we see more money being allocated to advice around climate change, to actually ensuring that we do start to take action with respect to climate change. That is an action that we all ought to be concerned with and that this Government is attempting to do in a fair and just manner\u2014none of the outrageously rapid changes of the 1980s; instead, a fair and just transition so that our children may live in a carbon-neutral world. Thank you, Madam Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022 data-id=\u00222fdbd79176a84583b45a7947d650f33a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000486\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222fdbd79176a84583b45a7947d650f33a\u0022\u003ESIMEON BROWN (National\u2014Pakuranga):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. I just want to start by commenting on a couple of the comments which were raised by the member who\u2019s just sat down, Deborah Russell. She talked about these bills, the Appropriation (2018/19 Supplementary Estimates) Bill and the Imprest Supply (First for 2019/20) Bill, as ticking all the boxes and making sure we get all the things right. So let\u2019s talk about some of those boxes and actually whether this is getting it right.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000487\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003EI\u2019d like to start by talking about some of the broken promises that this Government is actually making. Firstly, there was a promise, I think, of no new taxes. Well, I don\u2019t think they tick that box, because, from what I can see, there have been seven new taxes so far to date\u2014seven new taxes. Twenty cents per litre more is what people are paying in petrol tax every time they fill up their car in Pakuranga\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000488\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002292576187cba145528ae522c631baadb5\u0022\u003ETim van de Molen\u003C/span\u003E: How much?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000489\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002234a169e49a1a424d923d2cf664231365\u0022\u003ESIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: Twenty cents, Mr van de Molen, and just wait till the Waikato brings in their regional fuel tax. That\u2019s something to keep an eye on. Well, let\u2019s talk about doctors visits, promised $10-cheaper doctor visits for all\u2014not in this Budget. Promised $20 million for access to life-saving medicines\u2014I can\u2019t find that box being ticked. Promised an annual health and eye check for seniors\u2014well, I can\u2019t see that in this Budget, either. The list goes on, and I haven\u2019t even got to KiwiBuild.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000490\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003EIf we\u2019re going to talk about KiwiBuild, let\u2019s talk about the massive broken promise and the failure to deliver for New Zealanders in terms of what they said\u201410,000 houses per year, then it was 1,000 in the first year, and how many did they actually deliver? Well, 130. That is a tick box which was not ticked.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000491\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003ESitting suspended from 6 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000492\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c03b4dd4fecf40f2bc31e4a958f02bc8\u0022\u003ESIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to continue to speak to the Appropriation (2018/19 Supplementary Estimates) Bill and Imprest Supply (First for 2019/20) Bill, and, as I was saying, this is a Government which is failing to deliver on its promises to New Zealand. One of those promises, as I said, was that they promised there would be no new taxes, but there has been seven new taxes brought in by this Government: fuel taxes, regional fuel tax in Auckland, ring-fencing of losses, Amazon tax, GST on overseas goods and services, the brightline test, and the increased WorkSafe levies and cancelled tax relief. The list goes on, and I predict that this won\u2019t be the end of this list of broken tax promises by this Government. There will be more taxes coming with this Government as it continues to try and find more ways to take money off hard-working New Zealanders and what they are trying to do\u2014going about their lives, trying to make ends meet, but this Government will be continuing to try and find new ways to take money off them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000493\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003EAs I said, one of the biggest promises which has been broken by this Government has been the failure around KiwiBuild\u2014an absolute failure, and now the Government won\u2019t even mention its name. They won\u2019t even mention the name of KiwiBuild because even they are embarrassed by it. But this party on this side of the House will continue to hold them accountable for the promises that they have made to New Zealanders.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000494\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003ELastly, I\u2019d like to talk about the fees-free reassignment in this imprest supply bill, where we see $49.5 million of underspend is being reallocated\u2014$49.5 million of taxpayers\u2019 money being reallocated. That says two things. One, this money is being reallocated because the fees-free policy has been a failure. It was designed to increase participation in our tertiary institutions but it has failed to increase the numbers. In fact, the numbers have gone backwards. There have been fewer students going to university, going to tertiary study, than were under previous years, and that is a failure on behalf of this Government. That money is being reassigned to the review of vocational education, and just last week we saw\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000495\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002285534213cdb54d25816397a381f1f652\u0022\u003EAndrew Bayly\u003C/span\u003E: Another review.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000496\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e85c718e35504f799cf3a4c92b6abc20\u0022\u003ESIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: Just another review\u2014300 and something reviews now, Mr Andrew Bayly, and we are seeing the review of vocational education taking place, which will further threaten our tertiary institutions as it seeks to amalgamate our institutions into a monolithic beast, one institution across the country. What we will see is we will see fewer students, we\u2019ll see fewer people going to our polytechs and studying those important skills and trades that we need in our economy, and that will continue to put pressure on hard-working New Zealanders, on our economy. Thank you, Madam Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022 data-id=\u00225d64bb9f5396435aadb57d0505b756bb\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000497\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225d64bb9f5396435aadb57d0505b756bb\u0022\u003EKIRITAPU ALLAN (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E It\u2019s an absolute delight to rise this evening to speak in this second reading of the Appropriation (2018/19 Supplementary Estimates) Bill and the Imprest Supply (First for 2019/20) Bill. By passing these bills, we are starting to give effect to\u2014it is very loud, and I apologise, but please turn it down\u2014this Wellbeing Budget, this globally world-first Wellbeing Budget.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000498\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022\u003EBefore I turn to the substantive parts of my contribution this evening, I want to pay homage and applaud the leadership of the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern and our Minister of Finance, the Hon Grant Robertson, for delivering what New Zealanders have been seeking, and they have been seeking for the last nine years.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000499\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022\u003EI\u2019ll tell you what. Just yesterday it was, I was in Whakat\u0101ne, and I went for a little drive around with Housing New Zealand. Now, what those Housing New Zealand staff told me, they said that for the first time since the last Labour-led Government was in\u2014for the first time\u2014all around Whakat\u0101ne right now, we can see house upon house upon house going up, the first social housing that has been built in over nine years\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000500\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022408da4063253487480a01be9f758a01a\u0022\u003EAndrew Bayly\u003C/span\u003E: Shh!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000501\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002234a9804ef8634b49b186314365a9013a\u0022\u003EKIRITAPU ALLAN\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014is being built right now, and we are excited. Mr Bayly, there is no reason to be quiet about what we are doing. You know why? Because for so long, under the previous Government, people had to yell, they had to shout to be heard, because they were not being heard.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000502\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022\u003ENow, on this side of the House, after community hall after community hall after community hall, this side of the House has been tromping up and down the nationside, and what the people are saying to us is thank you to this Government. Thank you to this coalition Government, whether it be over in places like the Hawke\u2019s Bay, where some of the members on that side of the House are\u2014they all got to sit just last week in the first-ever trains from Napier to Wairoa. Those lines had been mothballed for 15 years. The people have been calling for those lines to be reopened, and this Government has turned its mind to and has invested $1 billion into the likes of KiwiRail, and that has been an exciting journey for our regions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000503\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022\u003EBut this Wellbeing Budget\u2014we all know across both sides of the House, and I don\u2019t think that there\u2019s any politics to be made of this, that there have been significant mental health challenges across the board. We know that there has been a significant underfunding, systemic for decade upon decade now. We had the mental health report come out, and there were a whole range of findings that that review that was undertaken came out with.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000504\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022\u003ENow, what our Prime Minister said and what our Minister of Finance has agreed and what our Minister of Health, the Hon David Clark, and amongst our esteemed senior colleagues in the executive\u2014what they did is they pooled together their heads and their resources, and they sat together and they said, \u201CYou know what? Right now, there is a call on this Government to deliver a plan to address the mental health challenges that our communities see.\u201D, whether that be in the urban populations in the Aucklands, the Wellingtons, the Christchurch, or whether that be up in little towns like Ruat\u014Dria, Minginui, or Murupara. This Government put its heads together and made the most substantial investment into addressing the mental health challenges of this generation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000505\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022\u003ENow, I want to acknowledge that there is a whole multitude of ways that this Government is going about doing that, but the front-line services\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000506\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002203fd985b-4fb8-4111-ba38-5033a254d962\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228d3d617b38bc4e4c8ad2217c1bfe0081\u0022\u003EBrett Hudson\u003C/span\u003E: Really? Raising taxes, mainly.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000507\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227dffa401a899438781d97b284113d7d6\u0022\u003EKIRITAPU ALLAN\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014that will be available, to that member\u2019s family who just called from across the aisle, to our families, to every single family in this country\u2014whether you wear a blue cap or a red cap, a black cap or a green cap. But right now, we know that mental health does not discriminate based on your class, your gender, your race. We know that there is a systemic and endemic issue that we are having to face as a nation, and that\u2019s why I know that the Opposition might heckle here and there because they\u2019re probably a little grieved that their side of the House never got around to making the substantial investments into this area that our communities have been calling for.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000508\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022\u003EI want to pay homage as well to the hard-working women in the rural women\u2019s support trust. They, to me, have been an absolute bastion in regions like mine up in the East Coast, but also my colleague Kieran McAnulty\u2014he has a very strong group of women down there in Wairarapa. I look across the House to my colleague the Hon Stuart Nash down there in the Hawke\u2019s Bay, my colleague in front of me, Mark Patterson from Lawrence. Look, I just want to acknowledge the women within our rural communities that have been an extremely loud voice calling for a fundamental investment in this area. We spend a lot of time with them\u2014I mean, we all do over the course of time, but we just spent quite a bit of time with them over at Fieldays, and I made the point of making that address there, and I want to make it again. They have been absolutely incredible.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000509\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022\u003ENow, the other significant thing\u2014I mean, we\u2019re doing a whole range of immeasurably wonderful things for our communities\u2014is in the area of our schools. Our Prime Minister, when she came in\u2014and I, like, I\u2019m sure, many others in this House have, watched that maiden speech\u2014we saw her undertaking her commitment to alleviate child poverty. It was a big part of her aspirations when she came into this House. One of the things that, I guess, I\u2019ve been so impressed with, myself, with this Wellbeing Budget is the fact that eliminating child poverty has been one of the core drivers of what we\u2019re trying to achieve here. There\u2019s a whole range of ways that this Government has gone about doing that. I want to acknowledge the work of the Hon Tracey Martin alongside the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern in pulling together a package that delivers for our children. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000510\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022\u003EBut one of the things that, I guess, gets me, and has gotten me every single time that I go into any old school\u2014yesterday, for example, I was in a little school in my hometown of Whakat\u0101ne, Allandale Primary School. The principal there, Drew Manning had invited me in to come and talk about Duffy school books. But he pulled me aside and he said, \u201CKiri, I just want you to understand the impact of the Government\u2019s investment in terms of the school donations. I want you to understand what that\u2019s going to mean for a school like ours, a decile 2 school like ours in a little town like Whakat\u0101ne, with a school roll of 344 students.\u201D Our Government\u2019s policy means that there will be an additional $51,000 in that school\u2019s operational budget\u2014 \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000511\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002275a05f96-2474-4c90-a6ea-cf7b5798e03e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002248084711a7254a6b97dcc67c49b483a5\u0022\u003EHon Ruth Dyson\u003C/span\u003E: Wow, $51,000.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000512\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a5a2fbc5aa5e4f69b6b0d5f242b194a8\u0022\u003EKIRITAPU ALLAN\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014if they choose to take it up. That\u2019s exactly right\u2014$51,000. Now, for a school like the size of Drew\u2019s school, Allandale Primary, that is going to have a monumental impact. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000513\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022\u003EI cast my eyes up to Tolaga Bay. A little school, 237 students; they come from throughout the region. Now, it might not seem like huge sums to some others but to this school\u2014an almost additional $40,000 in that school\u2019s operational budget to be able to deliver, at the discretion of the principal, for those kids. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000514\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022\u003EI turn my mind to one of our larger high schools, just down the road from me. You know, the kids that go to Trident High School come from a whole range of backgrounds. It\u2019s a decile 4 school, just over a thousand kids at that school. But that\u2019s $158,000 through the school donation programme if that school chooses not to ask for donations from those parents. That will make an immeasurable difference. I know my colleague here, Jan Tinetti, was a principal at a decile 1 school, and I\u2019m sure she\u2019s made a number of contributions in this House to attest to the fact of how monumental that Government contribution will be to all of these smaller under - decile 7 schools throughout our regions. So I want to acknowledge, of course, the Hon Chris Hipkins whilst I\u2019m on my feet.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000515\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022\u003EI guess, just in conclusion, I want to acknowledge as well that we know that there have been some fundamental disparities in the way that the neo-liberal policies have impacted a range of people, but in particular our M\u0101ori communities throughout the country. This Budget delivers over half a billion dollars of targeted funding for M\u0101ori communities up and down this country. That\u2019s no mean feat. I want to say with my hand over heart, how proud I am of this Wellbeing Budget, and I commend it to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022 data-id=\u002204ea7fa11b3b4927aa62e9bdb9c8871e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000516\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002204ea7fa11b3b4927aa62e9bdb9c8871e\u0022\u003ELAWRENCE YULE (National\u2014Tukituki):\u003C/span\u003E It\u2019s a pleasure to speak on the Appropriation (2018/19 Supplementary Estimates) Bill and the Imprest Supply (First for 2019/20) Bill second reading. Really, what I want to start with saying is that this is really just the last example of a Government failing to deliver on many of its promises. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000517\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022\u003EA previous speaker on our side\u2014Mr Bayly, I think it was\u2014referred to the fact that GDP and the New Zealand economy have dropped by about $3 billion in the last year\u2014$3 billion. We were creating 10,000 jobs a month; we\u2019re now losing 4,000 jobs a month. At the very same time, this House has been told this is a year of delivery of the Budget, but the amount of money appropriated for the job seeker benefit has gone up by $167 million. You see, you don\u2019t need to be a rocket scientist to work out what is going on here. The New Zealand economy is slowing. A lot of our sectors have lost a lot of confidence. While we have incredible terms of trade at the moment, it doesn\u2019t appear to be flowing back to those businesses and those people that need to make decisions; many of them have been frightened off. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000518\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022\u003EThat being said, I do wish to congratulate the Government on the Mycoplasma bovis amount, which is in these accounts\u2014the $250 million is supported across this House. While it got off to a shaky start, I know of constituents in my community who are grateful for the way in which the Government has responded and assisted. It has been difficult for them. Heart-wrenching. Mentally tormenting for them. But in many cases they\u2019re through the worst, and I remain optimistic as a rurally based MP that we can beat this problem. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000519\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022\u003EI also wish to congratulate the Government on the money that\u2019s being spent on mental health. I think it\u2019s a need that the community has seen, the country has seen, and I wish to give credit where credit\u2019s due.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000520\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022\u003EI also acknowledge the $150 million that is put in the gun buy-back scheme; and I give credit for that, the Hon Stuart Nash. I do ask the question, though, when, on top of that, the Minister and the Government starts adding $40 million from ACC to fund future cost, does that not cause a precedent to be set? People could argue, Minister and members of the Government, that a future Government could go after and spend ACC money on traffic measures, as an example, on the basis that it would save lives. So I do think the Government may have been more honest if it had simply said it needed to put $200 million into the gun buy-back scheme, than actually pinching $40 million - odd out of ACC.