"\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=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022aad78a9d85014f6bb6426c25fa2c0c7a\u0022\u003ETHURSDAY, 31 MARCH 2022\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000003\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00223ad7e03582bf4c2ba90e457246c88e50\u0022\u003ETHURSDAY, 31 MARCH 2022\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000002\u0022\u003EThe Deputy Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000004\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022b99d3469f3194125a626b5b9ae55470e\u0022\u003EKarakia/Prayers\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000006\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022c39efeed724b4953844f346bbff689a4\u0022\u003EKarakia/Prayers\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u0022891e8e105a3a42b0a0facc789532a21f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000005\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022891e8e105a3a42b0a0facc789532a21f\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: E te Atua kaha rawa, ka tuku whakamoemiti atu m\u0101tou, m\u014D ng\u0101 karakia kua waihotia mai ki runga i a m\u0101tou. Ka waiho i \u014D m\u0101tou p\u0101nga whaiaro katoa ki te taha. Ka mihi m\u0101tou ki te Ku\u012Bni, me te inoi atu m\u014D te \u0101rahitanga i roto i \u014D m\u0101tou whakaaroarohanga, kia m\u014Dhio ai, kia whakaiti ai t\u0101 m\u0101tou whakahaere i ng\u0101 take o te Whare nei, m\u014D te oranga, te maung\u0101rongo, me te aroha o Aotearoa. \u0100mene.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000007\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E[Almighty God, we give thanks for the blessings which have been bestowed on us. Laying aside all personal interests, we acknowledge the Queen, and pray for guidance in our deliberations, that we may conduct the affairs of this House with wisdom and humility, for the welfare, peace, and compassion of New Zealand. Amen.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000008\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002267e156415da9468eadba5410d6f69fc3\u0022\u003EBusiness Statement\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000010\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00221e75b3bf2ba848d9b0e2704efd969bd2\u0022\u003EBusiness Statement\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022 data-id=\u0022fdac1f9802ca425cad3ba8591077d7aa\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000009\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022fdac1f9802ca425cad3ba8591077d7aa\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOOD (Deputy Leader of the House):\u003C/span\u003E Legislation to be considered next week will include the first reading of the Fair Pay Agreements Bill, the second reading of the COVID-19 Response (Courts Safety) Legislation Bill, and the third readings of Te Pire m\u014D te Hararei T\u016Bmatanui o te K\u0101hui o Matariki/Te K\u0101hui o Matariki Public Holiday Bill and the Protected Disclosures (Protection of Whistleblowers) Bill. Wednesday, 6 April will be a members\u2019 day.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022 data-id=\u0022844ebd1ffcb04607b09c5ab633040a24\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000011\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022844ebd1ffcb04607b09c5ab633040a24\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National):\u003C/span\u003E I thank the acting Leader of the House for the update. A couple of questions: can he advise the House whether those Ministers participating in the annual review debate who are not needing to isolate due to COVID will be physically present in the House for the debate, and, secondly, can he advise whether or not the Government will be seeking to shorten the report-back date of the Fair Pay Agreements Bill, or will it go through a full select committee process?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022 data-id=\u0022e2b3ea375f33426497fcadba3560b286\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000012\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e2b3ea375f33426497fcadba3560b286\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOOD (Deputy Leader of the House):\u003C/span\u003E In respect of the first question asked by the member, it\u2019s always the case that the Government works to ensure that Ministers are available for that purpose. That will, of course, depend on the particular circumstances of that Minister, but I\u2019d ask that if there are any particular queries or concerns about that, the member and the shadow Leader of the House get in touch, and we\u2019ll be happy to try and facilitate that as much as we can. In respect of the Fair Pay Agreements Bill, we\u2019ve clearly signalled that we expect there to be a standard select committee process for that important piece of legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022 data-id=\u00220707f1917d3b451aa646811711b310f6\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000013\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00220707f1917d3b451aa646811711b310f6\u0022\u003EHon JAMES SHAW (Co-Leader\u2014Green):\u003C/span\u003E I thank the Deputy Leader of the House for that update, and just ask if he\u2019s had any updates on the Organic Products Bill, which we asked about last week, and I think he said he was going to get further advice about the progress of that into the House, given that it came out of the committee stage over a year ago now.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022 data-id=\u0022807a63535af542a6a3ee7d44fcd7b4e1\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000014\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022807a63535af542a6a3ee7d44fcd7b4e1\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOOD (Deputy Leader of the House):\u003C/span\u003E The additional advice is still digesting there, but I\u2019m sure that we\u2019ll be able to get good information to the member as soon as it has, and I will endeavour to get some clarity for him as soon as possible.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000015\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00220d614eb47c7d465b9eb1181bcda326a1\u0022\u003EPetitions, Papers, Select Committee Reports, and Introduction of Bills\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000017\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022b79d8d85ab7647c58c15644faba1dedc\u0022\u003EPetitions, Papers, Select Committee Reports, and Introduction of Bills\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u002251a2618198204fdfba2ba58ff97c9dec\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000016\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002251a2618198204fdfba2ba58ff97c9dec\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: No bills have been introduced. A petition has been delivered to the Clerk for presentation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022\u0022 data-id=\u00225a2a7c93678344eebcfd33dc59def277\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000018\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225a2a7c93678344eebcfd33dc59def277\u0022\u003ECLERK\u003C/span\u003E: Petition of Gerard Rushton requesting that the House urge the Government to expand access to meningococcal vaccine and provide free vaccine for all preventable forms of meningococcal disease to all students in year 11 or at 16 years of age before they leave school to work, study, or pursue other activities.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u0022ab29c71f24994626ab644894942ca1c6\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000019\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ab29c71f24994626ab644894942ca1c6\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: That petition stands referred to the Petitions Committee. Ministers have delivered papers.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022\u0022 data-id=\u002271df86caf92a477fb6fa78825a6aa54b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000020\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002271df86caf92a477fb6fa78825a6aa54b\u0022\u003ECLERK\u003C/span\u003E: \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000021\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003EWorksafe, revised statement of intent 2020-22 to 2024-25\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003EActivities of the Intelligence and Security Committee in 2021.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u0022d04f79145b504b299095114b2e681a7f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000023\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d04f79145b504b299095114b2e681a7f\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I present the report of the Controller and Auditor-General entitled Inquiry into the Strategic Tourism Assets Protection Programme. Those papers are published under the authority of the House. Select committee reports have been delivered for presentation. There are a number of them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022\u0022 data-id=\u0022b731a5df2d734638b82213af1064b13d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000024\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b731a5df2d734638b82213af1064b13d\u0022\u003ECLERK\u003C/span\u003E: \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000025\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003EReports of the Economic Development, Science, and Innovation Committee on the 2020/21 annual reviews of:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Trade and Enterprise\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003EAgResearch Ltd\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003ECallaghan Innovation\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003EInstitute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003EInstitution of Geological and Nuclear Sciences Ltd\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003ELandcare Research New Zealand Ltd\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003ECrown Infrastructure Partners Ltd\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003ECrown Regional Holdings Ltd\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003EAir New Zealand Growth Capital Partners\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003EKordia Group Ltd\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003ECommerce Commission\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003EElectricity Authority\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003EEnergy Efficiency and Conservation Authority\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003EExternal Reporting Board\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003EReal Estate Agents Authority\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003EHealth Research Council of New Zealand\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003EMinistry of Business, Innovation and Employment\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003ENational Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Ltd, and\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003EResearch and Education Advanced Network New Zealand\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000026\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003Ereports of the Finance and Expenditure Committee on the 2020-21 annual reviews of the:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003EBorder Executive Board\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003Ethe earthquake sector and the\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003Efinance sector\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000027\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003Ereports of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee on the 2020/21 annual reviews of the:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003EMinistry of Foreign Affairs and Trade\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Antarctic Institute\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Customs Service\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003EMinistry of Defence, and\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003Ethe New Zealand Defence Force\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000028\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003Ereports of the Health Committee on the 2020/21 annual reviews of the:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003EAuckland District Health Board\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003ECanterbury District Health Board,\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003ECapital and Coast District Health Board\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003EHutt Valley District Health Board,\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003Ethe Health and Disability Commissioner\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003Ethe Health Quality and Safety Commission New Zealand\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003Ethe Health Promotion Agency\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003EMid-Central District Health Board\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003ENorthland District Health Board\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003ETair\u0101whiti District Health Board\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003EPharmaceutical Management Agency\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003ESouthern District Health Board\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003ETaranaki District Health Board\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003EWaikato District Health Board, and\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003EWaitemat\u0101 District Health Board\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000029\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003Ereports of the Justice Committee on the:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003ECOVID-19 Response (Court Safety) Legislation Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003Ethe annual reviews of the:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL2\u0022\u003EHuman Rights Commission\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL2\u0022\u003EElectoral Commission\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL2\u0022\u003EIPCA\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL2\u0022\u003EJudicial Conduct Commissioner\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL2\u0022\u003ELaw Commission\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL2\u0022\u003EPrivacy Commissioner\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003Ethe 2020/21 annual reviews of the:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL2\u0022\u003ECrown Law Office\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL2\u0022\u003EPCO, and\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL2\u0022\u003EPublic Trust\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000030\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003Ereports of the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee on the:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003E2020/21 annual review of Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi M\u0101ori\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003Eannual review of Te Reo Whakapuaki Irirangi, and the\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003Eannual review of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo M\u0101ori\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000031\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003Ereport of the Primary Production Committee on the 2020/21 annual review of the primary sector\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000032\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003Ereports of the Social Services and Community Committee on the 2020/21 annual review of the:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003Esocial housing sector\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003ESport and Recreation New Zealand\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003Ebroadcasting sector, and\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003Efamilies and children sector.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000033\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00228b54f57195f847569bd37137006da3eb\u0022\u003EObituaries\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000034\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022f92cda24111b45b08a8af75ae02ac816\u0022\u003ESir Wira Gardiner\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000035\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002286394d53bb4b424f93ac5af460fef6da\u0022\u003EDame June Jackson\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000036\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022d65ad8d937a74bd586b1771de9e0112d\u0022\u003EDr Moana Jackson\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022 data-id=\u00227e6be36445a54d958bcafcab92fa5f34\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000037\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227e6be36445a54d958bcafcab92fa5f34\u0022\u003EDEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER (Co-Leader\u2014Te Paati M\u0101ori) (remote):\u003C/span\u003E Point of order. T\u0113n\u0101 koe e te Pika. T\u0113n\u0101 koutou. I seek leave to move a motion, without notice and without debate, acknowledging the recent mate [death] of Sir Wira Gardiner, Dame June Jackson, and Dr Moana Jackson. I have provided a motion text, and would be grateful for the support of all parties.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000038\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002237803fbfdbc3460482c2d8dca04b444e\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there any objection? There appears to be none. Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000039\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002277019fd4044c4191881d913928bd9433\u0022\u003EDEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER\u003C/span\u003E: Kia ora. I move, That that this House acknowledges the recent mate of rangatira Sir Wira Gardiner, Dame June Jackson, and Dr Moana Jackson; extends our aroha to their wh\u0101nau, hap\u016B and iwi; and celebrates their extraordinary contributions to Te Ao M\u0101ori, Aotearoa, and the world.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000040\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000041\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022168fdf98203b471594a9b249613cad4d\u0022\u003EOral Questions\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000042\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00225f46f52da98f44c99196953b3cce31a5\u0022\u003EQuestions to Ministers\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000043\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00221946a0477507489d9915f0bba7f514e3\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 1\u2014Climate Change\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022489d736b-2629-4bc7-8d38-6319c7797a33\u0022 data-id=\u00225de68f5fe195436d9696d930cc1c449e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000044\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022489d736b-2629-4bc7-8d38-6319c7797a33\u0022\u003E1. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225de68f5fe195436d9696d930cc1c449e\u0022\u003EMARK CAMERON (ACT)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Climate Change: Does he stand by all his statements and actions? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022 data-id=\u0022185fcbbba4c249a8a54140e7511c58d1\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000045\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022185fcbbba4c249a8a54140e7511c58d1\u0022\u003EHon JAMES SHAW (Minister of Climate Change):\u003C/span\u003E Yes, in the context in which they were made. In particular, I stand by the decision taken in 2019 to work with the agricultural sector on a plan to reduce agricultural emissions. Since then, the He Waka Eka Noa partnership has been engaging widely with the farming community, and the Government supports this work. In fact, I also stand by the decision to grant the partnership an additional month to conduct appropriate consultation with farmers ahead of delivering their advice to Ministers at the end of May. During that time, and including this very morning, Ministers have engaged regularly and constructively with the partnership leads, who represent the vast majority of the New Zealand agricultural sector, including Apiculture New Zealand, Beef \u002B Lamb, DairyNZ, the Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand, Deer Industry New Zealand, Federated Farmers, the Federation of M\u0101ori Authorities, Fonterra, the Foundation for Arable Research, Horticulture New Zealand, Irrigation New Zealand, and the Meat Industry Association. I note that Groundswell NZ have to date and very recently refused to engage with the Government as part of that leadership collective. The agricultural sector has a critical role to play in our bid\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000046\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002287bde1bfff7a4636a258903bc345fda2\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Order! I think the member has well and truly addressed the question. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000047\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022489d736b-2629-4bc7-8d38-6319c7797a33\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220b8c2116d2d54439ab77d90a8544f981\u0022\u003EMark Cameron\u003C/span\u003E: Does he continue to stand by his position, which he affirmed in the House on 10 March 2022, that farmers have the tools necessary to offset emissions, and, if so, to what tools was he referring? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000048\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002216d571903d92404eacfa9e55603409be\u0022\u003EHon JAMES SHAW\u003C/span\u003E: I think that the member needs to have more faith in the farming community of New Zealand. There are farms all over the country that have introduced a variety of technological and practice changes to reduce their emissions by more than 10 percent and increase their profitability at the same time. I think that he needs to look no further than research that was done by the biological emissions research group that was set up under the previous National Government, and a series of industry research papers and experiments done on farms all over the country. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000049\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022489d736b-2629-4bc7-8d38-6319c7797a33\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e11160d1e8cc4e0a9725b5fb31da5057\u0022\u003EMark Cameron\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry, they\u2019re not commercially available\u2014anyway. Does he accept that if Kiwi farmers don\u2019t have access to adequate methane mitigation technologies, they may be forced to reduce stock numbers to decrease emissions? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000050\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d04a4c9c2b5644308f2a44e0cad0f97c\u0022\u003EHon JAMES SHAW\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I accept what I\u2019ve seen from the science so far, which is that there are farms all over the country that have reduced their methane emissions and increased their profitability by changing their business models, and I think what we need to focus on here is the profitability of farms, particularly for those farms that are particularly struggling with increased debt as a result of overleveraging in the last decade. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000051\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022489d736b-2629-4bc7-8d38-6319c7797a33\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229f5d0f7633a9433d91b6c66596cd6115\u0022\u003EMark Cameron\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree with the Hon Damien O\u2019Connor\u2019s response in select committee on 10 February 2022: \u201CI don\u2019t think there needs to be.\u201D, when he asked if we need a reduction in the national herd size? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000052\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022dbdb2a1d0994439c8bc3d3575cdd7b97\u0022\u003EHon JAMES SHAW\u003C/span\u003E: Yes. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000053\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022489d736b-2629-4bc7-8d38-6319c7797a33\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d22398377a6f4203b28c3d82aa0d7260\u0022\u003EMark Cameron\u003C/span\u003E: Would it be fair to push farmers into an emissions pricing scheme when they don\u2019t have the tools to reduce emissions without reducing stock numbers? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000054\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223bfb9cfddfd94c38b2ac8bf09834480e\u0022\u003EHon JAMES SHAW\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I think that the member needs to have more faith in the New Zealand farming community and in the agricultural businesses that are conducting research and have been conducting research over the course of the last decade. This Government has spent something like $200 million over the course of the last 10 to 12 years\u2014started by the previous National Government and continued by the current Government\u2014into reducing agricultural emissions. It\u2019s quite clear that the New Zealand agricultural sector, as I said, including Apiculture New Zealand, Beef \u002B Lamb, DairyNZ, the Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand, Deer Industry New Zealand, Federated Farmers, the Federation of M\u0101ori Authorities, Fonterra, the Foundation for Arable Research, Horticulture New Zealand, Irrigation New Zealand, and the Meat Industry Association, have got with the programme, and I think that that member should too. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000055\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022489d736b-2629-4bc7-8d38-6319c7797a33\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229dcbc486b5144b0d9094530ab086fdf7\u0022\u003EMark Cameron\u003C/span\u003E: Is the Minister concerned if the methodology that he\u2019s used currently in the consultation process between the emissions trading scheme and He Waka Eka Noa is not done in a fair and honest fashion, this will drive up the food prices of staples such as milk and meat? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000056\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002250b4e5c456e24ac88a687f24bceab395\u0022\u003EHon JAMES SHAW\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I\u2019m sort of reserving my judgment until we receive the final recommendations of the partnership at the end of May, and we\u2019ll be conducting analysis after that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000057\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022ed6cf9ef78bc432785bba0b51120d0c4\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 2\u2014Finance\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022 data-id=\u0022c366b3d16c07461dbe0408f3cfc6bd42\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000058\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E2. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c366b3d16c07461dbe0408f3cfc6bd42\u0022\u003ENICOLA WILLIS (Deputy Leader\u2014National)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by his statement that the Government is \u201Cmaking sure that we do support those on low and middle incomes, who are the most affected by rising prices\u201D; if so, what level of income does he consider qualifies as \u201Cmiddle income\u201D?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022 data-id=\u002213981d60a16943b8a90bcf18c3af5267\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000059\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002213981d60a16943b8a90bcf18c3af5267\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance):\u003C/span\u003E Yes, I do stand by that statement. The Government recognises that many New Zealanders are facing a cost of living crisis due to global factors, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This has particularly impacted on fuel prices, which is why the Government moved swiftly to ease that pressure by cutting fuel excise duty. It\u2019s also why we\u2019re supporting New Zealanders by delivering income increases for many families, superannuitants, and those on Government support, from tomorrow. In answer to the second part of the question, the definition of \u201Cmiddle income\u201D does depend on each household\u2019s particular circumstances. One thing we do know is that more than half of taxpayers earn less than $48,000. What I can say in terms of the definition is that it doesn\u2019t cover those who earn over $180,000, who the member wants to give thousands of dollars of tax cuts to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000060\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221453383091a04668bd680153daab9a88\u0022\u003ENicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: Well, is he aware that, according to Stats New Zealand, the average household income is $110,000, and can he explain why these middle income families will not get a single dollar out of his so-called \u201Cincome package\u201D?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000061\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bda59ad175d1486db6c4fe97f351b41f\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: Well, Stats New Zealand numbers, depending on the day or depending on the month that is used\u2014the household labour force survey ones for June 2021 have a median earning level of $56,000, and a mean earning level of $67,000. In answer to the second part of the member\u2019s question, as we have said many times in this House, our focus in the 1 April package is on those on low and middle incomes who deserve a boost from the Government, denied for many years by National Governments.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000062\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a673aed6b83d41559ae05c7206c02ce9\u0022\u003ENicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: When will the Minister give relief to the squeezed middle, who don\u2019t qualify for Government entitlements but who are slipping backwards each week as they contend with the biggest cost of living crisis in a generation?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000063\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022abe64b22bbfa451c9a3e565df6861774\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: The member may not have noticed, but several weeks ago the Government removed 25c of fuel excise duty\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000064\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022030be4cb8b2e475a92e1b6eca151434e\u0022\u003ENicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, that\u2019s all they get.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000065\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226f925e2c5eaa49838988b8cc512f522b\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: Well it is, in fact, for the member, because it\u2019s delivering\u2014for those who actually fill up their tank once a week\u2014somewhere between $10 and $15 a week, which is a great deal more than what a lot of people would get from the member\u2019s tax package.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000066\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220792b81b586542e79585a4a80aa2db93\u0022\u003ENicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: Is it the Minister\u2019s position that an average household deserves no relief other than a reduction in the petrol tax he increased to begin with?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000067\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223111940382b84115b46fd5fed5e6407f\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s my position that all New Zealand households deserve a Government that properly funds health, that properly funds education, that properly funds housing, and that makes sure that it gets the balance right in supporting low and middle income families. There have been no easy decisions for the Government through the COVID period, but I believe we\u2019ve got the balance about right.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000068\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b8c3251dd9f841bc965abbc18f2c36b7\u0022\u003ENicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: Why won\u2019t he inflation-adjust tax thresholds so that an average income family could look forward to a $1,600 income boost this year?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000069\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228f266828f4de489da1b33a82604de834\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: As we have covered many times in this House, the member can\u2019t have it all ways. It\u2019s not possible to cut taxes, cut debt, and increase spending, and her leader just this week has said, \u201CYes, I want to see benefits increase. Yes, I want to see mental health spending increase.\u201D You can\u2019t have it all three of those ways.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000070\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221f9ae3e0ca84499f901ccffa604aaa21\u0022\u003EChl\u00F6e Swarbrick\u003C/span\u003E: What advice has he received on rent controls, taking into account that one in four renters, compared to one in nine homeowners, spend more than 40 percent of their income on housing costs?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000071\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002251edc486b8a54a548f889c3e69af469a\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: As the Minister of Finance, I haven\u2019t received any recent advice on rent controls. I know that those questions have been put in the past to the Minister of Housing and others, and I would direct the member to them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000072\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002293db7855977349d3b31dd3acfdae2f7e\u0022\u003ENicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: Is the $20 a week increase for Working for Families more or less than the increase in the cost of living for the average household?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000073\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022984c9419e7f040949337f2bc7fee6788\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: That will depend on what the average household is facing. What I do know is the 60 percent of New Zealand families who will be getting that family tax credit increase will be very pleased to receive that kind of support and possibly interested to know that the National Party voted against it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000074\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237a99b65-4919-4800-830d-3dd7c920d5cd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227675b9c1b0074c748e60de7346d6d906\u0022\u003EHon Dr Megan Woods\u003C/span\u003E: Can the Minister confirm that $20 a week is more than $2.15 a week that families earning $48,000 would get under the Opposition\u2019s package?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000075\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e8732433f6fc41979a2d66bff17d2e6e\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, I\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000076\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f2080ad8e746451fa23281381aeb2fed\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m pretty sure that\u2019s not in order. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000077\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002223909677bddb4a95bba8f80cd5ddd6b8\u0022\u003ENicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: Is he aware that the $21 a week increase for Working for Families is less than the around $70 a week increase forecast in the cost of living for an average household on $60,000 with two children; and isn\u2019t it the case that under this Government, all New Zealand families are facing a cost of living crisis that\u2019s set to get worse?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000078\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002272afa1e9235443bc9144754f4360b284\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: In answer to the second part of the member\u2019s question, we are aware\u2014very well aware\u2014on this side of the House that the factors that are driving cost of living increases, such as supply chain constraints, such as the war in Ukraine, such as the ongoing impact of COVID-19, are having an impact on households, and we as a Government have an obligation to look after those who are affected the most. We also have an obligation to invest properly in our health system, to make sure that we address the inequities in our health system, to make sure that we have proper schools, that we build housing, that we look after mental health. None of those things would be possible if the member carries through with her tax cut policy that would favour those on the highest incomes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000079\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022b54d5da9299e4f1bbdfc570c24742097\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 3\u2014Energy and Resources\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002227535d92-0798-4e04-be80-9e91b53610e2\u0022 data-id=\u00222dc1cbc7e11a4cd38be0cd18c04348de\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000080\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227535d92-0798-4e04-be80-9e91b53610e2\u0022\u003E3. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222dc1cbc7e11a4cd38be0cd18c04348de\u0022\u003ERACHEL BROOKING (Labour)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Energy and Resources: What evidence has she seen that consumers are benefiting as a result of the Government\u2019s action to cut fuel excise by 25 cents a litre?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002237a99b65-4919-4800-830d-3dd7c920d5cd\u0022 data-id=\u00228fc34113d23e4cbeaff1afe0838b79e4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000081\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237a99b65-4919-4800-830d-3dd7c920d5cd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00228fc34113d23e4cbeaff1afe0838b79e4\u0022\u003EHon Dr MEGAN WOODS (Minister of Energy and Resources):\u003C/span\u003E I\u2019m pleased to say the Government\u2019s announcement to cut fuel excise by 25c per litre led to fuel prices across New Zealand falling. A little over an hour after the announcement, prices at the pump started falling and they continue to fall. For example, last week in Hastings the lowest price of regular 91 was 57c per litre less than on the day before the cut to the fuel excise duty being announced. That\u2019s not all. In Hamilton the lowest price of regular 91 was 53c lower, in Greymouth it was 40c per litre lower, in Christchurch it was 39c per litre lower. All these figures show our reduction in excise is already making a big difference to the price consumers pay at the pump across the country.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000082\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227535d92-0798-4e04-be80-9e91b53610e2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226e94cfcea9104ceaae803f32b75b6315\u0022\u003ERachel Brooking\u003C/span\u003E: How will the Government ensure consumers are receiving the full benefit of the cut in fuel excise?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000083\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237a99b65-4919-4800-830d-3dd7c920d5cd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a42d8dae2fe44c6baa827d27d7792f4c\u0022\u003EHon Dr MEGAN WOODS\u003C/span\u003E: Yesterday, new information disclosure regulations that will require fuel industry participants to disclose information relating to their wholesale and retail fuel margins were signed off by the Governor-General. These regulations will come into effect tomorrow, 1 April. The regulations will monitor whether the reduction to petrol excise duty is being passed through to consumers. People will be able to see if they are getting a fair deal on fuel at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment website. The transparency will enable consumers to make informed choices about where they buy their fuel.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227535d92-0798-4e04-be80-9e91b53610e2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002297a7d2b36d6d45fd8d6381b613a1ef22\u0022\u003ERachel Brooking\u003C/span\u003E: How long has the Government been working on ensuring there are fairer prices at the pump?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000085\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237a99b65-4919-4800-830d-3dd7c920d5cd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d761f9a21e874b6191b2f14019e2b9a2\u0022\u003EHon Dr MEGAN WOODS\u003C/span\u003E: The Government passed legislation in 2020 in response to a market study we commissioned that found there was a lack of competition in the industry. This demanded more transparent pricing at the wholesale level and on forecourts so motorists can clearly see what the pricing is. The information disclosure regime coming into effect tomorrow is only possible as a result of a work programme of action by this Government. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000086\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022f6e22a10d87542ee930b5ea0ca634093\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 4\u2014Health\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022 data-id=\u00229a520276fa444bb193606f34817da370\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000087\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E4. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00229a520276fa444bb193606f34817da370\u0022\u003EDr SHANE RETI (National)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by his statements and actions around the July 2020 measles catch-up campaign that was paused 8 months later in March 2021?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022 data-id=\u0022f9ce0f33b8f54e9f93bb406b8b172358\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022f9ce0f33b8f54e9f93bb406b8b172358\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Health):\u003C/span\u003E Yes, in the context in which they were made. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000089\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d3069c0aaa8c4cbfa49f44e530921d05\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: Can he confirm that the measles catch-up campaign cost more than $20 million but only managed to vaccinate 3 percent of the target group, representing a cost of $1,900 per person?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000090\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022197154aec7f7492b80136f672ac54b34\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: No. The member is applying fictitious maths, which is, of course, the stock in trade for the National Party these days. The reality is that the campaign has not concluded and the campaign will continue. It is planned to continue until at least the end of June this year and possibly will be extended.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000091\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022766493b60c234d4abf78866f3120f20a\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: Can he also confirm that nearly $2 million was spent on a public relations agency to target M\u0101ori and Pacific people, yet only 1,181 M\u0101ori were ever vaccinated, representing a PR cost of $1,500 per person?