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000521\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022\u003EA lot has been talked about of rail. The previous speaker, Kiritapu Allan, commented on the Napier to Wairoa railway line having a train on it for the first time, I think she just said. Well, maybe it\u2019s her age, but I remember when a rail car went from Gisborne to Wellington. It was called the Endeavour, and it did have\u2014and you\u2019ll know this, Madam Speaker; it was well-used and it went out of fashion and was unviable. What\u2019s actually been reopened is the Napier to Wairoa link of that railway line, principally for forestry\u2014principally for forestry. The billion dollars on rail is a complete sop to New Zealand First. That\u2019s what it\u2019s about. It is part of the coalition agreement. When you gave a billion dollars to rail, and you give $40 million\u2014[Interruption]\u2014no, no, hear me out. When you give $40 million to Pharmac over four years and a billion dollars to rail, you ask average New Zealanders what they think of that\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000522\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002240cf104da259479ab4ea4dd29ea3075a\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Not me. Not me.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000523\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a2f82c7b7a2d43c18227e965c944db1a\u0022\u003ELAWRENCE YULE\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry. We should ask average New Zealanders what they think of that\u2014and I have, and many of them aren\u2019t happy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000524\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022\u003EI also look at this appropriation bill, and I look at some of the extra money that is going into housing. It would be remiss of me not to remind this Parliament that so far this Government has delivered next to nothing in my home town of Hastings, where there is a chronic need for more Housing New Zealand houses. Now, in Napier, where they have a Labour member, there has been a whole lot built, but in Hastings there has been none\u2014none so far; none. The Hon Stuart Nash has managed to get 100 and something, but in Hastings in the last year, we\u2019ve actually lost houses. That\u2019s the total number of Housing New Zealand houses in Hastings has gone down. So I look in this bill, and I look at what\u2019s being proposed, and in my own city there is very little that I can say, \u201CI proudly support this.\u201D, other than the money that is going into mental health.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000525\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022\u003EI now wish to come to the district health board (DHB) deficits. The DHB deficits\u2014and everybody says there\u2019s never enough money\u2014well, this appropriation increases the support to fund deficits by $95 million, and that says that the deficits are likely to be $234 million. DHBs around New Zealand are swamped in a sea of red ink. I see it in my own electorate. In the last week I have had five people come to me to talk about delayed elective surgery; some people have been on the waiting list for years. When I look at these budgets and I see the amount of money that these deficits are going up to, in other words the increase of the $95 million in this Supplementary Estimates bill and the $569 million allocated in the Budget is hardly even enough to break even, to keep the lights on. The Minister estimated to the Health Committee on 12 June that he cannot expect financial viability from the DHBs. That is a pretty stark admission, when this extra money\u2019s been put in there in the year of delivery that actually they\u2019re going to get on top of this. I don\u2019t believe they will. Three DHBs\u2014Waikato, Counties Manukau, and Canterbury\u2014still haven\u2019t even filed their annual plans to be approved for the year. In my view, that\u2019s because they are stressed and don\u2019t understand how they\u2019re going to fund everything.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000526\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022\u003EThe other thing I\u2019d like to say is\u2014and it was sort of alluded to in the Prime Minister\u2019s speech on the day of delivery of the Budget\u2014this sort of concept that you can somehow buy the economy growth. So, in other words, the Government can spend money through the Provincial Growth Fund\u2014$3 billion has been allocated over three years\u2014and other investments can be made in infrastructure, and somehow you can make the boat go faster and the economy improve. I think that is really the fundamental difference between both sides of this Parliament. This side strongly promotes individual growth, freedoms, business confidence and support, and exports. The side to my opposite, they really talk about how they can manage things, stimulate things, and use taxpayers\u2019 money in a different way.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000527\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022\u003EWhile the Hon Christopher Hipkins is in the room, I am going to talk about the polytech sector and education. It\u2019s been referred to by a previous speaker, by Ian McKelvie, because I cannot stand in this House without mentioning some of the stress that\u2019s going on in the Hawke\u2019s Bay community because of the changes that have been made to the polytech sector\u2014the loss of identity, the potential loss of reserves, the loss of land that was gifted to our community, and the loss of control. In a year of delivery, I want to know what is that delivery? The delivery, according to Minister Hipkins, is this: you get all the cot-case polytechs in New Zealand and you put all the really good ones together and somehow you\u2019ll fix everything. All you do in a community like mine, Madam Speaker, and your own actually, which is connected\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000528\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022759b72c98c6b49d79a22be4c350a9329\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Don\u2019t bring me into it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000529\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022dddb012fcb3c4a3ca649d35b6b8a6a44\u0022\u003ELAWRENCE YULE\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry, Madam Speaker. The Tair\u0101whiti Polytechnic\u2014no, it\u2019s not yours, and I apologise again, Madam Speaker. You make it more difficult\u2014you make it more difficult.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000530\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220c51564f-6c6e-45cc-adab-f15b6c831fce\u0022\u003EI have given some plaudits here for things that have been done well. But in this Budget, for me, and the things that are brought up in this Supplementary Estimates bill, I would score this Budget a three out of 10. For a year of delivery, I think this Government is spectacularly failing to deliver on its promises. I think the way in which the release of the Budget and how it was handled was so low key, following the fact that we had most of the Budget before it was released, is testament to the fact that the Government has lost some confidence in this space. In closing, I\u2019m happy to take a call on this; I\u2019m not happy about what I read in this appropriation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022 data-id=\u002252e08951dc1f40e7bc055ec7fe629a70\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000531\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002252e08951dc1f40e7bc055ec7fe629a70\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I call Michael Wood. You have seven minutes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022 data-id=\u00229b2b4d8a27b3475e8469adf473f62d5a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000532\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00229b2b4d8a27b3475e8469adf473f62d5a\u0022\u003EMICHAEL WOOD (Labour\u2014Mt Roskill):\u003C/span\u003E It is always a very tough act\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000533\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022977cccaf-581d-4f48-924e-32bf6c54a93d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022abcdbd7785ad4c4199c8b8da26b776ea\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: 8.52.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000534\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228ea2039096b3413f88e383af75e2550e\u0022\u003EMICHAEL WOOD\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I\u2019ll make every second count.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000535\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s always a very tough act to follow on from the honourable member Lawrence Yule. He is the most dangerous man in this Parliament. You know you\u2019re in real trouble if he offers you a glass of water, so I\u2019d be looking out, Andrew Bayly, over there.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000536\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve been listening very closely to this debate and I was a little confused when I came into the Chamber because as far as I was aware we are, in this debate, set to be debating the Appropriation (2018/19 Supplementary Estimates) Bill but I actually heard very little from Opposition speakers about the Supplementary Estimates. I recall my time in Opposition, and one of the things that a diligent Opposition does is to actually do its homework and work its way through the Supplementary Estimates and actually find the areas that might cause some political mischief for the Government. Actually it\u2019s not just a political issue, it is actually a constitutional issue in terms of how this place operates. This Parliament appropriates money to fund the business of Government. The Supplementary Estimates, which we are here to debate, are the additional appropriations required to meet Government expenditure that were not appropriated in the year before. And so it is actually a fundamental duty of the members of this House, and in particular the Opposition, to actually do the work of going through the Supplementary Estimates and hold the Government to account and actually say something about them, actually say something about the over and underspends that are detailed in the Supplementary Estimates produced by Treasury, heard by the Finance and Expenditure Committee, and presented to this House. But that Opposition simply hasn\u2019t put the work in and has had not a dicky-bird to actually say about those Supplementary Estimates.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000537\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EAs a member who does care about these things, I\u2019m going to help them out by actually speaking about some of those Supplementary Estimates that they haven\u2019t put the time into actually having a look at. One that I want to pick up on was, in fact, referenced by Mr Yule over the previous 10 minutes or so; it felt like longer. This relates to the fiscal situation of our district health boards (DHBs). Now, if Mr Yule had looked on page 15 of the Supplementary Estimates document produced by Treasury, he would have seen that, in fact, there has been an additional $95 million of equity funding put in to fund our district health boards. Of course, it begs the question, why is this? Why is it that the Government is having to put additional funding in to support our district health boards? What New Zealanders are aware of is that it\u2019s because of nine years of neglect. Nine years in which our public services were run down by that previous Government. Nine years in which fundamental public services, such as our DHBs, weren\u2019t given enough to do the basics on. That is what this Government is cleaning up. These Supplementary Estimates reveal we had to put an additional $95 million into those district health boards to ensure that they could keep the doors open and do the job that they have to do. On this side of the House, we\u2019re proud of the fact that we are willing to make those investments, but we\u2019re not happy about the fact that we have to do so through this process because of the neglect of that previous Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000538\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EI might note that up until pretty recently, in general terms, the people who have been overseeing the governance of those district health boards have been appointees of the previous Government, so there\u2019s no call to say that they haven\u2019t been governed well. The simple fact is that those entities are underfunded, and this Government has a plan to deal with it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000539\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EI might note that as much as the Opposition might try and make a point out of this\u2014and over this very week of the Budget debate we have had those members complaining about that additional investment needed into the health system to plug the deficit\u2014at the same time, those members have been arguing for tax cuts; at the same time, those members have been arguing that debt should be paid down at a faster rate. So they want it all. They want taxes cut. They want lower debt. They want increased expenditure. It simply doesn\u2019t add up. Those Opposition members have no fiscal credibility. The figures don\u2019t add up. The evidence on the basis of this debate is that they don\u2019t even engage in the most basic elements of the work that an Opposition should to understand what is going on in the Government finances and hold the Government to account. It\u2019s just the same boring old line about tax cuts. That party can simply not get over the fact\u2014they simply cannot get over the fact\u2014that there is more to life and more to running a good Government than cutting taxes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003ECarrying on in the Supplementary Estimates, I want to acknowledge the fact that in the Supplementary Estimates there is additional funding here by way of capital injections into the Defence Force, carrying through on the good work of our Minister of Defence, the Hon Ron Mark. He is, in fact, picking up on some of the work that was carried out under the previous Government, in terms of the defence white paper, making sure that our defence services have the equipment that they need to protect and preserve New Zealand\u2019s interests, particularly in the Pacific and in the southern seas. I want to acknowledge that and put that on the table, some of those additional capital injections into defence that are in the Supplementary Estimates.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000541\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EWe\u2019re also debating the imprest supply bill, an important piece of legislation that ensures that the business of Government goes on until the Budget process is complete. I\u2019m very pleased that we\u2019re able to support this bill, because what it does is make sure that some of the important initiatives that this Government funded through its Wellbeing Budget are able to get under way. I\u2019m very proud of this Budget and I don\u2019t think there is an area that I\u2019m more proud of than the investment into mental health.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000542\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EThis is a Government that is finally taking mental health seriously. For too long our society, and, let\u2019s face it, successive Governments, haven\u2019t dealt adequately with this issue. I remember when the Minister of Health in the previous Government dismissed New Zealanders who came to this Parliament putting forward the people\u2019s mental health inquiry as politically motivated and mischief-makers and basically turned them away at the door. This is a Government which has brought together people from the sector and said that we will prioritise the mental health of New Zealanders, because that is what a Government that is concerned with the wellbeing of its citizens does. This is a $1.9 billion package that comes through in the Budget that we are supporting through this piece of legislation in getting that investment under way. It will ensure that New Zealanders have access to community-level mental health services. It ensures the beginning of a $40 million investment into reducing suicide in our country. Isn\u2019t it absolutely appalling that the single biggest cause of death of our young men under the age of 25 in this country is suicide? No member in this Chamber would believe that that is acceptable; no member of this Chamber would want to see that carry on as it is. This Government is doing something about it. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000543\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EI am very proud of those investments. I\u2019m proud of the investments in here, as well, that we are supporting through this legislation which are going to lift between 50,000 and 70,000 of our children out of poverty. No society that values the wellbeing of its people, that values the notion that our children should be able to achieve their very fullest potential and flourish in their lives could or would accept the level of child poverty that we have in this country. This Budget and the legislation that we are supporting has been shown to lift between 50,000 and 70,000 of our kids out of child poverty. The Children\u2019s Commissioner, Andrew Becroft, last year told us that the single biggest thing that we could do to help our kids who were in poverty was to index benefit rates to wages. That is done in this Budget, and that will make an absolutely enormous difference. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000544\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EThis is also a Budget which invests in the public services that are so important to New Zealanders. I just want to touch briefly on health. Over each of the next two years, $850 million dollars of capital expenditure is going into health to make sure that we don\u2019t have the shameful spectacle of sewage running down the walls of Middlemore Hospital again. That was preceded last year, in the 2017 Budget, by a $750 million capital investment. Under National the year before that, it was $100 million; the year before that, it was zip. This is a Government which is investing in the wellbeing of its people. Whether it\u2019s pulling our kids out of poverty, whether it\u2019s giving our people access to the mental health services that they need, whether it\u2019s investing in the public health system for our people, that is what this Budget delivers. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000545\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003EThis is a Government which is here for the many, not just the few. I\u2019m immensely proud of this Budget and pleased to support these pieces of legislation in the House tonight. Thank you. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u0022fcc4f44fe9804cf9961a8ddc22adecc5\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 Appropriation (2018/19 Supplementary Estimates) Bill and the Imprest Supply (First for 2019/20) Bill be now read a second 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 of Aotearoa New Zealand 8.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 57\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 55; ACT New Zealand 1; Ross.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBills 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=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000546\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022ca15f95c73d34cefb84913e07b5d4603\u0022\u003EAppropriation (2018/19 Supplementary Estimates) Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000547\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022329d6ba2c60b422f956641e39bda26f9\u0022\u003EThird 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=\u00222d2ca32dc8f24ef79169cccf0102913f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000548\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222d2ca32dc8f24ef79169cccf0102913f\u0022\u003EHon DAVID PARKER (Associate Minister of Finance)\u003C/span\u003E on behalf of the Minister of Finance: I move, That the Appropriation (2018/19 Supplementary Estimates) Bill be now read a third time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u0022cb30f748950e4801b7892b6eaa54de24\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 Appropriation (2018/19 Supplementary Estimates) Bill be now read a third 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 of Aotearoa New Zealand 8.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 57\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 55; ACT New Zealand 1; Ross.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBill read a third 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=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000549\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022378e755e0c654031b2781d542b11f7c1\u0022\u003EImprest Supply (First for 2019/20) Bill \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000550\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00228ae7cf0ea4bc42df86c57f9f7c3f58ef\u0022\u003EThird 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=\u0022cf0254f8ebce47dbb0e3b4162edc6cc7\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000551\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022cf0254f8ebce47dbb0e3b4162edc6cc7\u0022\u003EHon DAVID PARKER (Associate Minister of Finance)\u003C/span\u003E on behalf of the Minister of Finance: I move, That the Imprest Supply (First for 2019/20) Bill be now read a third time. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u0022389ec7bbba414eb385dda431a7b0a7b8\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 Imprest Supply (First for 2019/20) Bill be now read a third 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 of Aotearoa New Zealand 8.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 57\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 55; ACT New Zealand 1; Ross.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBill read a third 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=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000552\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022eb84bc1314e04b01ae317d2601dd21c6\u0022\u003ESmoke-free Environments (Prohibiting Smoking in Motor Vehicles Carrying Children) Amendment Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000553\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00221e90a5af9acc4b20975a475b782a12a3\u0022\u003EFirst Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000554\u0022\u003EDebate resumed from 20 June.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022 data-id=\u0022a9228f7552974eae84fcf9d7d71ec1d0\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000555\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a9228f7552974eae84fcf9d7d71ec1d0\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National):\u003C/span\u003E Well, thank you, Madam Speaker. It was only last Thursday this bill was first introduced and, as stated at that time, the National Party will be supporting this bill but with some serious qualifications. I\u2019ve got to say that my near-namesake, Michael Wood\u2014if I can revert back to the previous speaker on the last bill\u2014has, I think, a future in stand-up comedy, because he was the guy that said that we in Opposition aren\u2019t doing the work. Well, if there\u2019s any illustration of a Government that isn\u2019t doing the work in Government it\u2019s in this bill, the Smoke-free Environments (Prohibiting Smoking in Motor Vehicles Carrying Children) Amendment Bill. I remember my last words last Thursday were that I was going to speak on the merits of this bill and I can\u2019t find any, to be honest. We are supporting this, but this is a seriously lazy piece of policy work that needs some significant panel beating. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000556\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003ELet me go through why. This was the Government that was going to act with urgency on banning smoking in cars, and the legislation doesn\u2019t become effective for 18 months after the law is passed. Now, probably at the very best, with the Christmas break and a few other things going on next year, we are probably going to see the bill passed into law this time next year, and then it\u2019s going to have an 18-month hiatus. So we are going to go into 2021, the end of 2021, before this has any effect whatsoever. That will only have effect if, indeed, the people that are charged with enforcing it and upholding it\u2014that is, our proud men and women of the New Zealand Police\u2014actually divert resources away from preventing, detecting, and prosecuting crime, and check out whether adults are smoking in their cars. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000557\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003ENow, I talked about the difficulty that I have with this from a philosophical perspective. Where does the long arm of the State end and the sovereignty of the family begin, including the sovereignty for parents to make bad decisions? It\u2019s actually against my, sort of, philosophical leanings that I support this bill. But what\u2019s the point of having the bill if it\u2019s not going to be effective? What we know from any legislative process which involves a sanctions regime is that people\u2019s compliance with it is commensurate with the likelihood that they\u2019re going to be caught and the consequences of getting caught. The answer is that there\u2019s very low likelihood that they\u2019re going to get caught and it\u2019s a wet bus ticket if they do. Frankly, I hope the New Zealand Police don\u2019t give more than a passing nod to this\u2014perhaps when they\u2019re doing, I don\u2019t know, drink-driving checks, or hopefully, in the future, drug-driving checks, but there shouldn\u2019t be an iota of resource diverted away from Crimes Act issues and into smoking in cars. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000558\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003EThen, of course, there is the ridiculous situation we have where one is committing offence by smoking in a car with a child unless the car is a dwelling. Well, now, that says two things to me\u2014the Government have absolutely given up on solving the homelessness problem, which has got worse on their watch, not better. They\u2019re now saying not only will there be people living in cars but they\u2019re allowed to continue to smoke with their children.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000559\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003ENow we had the conversation, Mr Eagle and I. We were talking about our particular childhood experiences\u2014the Pall Mall filters and the Holden Special station wagon, with the window down and the cigarette going out the window, the smoke being blown back into the back of the station wagon, and the children coughing and spluttering. I think I survived it, although, as I said, my growth was stunted a little more than Mr Eagle\u2019s was. But the issue is this: that seems to be illegal now unless you\u2019re actually living in the car, and the smoke won\u2019t blow out the window then, but that\u2019s OK. That\u2019s actually allowed under this. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000560\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003ENow, the Minister introducing the bill said that that wasn\u2019t the intention; it was about holiday homes. Well, hang on, this is the laziness of the policy work that\u2019s been done. That\u2019s not what the bill says\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000561\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022424ee0a7a9a04b2a9fb4a1f8c1b0faec\u0022\u003EAndrew Bayly\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, hang on, hang on. Mr Wood said we were lazy. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000562\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ea0934772c85425fa02d6d74974c9d8d\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014that\u2019s right\u2014and yet they can\u2019t even tell the difference between a car and a holiday home, and as a consequence, a car now is a dwelling, one where the adult can smoke around their kids. So that has to be fixed. These are things that the select committee will be working on. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000563\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003EThe other issue is, of course, it\u2019s unlawful to purchase cigarettes if you\u2019re under the age of 18, but it\u2019s not unlawful to smoke them in your car\u2014that\u2019s fine. That actually sends a real signal to our youth\u2014youth whose prevalence of smoking under the previous Government, by the way, dropped from 15 percent to 3 percent. Only 3 percent of 15- to 17-year-olds now smoke one cigarette or more a day, and the House should be aware that that progress\u2014that significant progress in an important group who shouldn\u2019t even start\u2014was made with strategies other than legislation. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000564\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003EHow many times did the National Party in Government hear from the Opposition that education was the answer, not legislation, and that punitive measures were always subordinate to good education and prevention strategies, yet here we are. My colleague the Hon Nicky Wagner described it in her first reading speech as a big bunch of virtue signalling. I could not agree more. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000565\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003EThis could be argued to be a complete waste of this House\u2019s time and a busy Health Committee\u2019s time, but I have confidence and I have some optimism that, actually, this can be sharpened up. This can actually be a bit better than it is\u2014a lot better than it is. Frankly, it couldn\u2019t be much worse. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000566\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003ESo that will be the task of the Health Committee. I look forward to the submissions. I have no doubt that clauses around allowing children to smoke in cars if they\u2019re under 18, and allowing cars to be used as houses and allowing that to be OK to smoke in front of children is going to eliminated from this bill. It would be quite difficult, actually, to support it in subsequent readings if those improvements were not made, but, in the meantime, we will hold our noses and we will support this interference into the sovereignty of the family for the sake of the children. But in order to be able to do that, it has to be effective and it has to be made better. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022676b0bc5-331b-4818-b261-ecf892d0bf23\u0022 data-id=\u0022e0395594b66841e490af8b9a6beeba33\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000567\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022676b0bc5-331b-4818-b261-ecf892d0bf23\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e0395594b66841e490af8b9a6beeba33\u0022\u003EJENNY MARCROFT (NZ First):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. It\u2019s a pleasure to rise and take a call on the Smoke-free Environments (Prohibiting Smoking in Motor Vehicles Carrying Children) Amendment Bill. New Zealand First supports this piece of legislation. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000568\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022676b0bc5-331b-4818-b261-ecf892d0bf23\u0022\u003EI\u2019d like to begin as a couple of the previous members have done, by acknowledging the vehicles they were in as children. In the 1970s, there was a similarity between myself and Michael Woodhouse, the member who\u2019s just resumed his seat, around a Holden Special station wagon, and I think ours might have been panel-beater grey. Not only that, but it was the norm back in those days to have parents smoking in the car while the kids were in the back. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000569\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022676b0bc5-331b-4818-b261-ecf892d0bf23\u0022\u003EIn fact, we had a little Mini. My dad had a Mini. It was a black Mini\u2014EC108\u2014and I have fond memories of the Mini. We would pile into the car on a Sunday morning, with Dad driving and Mum in the front, nursing the baby. My three siblings would be sitting in the back seat, with our other sibling on our knees\u2014jam-packed with seven of us in that Mini, and no one wearing a seatbelt. It was the norm then, but we\u2019ve changed. We realised how dangerous that was, and as a society we moved and we made it click\u2014suddenly, we were all wearing seatbelts. This is a little bit like that. The social norm to smoke in the car with children\u2014that\u2019ll be a thing of the past very soon, as this legislation is passed through. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000570\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022676b0bc5-331b-4818-b261-ecf892d0bf23\u0022\u003EThe United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child\u2014we, absolutely, as a Government understand our responsibility for protecting our children\u2019s health and wellbeing, so I\u2019m very pleased to support this piece of legislation. It\u2019s a really sensible measure. It\u2019s all about ensuring that we are protecting, particularly, our vulnerable children\u2014our tamariki, our rangatahi. You see, they have no choice in the matter when they\u2019re stuck in a car and there\u2019s someone else smoking, and we know that more than 100 New Zealanders die every year from the effects of second-hand smoke. This change will bring us into line with other countries like Australia, the UK, Canada, and South Africa as well. This is all about getting clean air for kids, and when we have that focus, we will ensure that our children will be in a better state of health as a result. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000571\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022676b0bc5-331b-4818-b261-ecf892d0bf23\u0022\u003EThere was a great campaign by my former colleague Duncan Garner, who had a little bit of a campaign on the telly about this. When he spoke to the Rt Hon Winston Peters, he said that the \u201Ccommon sense strain of the government\u201D strongly supports the ban. We think we\u2019ve taken a really common-sense, practical approach here, and Mr Peters said that, actually, \u201Cchildren haven\u2019t got a choice\u201D, and that\u2019s really the long and the short of it. A husband has a choice and a wife has a choice in the vehicle, so really, it should be banned because children don\u2019t have that choice. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000572\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022676b0bc5-331b-4818-b261-ecf892d0bf23\u0022\u003ESo I\u2019m acknowledging also the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee, which I was a member of last year. We held a joint hearing with the Health Committee, and we were looking at Smokefree Aotearoa 2025. It was really interesting to combine the two select committees, and we were reminded that smoking is New Zealand\u2019s biggest killer. In fact, 5,000 people every year are killed because of smoking and smoking-related illnesses. We heard from H\u0101pai Te Hauora, and really, I\u2019m hoping that they may come and present to the select committee, because they brought some really interesting statistics, particularly around M\u0101ori and the slight smoking decline in, particularly, those vulnerable groups. So it will be interesting to hear from them. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000573\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022676b0bc5-331b-4818-b261-ecf892d0bf23\u0022\u003EOne of the focuses during that joint committee was on looking at smoking in cars, and the submitters were very clear to us that smoking in cars carrying children should actually be banned immediately. The Health Committee under the previous Government, in fact, recommended that the Government ban smoking in cars carrying children under the age of 18 years. However, the National Government declined to do that, so we are picking up the challenge and we are moving ahead and taking this legislation all the way through. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000574\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022676b0bc5-331b-4818-b261-ecf892d0bf23\u0022\u003EOverseas, we know that this has been passed, particularly in Australia, in various jurisdictions over there. In Queensland, smoking while under-16-year-olds are in cars has been banned, and there is a $200 fine there. In South Australia, also under the age of 16, it\u2019s been banned, and in Victoria, it\u2019s under the age of 18. So there\u2019s a little bit of change and discrepancy between various jurisdictions in terms of their ages. Canada has had a ban for children under the age of 16, but in Nova Scotia, though, they\u2019ve picked the age of 19. Around the world, in Mauritius smoking is prohibited in a car carrying passengers\u2014any passengers, actually. In the United Kingdom, and particularly in England and Wales, smoking in cars has been banned there recently for cars carrying under-18s\u2014just since 2015. There are a number of countries that don\u2019t yet have a smoking ban in cars carrying children, but they are planning to look at that legislation and it\u2019s in the pipeline for them. Finland, Greece, Ireland, and the Netherlands have their bans in the planning stages. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000575\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022676b0bc5-331b-4818-b261-ecf892d0bf23\u0022\u003EI\u2019d just like to make note, in conclusion, that this Government actually doesn\u2019t want anyone in cars with children to be smoking, and we also don\u2019t want anyone to be forced to live in their cars. You know, we are making record investments in terms of emergency, transitional, and State housing to ensure that all New Zealanders have somewhere absolutely decent to live. This bill will amend the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990, which has never included private dwellings. Now, maybe if the National Party is interested in banning smoking in people\u2019s homes\u2014well, I\u2019m sure that would be a significant shift in their position. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000576\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022676b0bc5-331b-4818-b261-ecf892d0bf23\u0022\u003EThere are a couple of clauses that we would like the select committee to take a much closer look at. These are these exemption clauses which are in this legislation. We would like a focus to be shone on that, and so, definitely, New Zealand First will be listening to the experts. We will be taking good consideration of the submissions and the evidence that will come in through the select committee process around those couple of clauses as it goes through the select committee stage. So, in conclusion, I am pleased to commend this bill to the House. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022 data-id=\u00227b4fb813239741f890fff056541843db\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000577\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227b4fb813239741f890fff056541843db\u0022\u003EDr SHANE RETI (National\u2014Whangarei):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. It\u2019s a pleasure to speak to this Smoke-free Environments (Prohibiting Smoking in Motor Vehicles Carrying Children) Amendment Bill, that I\u2014and that we\u2014will be supporting. I want to thank the last speaker, Jenny Marcroft, for her traverse of the international scenarios. I thought that was particularly good. I wanted to initially cover just very briefly Part 1 and Part 1A, and then talk to a part of this that particularly interests me. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000578\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003EI recall in 2016-17 being lobbied by one of the Northland schools who eventually brought a petition down here, and I\u2019ll come back to that shortly. But Part 1 clearly just says, \u201CLook, with our other pieces of legislation, workplaces, employee and passenger vehicles\u2014this bill applies to children in those environments as well.\u201D \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000579\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s Part 1A that\u2019s kind of interesting, what I\u2019ll call the application criteria. First, we note it\u2019s relevant to children under 18. Secondly, the vehicle needs to be moving or stationary. And, thirdly, it needs to be on a road, which got me looking through, this afternoon, thinking, \u201CCrikey, what is the definition of a road?\u201D Well, it turns out it actually picks up car parks, beaches, wharves, river beds, bridges. So I think most of the definitions of a road\u2014there is some difference between a driveway and a road where driveway meets a road, but maybe that comes into the part that my colleague was talking about, about where we start to encroach on the sovereignty of the home and the sovereignty of the individual. The Hon Mike Woodhouse also commented on the odd parts to this bill, the clauses that talk about a lack of application to those under 18 and the only occupant in a car, and where a vehicle is used as a dwelling. I think my colleague covered that off. This bill doesn\u2019t take the opportunity to comment on vaping and the opportunities that might present. I think it could and might have, and maybe this select committee will reflect on that also. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000580\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003EThe regulatory impact statement clearly identified the health benefits: decreased hospital admissions, decreased asthma, and decreased glue ear\u2014otitis media with effusion. We know that there\u2019s a relationship between smoking and the glue ear that children get, which prevents them from hearing. The regulatory impact statement also talks about the evidence, which they call \u201Cmedium\u201D, and I\u2019m aware there\u2019s some level of controversy around whether this is really strong or whether it\u2019s anecdotal almost, but it\u2019s referred to here as \u201Cmedium\u201D, which in my view is probably a good summary. I was particularly interested in page 8, where they talk about the degree of harm. They comment here that smoking in a vehicle, even when the vehicle has the air conditioning on or where the window is halfway down, still has a significant amount of contaminants in it, and they reference a New Zealand Medical Journal article saying that where the smoking has occurred in a car it\u2019s similar to being in a smoky pub. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000581\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003EI think what interested me was some of their references, because a situation that particularly sticks in my mind from the school children in Northland in 2016\u2014they were coming from a Blue Light enterprise with the Relay for Life, and, as part of that, their mission was to get signatures and survey views from the audience in Relay for Life around second-hand smoking in cars for children. They presented that to me, and, in fact, I brought that here to the Prime Minister of the day, as I recall. The part that really stuck in my mind, that they pointed out to me, was third-hand smoking or residues. The regulatory impact statement refers to that and refers to a 2008 paper, which I think is particularly interesting, because what this paper did was look at vehicles that smokers had been in and smokers hadn\u2019t been in\u2014second-hand vehicles\u2014and they did surface wipes, they did an assessment of the dust and air samples, and clearly found a difference in all of those in vehicles where there\u2019d been smokers and non-smokers.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000582\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003EIf they looked at where a vehicle had been a smoking vehicle and the person had banned smoking, not smoked in it for a number of years, they didn\u2019t get the air contaminants but there were still significant residual nicotine and other contaminants on the surface wipe and in the dust. This is the third-hand smoking, if you like, or the residual contaminants, making the case that when you smoke in a car it permeates the leather, it permeates the seats, it permeates the seals round the windows, and you may stop smoking in that car but those contaminants will continue to leach. I think this is a really, really important area of second-hand smoking in cars. Clearly, the primary firsthand effect and the second-hand effect we\u2019re aware of, and this is referred to as the third-hand effect.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000583\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003ESo those are some of the things that we\u2019ll explore in select committee. Again, I want to acknowledge the petition from the Northland school that came towards the House of Parliament in 2016, was received here in 2017, and I look forward to this going to select committee for further exploration and, hopefully, our support. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022 data-id=\u00225a7225d0c6bd4846a24dd5f3b9e0c2fb\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000584\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225a7225d0c6bd4846a24dd5f3b9e0c2fb\u0022\u003EMARAMA DAVIDSON (Co-Leader\u2014Green):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. It is simply not good enough. I think all of us here in this House agree that it\u2019s simply not good enough for children, who don\u2019t make the choice or the decision, to be exposed to second-hand smoke while in a vehicle. So the Greens stand to support in this House the Smoke-free Environments (Prohibiting Smoking in Motor Vehicles Carrying Children) Amendment Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003EThe part of the bill at the core of what we are debating tonight is new section 20D in Part 1A, inserted by clause 9, where it says very clearly, and this goes to the brief but clear intentions of the bill, \u201CSmoking prohibited in motor vehicle carrying child. (1) A person must not smoke in a motor vehicle, whether moving or stationary, that is on a road and has a child occupant.\u201D Of course, there are definitions spelt out around \u201Cchild occupant \u2026 a person under the age of 18 years who is in a motor vehicle\u201D and so on and so forth. But I think at the heart of everything we are trying to acknowledge here is the problem of children being exposed to second-hand smoke. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000586\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003ENow, the Greens support this bill as part of our smoke-free Aotearoa by 2025 vision. We agree with, because it is in keeping with the Green kaupapa, and we\u2019ll support this approach. We\u2019ve had conversations, and it has been talked about here in the House tonight, about the methods of how we change behaviour. I\u2019m pleased to see a focus in this bill on changing behaviour as opposed to a punitive action. There is a fine. There is a fine of $50 or a fine imposed by the court not exceeding $100. What we will hope to see, and it is mentioned in the bill somewhat, is a direction, a good clear direction for police, to be able to make referrals to health support, to cessation support, to be able to refer on to support organisations and smoking cessation organisations as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000587\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003EThat, we believe, and know from evidence, is the way to be able to support a change in behaviour\u2014and to be able to hear from the Minister herself that this is what this bill is essentially about; it is encouraging a change of behaviour. We have seen compliance and positive behavioural change happen, particularly around smoking laws before. Actually, there\u2019s been a bit of a theme of the smoky Holden. I mean, I too, as a child of the 1970s and 1980s, remember exactly that. Particularly for me, M\u0101ori women have a disproportionately higher rate of smoking still, but especially back then in the 1980s. So that\u2019s very much a memory for myself, and it is unpleasant. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000588\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003EBut how do we want to be able to support enduring behavioural change? We did see some good compliance has happened. The 2000 law change was successful in compliance in workplaces. Gosh, I remember not having to come home from a nightclub with hair that smelt like a smoky hedge on top of my head. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000589\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022062df1b5aeea43f09a7c560ab1b21761\u0022\u003EAngie Warren-Clark\u003C/span\u003E: Ha, ha!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000590\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a52e3f54a3fe4326b0471bc2124c63ab\u0022\u003EMARAMA DAVIDSON\u003C/span\u003E: You remember, I know. Sorry, not you, Madam Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000591\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ee649aea-c6fa-4610-9fcf-5c4bb2d3cd33\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002220e141d9d130428aa0edccc2bf02de2c\u0022\u003EMatt Doocey\u003C/span\u003E: It never happened to me.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000592\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bf9f9413c0b14495b1c1f61b62f8a1df\u0022\u003EMARAMA DAVIDSON\u003C/span\u003E: Ha, ha! Now, there\u2019s a bit of denial going on here in this House tonight. But we all know clearly how unpleasant that was, especially as a child. So what we\u2019re going to be interested in is some data\u2014and I understand that this will kick into place, 18 months following royal cessat\u2014assent; ha, ha, royal cessation!\u2014so that we can get the public education and awareness campaign out there. And that\u2019s critical actually. It\u2019s really critical that we don\u2019t just go straight into a punitive approach but that we get the public information awareness campaign out there so that we can also encourage people to change their behaviours and let people know. Actually, Dr Shane Reti picked up on some of the actual health impacts. I\u2019m sure other speakers that I missed did as well, which is the point\u2014which is the whole point.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000593\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003EThe Greens will want to see how this law stacks up some time further down the road once it\u2019s put in place. We\u2019ll want to see a bit of a breakdown as to how many fines we actually end up putting out there, how many referrals to smoking cessation support, who ends up being fined and punished by this law, whether there is an imbalance in terms of what families end up being impacted on by this law. So we\u2019ll be very clear that, you know, we want to support the intentions of the bill and we\u2019ll be clear about following up and monitoring some data as to how it actually plays out. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000594\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003EThe final point in my short call tonight that I think I\u2019ll pick up from, and others have talked about it, is I\u2019m looking forward to the benefits for M\u0101ori children, for all children including M\u0101ori children, given that they are 2.6 times more likely to be exposed than other children. And so I look forward for the benefits for all children and assisting M\u0101ori communities and M\u0101ori families in a way that is enduring to be able to change behaviours and set a different direction for the understanding of what our tamariki should be able to breathe when they are in all of our cars.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000595\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003ESo with that, we look forward to hearing back from the Health Committee and further changes that might help this to be a really good piece of law. Thank you, Madam 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=\u002210d28a2e3dea4cd9b997073439eb3269\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000596\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022736a5c0b-8df3-4047-ba26-632ba2798b4c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002210d28a2e3dea4cd9b997073439eb3269\u0022\u003EHon MAGGIE BARRY (National\u2014North Shore):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise to talk to the Smoke-free Environments (Prohibiting Smoking in Motor Vehicles Carrying Children) Amendment Bill at its first reading. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000597\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022736a5c0b-8df3-4047-ba26-632ba2798b4c\u0022\u003EWe support this bill. It makes sense. It makes common sense. It\u2019s a shame sometimes you have to make laws around common sense, but you have to. I was really quite surprised when the Action on Smoking and Health survey, which came out in 2016, said just how many children had been in cars in the previous week: 12 percent of P\u0101keh\u0101 fourth-formers reported being in a car where people were smoking the previous week and 29 percent of M\u0101ori fourth-form students reported being in a car where smoking was going on. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000598\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022736a5c0b-8df3-4047-ba26-632ba2798b4c\u0022\u003EAs the previous speaker, Marama Davidson, has indicated, with a Holden\u2014we had a Humber Hawk. My old man was like Andy Capp\u2014you know, those roll-your-owns, and the cigarette was in the bottom of his mouth and you\u2019d think it couldn\u2019t possibly ignite. He\u2019d puff away and away it would go again, and the place was full of smoke. He said they were much less dangerous, incidentally, roll-your-owns, because they didn\u2019t have those added toxins and cobalt in it, or something to make it slow down or saltpetre or something. Anyway, lung cancer got him in the end\u2014may he rest in peace. But over all of those years where he refused to not smoke in the vehicle, I don\u2019t know anything that might have really changed his mind. A heavy fine and imprisonment might have got him there, but a piece of legislation like this is still necessary, because there are still people who are addicted and who don\u2019t think it\u2019s a problem \u201Cbecause it\u2019s always been that way and why would we want to change it?\u201D \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000599\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022736a5c0b-8df3-4047-ba26-632ba2798b4c\u0022\u003EBut the police need the extra powers. They need to be able to, if they see something like that occurring\u2014and it may not just be tobacco. If cannabis is legalised and there\u2019s reefers being smoked in the confines of a car, that would be obviously extremely undesirable for young people or second- or third-hand smoking, and Dr Reti introduced us to a whole new horror of these toxins, and what have you, still being present in a vehicle for a long period of time. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000600\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022736a5c0b-8df3-4047-ba26-632ba2798b4c\u0022\u003EI think there were a couple of misses around this bill; you know, vaping. Why leave that out? It\u2019s been examined on every level. You can\u2019t vape in a plane, you can\u2019t vape in a lot of public places, so why in a closed place? I noticed that vapers have a ridiculous amount of smoke around them. It\u2019s the kind of thing that\u2019s alarming when you see it down the street. It\u2019s as if they have combusted. But no, it\u2019s just the vape. But imagine it filling up a car. It could be a hazard to driving\u2014who knows. But that is one of the things, no doubt, that will come out at the select committee. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000601\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022736a5c0b-8df3-4047-ba26-632ba2798b4c\u0022\u003EI guess the other contradiction which did strike me as being a bit peculiar is to allow smoking in a vehicle that is a dwelling, like a camper van. As long as it\u2019s stationary you can smoke in it, and I don\u2019t think that that\u2019s worthy of an exemption. I think, again, it sends odd mixed messages. You might as well go the whole hog on this one. I guess at the select committee this will be teased out, and if people are living in their cars and they don\u2019t move very often, what does that actually mean? But I think exempting people who are under 18 by allowing them to smoke in a vehicle as long as they are the only person under 18 in a vehicle, to me, does seem rather counter to the spirit of this bill and a bit contradictory.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000602\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022736a5c0b-8df3-4047-ba26-632ba2798b4c\u0022\u003ESo there are a number of things that we support, and we will support the bill at least till it goes through to select committee. I believe that changing behaviour can be the carrot and the stick approach, and also the fear factor. If you fear that you are going to give your children secondary smoke that might cause cancer in later years, those are the kinds of things that might just kick in and make people think a couple of times extra, but to have this backing it up and to have the police able to make sure that people are aware of the safety and the health aspects and, \u201COh, by the way, if that doesn\u2019t work, you\u2019ll get a fine.\u201D\u2014I don\u2019t know whether that is going to be determined at the select committee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000603\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022736a5c0b-8df3-4047-ba26-632ba2798b4c\u0022\u003EI think there are a number of really good aspects to this bill, and I won\u2019t take up further time in the House this evening by going into them in more detail. I\u2019m sure there\u2019ll be other opportunities to talk about it. So, with that said, I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022 data-id=\u0022fb25470ffbf644d6b670281902bf07a8\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000604\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022fb25470ffbf644d6b670281902bf07a8\u0022\u003EANGIE WARREN-CLARK (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. It is a real pleasure to rise and speak to\u2014and I\u2019m going to read it out also, because it\u2019s so very long\u2014the Smoke-free Environments (Prohibiting Smoking in Motor Vehicles Carrying Children) Amendment Bill. It is a real pleasure to rise as a member of the Health Committee and to recognise the Hon Jenny Salesa for putting in place some changes\u2014changes that the Opposition failed to do when they looked at this issue. Nevertheless, I take and accept that the members across the House are happy to support it at this stage.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000605\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003ENow, this bill is what I would consider a small but significant change. As we say, ahakoa he iti, he pounamu\u2014it is small but precious\u2014just like our little people.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000606\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c91516adaa024a5588188c938b9d7a36\u0022\u003EKieran McAnulty\u003C/span\u003E: Like me!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000607\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002267874050a8224ace9e5417ce3b7ffc18\u0022\u003EANGIE WARREN-CLARK\u003C/span\u003E: Ha, ha! And like Kieran McAnulty. So this bill seeks, very simply, to remove smoking from cars when children are present, and children are defined as \u201C18 and under\u201D. I am like everyone here, and I have my own story as well. I grew up in a smoke-free car, but the smoke-free car that I grew up in had no seatbelts. We had a Triumph Mk II with overdrive, and it was a pretty racy car. It would zoom around. We\u2019d go up and\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000608\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc9c47c0-4409-44ca-ad2f-498707f27d69\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022617ce76365da485b98f5bd37a30cb1ff\u0022\u003EJonathan Young\u003C/span\u003E: Racy?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000609\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227b5b74da1bd1494b93d31b9bdbd337c1\u0022\u003EANGIE WARREN-CLARK\u003C/span\u003E: Well, it was racy. It was fire-engine red, too. And one of the things was that we kids would be in the backseat completely\u2014there were no seatbelts at all. And, of course, that has changed now, and I think the member Jenny Marcroft said this as well: it was perfectly normal, back when I was a young nipper, not to have a seatbelt on\u2014absolutely normal. And that is what I particularly like about this bill. This bill seeks to change the norm\u2014the norm that it\u2019s OK to smoke in a car when you have children\u2014and it is not seeking to instantly change that norm. There will be an 18-month period of media campaigning, etc., which will support this change. So it\u2019s about letting people know the harm that is done, and it is important to do that, because, as the members across the House have said, a $50 fine may not be significant enough to change, but it is part of the picture of that change.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000610\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003ENow, why is this important? Why is it important to ban smoking in cars? I did write this down. So these are some of the health effects, and the member Shane Reti has mentioned them. It increases serious infections affecting breathing to our children. It increases croup, bronchitis, pneumonia, and it increases the likelihood of catching colds, coughs, and wheezes. It dramatically increases the risk of cot death for infants\u2014dramatically increases the risk of cot death for infants. It increases glue ear and middle ear infections, and one that was very surprising to me: the instances of meningococcal disease. And I think that that is something that the Opposition would be very interested to know. And there are about 15,000 asthma attacks in children under the age of 16 years per year that are attributed to smoking in cars. So these are some of the things that people may not realise or understand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000611\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003EThe other thing that I particularly like about this bill is that, with this transition period, those officers will also have the option to give people smoking cessation as opposed to an infringement. This will not be a criminal conviction, and the person who is smoking will get the infringement, not the person who is driving. I think that that it is really important and quite sensible, because sometimes we do not have the option, or we are unable to ask people to not smoke in our cars, and those people will be the ones that will be fined for that. So, with that, I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022ee649aea-c6fa-4610-9fcf-5c4bb2d3cd33\u0022 data-id=\u0022fac59edca9b8456ba052fd128366d122\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000612\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ee649aea-c6fa-4610-9fcf-5c4bb2d3cd33\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022fac59edca9b8456ba052fd128366d122\u0022\u003EMATT DOOCEY (National\u2014Waimakariri):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. It\u2019s a pleasure to rise on behalf of the National Party in support of the Smoke-free Environments (Prohibiting Smoking in Motor Vehicles Carrying Children) Amendment Bill. I\u2019d just like to start by pausing and reflecting on the poor, old smoker! It\u2019s not much fun for them these days. I consider myself a former smoker\u2014that means I haven\u2019t had one today. The poor smokers get a bit of a kicking these days, and you can probably understand that, yes, in this situation that we\u2019re debating tonight, it makes a lot of sense\u2014vulnerable children in cars. Really, we shouldn\u2019t have adults smoking in cars. So I think this is a logical next step. When you think about it, we used to smoke in buses, planes, and pubs. Now, there are towns in my part of the world, in North Canterbury, like Hanmer, which are going smoke-free as a town. So it\u2019s all a logical next step.