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000092\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226b166df8cc434227a5858c8c636c3eed\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: No. The member\u2019s figures are completely wrong, which is, again, his track record, because he repeatedly now has to withdraw figures he puts in the public arena. The reality is there was a communications campaign associated with the catch-up MMR campaign. The House needs to recall, of course, that in 2014 the Government of the day received advice that there was a gap in vaccination coverage for this area. They received advice again in 2017. On both occasions that Government did absolutely nothing about it. This Government embarked on a campaign. It was planned in 2020, well before the advent of COVID, but COVID interrupted at the end of 2020 or beginning of 2021, depending on how you look at it, and like so many things, it disrupted the planned health programme at that point. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000093\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022433f182602aa4f9ca656f9ec75253699\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: Can he confirm that more was spent on PR than was spent funding the entire M\u0101ori delivery component of the campaign, and doesn\u2019t this show he actually cared more about PR spin than vaccinating M\u0101ori for measles?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000094\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225cef1da2499c4c9e93f9a1acc9b530f5\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: No, and, again, that member is wrong, because he acts as if the campaign is over. The campaign has not finished. The reality is this Government has had to make decisions in the real world, in real time, and things come along and disrupt that. This Government makes hard choices and hard decisions, unlike members on that side of the House, who have just become a pack of nit-picking niggly nattering nabobs of negativity.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000095\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cf9a61eeccfd4fbea529cf3c55541236\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: Isn\u2019t a $20 million measles catch-up campaign that lets $8 million of the vaccines expire, spends nearly $2 million on PR, and only reaches 3 percent of the target audience another example of why people shouldn\u2019t believe any health announcements that he makes?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000096\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002238ac2ff5e93c4f1bb8ee58b5ff835f60\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: No. I think what New Zealanders should feel an absolute sense of disgrace about is that the members opposite, when they were in Government, twice were notified that there was a gap in vaccination and did absolutely nothing about it. This Government did the responsible thing to put in place a programme to catch up on this very important vaccination. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000097\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bae3155c842e492990431c98bb2a8682\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Before I allow the supplementary, that was a barrage of interjections, OK? We need to\u2014 \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000098\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ee649aea-c6fa-4610-9fcf-5c4bb2d3cd33\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c3c890e04b614a31a9623d35c7ed1073\u0022\u003EMatt Doocey\u003C/span\u003E: Yeah, well, it\u2019s his fault. He started it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000099\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f78440246a1c4b648c6a5a09d98b95e6\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry, Mr Doocey, no. We need to dial it back, OK?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000100\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f319bc7b96f643d696b17fb4ed72e140\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree that the $8 million he wasted on expired measles vaccines or the nearly $2 million spent on PR would have been better spent helping to clear the backlog of 50,000 women currently waiting for cancer screening mammograms?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000101\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226e83739cf5ec4b6dae02582b6b53cba8\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I remind that member that the backlog he talks about today is a consequence of the COVID pandemic that started in February 2021, which was not known about in the earlier part of 2020, when the MMR vaccination catch-up campaign was arranged. That catch-up campaign would not have been necessary if the previous Government had listened to the advice that they got in 2014 and in 2017. But once again we have the party on the Opposition benches who is the party of anti - quality public health services, compared to this Government, which invests in quality public health services.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002238f28eed878b48ebb927457682d430bb\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 5\u2014Social Development and Employment\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022 data-id=\u00225ef2fab8a0a647a5a3d250421c17df2b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000103\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003E5. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225ef2fab8a0a647a5a3d250421c17df2b\u0022\u003ERICARDO MEN\u00C9NDEZ MARCH (Green)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does she agree with Fairer Future that incomes of some beneficiaries are up to $300 behind the actual cost of living for families, and that further increases are needed so that the 1 April changes do not lock wh\u0101nau into poverty?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022 data-id=\u00225042f9df60054e81914a0a0dcc7e2b77\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000104\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225042f9df60054e81914a0a0dcc7e2b77\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI (Minister for Social Development and Employment):\u003C/span\u003E Every individual and wh\u0101nau is different, with different costs, locations, and incomes. While this Government has lifted incomes substantially, and lifted 66,500 children out of poverty, we know there are still children living in poverty and there are families doing it tough. The benefit increases that come into full effect tomorrow are forecast to lift an additional 33,000 children out of poverty on the after-housing cost measure for the 2022-23 year. We cannot lift people out of poverty by just lifting incomes, which is why the Government is taking a broad approach. Alongside lifting incomes, we\u2019ve put more free lunches in schools, provided more free doctors visits, started an ambitious social housing build, cut school fees, and begun health and disability reforms. The half-price public transport fares coming into force tomorrow will also make a big difference. We\u2019ve always said there is more to do. Our review of Working for Families and childcare assistance will be another step on this journey.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000105\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222313b442deb74d2c9743df0f4777dace\u0022\u003ERicardo Men\u00E9ndez March\u003C/span\u003E: When the Minister says, \u201Cthere is more work to do\u201D, how long will families have to wait to be able to meet their cost of living with their baseline benefit alone and free their tamariki from poverty?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000106\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fa7cb87284fa47edb87dc3057753fd3b\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI\u003C/span\u003E: We\u2019ve been very clear from the time that we\u2019ve taken office that families shouldn\u2019t have to wait. That\u2019s why, when we first got in, in that first hundred days, we invested $5.5 billion into the families package. That\u2019s why, following that, we made other changes including the repeal of two sanctions that now will see more money in the pockets of particularly women. We\u2019ve lifted benefits. We\u2019ve lifted abatement thresholds. We\u2019ve increased Working for Families. There\u2019s a range of things that we have done, but there certainly is more to do.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000107\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c16725bdae794303a4272898af635944\u0022\u003ERicardo Men\u00E9ndez March\u003C/span\u003E: Can she guarantee that all families receiving a core benefit will be at least $55 better off after the 1 April benefit increases, and, if not, how much on average will families actually get?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000108\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a2e5dca349584e57bd26b97116d597b1\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI\u003C/span\u003E: The modelling that we got at the beginning when we announced the benefit increases in the Budget last year was that families overall, with regards to the benefit increases, would be better off by between $32 and $55 per week.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000109\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002207f4782a34994bffbb430e4c9ce7ff9f\u0022\u003ERicardo Men\u00E9ndez March\u003C/span\u003E: Does she stand by her statement in February 2020 that \u201CThis is also the first of four years that income abatement thresholds will be increased in line with movement in the minimum wage\u201D, and, if so, why isn\u2019t she adjusting abatement rates this year to reflect increases to the minimum wage?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000110\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224cb22f4a62d3429caa8a71e26758a040\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI\u003C/span\u003E: There is a review of Working for Families that we are undertaking, and, also, I do think something that does need to be considered is the indexing of abatement thresholds to minimum wage. It\u2019s something that we haven\u2019t got to yet.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000111\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a5d7aba244a040dc9bfa1bf6dee20193\u0022\u003ERicardo Men\u00E9ndez March\u003C/span\u003E: Does she acknowledge that when benefits are increased without subsequent adjustments to abatement levels, families who are likely to experience claw-back, which may result in an overall net decrease in assistance, are not receiving the full amount of the benefit promised?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000112\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022df26bb1b07c7498c9b0ad948ffdb7d6f\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s very fair to say that the welfare system is incredibly complicated. That\u2019s why there are other reviews that need to be undertaken, including a review of the accommodation supplement, childcare assistance, and, as I said, Working for Families. Those interactions are very complicated and result in different outcomes for different families. We\u2019re certainly committed to looking at those interactions. That work has started, but there\u2019s more to do.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000113\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bae3e1accfa24a53aa20d124e0b49123\u0022\u003ERicardo Men\u00E9ndez March\u003C/span\u003E: Has she started the work to fix the abatement rate thresholds, so that people can receive the full benefit increases, and, if so, when does she expect to finish that work?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000114\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226bd7f7f4b5844beb97a7aa14bdb62b44\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI\u003C/span\u003E: Just to be clear, the abatement thresholds that the member is talking about is the amount that you can work before you start to lose benefit. We haven\u2019t indexed them yet. That is work that needs to be considered down the track. We certainly haven\u2019t started that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000115\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022af3a94e0b01d406486bdd07b7dd8c0ef\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 6\u2014Social Development and Employment\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022 data-id=\u00222197d8b979d34040a3ae4b07c3b4f34e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000116\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003E6. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222197d8b979d34040a3ae4b07c3b4f34e\u0022\u003EANGIE WARREN-CLARK (Labour)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: How will New Zealanders benefit from the 1 April changes to benefits and payments that come into effect tomorrow?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022 data-id=\u0022efbdd46f48bb4811b0a1ade384674ab4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000117\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022efbdd46f48bb4811b0a1ade384674ab4\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI (Minister for Social Development and Employment):\u003C/span\u003E From tomorrow, more than 1.4 million New Zealanders will see more money in their pockets from boosts to main benefits, superannuation, Working for Families, the minimum wage, and student allowance, but the benefits to New Zealanders go beyond just a lift in financial support. These historic lifts to main benefits in July 2021 and April 2022 will see up to 33,000 children lifted out of poverty on the after-housing cost measure for the 2022-23 year, compared to the projected number for the same year without the Budget 2021 increases. As a Government, we are committed to improving income adequacy, and tomorrow\u2019s changes are another step in the right direction. While we have delivered the biggest lift in incomes for New Zealand\u2019s most vulnerable in decades, we know there is more to do. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000118\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b64b273fa4334e43bc8ddf8602e6cf4a\u0022\u003EAngie Warren-Clark\u003C/span\u003E: What other initiatives come into effect on 1 April, which will help New Zealanders? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000119\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022988129c241e047f5b16bfa8f6bda4a9d\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI\u003C/span\u003E: In addition to main benefit increases, childcare assistance income thresholds will also begin to increase annually in line with net average wage growth. This is the first time these income thresholds have been adjusted in 12 years when that was stopped by the previous Government in 2010. Orphans benefit and unsupported child\u2019s benefit will also increase by between 12 and 26 percent per week. In addition to this, this Government is reducing the tax on fuel and halving costs for public transport, initiatives which will help all New Zealanders by reducing the costs of transport for themselves and the goods and services provided by businesses. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000120\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022aa3b2db76878416e8aa1d735b27cf8ef\u0022\u003EHon Louise Upston\u003C/span\u003E: Will there be fewer children growing up in benefit-dependent homes as a result of the 1 April changes; and if not, why not? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000121\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c6a6ed52c6ba40b1a7f9833e770e6c87\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI\u003C/span\u003E: Our priority is making sure that we reduce the number of children living in poverty, and so that is why the increases to benefits tomorrow and also the increases to the family tax credit are going to make a significant difference to a large number of New Zealanders\u2019 lives. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000122\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002253b3956184fa41aa8e83675e2cb6aeb1\u0022\u003EAngie Warren-Clark\u003C/span\u003E: Will there be any more support provided to superannuitants and beneficiaries? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000123\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220cf5020b83db484e95890bbc74fcae45\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI\u003C/span\u003E: Yes. In a month\u2019s time, superannuitants and beneficiaries will receive the winter energy payment. This payment was introduced by the Government in 2018 and helps over a million New Zealanders every year meet the cost of heating and power during the winter months. Since we came into Government in 2017, we have consistently delivered boosts to the incomes for New Zealand\u2019s most vulnerable. Tomorrow is yet another milestone on the way to supporting New Zealanders most in need. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000124\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00229ed63d86b79d4f039aabe142bef1cbb3\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 7\u2014COVID-19 Response\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022 data-id=\u00228efbfbc41c0b4fca914ceaf66a8c7e66\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000125\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003E7. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00228efbfbc41c0b4fca914ceaf66a8c7e66\u0022\u003EDEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER (Co-Leader\u2014Te Paati M\u0101ori) (remote)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister for COVID-19 Response: Does he stand by the decision to loosen protections under the COVID-19 traffic light framework, when Aotearoa\u2019s COVID-19 daily mortality rate has for the first time passed the daily mortality rate for the United States?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022 data-id=\u0022b4ae43561cca40aa93553f6a5965c28c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000126\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b4ae43561cca40aa93553f6a5965c28c\u0022\u003EHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL (Associate Minister for COVID-19 Response)\u003C/span\u003E on behalf of the Minister for COVID-19 Response: Yes. The changes announced last week, informed by the latest evidence from here and overseas, have been specifically designed to make life simpler and closer to normal while retaining the things that have proven effective in reducing the spread of the virus, like face masks, testing and isolation, and capacity limits in the highest risk settings. Our response has and will continue to focus on protecting those groups who face a disproportionate effect from this virus, including M\u0101ori, Pasifika, immune compromised, and disability. I know hearing about reports of deaths can be confronting and, of course, reflect a loss for the affected wh\u0101nau. And I would note that while deaths linked to COVID in New Zealand have, sadly, been rising at this stage, a comparison of death rates between two countries based on a single day is not a useful comparison given our different stages in an Omicron outbreak. New Zealand\u2019s daily death rate per million remains five times lower than the US at its peak in late 2020, and four times lower than the US\u2019s more recent Omicron peak in February. The United States has now had almost 1 million people die from COVID-19. New Zealand\u2019s total mortality per capita is still one of the lowest in the OECD.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000127\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221ee44a91452340b5a5cfe89cf53a082f\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Supplementary, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000128\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225989fff3d7ce43bca1e514f024a77f2f\u0022\u003EHon Member\u003C/span\u003E: Muted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000129\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b39172272ef54b1f81da89ae56b22b7d\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m sorry, we\u2019re not getting any sound through the system. I wonder if we can get some technical help with that, hopefully.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000130\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225a4535c083d445419b1feb83d3dcd322\u0022\u003EDebbie Ngarewa-Packer\u003C/span\u003E: Can you hear me now?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000131\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223fd360b3b550418081455e289ec67f63\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: We can hear you now.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000132\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b668b9fd77eb46e9abc77abd7dcc40d2\u0022\u003EDebbie Ngarewa-Packer\u003C/span\u003E: An\u014D\u2014is he concerned that the recent announcement to loosen restrictions sends the wrong message to the country when M\u0101ori, Pasifika, disabled, and low-income wh\u0101nau are still greatly at risk from COVID-19; if not, why not?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000133\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226264c1bb4e8b454f9656a7efe13efdbc\u0022\u003EHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL\u003C/span\u003E: The Government needs to justify any public health restrictions in terms of their efficacy, and we know that the removal of mandates or the use of vaccine passes at a time when there are high levels of immunity does not further increase the public health risk. We\u2019re also advised that there is minimal additional public health risk from the removal of gathering limits at the red setting. People who face high risk of illness from COVID can be reassured that we continue public health measures where they make an important difference. This includes the recommended use of masks, the isolation of cases and contacts, the use of testing to identify cases, and the provision of care in the community and in hospitals to ensure that the impact of COVID is minimised.