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000613\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ee649aea-c6fa-4610-9fcf-5c4bb2d3cd33\u0022\u003EBut I would like to point out\u2014and I was sort of trying to gear myself up to speak tonight\u2014that it\u2019s all a bit underwhelming, really, isn\u2019t it? The whole bill is just a bit\u2014well, underwhelming. I mean, this Government came in to be one of the most transformational Governments we have seen. We\u2019re 18 months in, we\u2019re six months into the \u201Cyear of delivery\u201D, and what are we debating tonight? A bit of a nice to have, a bit of a stocking filler, really\u2014that\u2019s what I\u2019d call it; a bit of a filler. If it was really transformational, they would have embraced the technology that has developed, even since the last Government, and now that they\u2019re in charge, they should\u2019ve taken on the technologies of vaping and really made a difference. Why are we tinkering around the edges, saying, \u201COh, we\u2019ll pass a piece of legislation. It\u2019ll take 18 months to come in, and even the regulatory impact statement says, in fact, legislation is probably not going to make a difference. But, hey, we\u2019ll do an education plan in parallel, and we\u2019re not actually expecting those who are going to be the ones we are targeting to actually take any notice anyway.\u201D?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000614\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ee649aea-c6fa-4610-9fcf-5c4bb2d3cd33\u0022\u003EAnd I come back to that point: transformational Government\u2014or so they espouse\u201418 months in, six months into the year of delivery, and we have this stocking-filler bill that is tinkering around the edges, when what they could have done is embrace the latest technology\u2014vaping. What does this bill say about vaping? Silent. Because, if we\u2019re really honestly aiming for 2025, we\u2019ve got to do a lot better than this, surely? A lot better than this. Why are we not bringing a bill into the House that focuses on 2025, resources all the latest technology on vaping, getting people off cigarettes and into vaping? I mean, are we going to say that you can vape in cars, because the bill doesn\u2019t say anything? Are we going to say that, once the referendum comes in, you can smoke cannabis in cars? I mean, it really is short-sighted, and for a Government that came in and said that they were going to be transformational, I think people tonight listening and watching will be\u2014well, like me\u2014quite underwhelmed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000615\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ee649aea-c6fa-4610-9fcf-5c4bb2d3cd33\u0022\u003EI\u2019m on the Health Committee, and I\u2019d like to say\u2014I\u2019ll take a bit of a sweepstake tonight\u2014I think we\u2019ll get about three submissions. Two of them will be because people made a wrong submission to the wrong select committee, and we\u2019ll probably get about one. And we\u2019ll change nothing to the bill, and then we\u2019ll bring it in\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000616\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cc7981cf0aff4b86b22a87224d5ccc72\u0022\u003EMichael Wood\u003C/span\u003E: Put something up! Will the member put his money where his mouth is?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000617\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ee649aea-c6fa-4610-9fcf-5c4bb2d3cd33\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002296185445583949b98cf6ebbf3c4ec68c\u0022\u003EMATT DOOCEY\u003C/span\u003E: Well, how about you? You told us you were going to be a transformational Government. You\u2019re the Government. Why don\u2019t you put a bill in that will be transformational, that\u2019ll really make New Zealand go smoke-free by 2025? All we\u2019re doing is tinkering around the edges\u2014underwhelming. I\u2019m betting\u2014and I\u2019m not going to bet a pack of cigarettes but I\u2019m betting\u2014that we\u2019ll get three submissions. Nothing in this bill will change. We\u2019ll come back out of select committee for the second reading and we\u2019ll say all the same words\u2014\u201CChildren are our future. We need to protect them.\u201D\u2014and then we\u2019ll get to the second and third readings, we\u2019ll pass the bill, and 18 months down the track we\u2019ll say, \u201CHey, legislation didn\u2019t make much difference, but we ran a good educational campaign.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u0022af498a4259aa4351921fec6aaee8f90e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000618\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022af498a4259aa4351921fec6aaee8f90e\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Adrian Rurawhe)\u003C/span\u003E: Order! The member\u2019s time has expired. Can I remind members again that, if you use the pronoun \u201Cyou\u201D, you are bringing the Speaker into the debate. So we have 1 hour 15 minutes to go. Let\u2019s not have to do that again.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00223c5917bd-9c2f-4bdf-af2f-b13cd1a2c8bb\u0022 data-id=\u00222b09ea66ef404670b9b47f67ac919d2d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000619\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223c5917bd-9c2f-4bdf-af2f-b13cd1a2c8bb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222b09ea66ef404670b9b47f67ac919d2d\u0022\u003EDr LIZ CRAIG (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. Well, usually, that\u2019s a hard act to follow, but in this case, let\u2019s do something a bit more upbeat.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000620\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223c5917bd-9c2f-4bdf-af2f-b13cd1a2c8bb\u0022\u003EThinking about last Saturday, last Saturday was the shortest day of the year, and down South, last Saturday was marked by a number of midwinter swims by people in very strange swimming togs. And also associated with it is chipping that ice off the car every morning. But the problem we\u2019ve got is also that midwinter is associated with our emergency departments being absolutely packed full of wheezing and coughing kids. I remember going on post-admission ward rounds and just seeing whole rooms full of kids hooked up to nebuliser, oxygen, kids getting intravenous antibiotics because they had pneumonia. What this bill will do is make a big difference in that space, because what the research shows is that if kids are exposed to second-hand cigarette smoke they\u2019re much more likely to get respiratory tract infections, they\u2019re much more likely to get otitis media middle ear infections, and they\u2019re much more likely to get asthma attacks. So it has a huge impact on children\u2019s health.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000621\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223c5917bd-9c2f-4bdf-af2f-b13cd1a2c8bb\u0022\u003EI remember talking to quite a few parents of kids coming into hospital, and they used to say, \u201CWell, we always smoke outside. We don\u2019t smoke in our homes.\u201D But I don\u2019t actually ever remember having a conversation about smoking in cars. And yet, what the research shows is that if you smoke in cars you can get much more intense concentrations of that cigarette smoke pollution, because research shows that, even after one cigarette, you can get really high levels. It can be incredibly high if you\u2019re in a stationary car with all the windows wound up, but even if somebody is sitting there with a cigarette just by the open window, you can actually get quite high levels of that toxic cigarette smoke. The problem we\u2019ve got is that babies and little children can\u2019t actually speak up and say, \u201CCan you please stop smoking in my car?\u201D So what this bill will do is allow us to do that on their behalf.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000622\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223c5917bd-9c2f-4bdf-af2f-b13cd1a2c8bb\u0022\u003EWhat this bill does is it says that we\u2019re going to amend the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990 to prohibit smoking in motor vehicles with children and young people under the age of 18 years. And it will be the person who is actually smoking who will be held liable for that breach. And so what we do say is that if somebody is by themselves in the car and they are under 18, that prohibition doesn\u2019t apply, or if they are smoking in a car where everybody else is over that age but they\u2019re not. But, basically, what this bill does is it allows the police to issue an infringement notice, which is $50. And then, if that\u2019s not paid and it does end up in the courts, the maximum fine is $100. What we still will have is that the police can have discretion. So they can issue warnings, they can provide information, or they can refer to stop-smoking services, because the point of this legislation is not to issue lots and lots and lots of fines; it is actually to create a culture change so that it\u2019s not a norm for people to smoke with cars with children.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000623\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223c5917bd-9c2f-4bdf-af2f-b13cd1a2c8bb\u0022\u003ESo what the real focus is on is shifting that public perception. I remember when I was younger going to pubs and, basically, you used to come home that night and your clothes and your hair absolutely reeked of cigarette smoke. We managed to change that. We managed to get smoke-free bars, we managed to get smoke-free restaurants, and if we can do it in that space, we can do it for kids in cars.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000624\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223c5917bd-9c2f-4bdf-af2f-b13cd1a2c8bb\u0022\u003ETalking about the timing, the bill comes into force 18 months after it receives Royal assent. The issue that the Hon Michael Woodhouse was talking about\u2014he was worried that the whole world would fall into a hiatus in that 18 months. But, actually, during that 18 months we\u2019re going to be incredibly busy, because what we\u2019re going to be doing is putting in place that whole regime, making sure that the police can make changes to their processing systems, and also making sure that they\u2019ve got staff training in that area. It also allows us to run a really decent public-health education and social-marketing campaign.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000625\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223c5917bd-9c2f-4bdf-af2f-b13cd1a2c8bb\u0022\u003EWhat we\u2019re aiming to do, as I\u2019ve said, is we\u2019re actually aiming to change the norm about smoking in cars with kids, and so during that time the police will be active. What they\u2019ll be doing is they\u2019ll be going out, they\u2019ll be issuing warnings, and they\u2019ll be talking to people about smoking in cars and the impact that has on children. So that will be quite a huge time to be able to think about how we how we shift that public perception.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000626\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223c5917bd-9c2f-4bdf-af2f-b13cd1a2c8bb\u0022\u003EBut I think there\u2019s already\u2014talking about public perception\u2014a lot of support in the community for this bill. Back in 2015, the Health Committee actually received a petition that was asking them to look at smoking in cars. Back then, what the select committee recommended was that we introduce legislation, or other measures, to ban smoking in cars carrying children under 18 years. So this very bill was recommended under the previous Government. But they, basically, declined to do so, so we\u2019re picking up that ball and running with it right now.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000627\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223c5917bd-9c2f-4bdf-af2f-b13cd1a2c8bb\u0022\u003EI think the other thing is that surveys have consistently said that there\u2019s a lot of support. In general, over about 90 percent of people are supportive of prohibiting smoking in vehicles with children. A lot of other countries have just gone on and done it. In places like Australia, England, Scotland, Ireland, and South Africa, they\u2019ve already got legislation or measures in place because of smoking in cars with kids.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000628\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223c5917bd-9c2f-4bdf-af2f-b13cd1a2c8bb\u0022\u003ESo this is a really good bill, and it\u2019s going to protect a lot of children from second-hand cigarette smoke; in particular, those babies and children that can\u2019t themselves say, \u201CLook, can you please stop smoking in my car.\u201D This is the bill that will do that for them. It\u2019s a really important bill that creates that shift in the thinking that it\u2019s actually OK to smoke in cars with kids, and so therefore I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00229188988b-e79b-4381-969a-982d0ebdb3ca\u0022 data-id=\u002200eccd6343854516bfa831983095b290\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000629\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229188988b-e79b-4381-969a-982d0ebdb3ca\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002200eccd6343854516bfa831983095b290\u0022\u003EPAULO GARCIA (National):\u003C/span\u003E Good evening, Mr Speaker. I\u2019m happy to be able to take a call on the Smoke-free Environments (Prohibiting Smoking in Motor Vehicles Carrying Children) Amendment Bill. The bill supports New Zealand\u2019s responsibilities under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It seeks to protect children and young people from the risks and harm caused by second-hand smoke. It\u2019s all very good. As New Zealand journeys to Smokefree Aotearoa 2025, anything that that can be done to achieve this target should be helped. We strongly recommend, however, that a few little issues be dealt with at the select committee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000630\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229188988b-e79b-4381-969a-982d0ebdb3ca\u0022\u003EThe purpose of the bill is very commendable. It is to prohibit smoking inside an enclosed space where there are young people. Mostly, those who will be doing this would either be family members or parents, so we have another main reason for this problem, which is irresponsible parenthood, which is another discussion altogether.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000631\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229188988b-e79b-4381-969a-982d0ebdb3ca\u0022\u003EWe have heard members talk about their own younger experiences in cars where parents had smoked. I had that myself. My father was a heavy smoker. We had a bigger vehicle. It was a Kombi, a Volkswagen\u2014a big van\u2014and so we had a little bit more space. But he stopped. He stopped smoking in the car, and it wasn\u2019t really because a law was passed where he was afraid that a policeman would spot him and fine him. The change that occurred with him happened because he had learned of the consequences of what he was doing. He had figured it out, and he became responsible and decided to stop.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000632\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229188988b-e79b-4381-969a-982d0ebdb3ca\u0022\u003ESmoking in cars has been a persistent problem, but the Ministry of Health itself found that the decline of smoking in cars was directly related to the decline of smoking in general. That seems to indicate that the root cause is the smoking in itself. In fact, we would probably all be aware that many, many smokers would not be smoking with their own children in the car most of the time. Essentially, I was just thinking that despite that finding of the ministry and despite their having confirmed that the possibility of a high number of people stopping smoking because of this change cannot be predictable, maybe the solution should be something more related to a health-based approach, an approach where a strategy could be focused on the stopping of smoking. This is why my colleagues have mentioned vaping, which actually would reduce the amount of smoking in itself.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000633\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229188988b-e79b-4381-969a-982d0ebdb3ca\u0022\u003ESo I would like to propose and strongly recommend that the select committee take a closer look and check out whether, really, the bill\u2019s purpose can be achieved when even the ministry has already said what they have said\u2014that it is smoking that needs to be cut down in numbers. Apart from that, 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=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022 data-id=\u0022e6565cf97a3d41de91ca01d95551cb00\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000634\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e6565cf97a3d41de91ca01d95551cb00\u0022\u003ELOUISA WALL (Labour\u2014Manurewa):\u003C/span\u003E T\u0113n\u0101 koe e Te M\u0101ngai o Te Whare. As the chair of the Health Committee, I\u2019m very much looking forward to the deliberations on this, the Smoke-free Environments (Prohibiting Smoking in Motor Vehicles Carrying Children) Amendment Bill. The history of this legislation actually goes back to 2004, when doctors globally, and medical professionals, highlighted the issue. Essentially, they said that no level of ventilation will eliminate the harmful effects of second-hand smoke in cars.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000635\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022\u003EThe discussion here in Aotearoa on the relevance of that research actually happened in 2010-11, under the auspices of the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee in their inquiry into the tobacco industry in Aotearoa and the consequences of tobacco use for M\u0101ori. So I want to acknowledge the members of that M\u0101ori Affairs Committee for bringing this kaupapa to the House, because, in fact, one of their 42 recommendations was to look at our smoke-free environments legislation. In certain areas that they said that we should be looking at, the prohibition of smoking in vehicles carrying children was in fact one of those contexts. That was reinforced last year by the Health Committee and the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee, who wrote a joint report which was about achieving our smoke-free 2025 goal for Aotearoa New Zealand. And, again, a recommendation of that process was that we should look at vehicles carrying children.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000636\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022\u003EI want to take the opportunity to acknowledge Associate Minister Salesa and also our coalition partners, New Zealand First and the Greens, for actually bringing this piece of legislation to the House. It for us is about putting children at the centre of legislative reform, so if people want to question why we\u2019ve done this, and belittle it, actually what they\u2019re doing is belittling the fact that we\u2019re prioritising children.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000637\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022\u003EIn terms of an international context, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended the implementation of comprehensive smoke-free legislation in 2005, when they established the international Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. We are one of 180 countries to ratify that convention. What they did was highlight that we had to protect our citizens from exposure to second-hand smoke by introducing comprehensive smoke-free legislation. And why? Why did they want us to do that? Because, essentially, 600,000 deaths per year and 11 million disability-adjusted life years per year are a consequence of second-hand smoke. It means 166,000 child deaths each year, and in Aotearoa New Zealand, that\u2019s 350 deaths per year. So if anyone wants to belittle the relevance of this piece of legislation, I seriously think they should look at the rationale and the international imperative for countries like ours to join the UK, to join Canada, to join South Africa, to join Australia, to join Puerto Rico, to join states like Ontario and Nova Scotia in Canada, and to join Maine, California, Arkansas, and Louisiana. So this initiative is a global initiative that helps all of us reduce the impact of second-hand smoke. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000638\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022\u003EWhat I want to highlight is that this piece of legislation isn\u2019t looking at criminalising people. The reality of a $50 fine is that we don\u2019t want to criminalise people. So I want to acknowledge that the police are going to be arbiters of that process. They are our enforcement agency. So what we are asking them to do is be part of a conversation that we want to have with New Zealanders about how important it is to protect our children within a context that now we know causes serious harm. That harm leads to cancer; it leads to asthma, as my colleague Dr Liz Craig highlighted; children who develop respiratory tract infections; emphysema for those later in life. But the reality is children have smaller lungs, they have higher respiratory rates, they have immature immune systems, and people who smoke in contexts where there is no ventilation are actually killing our children.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000639\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022\u003ESo we\u2019re here collectively as a Parliament to ensure we do everything to prevent what is the most preventable death and illness in the world. Smokefree, actually, is a concept that I think as a Parliament we bought into. I want to take the opportunity to also, as my colleague Shane Reti did, acknowledge the people of Northland, because it was the people of Northland in 2015 who signed a petition\u2014over 2,000 Northlanders. They were mobilised to do so because they undertook a piece of research by the Northland District Health Board that found that 26.72 percent of Northland\u2019s year 10 students were travelling to school in cars where someone was smoking. So this is community action. You know, this is what we should respond to as a Parliament\u2014not only the voice of those academics, and the World Health Organization, and the fact that we signed this international framework convention, but also real people living in real communities, and, for this particular piece of legislation, the people of Northland. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000640\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022\u003EThe person who collected that petition, and I want to acknowledge her, was Marama Fox, who travelled to Kait\u0101ia to do so. I know our colleague Shane Reti was involved when they brought that actual petition to the House. But what I also want to acknowledge, actually, is the leadership of M\u0101ori: the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee initially, as I highlighted, who undertook that inquiry; the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee with the Health Committee who, again, chose to undertake an assessment about where we are in terms of Smokefree 2025; and the M\u0101ori members of the Northland community, and the greater community. This isn\u2019t just a M\u0101ori issue, but, actually, the M\u0101ori in that community were motivated to bring the kaupapa to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000641\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve heard that there are issues that some people have about some of the sections and clauses in the bill, and, you know, what I know about our Health Committee\u2014and I have to acknowledge my colleagues in the House who are on that committee, particularly from the Opposition, the Hon Michael Woodhouse and Matt Doocey. I do want to acknowledge that we are incredibly collaborative and we will work diligently to make sure that we produce a piece of legislation that I hope the National Party will actually support at the third reading. That\u2019s the goal. I know that there will be more than three people who submit, Matt, because there are communities that are incredibly passionate about making sure that the legacy of smoking\u2014which, actually, if you know a little bit about M\u0101ori history, is a continuation of colonisation. We didn\u2019t smoke\u2014it was introduced to this country\u2014but we seem to be the most disproportionately affected by it. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000642\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022\u003ESo I guess this is an opportunity, and I\u2019ll put it out there. You know, we want to hear from communities about how relevant this is. We want to hear from communities about how important it is that this Parliament prioritises children. We want to hear from young people themselves. I know Children\u2019s Commissioner Becroft has spoken about the relevance of this bill. He said it affects over 100,000 Kiwi kids. So Mr Becroft, let\u2019s put the message out there, and let\u2019s provide this context and this opportunity for young people themselves to tell us as politicians how relevant and how important this piece of legislation is to them. I think, actually, the select committee have to be really serious about how we advertise the bill. I\u2019m also recommending that we use channels that young people are engaged in and try and encourage as many of them as possible\u2014at intermediates, at secondary school, and, actually, maybe at primary school\u2014to take the opportunity to participate in this piece of legislation, because the reality is we\u2019re doing this to put children at the centre of policy. T\u0113n\u0101 koe e Te M\u0101ngai o Te Whare.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000643\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022\u003EBill read a first time. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000644\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b4a597dd-ed8b-42b8-975b-40c6e0cdaee1\u0022\u003EBill referred to the Health 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=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000645\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00224ea5661ec16749d790a33490fcdddb6a\u0022\u003EMaritime Transport (Offshore Installations) Amendment Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000646\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00225a7979b6492e46bdbf60e24a38198a80\u0022\u003EFirst Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022 data-id=\u0022c36d056010554b71b373f5c3c2097c93\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000647\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c36d056010554b71b373f5c3c2097c93\u0022\u003EHon JULIE ANNE GENTER (Associate Minister of Transport):\u003C/span\u003E I move, That the Maritime Transport (Offshore Installations) Amendment Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Transport and Infrastructure Committee to consider the bill. At the appropriate time, I intend to move that the bill be reported to the House by 29 October 2019, and that the committee have the authority to meet at any time while the House is sitting except during oral questions and during any evening on a day on which there has been a sitting of the House, and on a Friday in a week in which there has been a sitting of the House, and to meet outside the Wellington area during a sitting of the House, despite Standing Orders 181, 193, 194(1)(b) and (c). \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000648\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003EThis bill seeks to clarify and strengthen requirements on owners of offshore oil and gas installations to support increased levels of insurance or other financial assurance for their liabilities in the event of pollution resulting from an oil spill. Although the likelihood of a major marine spill is low, the environmental, financial, and cultural impacts of such an incident would be significant. Protecting our environment is hugely important for our nation and safeguards our economy and our future. As a nation, we\u2019ve built our economy and reputation on our natural capital; tourism and agriculture are two of our biggest export earners as a result. New Zealand\u2019s natural capital is of enormous value\u2014immeasurable, I would argue. Our forests, our fresh water, our soil, our birdlife, our enormous marine area, our fish stocks, our atmosphere, and our biodiversity\u2014these are taonga which have underpinned our way of life and our standard of living. However, these taonga cannot be taken for granted and must be protected for generations to come. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000649\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003EThe level of financial assurance required for owners of offshore oil and gas installations needs to better reflect the real-world cost of implementing clean-up measures in the event of an oil spill in our waters. To enable this, the bill amends the Maritime Transport Act 1994. Amongst other things, its purpose is to clarify the requirements on owners of offshore oil and gas installations to hold insurance or other financial security in relation to their liability for clean-up and compensation resulting from an oil spill. The Maritime Transport Act implements a \u201Cpolluter pays\u201D regime, under which owners have unlimited liability for the cost of pollution damage resulting from a spill at their facilities in New Zealand waters. This means that anyone affected by oil damage from an offshore installation is entitled to make a claim against the owner. The owner\u2019s liability includes the cost of measures to prevent or reduce pollution damage, the cost of reasonable measures to reinstate the environment, and the loss of profit from impairment to the environment. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000650\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003EThe bill I\u2019m speaking to today does not change the owner\u2019s liability. Instead, it strengthens and clarifies the requirement for insurance and other financial security that owners must hold. The Act provides for owners to hold insurance or other financial security in respect of their liability. The insurance or other financial security is intended to mitigate the financial risk to the Crown and other parties, should the owner be unable to meet their liabilities in the event of a significant oil spill. Detailed requirements for the insurance or other financial security are specified in marine protection rules made under the Act. The bill amends the Act to provide certainty in relation to the liability of insurers or, in the case of financial security, to the persons providing financial security to the Crown and to other third parties who are affected by the pollution. The bill also clarifies that rules may specify the types of liability that will need to be insured against, and may provide for the insurance or other financial security to cover the cost of well control measures and other costs of implementing marine oil spill contingency plans. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000651\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003EThe amendments to the Act will be supported by amendments to the relevant rules, which will specify the detailed requirements relating to the insurance or financial security. The rules will include a scaled framework for specifying the amount of cover required, based on the modelling of a credible worst-case scenario event from that particular installation. Maritime New Zealand will also issue guidance for applicants to help them to navigate the regime. I have publicly released working drafts of the guidance and marine protection rules that are proposed to be put in place following the passage of the bill. I have done this so that the public and stakeholders are able to understand how the new regime will work as a package. It will also ensure that the new regime is able to be implemented as soon as practicable if the bill is passed into law. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000652\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003EThese changes are intended to enable owners of regulated offshore installations to meet the Act\u2019s requirement using insurance policies that are consistent with internationally available best-practice policy wording and are available on the international market. These policies will be required to cover the key risks and costs of clean-up and pollution damage associated with the owner\u2019s installation. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000653\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003EI\u2019d just like to thank all of the officials who\u2019ve been working behind the scenes for quite some time to bring this bill and the associated rules before the House. I commend this bill to the House. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022cc9c47c0-4409-44ca-ad2f-498707f27d69\u0022 data-id=\u0022abee42cee677452694baca866376f867\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000654\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc9c47c0-4409-44ca-ad2f-498707f27d69\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022abee42cee677452694baca866376f867\u0022\u003EJONATHAN YOUNG (National\u2014New Plymouth):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, sir. I\u2019m pleased to stand in support of this bill. This bill was prepared\u2014and I\u2019m pleased the Minister has continued on with that work\u2014by the Hon Simon Bridges in his role in the transport portfolio. We see it as sensible and necessary, and we certainly do support not only world\u2019s best practice in terms of any exploration that happens offshore but also ensuring that those companies who have the privilege to operate within our jurisdiction also carry the financial ability to put right anything that does occur. We\u2019re very happy, in that regard, to add our support to this. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000655\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc9c47c0-4409-44ca-ad2f-498707f27d69\u0022\u003EWe do note that the Minister has doubled the upper limit cap of the regime that was put forward by the previous Government, but looking at the scaled framework that is in the notes, we see that, essentially, the Minister has added three further areas. In her press release, she is saying that the proposed upper limit has been set at $1.2 billion, instead of $600 million, to futureproof the regime in the event that a future installation proceeds at a higher-risk deep-water location. We do understand that there are different elements of risk according to the hydrocarbon that is being explored for or produced, and also there are different elements of risk regarding which side of New Zealand that you are exploring from because of prevailing weather. So our pre-election Cabinet paper recommended a scaled framework of a maximum of $600 million, but I\u2019m sure as the bill goes through the select committee process, the members of the committee will be able to investigate and hear the rationale behind what the Minister has proposed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000656\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc9c47c0-4409-44ca-ad2f-498707f27d69\u0022\u003ECertainly, I think that as long as there is the ability for companies, as the Minister has just said, to be able to access the insurance product\u2014the policies that are consistent with internationally available best-practice policy wording, a very precise and concise set of documents that is available on the international market\u2014and as long as that is available and we do not see any limitations around this upper limit regarding those, I believe that this will be a way forward. We would be keen to hear from the Minister at some point in time; just her rationale.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000657\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc9c47c0-4409-44ca-ad2f-498707f27d69\u0022\u003EWhen we look at the scaled framework and see what components make up that higher level, it\u2019s interesting that it\u2019s based on whether it\u2019s gas, dry gas, or whether it\u2019s any other type of hydrocarbon, whether that\u2019s crude or condensate. It\u2019s also based on the volume of what that liquid may be that reaches the shore. The limit that we had put in the previous bill, or the workings of it, was up to a maximum of 200,000, and she has taken it over 200,000; she\u2019s taken it to over 280,000. Also, the total length of shoreline that may be affected by any sort of incident being 1,200 kilometres or more\u2014that in itself has the highest number of points. So there\u2019s a very simple scaled framework which people can download on the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment website and investigate that and see where they would sit.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000658\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc9c47c0-4409-44ca-ad2f-498707f27d69\u0022\u003EWe do note that particularly in Taranaki, where all the offshore installations currently are, there is a range of insurance cover already in place, from $170 million right through to about $390 million. So this is a practice that is already put in place, but what the Minister is doing now is lifting that upper limit for those sorts of occurrences that may occur.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000659\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc9c47c0-4409-44ca-ad2f-498707f27d69\u0022\u003EWe believe that oil spill contingency plans are already part of the plans and the permitting regime that operators have to comply with and satisfy New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals, and that the party responsible for the stopping of the release of oil must demonstrate they have prepared for all spill scenarios and have access to equipment and have financial means to contain a spill at its source. All of that is put in place before the permit is even granted. So what this bill is essentially doing is now putting in place the financial assurance that if those aspects are ever needed to be put in place, the financial ability for that to occur is present.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000660\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc9c47c0-4409-44ca-ad2f-498707f27d69\u0022\u003ELike other members of the House, we believe that we have very good operators here in New Zealand. All exploration and production does carry a degree of risk. However, oil spills are extremely rare. New Zealand has never experienced a significant oil spill from an offshore installation. The largest was a 23 tonne spill from the Umuroa floating process ship off the Taranaki coast back in 2007, when an offtake ship, a vessel, was offloading and the umbilical pipeline became unattached for a short period of time. From that, a 13 kilometre stretch of beach off the Taranaki coast was temporarily affected by this spill. That\u2019s the only account in 60 years of offshore operations. So we are thankful that we have world\u2019s best practice. We have companies that pursue world\u2019s very best in terms of health and safety not only for their own people who work on these installations but also for our environment\u2014the environment which we appreciate as being pristine and must be cared for.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000661\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc9c47c0-4409-44ca-ad2f-498707f27d69\u0022\u003ESo we very much support the intent of this bill. As I said, there\u2019ll be some questions we ask at select committee, and I\u2019m sure that we can find those answers from officials. There\u2019ll be others, no doubt, who will submit and seek answers as well. I do commend this bill to the House. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022 data-id=\u00229729b56151464f2fa916ffcdecb97f25\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000662\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00229729b56151464f2fa916ffcdecb97f25\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD (Minister of Transport):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. It\u2019s a pleasure to stand here and make a contribution on the Maritime Transport (Offshore Installations) Amendment Bill, first reading, and support the work of my colleague Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter in bringing this bill to the House. This is a Government that is committed to tackling the difficult, long-term challenges that New Zealand faces. Last year, the Government announced an end to new offshore oil and gas permits while allowing existing permits to run their course and for those operators to continue operating. We took that action as a way of confronting climate change and managing a just transition to a low-carbon economy, and this bill is part of our very deliberate, planned, and managed transition that we are making to ensure that the risks of a spill from oil and gas operations are well managed and properly mitigated.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000663\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003EWe know, and I think this House agrees, going by the comments from the previous speaker, Jonathan Young, that the current requirement for operators to hold insurance of just $27 million is way too low. It\u2019s a piece of regulation from another age, and the modelling shows that the cost of an oil spill in New Zealand could be, in the worst-case scenario, in the order of hundreds of millions of dollars. It\u2019s not so long since we saw the grounding of the Rena and the spilling of oil into the Bay of Plenty. We saw the very real effects of an oil spill offshore on our treasured marine ecosystem, and the thing that left such a bad taste, I think, in the mouths of the communities that were affected by the Rena spill was that taxpayers and local communities were utterly exposed in that instance and left to foot the bill for the clean-up\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000664\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc9c47c0-4409-44ca-ad2f-498707f27d69\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e6ef53cd22044da19254550b66d3af17\u0022\u003EJonathan Young\u003C/span\u003E: But that\u2019s not the same as an oil installation. It\u2019s not the same. Ships are not the same as oil installations.