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000134\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228e380af509ec40649fa846b0cc97622d\u0022\u003EDebbie Ngarewa-Packer\u003C/span\u003E: What is being done, if anything, to strengthen support and resourcing for M\u0101ori, Pasifika, disabled, and low-income wh\u0101nau, who are the most at risk from the worsening COVID-19 mortality rate, and ensure this support continues into winter?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000135\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e94ea3e5c4954cd98335264e94f3152f\u0022\u003EHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL\u003C/span\u003E: Indeed, a large amount of work across our response is under way in partnership with those providers. So if we take any aspect of the COVID response: for example, ongoing efforts to roll out boosters are under way with over 70 M\u0101ori providers; efforts to make sure that rapid antigen tests are provided to M\u0101ori and Pasifika wh\u0101nau are vast\u2014there are over a thousand M\u0101ori organisations providing rapid antigen tests. There is an integrated welfare response, between M\u0101ori providers and the Ministry of Social Development, that ensures that food is provided to wh\u0101nau who need it while they\u2019re isolating, and that wh\u0101nau\u2019s needs are managed in a holistic way. And, indeed, these efforts will be sustained through winter should another peak arise.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000136\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002234d2295bf0e64d1fb639569b149b09b6\u0022\u003EDebbie Ngarewa-Packer\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order. Thank you. I understand the answer given. However, my question was what is being done to strengthen the support. I didn\u2019t ask for a list of what\u2019s currently being done.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e309bd2910704909b4d168a8ab523d0e\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The question was addressed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000138\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022949ec02ffab24a67ac6a6172535eadf3\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 8\u2014Health\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022 data-id=\u00221166714552154c7a9ed345870e6662af\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000139\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022\u003E8. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221166714552154c7a9ed345870e6662af\u0022\u003EPAUL EAGLE (Labour\u2014Rongotai)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Health: What medicines has the Government recently secured access to that support New Zealanders against COVID-19?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022 data-id=\u0022af2a778c2f5a444eaf656dede16d6868\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000140\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022af2a778c2f5a444eaf656dede16d6868\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Health):\u003C/span\u003E While vaccinations and booster shots remain the best defence against COVID-19, having more medicines available is an important step in helping prevent vulnerable people from becoming unwell and needing further treatment. Today, I announced that New Zealand has added 60,000 courses of Paxlovid, an oral medicine for this year that will be available to New Zealanders with a valid prescription. We\u2019ve also secured access to New Zealand\u2019s first pre-exposure prophylactic treatment for COVID-19, Evusheld. This treatment provides an option for those who cannot have vaccines.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000141\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226d509972872046e4b5ea235e07c553d6\u0022\u003EPaul Eagle\u003C/span\u003E: How do these medicines support New Zealanders against COVID-19?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000142\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229a7c67e1cf2f4874ae7ee3272d65cc73\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: Paxlovid is a five-day course of tablets that needs to be taken within five days of first developing symptoms of COVID-19. Access to Paxlovid will be tight to make sure it gets to the people who need it most. It will be prescribed by doctors with factors such as age, disability, and being immunocompromised taken into account. On Evusheld, this is a pre-exposure prophylactic treatment, as I said, and that can actually stop people developing COVID-19. Evusheld allows antibodies that provide protection against COVID-19 to be given directly to a patient and does not require a patient\u2019s immune system to create these antibodies. If approved by Medsafe, access criteria to Evusheld will be published by Pharmac.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000143\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022217f4585-f6ef-408d-9318-8a6b8506920b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022001d32cebce04381bdbc95fa9ee1c5f5\u0022\u003EPaul Eagle\u003C/span\u003E: When will these drugs be available amongst the broader range of COVID-19 therapeutics New Zealand has access to?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000144\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e14b0d2e43c94f5d876f2107af874dd3\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: The first shipment of Paxlovid has arrived in New Zealand ahead of schedule and will start being offered to those most at risk, from next week. The benefit of this medicine is that by protecting people from getting seriously ill, it will prevent the health system also from being overwhelmed. Regarding Evusheld, this is currently going through Medsafe approval and we expect New Zealanders who meet the criteria for it could receive treatment with it from about the middle of this year.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000145\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022f977619b7ecc4de090b41d81ff62bc2c\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 9\u2014Workplace Relations and Safety\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022 data-id=\u00225013a2ddb7fc4cfba71221347d4bd178\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000146\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E9. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225013a2ddb7fc4cfba71221347d4bd178\u0022\u003EHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety: How will Fair Pay Agreements help New Zealand businesses and workers to meet the challenges and opportunities presented in a rapidly changing world of work, and has he taken on board advice, if any, during the development of the Fair Pay Agreement framework?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022 data-id=\u002200d33ed20e13401b89c58b69f014dc41\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000147\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002200d33ed20e13401b89c58b69f014dc41\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOOD (Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety):\u003C/span\u003E I thank the member for the opportunity to speak about how the fair pay agreement system will help New Zealand workers to combat the challenges and embrace the opportunities presented in the rapidly changing world of work. I note that fair pay agreements were an important manifesto commitment of the Labour Party at the last election. We\u2019ve worked since then on taking on board the advice of officials, noting that our view was always that we should follow through on the commitments that we make. In respect of the first part of the member\u2019s question, I draw his attention to a very useful quote from the foreword of the Fair Pay Agreements Working Group from the Rt Hon Jim Bolger, who said, \u201CIt is vitally important that New Zealand tackles significant issues which are likely to affect other people\u2019s working lives in the coming years. I believe that a focus on lifting productivity and preparing New Zealanders with the skills to thrive in the future of work is vitally important if we are to succeed as a nation. Fair Pay Agreements could be a useful tool to address these important challenges.\u201D That\u2019s because fair pay agreements are about shifting the focus from competition based on low wages to competition based on the quality of products and services, innovation, research and development, and the other things that actually build prosperity and productivity. I would, however, draw the member\u2019s attention to one other quote from the Rt Hon Jim Bolger, who did note\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000148\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222a8081d76ec44871bff3ad0338e93a01\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I think you have actually addressed the question.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000149\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e8207c62604145e9a2afb21e8ff49838\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: How will fair pay agreements, which could impose mandatory nationwide terms and conditions on certain industries and occupations, make Kiwi businesses more agile?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000150\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226b225734e5424f7d8f2f6db2a096e5f2\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOOD\u003C/span\u003E: I draw the member\u2019s attention to the fact that we do have mandatory conditions across the labour market at the moment. Those are things such as the minimum wage, such as minimum annual leave and minimum sick leave. They provide a basic floor for workers\u2019 terms and conditions, and actually most decent employers believe that that\u2019s a good thing. One of the important things about fair pay agreements is that in the establishment of a floor, they support decent employers who want to provide good pay and conditions from being undercut, and those employers can therefore compete on the basis of those things that will actually drive greater productivity. That\u2019s what we\u2019ve seen in many other jurisdictions overseas. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000151\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220a5a0b6d7a81426fac52744de1404567\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: With regard to the advice from officials on direct costs of fair pay agreements in the range of $160 million to $620 million a year, does he accept that some of those costs will be passed on to consumers, adding to the cost of living crisis that Kiwi families are facing every day?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000152\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225019282a058a497bb13fff71c2d915bf\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOOD\u003C/span\u003E: There is a lot of similarity between the member\u2019s question and a comment made by the EMA yesterday, which noted that the purpose of fair pay agreements is to increase the wages of workers. The only answer that I can give to that is yes. On this side of the House, we believe that\u2019s a good thing. I\u2019d ask the member to reflect on the fact that at a time in which his side of the House is talking a lot about the cost of living, they seem implacably opposed to any measure that actually improves the wages of our lowest paid workers.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000153\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002226b21ad69eb848279cbf3b7706a2c53b\u0022\u003EKieran McAnulty\u003C/span\u003E: What reports has he seen about other models like the fair pay agreement system around the world?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000154\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229b1aeda3c8664c33bd99b58de2f448f4\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOOD\u003C/span\u003E: I have seen reports from a range of different sources about, for example, Australia\u2019s modern awards system. Australia, of course, has had a higher rate of labour productivity than New Zealand in the period during which it has had a sector-based bargaining system similar to fair pay agreements, as has Singapore, and as has Germany, one of the most successful innovating export economies in the world.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000155\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ff2787e314e942c0aa0790bbdcfa0ef1\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: Did it worry him that Treasury advised, in relation to fair pay agreements, that \u201CThere has been minimal identification of empirical evidence for the problem or for the policy response\u201D, and did he think the Treasury officials were essentially saying that his bill is driven by ideology rather than any evidence?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000156\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002245469f27c5f94d80b0f076b170ff242d\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOOD\u003C/span\u003E: From time to time, I have disagreed with the advice that has been provided by Treasury. What I do agree with is the advice and views that I receive, for example, from real Kiwi workers, people like the cleaners who come into our offices here at Parliament every night, who note that in order to try and live a decent life and pay the bills, they often have to string two to three different jobs together. That is a legacy of the deregulation of the labour market that occurred in the late 1990s. I know that they were halcyon days for the member and those people that he idolises, but on this side of the House and across most of New Zealand, we have moved on and we want a decent labour market to support those workers.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000157\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c39d8b4a67b94aa7b365ea221950b5eb\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: Was the only advice that he listened to the advice that he got from his union official friends and former union official workers?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000158\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002254a3a5780418427db4be269ffd44c165\u0022\u003EHon Members\u003C/span\u003E: Jim Bolger.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000159\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224f5fd1e722b742a0a6f11785915561e0\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOOD\u003C/span\u003E: No, I\u2019ve heard advice from a range of people\u2014as we\u2019ve just heard, from the Rt Hon Jim Bolger and the working group that was convened several years ago. I\u2019ve also heard advice, for example, from the OECD, who note that New Zealand is one of the few countries in the developed world without a sector-based bargaining system, and that the most effective labour markets do tend to have a mix of individual, enterprise-based, and sector-based collective bargaining.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000160\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a372fa2a36d149e8a0961c307343176c\u0022\u003EKieran McAnulty\u003C/span\u003E: Has the Minister seen any other quotes from the Rt Hon Jim Bolger, and if so, what did it say?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000161\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e5952d006980466bb3ac14c3da3e8c9b\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Order! You need to make the question relevant to the primary question, not to the answer\u2014which you did not. So do you want to have a\u2014 \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000162\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227d6dd4266b9342f1b9c16d316839bb10\u0022\u003EKieran McAnulty\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order. The answer to the previous question directly referred to statements by Jim Bolger.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000163\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022791c68933e894a7d8af5f3c62ed8f24f\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Yeah, well, you can\u2019t just have endless supply of quotes. They have to be relevant to the\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000164\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a283b9f23b324b888b489b42eda3b185\u0022\u003EKieran McAnulty\u003C/span\u003E: Can I have a supplementary?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000165\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e339bcfcc75e41cc9f62199921463c99\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Supplementary.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000166\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223fd94b7639f647fcbf8894487beefb41\u0022\u003EKieran McAnulty\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you. Has the Minister seen any other comments from the Rt Hon Jim Bolger in relation to fair pay agreements; if so, what did they say?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000167\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002216d54addf964464f847e418c6163079f\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOOD\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, I\u2019ve seen a range of comments that the Rt Hon Jim Bolger made. He did an excellent job in terms of leading that working group, which included representatives from unions and employers on it. He put forward in the foreword some of the arguments for a sector-based bargaining system. He did, however, also note that, unfortunately, there will always be some people \u201Cwho always try to screw the worker\u201D, Mr Goldsmith.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000168\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002227ca6c27db584406bd6fb690693edc42\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 10\u2014Police\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022 data-id=\u002275aa58aa976b4334a75c57c55d77eaf2\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000169\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E10. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002275aa58aa976b4334a75c57c55d77eaf2\u0022\u003EGINNY ANDERSEN (Labour\u2014Hutt South)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Police: What reports has she seen regarding diversity in the New Zealand Police workforce?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022 data-id=\u002290409b726a564c909af29d79fd358e28\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000170\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002290409b726a564c909af29d79fd358e28\u0022\u003EHon POTO WILLIAMS (Minister of Police):\u003C/span\u003E T\u0113n\u0101 koe e te M\u0101ngai o te Whare. I\u2019ve seen a report that shows diversity amongst front-line New Zealand Police staff is increasing at a rate never seen before. Since we\u2019ve come to office in 2017, there has been a record number of graduates from Police College who have been women, M\u0101ori, and Pasifika. These reports show that in time nearly four out of every 10 graduates from Police College have been women, with M\u0101ori, Pasifika, and Asian recruits making up 37 percent of all new police since 2017. Police recognise the value that different perspectives and experiences bring to making our community safer. Our recent graduates bring with them an invaluable range of skills, backgrounds, and experiences that will serve our communities for decades to come.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000171\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222d135048cdf54560b7a938189644c01e\u0022\u003EGinny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: What do upcoming police graduation wings mean for growing diversity in police?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000172\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022800f634ab427462199adbe75f6380f2a\u0022\u003EHon POTO WILLIAMS\u003C/span\u003E: Tomorrow I am attending the graduation of wing 352 at the Royal New Zealand Police College, which is a significant milestone for police and for this Government as it marks the graduation of our 3,000th recruit since October 2017. Each individual police graduation has its own story to tell about the growing diversity in police, and wing 355, set to graduate later this year, is made up of 75 recruits, of which 31 are M\u0101ori and 23 are w\u0101hine M\u0101ori. Since we began our drive to grow the police workforce, we have seen the number of w\u0101hine M\u0101ori police officers grow by two-thirds. The graduation of this w\u0101hine M\u0101ori wing will be a historic milestone for police and for New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000173\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222941859c4f664e698c12448dcb80fcd0\u0022\u003EGinny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: What does the growing diversity of our police workforce mean for our regions?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000174\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c010b276d81b43ffae67c5f7bb7f206d\u0022\u003EHon POTO WILLIAMS\u003C/span\u003E: Growing the diversity of our front-line police means that they are more likely to represent the communities in which they serve. Since 2017, we have grown the police footprint across the country. In Northland, 88 additional cops; in Waikato, 97 more cops; and in Canterbury, 99 more cops. This Government will continue to support our police to do their job while also growing the diversity of the workforce so that they can represent the people they protect.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000175\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002218f9e3ea-81c5-4414-af48-d6bb843a9227\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224686b35fa6224ba387847fb9dd04eb18\u0022\u003EMelissa Lee\u003C/span\u003E: Why is the Minister confident that the New Zealand Police workforce has acceptable diversity when the leading multicultural organisations in Nelson-Tasman wrote to the Police Commissioner protesting the absence of an ethnic liaison officer, and\u2014and I quote\u2014\u201Cfunding for an ELO was evidently allocated but not utilised by the regional command\u201D; where has the money gone?