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000665\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224318c47c568d444ab055e0cd53797fbe\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014a completely unsatisfactory situation. That experience is raw in the memory. Whether it\u2019s a ship or whether it\u2019s an offshore installation, Mr Young, the effect is potentially the same on the ecosystem and the biodiversity and the lives of so many New Zealanders who live on, and daily rely, on our coastlines.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000666\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s only fair\u2014and this is the principle that underlines this bill\u2014that those who profit from oil and gas exploration are able to cover the clean-up costs of an oil spill in the event of that happening, and particularly in the event of a worst-case scenario.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000667\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003EThe bill aims to strike a fair deal both for New Zealanders and the oil and gas industry. It requires operators to hold insurance scaled to the risk that their installations pose. This bill and the accompanying rules will ensure that the major costs of a worst-case scenario oil spill, the clean-up and the well control measures, are properly insured against.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000668\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003ENow, I said that it aims to strike a balance, and the reason it has to strike a balance is that, obviously, you want to protect communities and the taxpayer against having to pick up the costs of a spill from an offshore installation, but it\u2019s also important to ensure that this regime is insurable on the international market. We are right now experiencing the difficulties of an international reinsurance market that, in the wake of various seismic events in this country in recent years, sees this country as challenging, in that respect.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000669\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003EThe bill also addresses concerns raised by industry about the insurability of the regime that was first developed under the previous National Government. It clarifies that operators rather than the insurers hold unlimited liability for the cost of the clean-up and pollution damage associated with an oil spill. So it\u2019s the operators who are responsible for that unlimited liability. It also clarifies that marine protection rules may specify the types of liability that will need to be insured against, and allow for insurance to cover the cost of well control measures in the event of a well blowout.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000670\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003EPeople will also remember the blowout in an oil well in the Gulf of Mexico, one of the worst marine disasters associated with the international offshore drilling industry. People saw the massive ecological damage and the immense difficulty of capping that well and limiting the damage. I think that the former Government, in the rules that it drafted prior to the last election, basically, looked at setting the limit\u2014the proposed upper limit in the rules that they were considering was $600 million. The advice from the officials that led to that upper limit being doubled was that the $600 million upper limit simply would not have futureproofed this regulatory regime against the risk posed of a large deep-sea installation operating in New Zealand waters. Now, currently there aren\u2019t any, but it\u2019s quite possible that they will be, and so this regime\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000671\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc9c47c0-4409-44ca-ad2f-498707f27d69\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e240ae3f47d94fe4a332f75d4bbad813\u0022\u003EJonathan Young\u003C/span\u003E: How is that going to happen?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000672\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ee4b5a5c95664625b861bcf5abe4be65\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD\u003C/span\u003E: Because there are current permits that are allowed to run their course for the next, what, 25 years. So that\u2019s what this change is insuring against. Anyone who watched the unfolding of the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico will know that a $600 million limit is simply not enough to deal with the effects of a spill at scale on an offshore installation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000673\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003ESo there is risk modelling for all of the existing operations, and I think that the modelling that\u2019s been provided indicates that the upper limit for the current installations in Taranaki would be between $170 million and $360 million for the existing operations in Taranaki. So you can see that\u2019s the scale of it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000674\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003EThe bill also, as well as providing the basis for regulations to be set by Order in Council, changes the\u2014it\u2019s not just a regulatory change; it also changes the Maritime Transport Act of 1994, and that\u2019s necessary in order to bring in the new rules that provide the new settings.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000675\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003ESo that\u2019s it. I look forward to seeing what the select committee comes up with. I\u2019m sure the risk modelling for the different kinds of installations will be worked through in detail, and there\u2019ll be plenty of time to question and scrutinise those. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002223de6bd3-0482-495d-88f4-7cc3f75d8442\u0022 data-id=\u002282665d49ca3f413cb3675a499811c97e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000676\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002223de6bd3-0482-495d-88f4-7cc3f75d8442\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002282665d49ca3f413cb3675a499811c97e\u0022\u003EHon NATHAN GUY (National\u2014\u014Ctaki):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. It\u2019s a wonderful opportunity to take a call in the first reading of this Maritime Transport (Offshore Installations) Amendment Bill. The National Party stands in favour of this bill. It\u2019s taken a wee while to get here, and it\u2019s all about, basically, an insurance premium for these companies to have to hold, which makes good, logical sense, and lifting that upper level.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000677\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002223de6bd3-0482-495d-88f4-7cc3f75d8442\u0022\u003EReading the bill, I was thinking back to the Rena shipwreck that occurred on 5 October in 2011. While that isn\u2019t an offshore installation, certainly what played out meant that a lot of that very heavy machine oil ended up on the coast and had a big impact on the Bay of Plenty. In fact, I was the associate transport Minister at the time and Steven Joyce was the Minister, so I was dispatched on a regular basis to go up and check in on how the recovery was going on the Rena. Nick Smith, the Minister at the time\u2014he described it as the worst maritime environment disaster in our recollection of this fine country of ours. Certainly, it was a massive event, and the clean-up took a long period of time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000678\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002223de6bd3-0482-495d-88f4-7cc3f75d8442\u0022\u003EI happened to be a duty Minister in the summer that followed. For those on the other side of the Treasury benches that have been Ministers over the summer break, they will probably run a similar scenario to what we did, so that everyone could have a break. So I happened to be the duty Minister, would you believe, when the Rena broke in two. That created quite a bit of a frenzy, that occurred on the 9th of the 1st 2012. The reason I tell you that story is that it\u2019s always important, when legislation goes through this place, to talk about life experiences\u2014and that was a live experience for New Zealanders, particularly for the Bay of Plenty, to have to deal with the aftermath of the Rena, something that impacted in the vicinity of about 20,000 seabirds\u2014and, in fact, 2,000 seabirds were estimated to have been killed. I went and visited the great work that Massey University were doing cleaning up these seabirds that had been rescued that had, effectively, been caught up in this terrible waste oil.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000679\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002223de6bd3-0482-495d-88f4-7cc3f75d8442\u0022\u003ESo this bill that we are debating, this evening, that the National Party supports, is very important. It basically says that owners should hold the necessary insurance. Those people listening, out there on a Tuesday night at 9.30, will think that this is a good, pragmatic bill. The National Party supports it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f44431ef-b505-4e94-9f57-a60b0a569bf7\u0022 data-id=\u00221199d305405043039d0d225742b93329\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000680\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f44431ef-b505-4e94-9f57-a60b0a569bf7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221199d305405043039d0d225742b93329\u0022\u003EHon SHANE JONES (Associate Minister of Transport):\u003C/span\u003E Kia ora, Mr Speaker. It\u2019s a pleasure to follow, in a collegial fashion, the shadow spokesman for agriculture, Nathan Guy, and that little journey down memory lane about M\u014Dt\u012Bt\u012B Island and the surrounding environs.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000681\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f44431ef-b505-4e94-9f57-a60b0a569bf7\u0022\u003ENaturally, we support this bill. We support this bill because we think it\u2019s a reasonable impost that should be placed upon a global industry that from time to time will come to New Zealand either as carriers of oil or, in my case, as fellow enthusiasts for the extraction of oil, to the extent that we have accessible oilfields in New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000682\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f44431ef-b505-4e94-9f57-a60b0a569bf7\u0022\u003EOften, there is a debate as to where do you draw the line between what is rightfully the private responsibility of people who hope to profit from extracting resources out of our environment, and that which remains the residual responsibility of the State. The reason I raise that distinction is to ensure that we do what is right and proper by our people, but that we also don\u2019t close the door to those with access to foreign capital who either provide us with essential services\u2014i.e., the continual access to the oil that we require\u2014or who want to develop, with New Zealanders, the natural resources of our country.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000683\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f44431ef-b505-4e94-9f57-a60b0a569bf7\u0022\u003EI also recall where I was when Nathan Guy, during that balmy summer, was checking his cows for bloat\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000684\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002223de6bd3-0482-495d-88f4-7cc3f75d8442\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002296c1d6b0f4804054aee8e53c7062df2c\u0022\u003EHon Nathan Guy\u003C/span\u003E: Normally the spring.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000685\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f44431ef-b505-4e94-9f57-a60b0a569bf7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224cd5105017d5429ba0bdbd6ffb6353c6\u0022\u003EHon SHANE JONES\u003C/span\u003E: He milks all the way round the year; he\u2019s got so many farms, although they may decrease if the four-lane highway continues along\u2014oh no, Mr Twyford is here, there\u2019ll be no more four-lane highways in that direction for the foreseeable future; maybe a token improved highway south of Whangarei. Of course, our attention is dedicated to rail but that\u2019s all going to be electrical, so I\u2019ll come back to the topic at hand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000686\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f44431ef-b505-4e94-9f57-a60b0a569bf7\u0022\u003ESo I do recall where I was. But I also recall the utter confusion as to how did it happen, who was responsible, the quite lurid stories as to what would have possessed the Filipino captain, as I recall, to be celebrating a birthday and who was actually with him when he celebrated their birthday\u2014of course, that led to all sorts of lurid explanations from the fishing industry that don\u2019t deserve to be shared in this particular segment of the evening or in the House. But I do recall also, it being an absolute shock to the people from M\u014Dt\u012Bt\u012B Island. They were engulfed in it. It was bigger than Ben-Hur. Sadly, it didn\u2019t end well for a lot of those people, partly because they felt dislocated in terms of what the State was doing and partly because they felt that the insurers standing behind, if I\u2019m not mistaken, the Greek owners, in that particular episode, played hardball. But whilst the litigation and the politics got more and more robust, the environment suffered. I didn\u2019t have the pleasure to actually go and visit the patient souls saving the seabirds, but I actually went out on a fishing-boat and had a good look around in that particular area.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000687\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f44431ef-b505-4e94-9f57-a60b0a569bf7\u0022\u003ESo it\u2019s right and proper that we sheet home the responsibilities where they belong, but do it in such a way that people realise that we\u2019re still open for business. That\u2019s not to compromise the standards that the public expect us to adhere to in relation to environmental management; it\u2019s just assuring people that come to New Zealand that we\u2019re not some frontier where they can take advantage of us. We\u2019re a sophisticated, modern economy and our people have very modern expectations as to who should be held responsible.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000688\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f44431ef-b505-4e94-9f57-a60b0a569bf7\u0022\u003ETherefore, we support, and I echo, some of the sentiments by Mr Guy and the speech shared initially by Mr Twyford. So we look forward to the entire process, and we identify the need to have balance, but also to compromise not one inch should we continue to suffer the sad lessons of Rena and our environment suffers. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00229884e8e8-651f-4f48-a429-70b72d5e2821\u0022 data-id=\u002213515e524657474890f78b53ca7a380c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000689\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229884e8e8-651f-4f48-a429-70b72d5e2821\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002213515e524657474890f78b53ca7a380c\u0022\u003ESARAH DOWIE (National\u2014Invercargill):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. Isn\u2019t it a lovely night when we can all agree, on this Tuesday evening? I too rise in support of this Maritime Transport (Offshore Installations) Amendment Bill in its first reading. I would like to echo the sentiment that our marine environment is incredibly special, that our ecosystems here are some of the most precious in the world, and that our indigenous marine species are some of the rarest. The other thing is that New Zealanders have a very innate connection with our marine environment\u2014and certainly, with respect to the contributions already given, that is highlighted by the devastation caused, and the public outcry, with respect to the Rena disaster. We want to make sure that that sort of oil spill never occurs again. So this bill certainly goes toward that\u2014strengthening the requirements of owners of offshore oil and gas installations to hold appropriate financial securities and raising the framework in the upper limit to $1.2 billion.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000690\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229884e8e8-651f-4f48-a429-70b72d5e2821\u0022\u003ELook, I do note\u2014and of course the National Party don\u2019t have monopolies on good ideas\u2014that this bill sprung out of a Cabinet paper that was designed while the National Party was leading the Government. So it is this new Government, the Labour-led and New Zealand First-led Government, that has taken this National Party bill, reframed it, and introduced it to the House now two years after that review was complete.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000691\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229884e8e8-651f-4f48-a429-70b72d5e2821\u0022\u003EAs my colleague Mr Jonathan Young has said, originally the framework was up to $600 million, and has been raised, without detail, to $1.2 billion. So questions will have to be asked in the select committee with respect to the raising of that limit. But regardless, this side of the House stands in unity that we believe that our marine ecosystem does require protection. It does require a framework that if there is an oil spill and a disaster, the company should take that liability and clean up that work.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000692\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229884e8e8-651f-4f48-a429-70b72d5e2821\u0022\u003EBut in conclusion, it\u2019s not all about evil profiteering of oil and gas installations and providers. They are in partnership with the Crown. It should be mentioned that they are responsible operators as well. I understand from Mr Young that Todd Energy sponsor many community events in the Taranaki region, including looking after and funding the New Plymouth aquatic centre. So, look, it\u2019s not all about dirty corporates; it\u2019s about a partnership. It\u2019s about putting a framework in place that does protect our marine ecosystem, and being responsible all round with respect to our environment and energy, moving forward. For that reason, I support this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022 data-id=\u0022c07deffb3f274c4499605ad59c84cf53\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000693\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c07deffb3f274c4499605ad59c84cf53\u0022\u003EPAUL EAGLE (Labour\u2014Rongotai):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. It\u2019s a pleasure to take a call on this, the Maritime Transport (Offshore Installations) Amendment Bill. Can I acknowledge the transport Minister, Phil Twyford and the associate Minister who was here, Julie Anne Genter, for leading this work.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000694\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s been good to hear the memories that people have of the incident of the MV Rena back in 2011. I have similar memories of just seeing what has been termed the worst maritime disaster, and for me it was really seeing the volunteers who were helping to clean up, the local people of Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty region who really dropped everything that they were doing and got themselves down to the beach, literally, to see what had happened.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000695\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022\u003EBut very soon, we saw the outcome of the incident, the accident where I\u2019m told that over 300 tonnes of oil spilled. Then we started seeing the impacts on the local environmental conditions, the marine life. For me, it was an education lesson looking at the TV screens from Wellington, 700 kilometres away, and to see this 38,000 tonne ship that was beached, literally, but also the impacts that came off from that: first, the oil, then the containers, and then\u2014I guess\u2014the inquiry into who was responsible, how it happened, what the impact was, and really the ramifications from there.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000696\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022\u003EI sit on the Transport and Infrastructure Committee. I\u2019m looking forward to taking this piece of work through that process and hearing from those who never ever want this to ever\u2014ever\u2014happen again. Interestingly, you only need to do a small bit of research to see that this is really nothing if you compared it to the accident that would await us if there was a deep-sea drilling issue. So it\u2019s good that this is being looked at now, and some of those costs associated with deep-sea drilling would have a clean-up far higher than the $500 million to $600 million that was linked to the Rena. So it is timely, and I am looking forward to working through the process here.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000697\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022\u003ESo as we\u2019ve heard, look, it really amends the maritime protection rules, and that will see the increase of the required level assurance up to a maximum of $1.2 billion. I think when you look back at the costs and the implications on those wanting to do this activity, that\u2019s a good amount. It\u2019s far in excess of the $27 million that operators currently have to hold at the moment. It\u2019s such a big gap that I think, \u201CWow. Why hasn\u2019t this been looked at earlier? How come it\u2019s taken an accident to ensure that costs are covered if such an incident takes place?\u201D We\u2019ve waited for the accident to take place and now we\u2019re scrambling around. But in this case, we\u2019ve been proactive in terms of making sure that there\u2019s a change in legislation to ensure that those costs don\u2019t come back to the poor old taxpayer but they are apportioned to the operator, who, as the Hon Shane Jones has said, if they\u2019re taking resources then they\u2019re certainly paying for any issues that come with that activity.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000698\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022\u003EI want to acknowledge, though, and it has been said, that the previous Government initiated this work. Good on you. But this Government has chosen to consult on a higher limit, that $1.2 billion limit, and that\u2019s been modelled to ensure that those costs are covered. So I\u2019m hoping that the select committee process will provide us feedback that that is the right way to go. I know and am confident, from people I\u2019ve talked to, that it feels that it\u2019s about right and we\u2019ll get a positive outcome from the process. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000699\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022\u003EI am excited by what this brings. Some people may be excited by another one of these disasters. I certainly don\u2019t want one to happen, and I know that this will provide the necessary legislation to ensure it never ever happens again. I commend this 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=\u002200c6992ae4dc4e68bb4b520b8abcaa8f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000700\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002200c6992ae4dc4e68bb4b520b8abcaa8f\u0022\u003ETIM VAN DE MOLEN (National\u2014Waikato):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. It\u2019s a privilege to rise and take a late evening call on such an exciting piece of legislation going through the House. The first reading of the Maritime Transport (Offshore Installations) Amendment Bill\u2014this is fantastic. It\u2019s great to see another fine piece of legislation, drafted under the previous Government, finally coming to fruition now under this Government. I\u2019m sure they\u2019re grateful of the constant pipeline of work we had lined up for them that they are able to roll out. We hear constantly about how there\u2019s more and more work in the pipeline, but they\u2019re doing a great job of hiding it from us. It\u2019s great to see this one coming through. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000701\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003EI would just like to echo the comments from a previous member on our side, Sarah Dowie, when she made reference to the special nature of our marine environment. I think that\u2019s something all New Zealanders can relate to; it is, indeed, special. That\u2019s certainly why, under the previous Government, we set up 11 new marine reserves\u2014more than any other Government. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000702\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c46106ec-7b2f-4d6f-a7f2-8525ae4550f6\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ada5077b55064d599ad271675288c2b3\u0022\u003EAgnes Loheni\u003C/span\u003E: How many? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000703\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223cd6c34b532242aea6efa1c1a43c4751\u0022\u003ETIM VAN DE MOLEN\u003C/span\u003E: 11 new marine reserves under the previous Government; a fine thing indeed, to protect what is such an important part of our environment here in New Zealand. I\u2019m sure the current Government would like to continue doing work in that space, and I\u2019d like to suggest perhaps they start with the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary. Perhaps Mr Shaw might like to give some thought on that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000704\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003ESo here we are with this particular piece of legislation, looking to put some controls and measures in place around minimising the likelihood of an oil spill or an incident and then the subsequent impact of that. It\u2019s about getting the balance, though, between the risk of that impact occurring and what that impact would be, as well as then the cost to mitigate that potential impact and the implications that cost would have on business. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000705\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003ENow, this Government has never shied away from the opportunity to charge much more than is needed of any business or any individual. Obviously, we\u2019ve seen that here when previous recommendations have suggested a cap of $600 million is an appropriate level of assurance required under this legislation, and the Government\u2019s doubled it. Hey, if they can charge more, why not?\u2014seems to be the general theme. Of course, we want to minimise any risks, and the Rena example has been bought up several times. Actually, I\u2019d just like to acknowledge not only the volunteers that helped out with that but also the Defence Force, that played a significant role in that clean-up exercise as well. These sorts of things are very passionately supported by Kiwis because of that passion I mentioned earlier about the environment, and the marine environment in particular. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000706\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003ESo we need to get that level of protection in place, but, at the same time, we need to be ensuring that we\u2019re not unduly impacting or imposing significantly higher costs that are unwarranted, in terms of the risk versus the cost to offset that risk on businesses who are participating in this industry. Of course, we know the Government\u2019s looking to ban\u2014or has banned\u2014all future oil and gas exploration. Indeed, it seems they\u2019d rather the industry didn\u2019t exist at all and, perhaps, this is a surreptitious way to try and influence that ongoing change in that space. But we certainly support having some rules in place, and we feel the original $600 million amount was an appropriate level. So it\u2019ll be interesting to see that canvassed at select committee, in terms of the reasoning around a potential change and whether, indeed, that is necessary. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000707\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003ESo, look, we certainly support progressing this through\u2014as I mentioned, drafted under the previous Government\u2014and look forward to seeing the developments through select committee and beyond. So I commend it to the House. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u0022ad6533319a91481598dfab326a477602\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000708\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ad6533319a91481598dfab326a477602\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Adrian Rurawhe)\u003C/span\u003E: This is a split call. I call Priyanca Radhakrishnan\u2014five minutes. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022872744a3-2256-4cdd-a4cc-939836dc2b11\u0022 data-id=\u0022a6190c7d50984a96a973bf3b5fa3ccd5\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000709\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022872744a3-2256-4cdd-a4cc-939836dc2b11\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a6190c7d50984a96a973bf3b5fa3ccd5\u0022\u003EPRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. It\u2019s with pleasure that I rise to take a short call on the Maritime Transport (Offshore Installations) Amendment Bill. Now, a couple of members before me have reminisced about the Rena oil spill and, funnily enough, when I was considering this bill, that\u2019s the oil spill that I thought about as well\u20141,700 tonnes of heavy oil, 200 tonnes of diesel, and we all remember the amount of time that it took to clear up that oil spill, the amount of sand that it was going to take, and the environmental impact as well: spotted dotterels, and there were 25 other native birds that were quite badly affected. Actually, there were about 2,000 seabirds that died and 20,000 others that were affected, and there were little jumpers and sweaters that locals made to keep some of those birds safe from the oil spill, as well. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000710\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022872744a3-2256-4cdd-a4cc-939836dc2b11\u0022\u003EOf course, the cost of the clean-up of the oil spills has been modelled, and the modelling shows us that the cost of an oil spill in New Zealand could actually be in the hundreds of millions, or even billions, in the worst-case scenario. That\u2019s why this bill amends the Maritime Transport Act 1994\u2014really, to clarify and strengthen the requirements on owners of offshore oil and gas installations to have the insurance or other financial security in relation to their liability for clean-up and compensation resulting from an oil spill. So it also clarifies that the onus lies with operators, rather than with insurers, to hold unlimited liability for the cost of clean-up. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000711\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022872744a3-2256-4cdd-a4cc-939836dc2b11\u0022\u003EActually, I thought I\u2019d just refer to a point made by Tim van de Molen, the member who has just resumed his seat, who talked about something about this Government and its surreptitious way to ensure that the industry doesn\u2019t exist at all\u2014or something to that effect\u2014about oil and gas, which is absolutely untrue. This is part of the Government\u2019s plan to confront climate change and manage a just transition to a low-carbon economy. It\u2019s actually part of that deliberate, planned, and managed transition to a low-carbon economy that this Government is making sure that the risks of spills from oil and gas operations are mitigated in a way that is sustainable as well. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000712\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022872744a3-2256-4cdd-a4cc-939836dc2b11\u0022\u003EJust to go back to the bill, as I mentioned, it clarifies. It also aims to strike the right balance between creating a regime that insulates taxpayers and communities against the majority of oil spill - related costs and ensuring on the other hand that we have a regime that is insurable on the international market. This is a bill that goes a little bit further to ensure that those potentially high costs of an oil spill can be mitigated. I commend this bill to the House. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u0022df46e05050ed44b99a458da3f9df7d05\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000713\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022df46e05050ed44b99a458da3f9df7d05\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Adrian Rurawhe)\u003C/span\u003E: I call Alastair Scott\u2014five minutes. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00225e6b7aaa-8157-4d5e-9940-1bdbcd61ae95\u0022 data-id=\u002283856d27fc44473ba69f133783e29cd5\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000714\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225e6b7aaa-8157-4d5e-9940-1bdbcd61ae95\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002283856d27fc44473ba69f133783e29cd5\u0022\u003EALASTAIR SCOTT (National\u2014Wairarapa):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is a pleasure to rise in support of the Maritime Transport (Offshore Installations) Amendment Bill. We\u2019ve heard that it amends the 1994 Act\u2014quite a long time ago, so I\u2019m sure this is not the first amendment to that Act, but it is good that the Act is continuing to evolve and improve. Of course, the initiative that we\u2019re talking about today is on the back of a National Government. The work was done in the last Government. It\u2019s good to see the current Government continuing with the good work kicked off by Simon Bridges as Minister of Transport at the time. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000715\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225e6b7aaa-8157-4d5e-9940-1bdbcd61ae95\u0022\u003EA lot of people have been talking about the Rena and oil spills, and I was thinking of the Mikhail Lermontov breaking into the Marlborough Sounds as another example of a shipping disaster that could have been a bigger environmental issue than it was. It\u2019s actually turned out to be quite a boon because it\u2019s turned into a diving and recreational attraction. People from all around the country and all around the world, I imagine, go there to dive at this particular site. Not that we\u2019d want to have more of these sites\u2014not that we\u2019d want to have more of these sites. We don\u2019t want to have ships crashing into rocks just so that people can dive and explore. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000716\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225e6b7aaa-8157-4d5e-9940-1bdbcd61ae95\u0022\u003EIn fact, while there\u2019s a whole lot of issues around the safety and the ability and the competence of the captains at the time of both the Rena and the Mikhail Lermontov, this bill\u2014believe it or not, having heard all the speeches and discussions so far\u2014is not about ships. It has nothing to do with ships or the liability of ships crashing into a rock. This has to do with oil exploration and the spills of an offshore installation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000717\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225e6b7aaa-8157-4d5e-9940-1bdbcd61ae95\u0022\u003ESo ships have a different liability regime, but it\u2019s interesting that we\u2019ve been talking for the last little while about the Rena particularly. Now, this deals with oil exploration and the exploration and the installations that are involved in that, and the liability of those entities is unlimited. Today, it is unlimited, and after this bill amends the Act, they will continue to be in an unlimited liability situation, but it does clarify the type of insurance that the agent must carry out, and there\u2019s going to be some modelling. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000718\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225e6b7aaa-8157-4d5e-9940-1bdbcd61ae95\u0022\u003EMinister Twyford mentioned the discussion that he will find interesting, and I will too, around that type of modelling and the aspects of risk that a type of installation will have. That will depend on, for example, whether it\u2019s on the West Coast of the South Island compared to the calm waters of the Bay of Plenty. Those types of things, I\u2019m sure, will be discussed, and that will change the risk, change the premium, and change the obligation of the oil exploration, oil installation entity. At the end of the day, the bill will clarify some of those things so that that the agents or the entities are not paying too much for insurance, so that it\u2019s very clear to them what they\u2019re paying for because, as it\u2019s been mentioned before, we don\u2019t want to put investors off, we don\u2019t want to put explorers off from coming to New Zealand, because it is important that we continue to carry out that work. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000719\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225e6b7aaa-8157-4d5e-9940-1bdbcd61ae95\u0022\u003EIt is a good bill\u2014as I say, It\u2019s kicked off from the previous Government. It seems to me to be quite a technical bill in the ways that the modelling particularly might result in some good discussions, and I am looking forward to those discussions, depending particularly if Minister Twyford\u2014I don\u2019t know; he might even turn up and discuss it if he\u2019s interested. So I look forward to those discussions and I commend the bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022 data-id=\u0022c932c2e85e35433eb3063902b7200c1c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000720\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c932c2e85e35433eb3063902b7200c1c\u0022\u003EDr DEBORAH RUSSELL (Labour\u2014New Lynn):\u003C/span\u003E The previous speaker on this bill, Alastair Scott, said that it was really quite a technical bill. Let me see if I can bring this bill alive a little for the people who are watching at home. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000721\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003EThe way to think about this bill is that it is a seatbelt bill\u2014it\u2019s a seatbelt bill. So let me explain what I mean by that. As we all know, most of us most of the time when we get into cars don\u2019t end up in accident situations. Most of us don\u2019t run into trouble. Most of us complete our journeys most of the time without ending up in an accident. Nevertheless, most of us most of the time, when we get into a car, put our seatbelts on. We put our seatbelts on because that minimises the risks that we\u2019re going to bear in the, actually, somewhat unlikely event of an accident. So that\u2019s what a seatbelt does. It minimises a quite unlikely risk, but it\u2019s a risk that if it occurred would be disastrous, could be lethal, could certainly end up in real trouble for us. So a seatbelt bill is a very simple measure\u2014well, a measure that if you take it, guards against an unlikely risk, and this is exactly what this bill does. It guards against an unlikely risk, but a risk that if it occurred would be very problematic and difficult.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000722\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003EComing as I do, originally, from Taranaki, I understand what the waters are like there. Some days it is calm and peaceful, some days, actually, there is usually quite a breeze, and some days the storms rage in from the Tasman.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000723\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ae7718df09894ba48a2372ebf9fb1a66\u0022\u003EBarbara Kuriger\u003C/span\u003E: Not often.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000724\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002246c7ebfe128548f382b14958abb238f1\u0022\u003EDr DEBORAH RUSSELL\u003C/span\u003E: Not often, but they do happen. In those situations, an oil spill will be extraordinarily difficult to clean up. The pollution would be spread far and wide. The sort of disaster that could occur were there an oil spill\u2014well, it\u2019s hard to contemplate, actually, just how much it might cost to clean up that oil spill. So even though the operators of oil rigs these days do take safety very, very seriously, even though the operators of oil rigs these days do take the idea that there might be an oil spill very, very seriously indeed and do guard against it, if there was an oil spill it would be disastrous. What this bill does is provide protection in the case of that unlikely accident. It\u2019s a seatbelt bill and I commend it to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221f651ff0-881f-4148-8631-0161f1c60f61\u0022 data-id=\u0022f3a92303a7e34ed9a074e28e05fb3696\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000725\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221f651ff0-881f-4148-8631-0161f1c60f61\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022f3a92303a7e34ed9a074e28e05fb3696\u0022\u003EHAMISH WALKER (National\u2014Clutha-Southland):\u003C/span\u003E It\u2019s a great privilege to rise briefly for this call. This event occurred on 9 October 2011, which was obviously round the Rugby World Cup tournament. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022073496a0-73b7-426f-97f8-916bd542b0fa\u0022 data-id=\u0022aa89a7df397b4b408be04ea078b392e4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000726\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022073496a0-73b7-426f-97f8-916bd542b0fa\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022aa89a7df397b4b408be04ea078b392e4\u0022\u003EHon MEKA WHAITIRI (Labour\u2014Ikaroa-R\u0101whiti):\u003C/span\u003E Mr Speaker, kia ora\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u00221f4b2d435cff4873978438c07cc78fb5\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000727\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221f4b2d435cff4873978438c07cc78fb5\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Adrian Rurawhe)\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m sorry to interrupt the member, but it\u2019s come time for me to leave the Chair. This debate is interrupted and is set down for resumption next sitting day. The House stands adjourned until 2 p.m. tomorrow. P\u014D m\u0101rie.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000728\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003EDebate interrupted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20190625932a67bf412e48bdbff39e23ad379650000729\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\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"