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000176\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0e0c86e-e14d-4daa-9bc8-1b5a3d7defeb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002243109c5b384e463896aca5c21b1981d1\u0022\u003EHon POTO WILLIAMS\u003C/span\u003E: While I can\u2019t speak to the allocation of funding\u2014that is a matter for the Police\u2014what I can speak to is the increasing diversity, including Asian police officers in New Zealand. And if I just go back to the answer that I gave, we are increasing M\u0101ori, Pasifika, and Asian recruits up to 37 percent of all new police since 2017.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000177\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002218f9e3ea-81c5-4414-af48-d6bb843a9227\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fbf6b716853744508a4bba627daa6acd\u0022\u003EMelissa Lee\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order. I seek leave to table a status report from the Ministry for Ethnic Communities that I received via the Official Information Act detailing this particular issue.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000178\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229f0a0d37fd234541bfbc9efa326de953\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there any objection? There is none. It may be tabled.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000179\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003EDocument, by leave, laid on the Table of the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000180\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022d1657f3039914316bd587e56ee050d37\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 11\u2014Corrections\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022 data-id=\u002283a1616bd1534d538cbd875939b7abb3\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000181\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003E11. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002283a1616bd1534d538cbd875939b7abb3\u0022\u003ESIMON O\u2019CONNOR (National\u2014T\u0101maki)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Corrections: Is he satisfied New Zealanders are getting value for money from the prison system; if so, why?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022 data-id=\u002274b0076e795742498811f7e0c8a285af\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000182\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002274b0076e795742498811f7e0c8a285af\u0022\u003EHon KELVIN DAVIS (Minister of Corrections):\u003C/span\u003E Yes, because the trajectory the former National Government had the prison system on would have seen New Zealand having to build multibillion-dollar American-style mega-prisons every couple of years\u2014both a moral and a fiscal failure.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000183\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d601b9b1bdc0478bb3f0863629e13e62\u0022\u003ESimon O\u2019Connor\u003C/span\u003E: How is it acceptable that total prisoner costs have increased by over $130 million since 2018, and yet the number of prisoners accessing rehabilitation has dropped sharply?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000184\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c5b1ac02c54040ce893d53d9cd318640\u0022\u003EHon KELVIN DAVIS\u003C/span\u003E: First of all, the fixed costs of running a prison don\u2019t change. But also\u2014and this might take a bit of time\u2014I\u2019m going to run through some of the investment that Corrections has made in what they do. First of all, the High Impact Innovation Programme, that\u2019s just under $15 million. Management of people of extreme risk, that\u2019s over $6.5 million. The M\u0101ori Pathways, that\u2019s $10 million. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000185\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002239018e653ad44a40a8814547c1b263fb\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I don\u2019t think we need a whole list of\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000186\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221e083e2588e7495588d9289a18c2a4a0\u0022\u003EHon KELVIN DAVIS\u003C/span\u003E: Mr Speaker, just a final point, then, is that dividing the total cost by the lowest prison numbers since 2008 gives a higher average per prisoner. Now, that is simple year 8 maths. [Interruption]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000187\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f53d0739fdbb4d8d82014f768e8149c4\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Order! Questions are asked in silence, thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000188\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224507a7d7faf74d8c91c2b06f106fe6a6\u0022\u003ESimon O\u2019Connor\u003C/span\u003E: Seeing the Minister\u2019s keen to quote maths, if the cost remains the same to manage a prison, then, ipso facto, would not the same cost remain stable, rather than going up $130 million\u2014you know, mathematics?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000189\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221a8620d7af6c41938f1c156604855c1d\u0022\u003EHon KELVIN DAVIS\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, Mr Speaker, can I please read through the whole list? Because there are hundreds of millions of dollars of investment, such as in M\u0101ori Pathways, such as in increasing access to mental health and addiction\u2014over $125 million. The Waikeria Prison rebuild operating cost come to well over $200 million. This Government has invested in Corrections, and invested in keeping New Zealanders safe. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000190\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002296fc00007e234692b0e72fe93ba9f16e\u0022\u003EHon Michael Woodhouse\u003C/span\u003E: A point of order. As the Minister appeared to be quoting verbatim from what sounded like an official document, may we have that document tabled please?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000191\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a13a208522004c09a5fd2585e9226a9a\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I will ask the Minister. Is that an official document that you\u2019re quoting from?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000192\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e543cb4d80ca42278df4d446d13301a2\u0022\u003EHon KELVIN DAVIS\u003C/span\u003E: No. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000193\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002284fc4bd31bed400aa34a1fecfb3c992d\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: No. [Interruption] Order!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000194\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f1db748a31cd4a7ca6059f8e68334ada\u0022\u003ESimon O\u2019Connor\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Appreciating that long list of initiatives, how does he then respond to reports about those, which says there\u2019s only been a \u201Cmodest reduction\u201D, because of them, in reimprisonment and resentencing rates\u2014in fact, most results of these don\u2019t even reach statistical significance?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000195\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022834d8242411d4c36ad34b90529837d38\u0022\u003EHon KELVIN DAVIS\u003C/span\u003E: The fact is that they are better than the results that the previous National Government was achieving.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000196\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225b6b1d74-9e5e-42ba-a922-85b0ea7f5ab6\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ca19546c8f4e464d8721469d9e02264d\u0022\u003ESimon O\u2019Connor\u003C/span\u003E: Again, how can he actually say that, when the quote\u2019s from his own annual report, again suggesting that there has only been modest reductions in reimprisonment, and the results that he has achieved basically are of statistical insignificance?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000197\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c6c1d887c7b44a8c9334d5c8e5c7b27e\u0022\u003EHon KELVIN DAVIS\u003C/span\u003E: Well, again, they are better than the results that the previous National Government was achieving, where they actually went up. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000198\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022dbeb34224774424aa1b78881f8c42d89\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 12\u2014COVID-19 Response\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022 data-id=\u00227e060d985bb44154b0d311722fbc8826\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000199\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003E12. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227e060d985bb44154b0d311722fbc8826\u0022\u003ETANGI UTIKERE (Labour\u2014Palmerston North)\u003C/span\u003E to the Associate Minister for COVID-19 Response: How is the Government ensuring remote communities can readily access rapid antigen tests? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000200\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225bbd9f26-fdb0-4b85-a836-0fc46e1bba3c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220f3ea1b0046e4e8ab856c3f33ecf28ff\u0022\u003EHon Dr David Clark\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order. Sorry, sir. There was just something going on with the sound system and I didn\u2019t quite catch\u2014I just wonder whether the member could repeat the question? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000201\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225f2310aba41c47b7aeafc1be2ac53450\u0022\u003EHon Member\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s written on the yellow sheet. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000202\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225bbd9f26-fdb0-4b85-a836-0fc46e1bba3c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002277d4449344fc44d8a89d660029ac6571\u0022\u003EHon Dr David Clark\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, is it\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000203\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002212f6355da4ef41cdad57b253d71fbbce\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I beg your pardon? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000204\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225bbd9f26-fdb0-4b85-a836-0fc46e1bba3c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227da71c68425647b6b05e72b7780624e2\u0022\u003EHon Dr David Clark\u003C/span\u003E: Did I\u2014apologies. Mr Speaker, it\u2019s probably fine. Thank you. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022 data-id=\u002276e078387d71459387aa0b1419cfcacd\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002276e078387d71459387aa0b1419cfcacd\u0022\u003EHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL (Associate Minister for COVID-19 Response):\u003C/span\u003E The Government has launched an additional targeted rural service of rapid antigen tests (RATs) for those who live in remote rural areas. Now that the purpose of testing has shifted away from finding every case, RATs provide intelligence on the spread and size of the outbreak, alert people to the support available to them, and help bring a sense of normality to people\u2019s lives. More than 95 percent of New Zealanders are within a 20-minute drive of a RAT access point, but we need to make sure that the 250,000 who live remotely are also able to access testing easily. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000206\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222f12241506ad4541abc21571843eb3cb\u0022\u003ETangi Utikere\u003C/span\u003E: How will the new service work? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000207\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220738df4fbcb643eeaf6cb2254e3f7623\u0022\u003EHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL\u003C/span\u003E: DHBs already have initiatives under way to reach their rural communities. The service launched this week aims to improve connections between households and those initiatives, and if there\u2019s no existing initiative in your area, we will courier RATs directly to your home. The service can be accessed via the assisted channel on 0800 222 478, or through the RAT requester website. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000208\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cfb089c5e9054287bdca368292ca1b4b\u0022\u003ETangi Utikere\u003C/span\u003E: What are some of those existing initiatives by DHBs? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000209\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b881b6ef36d84c6789c417326e5eb20e\u0022\u003EHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL\u003C/span\u003E: The DHBs are using a number of unconventional methods to reach their communities. Whanganui DHB, for example, is distributing, on average, 12,000 tests per day. They are using jetboats, flying foxes, and they\u2019re even exploring the option of delivering them via horseback to make sure that no one is left behind. The West Coast DHB\u2019s COVID-19 vaccination team, who travel to remote areas, have a stock of RATs on board ready for distribution\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000210\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e98b78970917465eb4d5523a77c6b3e7\u0022\u003EAngie Warren-Clark\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order, Mr Speaker. My apologies, Mr Speaker. I actually can\u2019t hear the answer. I would appreciate being able to hear it. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000211\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002227525447b38641a5becf45ae3f55e8e2\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I must say it has been quite rowdy this afternoon, so\u2014I mean, if Dr Verrall wishes to continue her answer? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000212\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022786c797ab2b340f4991a3a7bb740462f\u0022\u003EHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL\u003C/span\u003E: The West Coast DHB\u2019s COVID-19 vaccination team, who travel to remote areas, have a stock of rapid antigen tests on board ready for distribution, and South Canterbury has initiated proactive distribution of RATs to the high country stations in their region. I want to thank all the DHBs, M\u0101ori providers, and rapid antigen test distributors for their work assisting rural communities. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000213\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022\u003EBills\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000214\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002229aaecdaf58c44f2898813e4a2c67377\u0022\u003EIncorporated Societies Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000215\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002264e379d5e7c14e30b0c0976fc2d3a876\u0022\u003EThird Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000216\u0022\u003EDebate resumed from 30 March.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u00221fd383de7190438da33bd57aa90be948\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000217\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221fd383de7190438da33bd57aa90be948\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Members, we are on call No. 2 and I believe it\u2019s a National Party call.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000218\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022aaefe0314fe54b3a9ac076a789cb57dd\u0022\u003EHon Judith Collins\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000219\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ad44b6c0ce904c1781af68416e1854c1\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry, there were members blocking you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022 data-id=\u00222a8b16b2c5a2404aa5b183df60a9d8ac\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000220\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222a8b16b2c5a2404aa5b183df60a9d8ac\u0022\u003EHon JUDITH COLLINS (National\u2014Papakura):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. We in the National Party support most of this bill, but we think that there is a very important issue that the Minister has missed and I hope he will listen to this. We are deeply concerned about clauses 53 and 54 of the bill. These are modelled on sections 135 and 136 of the Companies Act, which require directors not to trade in a manner likely to create a substantial risk of serious loss to creditors and not to agree to incur obligations if they do not have reasonable grounds to believe that the company will be able to honour them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000221\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003ENow on the face of it that might sound perfectly fine until we consider that the incorporated societies that we\u2019re talking about already have unlimited liability, so they\u2019re not limited liability like companies, they\u2019re unlimited. So this is an extra onus on the people who choose to take up\u2014or are often basically strong-armed in many cases to take up\u2014the obligations of being the president, the chair, the secretary of these incorporated societies, because let\u2019s be really clear, these are people often at the, you know, Dunholme Tennis Club. This is what we\u2019re talking about. This is not talking about businesses where directors are being paid for their time, their expertise\u2014and in most cases nowadays directors require some form of directors insurance. So what we\u2019re concerned about is that this bill is overdoing it. So there are some really good parts of it. But this particular one we\u2019ve got real concerns with.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000222\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003EWe support, as I said, most of the bill. I mean, the bill is trying to modernise what has become in some cases quite a cumbersome situation. But we do believe that these clauses 53 and 54, are designed for corporate structures and they\u2019ve just been taken holus bolus into this bill, which is actually about these incorporated societies. So we really do think this is quite a serious issue.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000223\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003EWe note also that there were plenty of submissions on the bill and particularly on this issue. In fact, the law firm Chapman Tripp has written separately to the Minister to warn him of the significance of including clauses 53 and 54 in this bill, and he has chosen not to take that advice. But that is a shame because we also have, of course, the situation of the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act, also from this Minister, and we were obviously concerned at that stage that something might go wrong. And gosh, it did\u2014we\u2019ve been straight back into Parliament to try and correct it as banks and lenders feel that they are obliged to check people\u2019s coffee consumption before they decide whether or not they\u2019re responsible enough to have a mortgage. This is another one of these where it might look OK, it might look good on paper, but I think we do need to really look at this.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000224\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003ESo what we\u2019re suggesting because we are now in the third reading is that it would be useful if this matter\u2014and the Minister agreed\u2014was brought back for a review to the select committee in say a year\u2019s time to see if any of these unintended but possible consequences have actually occurred. I think that that would be a way through for the Minister and for Parliament to be able to do most of\u2014as I say, most of this bill we\u2019re perfectly happy with but it is, of course, that unintended consequence. I think, as we have seen, people do sign up to be the treasurer or the secretary because we have a culture of volunteerism in New Zealand. We\u2019re very fortunate. We and other democratic countries tend to have that more than, say, those countries that were brought up under communism, for instance, where they don\u2019t have volunteerism.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000225\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002279c07e8ec91b446d8a987467171278aa\u0022\u003EHon Member\u003C/span\u003E: Ha, ha!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000226\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002207d487d3308443709c34ffdbd1e1af45\u0022\u003EHon JUDITH COLLINS\u003C/span\u003E: Well, the member laughs about that and I think, you know, she\u2019s quite right to have a giggle about it. But I\u2019ve actually met with people who came out of that and they came to New Zealand and they found that they didn\u2019t understand that people would actually go out and do things just to help others. They lived under a State that said you had to do it, and if you didn\u2019t have to do it then you didn\u2019t do it. So I think we do need to respect that when people join up to these incorporated societies\u2014because we are sort of a joining sort of culture here in New Zealand; we like to join things, meet people and be part of things\u2014we need to make sure that we don\u2019t make it too difficult for them to do so or too expensive.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000227\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003EWe have seen those sections in the Companies Act\u2014sections 135 and 136\u2014have quite severe consequences. I\u2019m not saying whether or not those consequences are not deserved in certain cases, but it is pretty clear that we don\u2019t want to see those same consequences visited upon the incorporated society that owns a tennis club. That is not the sort of thing that we\u2019d be wanting to see\u2014and understanding as well that companies are themselves limited liability companies. So the company of the shareholders is limited\u2014and directors\u2014but if you look at the incorporated society they don\u2019t have that protection, so, actually, by just bringing those provisions across from the Companies Act into the Incorporated Societies Act, we\u2019re actually going to be changing it and putting more burden on the incorporated societies.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000228\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003EI don\u2019t think that\u2019s what Parliament\u2019s meaning to do, but I think there is a real danger there. And having read the two sections in both the two Acts, I can see it is basically a cut and paste and I think it\u2019s a cut and paste that we do need to be very careful of, having brought this through into that third reading. I say, if we can have some response; if the Minister can confirm, for instance, that the select committee could review this in a year\u2019s time, say, that might be a really good way through. The last thing we want to do is to have people saying, \u201CI\u2019m really frightened about these responsibilities. I\u2019ve had my legal advice on it. Why would I put my home at risk for the tennis club?\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000229\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002285ec30d4-6394-433a-a12e-2c4def705dd0\u0022\u003EYou know, it\u2019s just really important that people take this seriously and right at the moment I think we need all the volunteers we possibly can, helping to build social cohesion after what we\u2019ve all been going through with the pandemic, and it is really important that people don\u2019t feel frightened. As we know, many of the people who come and take up those roles are in the\u2014let\u2019s say it\u2014more twilight years of their lives and the last thing they want is risk. They certainly can\u2019t afford, in most cases, to purchase insurance for it. They certainly don\u2019t want to have that sort of hassle. So I think we just need to make sure that as a Parliament, we give that protection. The Minister has been nodding quite a lot, which is\u2014sorry, the Minister in the chair, not that Minister, has been nodding quite a lot so I\u2019m hoping he\u2019s agreeing with me and whether or not the Minister, the Hon David Clark, can actually confirm that, that would be very helpful. Thank you, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022 data-id=\u0022e67e2a37311a4ec8939d21816fc3d3c6\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000230\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e67e2a37311a4ec8939d21816fc3d3c6\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Health):\u003C/span\u003E It\u2019s a great privilege to be able to take a call on this, the third reading of the Incorporated Societies Bill. As I\u2019ve explained to the House before, my connection to this legislation is not only that I\u2019ve run a number of incorporated societies and have been an official of one over many years and many societies but when public submissions were called for a review of the Incorporated Societies Act 1908, it turned out that I was the only member of the public who provided a submission. So I feel as if I bring some authority to this matter that no other citizen of New Zealand has been able to do!\u2014apart from the member, the Hon Judith Collins, who has just resumed her seat. I know that that member\u2019s background before she was in Parliament was as a lawyer. She ran her own very general sort of practice, and I don\u2019t know this to be sure, but I\u2019d be surprised if she wasn\u2019t advising, even in pro bono capacity, some incorporated societies.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000231\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EI do point out that the Incorporated Societies Act 1908 is a piece of legislation of 36 sections, and in order to legislate for effective incorporated societies frameworks, we now have a piece of legislation that will run to 261 sections. Now, that may well be a consequence of accumulated wisdom over many years of the Incorporated Societies Act in action and some litigation that goes with it, much of which, oddly enough, comes out of the racing industry, but I\u2019ll go no further than that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000232\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EJust to respond to the point that the Hon Judith Collins made in relation to clauses 53 and 54\u2014and I just make the point that I think it is important that our statutory framework does give a signal to members who take on the task and the role of being a committee member or an executive member of an incorporated society, even if it only has modest cash flows and modest assets, that nevertheless if the incorporated society is entering into contracts, taking on obligations, then it is important that those making those decisions do so with appropriate solemnity and take seriously the capacity of the incorporated society to bear those obligations. So I have no objection particularly to clause 53 and the requirement that an officer must not agree to activities that would put creditors at risk. I think that\u2019s an appropriate signal to send and a reminder to those who sit on those committees that, actually, amidst all the fun of the tennis club or the racing club or the whatever, or the trade union\u2014the part of\u2014because that\u2019s a lot of fun as we know, there are some serious obligations that go with it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000233\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EIn relation to clause 54, my interpretation of that clause differs from the member who\u2019s resumed her seat. When it says, \u201CAn officer must not agree to the society incurring an obligation unless the officer believes \u2026 on reasonable grounds that the society will be able to perform the obligation\u201D, I relay to the House\u2014and I\u2019ll do it as anonymously as I can because I did know the person involved\u2014that I witnessed a lived example of a member of a sport club who was on the committee and whose club was involved in a reasonably serious seasonal competition in their chosen code, and so frustrated were they after several summers\u2014I give no hint of what the code is\u2014of the performance of their lead team that this person, a committee member, went to the United Kingdom and spoke to a professional in this particular code and invited that professional to spend a summer or two in New Zealand, and clearly made some other promises, because what the committee later found, exercising its collective role in meeting, was that they are up for a range of obligations to support this professional person to do this. The person who, effectively, incurred those obligations had no authority to do so, and it seems to me that that is the mischief that clause 54 is trying to get to, and, again, I think that that is an appropriate signal to send in a modern incorporated society\u2019s statutory framework.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000234\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EIf I could just speak more generally for a moment, I think it is great that this House has got to this point, with a great deal of consensus, in modernising our incorporated societies legislation. It is a very important piece of legislation to have because incorporated societies in New Zealand are very much the engine room of civil society in New Zealand. There are so many societies and I used to say that I can\u2019t think of one aspect of human endeavour in New Zealand where you would not find a collection of people who have put together a society, and, as the Hon Judith Collins said, it is usually voluntarily, and usually supported by professionals who does so on a pro bono basis and makes an extraordinary contribution, whether it\u2019s to their local community to a bigger city or indeed to the country as a whole. That\u2019s one of the great things. It\u2019s one of the great levellers, I think, in Aotearoa New Zealand. It\u2019s what keeps us all engaged with each other, regardless of our backgrounds and what-have-you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000235\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EIt is good that we have stepped up and modernised this particular piece of legislation. I think this piece of legislation answers many of the problems that I think many societies and many members of societies and their officers have experienced over the years. So it\u2019s good to see, with some specificity, what must be in the constitution of an incorporated society, and, once again, to reiterate that members cannot gain financially from being a member of the incorporated society or indeed an officer of it. There is clarity about the election of officers. There is now at least a signal towards some dispute resolution\u2014it is possible to put into an incorporated society\u2019s constitution and rules the ways to resolve disputes, including arbitration, providing it doesn\u2019t cut across other statutory rights that people may have. That, I think, is very good.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000236\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EIt is very good to see too the confirmation of the significance of the constitution. It is, effectively, a contract between members and a contract between each member and the collective that is the society. That has always been the legal status, and so it\u2019s important to members to see that when they sign up to the society and become a member, pay their dues or do whatever it is that qualifies them to be a member of the society, they are buying into a commitment, or obligations for want of a better term\u2014not commercial obligations obviously\u2014to one another in that incorporated society. That is clearly indicated in this legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000237\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EAnother thing that I\u2019m very pleased to see\u2014which is certainly not in the current legislation\u2014are the provisions in relation to amalgamation. This was certainly a bugbear of mine when I was a union secretary at a time when we were dealing with amalgamating with other unions who were also incorporated societies. There was actually no mechanism or provision for incorporated societies with comparable objects or comparable purposes and of a kindred nature to amalgamate very easily. They had to go through quite an extended process of resolutions to disestablish and then incorporate assets and then consider the tax liabilities of doing so. It was very convoluted and in terms of professional fees, a very expensive process to go through. So it is great to see that now, as part of the new statutory framework, there is a way for societies to amalgamate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000238\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EI think the reality is that the way things are going, as our communities grow, what often starts out as small disconnected groups with a common objective\u2014might then want to come together because they have a common purpose and consolidate their membership, their assets, and the general intellectual wisdom that leads them, and bring them together into a single organisation, and it will now be much easier to do so.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000239\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EThere are now also provisions for members to make requests for information, and I know this was always a bugbear\u2014not that when I was a union secretary and running an incorporated society we were ever averse to giving information to members that they wished to have, but there was always this thing about still observing the Privacy Act, and we still had to observe other legal obligations and requirements too. This new clause, clause 74, now lays out very clearly the right of members to get information relevant to them that\u2019s held by the incorporated society but also the obligation on the incorporated society to observe the obligations of the Privacy Act and other things as well, and also the right of members to get information presented to an annual general meeting. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000240\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EWe know that\u2019s one of the big bugbears for a lot of members, particularly when an incorporated society is going through a difficult time, because they want to get their financial information and they want to know what the future might look like for an organisation they might have been involved in. I\u2019ve seen, not in organisations I\u2019ve been involved with but in others, these tremendous disputes about getting just some basic financial information that every member must be entitled to. That is now made very clear in the bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000241\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EI commend all members of the House for getting this bill to this state. I think it is in a very good state and it will build great confidence not just to members but for those charged with running incorporated societies. It gives confidence to them in discharging their duties and responsibilities and it will make for a better life for all New Zealanders in those little activities that we all do to keep our interest piqued and to keep life good.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002218f9e3ea-81c5-4414-af48-d6bb843a9227\u0022 data-id=\u002254d98bd472094d94b1cd348eb23dcb4c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000242\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002218f9e3ea-81c5-4414-af48-d6bb843a9227\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002254d98bd472094d94b1cd348eb23dcb4c\u0022\u003EMELISSA LEE (National):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. It\u2019s a great pleasure to rise in support of this bill. Earlier, my learned colleague the Hon Judith Collins raised some concerns that we had. It\u2019s not something that we feel that is enough to oppose the bill, but raising and bringing some light to the reason why we are having some concerns is the duty as members of the Opposition, as decent members of our society concerned that it might have likely impacts that, for example, the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act (CCCFA) has actually had on the ability for some people to get a bank loan, for example. What we\u2019re saying is that officials and Parliament, and particularly a select committee, should actually pay attention to the impact that this legislation may have on incorporated societies and what that might actually mean.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000243\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002218f9e3ea-81c5-4414-af48-d6bb843a9227\u0022\u003EIncorporated societies play a huge role in New Zealand. Many of us here, probably all of us, have been part of incorporated societies in our local communities. I personally have been involved with ethnic communities. I have run an ethnic film festival, particularly the Korean Film Festival, every two years, and fundraising is a major\u2014trying to make sure that we do everything right and tick all of the boxes and do all of the financial returns and everything is a huge burden for a lot of people who also have very busy lives. And when a piece of legislation actually requires these people to have added responsibility, it might prevent some people who will be really good at these jobs, as chair or as treasurers or secretaries of these societies\u2014they might think twice. That\u2019s what my colleague Judith Collins actually laid out very, very clearly. So given the role that they actually play in New Zealand, I think it is really important to ensure that the rules governing them are fit for purpose and sensible and straightforward and easy to actually comply with.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000244\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002218f9e3ea-81c5-4414-af48-d6bb843a9227\u0022\u003EI was listening to the Minister last night when he spoke in the beginning stages of this third reading, and he thanked the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee, all of the members\u2014because I think we worked really, really hard to actually get to this point, questioning the officials who have advised us. I remember distinctly the discussions that we actually had on the limitations that it might pose on those people who might have skills to actually join incorporated societies\u2014will it not prevent them from actually volunteering? That was one of our biggest concerns.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000245\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002218f9e3ea-81c5-4414-af48-d6bb843a9227\u0022\u003EThe very fact that this Incorporated Societies Act 1908 really needed to be modernised is probably an understatement. It really needed to actually be modernised. I think when you look at more than 23,000 incorporated societies that currently exist on the incorporated society register, actually making it clear and simpler and putting their fiduciary duties clearly, I think, makes it easy for people to actually say, \u201CYes, I want to be involved.\u201D or \u201CNo, I don\u2019t want to be involved.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000246\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002218f9e3ea-81c5-4414-af48-d6bb843a9227\u0022\u003EI think the clarity where the\u2014I can never pronounce this word\u2014fiduciary duty is actually clarified, where people who are in those incorporated societies do make sure that their conflict of interest is managed, that they are actually not convicted criminals, for example, and that they actually see their duty as something that they might do, and actually bringing the responsibility up to where it is perhaps required if someone was managing a limited liability company\u2014I understand the rationale for it. I understand that we need to train some of our members who volunteer for incorporated societies so that they do actually do their duty professionally and, I think, as members said, execute their duty well, and making sure that our incorporated societies are not a disservice as a result of their non-performance.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000247\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002218f9e3ea-81c5-4414-af48-d6bb843a9227\u0022\u003EI think one of the things that I\u2019m actually really quite proud of in the way that the select committee actually operated is in relation to looking after the smaller societies where the thresholds of their finances are much lower and where the additional requirements of external reporting\u2014what standards might have actually put extreme pressure on their abilities, both financially and also expertise wise, and we actually raised the threshold to $50,000 operating payment and $50,000 current asset. So their reporting duties are actually much less than if it was a much bigger operation with people who actually have professional services that they could hire and pay for as well. I think it\u2019s actually a good thing that the select committee has actually come to that, and it is reflected in the legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000248\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002218f9e3ea-81c5-4414-af48-d6bb843a9227\u0022\u003EGoing to the comments of the Hon Andrew Little, who commented that he agrees with clauses 53 and 54 and he doesn\u2019t actually agree with the Hon Judith Collins\u2019 comment in our concern, I\u2019d just like to sort of say that the bill already provides in clause 49 adequate protection as it requires officers to act in good faith and in the best interests of the incorporated society when exercising powers to performing duties as an officer. In relation to clauses 53 and 54, I just want to basically raise the issue that when\u2014you know, I think the Hon Judith Collins actually made it quite clear that it seemed like a cut and paste job of section 135 and 136 of the Companies Act. What that particular Act had was a legal opinion and also a judge\u2014I think it was Justice Goddard who actually said that in respect of sections 135 and 136, in respect of Yan v Mainzeal Property and Construction Ltd in a liquidation case, that these clauses are not fit for purpose.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000249\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002218f9e3ea-81c5-4414-af48-d6bb843a9227\u0022\u003EI think often when legislators make law, it is reliant on case law to see if it\u2019s actually working or not, and I think when we\u2019re looking at this legislation, we should reflect on sections 135 and 136 of the Companies Act, which has actually had case law, to see whether it is in fact going to work or not. We have today and in select committee raised the concerns, and, today, as I close my third reading speech, I just want to put on note that I agree completely with the Hon Judith Collins when she actually says we should look at this issue, make sure that we\u2019re monitoring it, and if it\u2019s not working, we need to actually fix the problem, and, hopefully, that won\u2019t be in 10 years\u2019 time. But hopefully we\u2019ll look at it in one year so that we don\u2019t have the same situation like we do with the CCCFA issue, where people cannot even get bank loans because they have far too many coffees or go to the nail shop or go to the hairdressers. I think we need proper laws and to make sure that we encourage more people to take part in incorporated societies, because volunteers are really, really hard to come by and we need to encourage them, not discourage them. I commend the bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c2e823af-22b7-4411-8b12-14d7b43680ea\u0022 data-id=\u002282e6c5b9be3643bcb448b0d8e58031e1\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000250\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c2e823af-22b7-4411-8b12-14d7b43680ea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002282e6c5b9be3643bcb448b0d8e58031e1\u0022\u003EJAMIE STRANGE (Labour\u2014Hamilton East) (remote):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. I appreciate the opportunity to take a call on the Incorporated Societies Bill at the third reading, and I do so as a member of Parliament and also as the chair of the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000251\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c2e823af-22b7-4411-8b12-14d7b43680ea\u0022\u003EI\u2019d like to begin by acknowledging the Hon David Clark for his work on this bill, bringing this bill to the House. I\u2019d like to thank all of those officials who have worked on this bill, both in the past 12 to 18 months but also earlier than that. As we\u2019ve heard from other speakers, this bill has had quite a long life, going back to the previous Government. I know that when this bill was introduced, it was certainly the desire of the Minister to get this legislation right, to ensure that there\u2019s an aspect around bipartisanship in this legislation, and to ensure that it is enduring. I do believe that, through the work of the select committee, which I\u2019ll get on to in detail soon, the bill has reached a good place and strikes a good balance.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000252\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c2e823af-22b7-4411-8b12-14d7b43680ea\u0022\u003EThe last time this Act was updated was 1908, so it certainly has been a long time, and the function of incorporated societies has changed a lot over those past 120-odd years. If we look at some of those changes, the 1908 legislation talks about the birth and the death of incorporated societies primarily, whereas this legislation and the focus of this legislation is in terms of the living aspect of the society, so the day-to-day operating aspects of a healthy, positive incorporated society. Yes, there are also aspects around the birth and death, but it goes a lot broader than the 1908 bill. So certainly it was a bill that needed updating, and I\u2019m very pleased to see it updated.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000253\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c2e823af-22b7-4411-8b12-14d7b43680ea\u0022\u003EThere\u2019s a couple of aspects I really want to touch on, which is the thresholds and the dispute resolution. We have heard a little bit of this from other speakers, but just to give those members in the House and those who are listening at home a little bit of context, we heard from a number of submitters, and there was one particularly common theme that really struck me when we heard from the submitters, and that was around the thresholds for reporting, particularly for small incorporated societies. There was a concern there that, for example, we\u2019d have a small incorporated society, earning around $10,000 per year, having to do quite extensive reporting. Then they would have to get an accountant\u2014probably a couple of thousand dollars a year\u2014and possibly a lawyer, but certainly an accountant in order to get that work done. Right there, that\u2019s around a fifth of their income gone in terms of the reporting. So quite a few of the submitters believed the threshold needed to be raised.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000254\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c2e823af-22b7-4411-8b12-14d7b43680ea\u0022\u003EThe second aspect was around the assets. Now, you could have an incorporated society with a very small income, possibly even maybe around $5,000 per year, but they own a building worth around half a million dollars a year, and they would initially be captured in terms of that reporting. A lot of them said, \u201CWell, look, we really don\u2019t have the capacity to do this reporting.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000255\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c2e823af-22b7-4411-8b12-14d7b43680ea\u0022\u003ESo there was a lot of discussion between us as MPs and the officials in terms of trying to find where the right balance is, because the reality is that it\u2019s important for incorporated societies to do robust reporting, absolutely. As the Hon Andrew Little said before, when you\u2019re on an incorporated society, it\u2019s a role that has to be taken very seriously and with an aspect of soberness\u2014balancing that with the capability and the cost for the reporting. So it was quite a process that we went through to find where the sweet spot is for that. People may know that we actually delayed reporting the bill back because we wanted more time to really get this right, and I believe that where we have landed is in a really good place.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000256\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c2e823af-22b7-4411-8b12-14d7b43680ea\u0022\u003EWe have heard from two members of the Opposition, the Hon Judith Collins and Melissa Lee, but I\u2019d also like to acknowledge the Hon Todd McClay. He was on the committee at the time, and Todd and I certainly worked quite closely together, as he did with other members of the Labour Party on that caucus, in terms of really thrashing this out with the officials. We asked the officials to come back to us with various charts to see how many incorporated societies would be captured at what income levels so that we could work our way through this.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000257\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c2e823af-22b7-4411-8b12-14d7b43680ea\u0022\u003ENow, where we landed was that we proposed amending clause 96(2)(b) to increase both the operating payments and the asset thresholds to $50,000 each. As I\u2019ve said before, this was based on quite a strong theme from submitters.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000258\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c2e823af-22b7-4411-8b12-14d7b43680ea\u0022\u003ESo, look, this was an example of the select committee process working well, where you have a piece of legislation come to the House at the first reading, you have a number of submitters make submissions, there\u2019s a common theme through those submissions, and then the House takes note of that and makes some changes in the legislation, and that\u2019s exactly what we\u2019ve seen. I believe for that reason this legislation will be enduring, and that\u2019s really important. The reality is that\u2019s what we\u2019re looking at for all legislation\u2014it really is the holy grail of legislation\u2014and I believe that this does fit that criteria for enduring legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000259\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c2e823af-22b7-4411-8b12-14d7b43680ea\u0022\u003EWe also recommended clarifying that the asset threshold would require a society to have total current assets of less than $50,000 rather than total assets. Now, the difference here is, like I said before\u2014you could have an incorporated society with a half a million dollar building, but a very small annual turnover, like I said, of maybe $5,000. Under the original legislation, at the first reading, they would have had to report, and a lot of them said, \u201CLook, we just can\u2019t do it. We just don\u2019t have the capability to go through the External Reporting Board processes.\u201D Whereas in the legislation now, it is total current assets, so basically that existing asset\u2014the building, for example\u2014would be excluded. We\u2019re talking about current assets, which I think strikes the right balance there.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000260\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c2e823af-22b7-4411-8b12-14d7b43680ea\u0022\u003EThe other aspect I want to touch on as I bring my speech to a close is the aspect around clarifying dispute resolution provisions. Many of us, as MPs, I\u2019m sure, have had examples of people coming to our office from incorporated societies where there have been various disputes arise within that society and they haven\u2019t known how to deal with that. There hasn\u2019t been a process that they could go to in order to deal with those disputes. So this legislation clearly gives that guidance and that support around those processes in terms of dealing with disputes. I think this is certainly important\u2014a very practical step in terms of supporting our over 24,000 incorporated societies.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000261\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c2e823af-22b7-4411-8b12-14d7b43680ea\u0022\u003EI believe that incorporated societies are the lifeblood of our community. Many members of the House will be members of incorporated societies. I am personally a member myself. When we go to those meetings, we look around the room and we see people who are so passionate about their community. We see the beating heart of New Zealanders there\u2014people coming along and giving their time, giving their energy, unselfishly, for others. It\u2019s a really wonderful thing to see that in all those 24,000 societies, and hopefully more societies spring up that will support our communities.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000262\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c2e823af-22b7-4411-8b12-14d7b43680ea\u0022\u003EJust in closing, as a previous speaker said, I\u2019m also very proud of the place that we\u2019ve landed with this legislation, and I hope that it will serve New Zealanders well moving forward. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227ec53e32-05ab-4c6b-a080-4024e72a9099\u0022 data-id=\u00220da1294130864996852fd23e7359272a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000263\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227ec53e32-05ab-4c6b-a080-4024e72a9099\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00220da1294130864996852fd23e7359272a\u0022\u003EDr ELIZABETH KEREKERE (Green) (remote):\u003C/span\u003E Kia ora. This is my first time speaking in the House from my home in the very beautiful but a little bedraggled Tai R\u0101whiti. So, much love to our whanaunga up the coast who are suffering the impact of more flooding. Perhaps now that Transmission Gully is open the Government could invest in high quality roads and bridges in the East Coast that could withstand the weather events that keep coming at us.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000264\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227ec53e32-05ab-4c6b-a080-4024e72a9099\u0022\u003ESo coming to the Incorporated Societies Bill, I\u2019m here on behalf of the Green Party to take a short call on this kaupapa that is very close to my heart. As a long-time community organiser who started as the treasurer of the M\u0101ori Women\u2019s Welfare League in Dunedin at the age of 15, I\u2019ve gone from positions as secretary to treasurer to president of many, many organisations, from board member to board chair to local national and international roles that I still belong to, some of over 24,000 community organisations incorporated societies here in Aotearoa, and, as my colleague Jamie Strange just said, the lifeblood of this country, and they will be so much better off with this significant update\u2014and, of course, anything that makes writing constitutions easier is going to be a good thing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000265\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227ec53e32-05ab-4c6b-a080-4024e72a9099\u0022\u003EI acknowledge that today is also International Transgender Day of Visibility, so we acknowledge all those organisations who work to uplift the mana of our trans and non-binary wh\u0101nau.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000266\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227ec53e32-05ab-4c6b-a080-4024e72a9099\u0022\u003ESo the Greens support a modern legal framework and that incorporates all the case law that has built up over the whakapapa of this very ancient Act. We thank the Minister and the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee for bringing it to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000267\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227ec53e32-05ab-4c6b-a080-4024e72a9099\u0022\u003EFor the Greens, we envisage a strong and independent tangata whenua community and voluntary sector within Aotearoa that contributes in ecologically and socially sustainable ways to enhance our social, environmental, cultural, physical, spiritual, mental, and economic wellbeing. We need a law, and I think that this bill does it, that does not constrain us from doing that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000268\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227ec53e32-05ab-4c6b-a080-4024e72a9099\u0022\u003ELike every incorporated society does at their AGM, and now many of us will need to update our constitutions because of this law, the Green Party is actually in the process right now of updating ours. One thing we really appreciate is that this bill allows us to add our tikanga section as an integral part of our constitution, not as an add-on but something that\u2019s actually specified in the bill as important to what we do. And, as a party that specifies non-violence in our charter, we welcome the range of options now available for dispute resolution, that we can have mediation facilitation, tikanga-based practices, and that arbitration is no longer just the main option available to us.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000269\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227ec53e32-05ab-4c6b-a080-4024e72a9099\u0022\u003EPrivacy is very important to the Greens, and we note the Privacy Commissioner, when they made their submission to the select committee\u2014and I quote\u2014\u201CThe bill appropriately balanced the public\u2019s legitimate needs to have access to personal information about those involved with incorporated societies with the need to limit that access only for legitimate purposes, and to take account of personal safety and privacy.\u201D The commission only made one recommendation to the bill, and it was the express reference in clause 225, to protection orders and other name suppression mechanisms as grounds for the registrar having to remove and omit personal information. We\u2019re really pleased to see that the select committee took up and agreed to that recommendation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000270\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227ec53e32-05ab-4c6b-a080-4024e72a9099\u0022\u003EAs the previous speaker spoke about, thresholds for the small society\u2014again, being the treasurer, being on small societies, we do a lot of work; usually don\u2019t have much money. While we welcome the standardising of transparent and clearer financial reporting, this was an area that we were the most concerned about. That difference between the threshold of large and small societies is really important because it determines the level of compliance required from them, and it is a crippling thing to have to do your accounts and get them checked and audited when you\u2019ve only got actually a tiny amount of money. So the original bill addressed that in part, but the issue of the fixed assets versus current assets was still an issue. So I\u2019m very thankful for the submitters to the bill and the efforts of the select committee that that it is being well resolved.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000271\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227ec53e32-05ab-4c6b-a080-4024e72a9099\u0022\u003EWe were really concerned for marae with million dollar wharenui, the sports club with flash, you know, rugby fields, netball courts, but only a few thousand in the bank. This bill distinguishes between fixed assets such as land and building and current assets such as cash and liquid assets. That means the criteria for a small society and therefore less compliance is that they can have current assets of less than $50,000, even, of course, if their valuable fixed assets are well in excess of that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000272\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227ec53e32-05ab-4c6b-a080-4024e72a9099\u0022\u003EThank you for the opportunity for this short call. But that change alone will help around 60 percent of all incorporated societies. On their behalf, certainly on behalf of the ones that I\u2019m involved in, we all look forward to this bill coming into effect, and I commend it to the House. Kia ora.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a97e1705-20b1-4844-8140-1090426c1397\u0022 data-id=\u0022955b06d35b544bef96155f2544f35a56\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000273\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a97e1705-20b1-4844-8140-1090426c1397\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022955b06d35b544bef96155f2544f35a56\u0022\u003EDAMIEN SMITH (ACT):\u003C/span\u003E The opportunity to provide a modern framework for the legal governance of incorporated societies is a great thing, having been involved with them. Sitting with jugs of beer and peanuts to nut out what happens over a year is the basic reality for a lot of the smaller entities that are out there, but I guess it\u2019s different if you are a bigger organisation. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000274\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a97e1705-20b1-4844-8140-1090426c1397\u0022\u003EThe ACT Party supports the bill, but it also supports the position of the Hon Judith Collins in terms of the most cumbersome aspect, which is the burden that\u2019s placed on the officers of these societies. So I think, and I hope, that the Minister would also take that into consideration as being something that the future must assess. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000275\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a97e1705-20b1-4844-8140-1090426c1397\u0022\u003EThere will be rationalisation of organisations now with this. We feel that the balance has been struck between the accounting aspects of a big organisation versus a smaller organisation, which is extremely encouraging, because that\u2019s where most of the arguments actually lie when decisions are made. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000276\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a97e1705-20b1-4844-8140-1090426c1397\u0022\u003EAlso, in terms of the pandemic and inflation, a lot of the societies are experiencing stress. It\u2019s led to closure hours and that probably has dropped income, but I think it\u2019s also led to potentially less participation, so there\u2019s a whole educational strategy to actually reboot that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000277\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a97e1705-20b1-4844-8140-1090426c1397\u0022\u003EOne of the other things that one of the submitters came and talked about was that they\u2019d be very disappointed if this policy change meant that the Government got involved with the day-to-day aspects of an incorporated society. That\u2019s not the intention. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000278\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a97e1705-20b1-4844-8140-1090426c1397\u0022\u003EIncorporated societies are allowed to place their own value systems and schedules around what it is they do, but governance of the society must not become a Government issue, and the obligations of the officers around conflicts of interest and the ability of societies even to amalgamate is a stark reality in this time. They need to be able to look to the future and build organisations that are, effectively, promoted to the public, but have confidence that they\u2019ll be around. They\u2019ve got a group of members, they can govern themselves, and the bill actually allows these officers to get forward. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000279\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a97e1705-20b1-4844-8140-1090426c1397\u0022\u003EAlso we all know that, independently, accountants and lawyers do sit as non-executive members, especially around AGM time, to facilitate what can be quite a tumultuous day for the members to meet. So it\u2019s clear that there are mechanisms to cope with that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000280\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a97e1705-20b1-4844-8140-1090426c1397\u0022\u003ESo the framework, we believe, is acceptable. I think there will be some fallout over the next sort of two to three years on what it means in terms of how they operate on a day-to-day basis. My only concern is that it allows certain individuals inside these organisations to dominate and to control the entity, but as long as the constitution is very clear about elector representation, we should be OK. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000281\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a97e1705-20b1-4844-8140-1090426c1397\u0022\u003EThe bill closes certain gaps in the old Act, and I think the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee has done a fantastic job to bring this to the House. It does look like War and Peace in terms of where we\u2019re going for simple societies, but, as all the members have shown, there are some larger organisations like the Green Party or political parties or sports organisations of significance who operate nationally to use this mechanism more effectively, and I think it will be very positive. So we look forward to the bill coming in, and we\u2019d like to thank the committee for its work. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022 data-id=\u0022b6de57f17fa740d3946a7860cf5c2df4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000282\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b6de57f17fa740d3946a7860cf5c2df4\u0022\u003EGLEN BENNETT (Labour\u2014New Plymouth):\u003C/span\u003E Kia ora, Mr Speaker. Thank you for this opportunity on a Thursday afternoon to speak to the final reading, the third reading, of the Incorporated Societies Bill. It was a privilege to sit on the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee to consider, to debate, to listen, to learn, and to, hopefully, create a bill that\u2019s fit for the 21st and, let\u2019s say, 22nd century. Because, if you think about it, 1908, back in the good old 20th century, was when this legislation was first in the House, and 114 years later, it\u2019s back here. And, think, 114 years into the future, in 2136\u2013something like that; I\u2019m sure I would have retired from this place by then, I hope\u2013and it\u2019ll hopefully be fit for purpose into the future. That\u2019s part of it, right\u2013that in 1908 there were things that weren\u2019t foreseen, or weren\u2019t planned for, because societies move on and change, as does technology and as does our world. I\u2019m not sure if it\u2019ll be fit for purpose in 2136, but I hope so. But I\u2019m sure technology will slow down shortly and we can just kind of carry on life as usual.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000283\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EAnyway, one of the officials early on\u2014and I\u2019ve referred to this several times, and I\u2019m probably stealing other people\u2019s thunder this afternoon; I\u2019ve heard it already\u2014but 1908 was about the birth and the death of a society, whereas this creates the life force within the middle as well; so it\u2019s the birth, the life, and the death of a society. The other one I think we need to consider is that, you know, absolutely, it\u2019s very much about those small little organisations. It\u2019s about those craft groups, those arts groups, those musical groups, those religious and cultural groups, sports, education, and marae, but there are also some big entities that are incorporated societies, who are dealing in millions and millions and millions of dollars a year. So that\u2019s why there has been work done to obviously ensure that it is fit for purpose, that there are robust measures in place, to make sure that these societies, that these organisations, operate as they should.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000284\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003ENow, in my own electorate\u2014so the list keeps going up, the more I think about it\u2014I think I\u2019m a member of three incorporated societies at the moment. But I was reflecting on what we have in New Plymouth, or in Taranaki, in my electorate. We\u2019ve got the Taranaki Master Painters, our good friends the Taranaki Federated Farmers, the Taranaki Tennis Association, the Taranaki community education trust, we\u2019ve got Ng\u0101ti Te Whiti hap\u016B society, we\u2019ve got Te R\u016Bnanga o Taranaki iwi. I see Minister Carmel Sepuloni here\u2014we do have the Waitara multisport society, who are doing a wonderful job in terms of building collaboration within the Waitara community and our sports community, which is so important and is creating great impacts bringing a whole lot of different sporting groups together. There\u2019s also the New Plymouth BMX club. And then an example of a large one is, of course, the New Zealand Rugby Union, which is an incorporated society, who I\u2019m sure it\u2019s not just volunteers who are involved, but many others are. Of course, being a member of the New Zealand Labour Party, I am part of an incorporated society there, and the New Plymouth Club which I actually had a drink at last Thursday night\u2014absolutely wonderful.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000285\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003ESo the great thing about this is that we did work together, and I heard that from my colleague across the room Melissa Lee. I felt like we had good constructive and robust conversations, and we pushed back on each other. I think we landed mostly together, in terms of where we got to. I\u2019m also grateful to the Hon Todd McClay, who was constructive and engaged well in the process, along with my colleagues Naisi Chen and of course our fabulous chair, Jamie Strange. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000286\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EI just want to touch on\u2014because for me, I think, some language changed, and in 1908 we couldn\u2019t have even imagined this. Well, I would love us to have imagined this, but at that time things in this House, and in New Zealand, were a bit different. But there was one in around clause 3(d)(iii) which reinforced for societies, in their self-governing, \u201Cin accordance with their \u2026 own tikanga, kawa, culture, and practice[s]\u201D\u2014and the fact that we bring tikanga, we bring kawa into the mix, and that can be part of a society and the development of their framework. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000287\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EI also really appreciated in clause 118A, which ensures that societies can have all of their correspondence, all of their documents, in te reo M\u0101ori. It\u2019s simple\u2014for many people it probably doesn\u2019t seem like a big deal, but I think having these kind of things in current and modern legislation is an awesome thing. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000288\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003ESo I am grateful to be here, as a community member who\u2019s been on many different societies, who has volunteered many hours and will continue to do so, as well as to those bigger organisations. I\u2019m grateful that we\u2019ve got to this place, and I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00224d83c8a5-2f48-4991-9c45-b1a6060daedd\u0022 data-id=\u0022e5d17244b9204b2bab30fddfa46d229b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000289\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d83c8a5-2f48-4991-9c45-b1a6060daedd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e5d17244b9204b2bab30fddfa46d229b\u0022\u003EMAUREEN PUGH (National):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. I\u2019m sorry, I was distracted by other important matters. I stand today too in support of the Incorporated Societies Bill in its third reading. As we\u2019ve heard from many speakers today, there is general consensus around the support for this bill. Anything that is 114 years old deserves a bit of an overhaul, and this bill certainly does. There are some main issues that we do have concerns with, which I will touch on a little later, but I thought I would lay the foundation in my contribution about the bill itself and what the main provisions of the bill are.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000290\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d83c8a5-2f48-4991-9c45-b1a6060daedd\u0022\u003EBringing incorporated societies into the modern world and with other good practice in terms of law: some of the provisions in this bill mean that incorporated societies will need to now provide a process for dealing with disputes and conflicts of interests, and also small societies have been singled out in this bill so that they don\u2019t have the same stringent reporting requirements as larger entities. I do note that the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee dealt with this, but when the bill was first drafted it recommended that that benchmark be $30,000. And I note that the National members felt that this was probably too cumbersome and that it would capture too many very small organisations that perhaps didn\u2019t have the expertise or the capability or even the will to have to comply with a lot of those reporting requirements. So the select committee reached an amicable agreement to lift that requirement to $50,000.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000291\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d83c8a5-2f48-4991-9c45-b1a6060daedd\u0022\u003ESo a small society falls into the following criteria: that one around having $50,000 of payments for two consecutive reporting years and also the assets of that society for the two previous reporting years are also now set at $50,000. A small society is also one that is not an entity with a donee status, which means that anyone that contributes or makes a donation to that organisation cannot claim a tax credit for donations over $5.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000292\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d83c8a5-2f48-4991-9c45-b1a6060daedd\u0022\u003EBut this bill also, because it has been so long\u2014it\u2019s well over 100 years old\u2014it has relied over time on case law to fill in some of the gaps in the original legislation of that original Act, which is not a good way, and it has become quite messy. So having a rewrite and introducing this bill into the House does make good sense. It makes it now modern law, and it gives guidance to New Zealanders who do volunteer to run our not-for-profit organisations. As my colleague Melissa Lee said, there\u2019s about 23,000 or 24,000 of those organisations in this country that it will impact on.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000293\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d83c8a5-2f48-4991-9c45-b1a6060daedd\u0022\u003EOne of the main issues that the National Party has concerns with is around the clauses 53 and 54, and the cut and paste job that was done out of the Companies Act, where it\u2019s lifted sections 135 and 136 out of the Companies Act and dumped them into this bill. But unfortunately, when it comes out of the Companies Act and goes into this Act, it\u2019s not just targeting companies, it\u2019s actually targeting very small organisations and volunteer groups. It\u2019s a classic example of creating blanket law, which will eventually deliver unintended consequences. So clauses 53 and 54 now are designed for corporate structures, but those corporate structures also have limited liability status. What we\u2019ve got now is that the same types of rules are now dropped into the Incorporated Societies Bill. We\u2019ve had a quote from Justice Goddard which I think summarised it very nicely, but there is big concern about this. I sincerely hope that the Minister will commit to a review in one year, and also make sure that incorporated societies are well informed about the changes that are in this bill. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002227535d92-0798-4e04-be80-9e91b53610e2\u0022 data-id=\u00228465a31ebe744247ae391a3bc5fa23b7\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000294\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227535d92-0798-4e04-be80-9e91b53610e2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00228465a31ebe744247ae391a3bc5fa23b7\u0022\u003ERACHEL BROOKING (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker, for an opportunity to talk on this third reading of the Incorporated Societies Bill. Now, as we\u2019ve heard from many of the other speakers, this bill replaces the 1908 Act. I think it\u2019s important to acknowledge the importance of that 1908 Act in giving legal personhood to entities, these incorporated societies, so that they can continue on even when the membership of them changes. We\u2019ve seen, and many other speeches have talked about, all the different incorporated societies within New Zealand. We\u2019ve embraced the concept of incorporated societies, with about 24,000 of them. They cover a wide spectrum of things from arts groups, sports, charities, unions, marae\u2014and even political parties we heard from Glen Bennett. So they\u2019re very important.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000295\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227535d92-0798-4e04-be80-9e91b53610e2\u0022\u003EWhat I want to talk about, in this short contribution, is the good process that this bill has been through to modernise the important 1908 Act. So we know that it was a request to go through the Law Commission, the Law Commission reported back, there were exposure drafts\u2014it\u2019s been a long time coming and here it is. We\u2019ve heard, as well, from a number of the speakers, that one of the issues with the 1908 Act is that it really just deals with the birth and the death of the society, that legal person, and that this bill, in its modernisation, is to really add the framework for the life of that society.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000296\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227535d92-0798-4e04-be80-9e91b53610e2\u0022\u003ESo the provisions include exciting provisions about constitutions\u2014and we heard the Hon Andrew Little speaking on the significance of these provisions\u2014and about officers and membership. We heard also from the Hon Andrew Little and also Elizabeth Kerekere, in her contribution, about the importance of the clarity on information for members and the privacy requirements; registration; annual general meetings\u2014they\u2019ll be exciting, I\u2019m sure everyone in this House has attended a few of those\u2014how voting happens; and, of course, accounting records. And then there\u2019s these new provisions for dispute resolution that we\u2019ve heard Jamie Strange, the Minister, and Dr Elizabeth Kerekere talk to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000297\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227535d92-0798-4e04-be80-9e91b53610e2\u0022\u003ENow, this new bill is presented in the plain English that we expect of our Parliamentary Counsel Office drafters, and it will be much easier for the people that make up these committees in the incorporated societies to follow. I note one of the submissions was from the Queenstown Tennis Club and noted that their\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000298\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222170b5bd-171f-4d9f-bfa6-cab72178f108\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022099e1be9931d4a8180c0ab5bfd94661f\u0022\u003EJoseph Mooney\u003C/span\u003E: Great tennis club.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000299\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227535d92-0798-4e04-be80-9e91b53610e2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002273d8df2d75b8463984eede95ee60e896\u0022\u003ERACHEL BROOKING\u003C/span\u003E: I see the member opposite me looking up\u2014membership of the committee included a driving instructor, a vet, a Department of Conservation ranger, a teacher, a civil engineer, and a film production worker. I\u2019m sure they will be relieved, as are many committees around the country, to have a much clearer framework to be working through.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000300\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227535d92-0798-4e04-be80-9e91b53610e2\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve heard, also, about the good process in the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee. That was in the report back from the select committee about changing the threshold for what is a small incorporated society\u2014that there was extensive bipartisan discussions to reach a consensus. I do pause to note the difference of opinion about clauses 53 and 54.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227535d92-0798-4e04-be80-9e91b53610e2\u0022\u003EIt would be remiss of me, in my remaining short amount of time, to not note that the Regulations Review Committee wrote to the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee, and the select committee considered what the Regulations Review Committee said, and that was about how a whole lot of societies are governed by their own private Act. So these can convert to come under this new piece of legislation and there\u2019ll be regulations to do this. But the Regulations Review Committee said that that should be clearer and \u201Cthat the Minister should only make a recommendation when the conversion was appropriate where having regard to the purposes of the Incorporated Societies Act.\u201D\u2014and that recommendation was taken up.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000302\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227535d92-0798-4e04-be80-9e91b53610e2\u0022\u003ESo I would like to commend this bill to the House. It\u2019s an important part of New Zealand\u2019s fabric. And well done to the Minister and the select committee for ushering it through. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022 data-id=\u00220b7930ec976a45fba8fa34c3951a0595\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000303\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00220b7930ec976a45fba8fa34c3951a0595\u0022\u003EDr EMILY HENDERSON (Labour\u2014Whang\u0101rei) (remote):\u003C/span\u003E Kia ora e te M\u0101ngai o te Whare. It\u2019s a pleasure to take a call on this beautiful afternoon in Whang\u0101rei, speaking to you in Wellington. Not far from where you sit now, Madam Speaker, is the Star Boating Club, and it was at the turn of the last century that members of the Star Boating Club approached members of this House with a request that measures for governing their group be made easier, because the options in those days were trusts\u2014and pretty much only trusts. They requested some way to organise the legalities of their enterprise, which of course, has done us so proud over the years with so many international stars arising out of it. They requested a mechanism to make things easier for them to do what they did best. And so this House obliged with the Incorporated Societies Act. It\u2019s a great pleasure now, 114 years later, to rise to support the modernisation of that Act. Just as I can now speak to you on a hybrid Parliament, just as the Star Boating Club continues to do great work and produce wonderful stars, including such people as my brother-in-law, Nick Cousins, who represented New Zealand at one point, so too this Act needs modernisation so it can continue its work. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000304\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003EI was aware of the work of incorporated societies, but I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever been aware of the extent of their work around New Zealand. When I had a look at Whang\u0101rei, I found out that there are over 100 incorporated societies just with the name Whang\u0101rei in it, and they do vital work around my town. If it\u2019s issues that are more of the philanthropic variety, we have the Women\u2019s Refuge Tryphina House, we have Multicultural Whang\u0101rei, we have the old dyslexia association, SPELD\u2014all incorporated societies. They cover every kind of sporting code, whether you\u2019re a bowler or a tennis player; they cover every code of music, whether you\u2019re into choral or country and western: there is an incorporated society of Whang\u0101rei for you. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000305\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003EAnd when you have so many passionate volunteers, there is always room for things to potentially go wrong, and a lack of clarity in the rule-making and a lack of clarity in the law governing incorporated societies is a recipe for disaster. Like many of those here, I have seen occasions, in my professional life previous to this House as a lawyer, where things did go wrong and confusions have arisen. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000306\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003EWe also have the situation that we need to attract volunteers. We need to attract volunteers to societies in a time when volunteering has become difficult for many people. In an era where we work longer and harder, where women are out of the house doing things that they wish to do\u2014such as being members of Parliament\u2014and we have fewer volunteer hours, we need to make it easier for our volunteers to participate. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000307\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003EWhen I looked through the incorporated societies in which Whang\u0101rei is so rich, I was struck by how many of the volunteers I know in my own Labour Party here in Whang\u0101rei do double, triple, quadruple duty across many incorporated societies. The astronomical society of Whang\u0101rei is a hotbed of Labour Party activity, and many is the Citizens Advice Bureau meeting that we have had to work around in order to meet as a Labour Party. We have a number of people doing hard work as volunteers over numerous societies. We need to attract new blood, but it\u2019s hard to attract people who are already busy, unless they are pretty clear on what it is they signing up for, and this bill does precisely that. It gives us a new constitution, which will be clearer, and new constitutional requirements, which will make it clearer to would-be members as to what they are signing up for. It also, vitally, lays out the duties of the directors, and this is something that previously was left up to case law. As much as I love to read a good case, it\u2019s not the easiest or most straightforward way to figure out what is meant by your duties as a director in a society\u2014or as a member, indeed. As I mentioned, things can go spectacularly wrong when there is a lack of clarity in any group of people who are passionate about what they\u2019re doing, whether it is country and western music or the Whang\u0101rei astronomical society. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000308\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003EIt is important now that there will be a dispute resolution mechanism written into constitutions to make it easier for people. On that line, I do want to echo what the Hon Andrew Little said earlier: the provisions to make it clear as to what information members can get and that they can require financial information to be presented are really important in enabling societies to operate cleanly and transparently and keep members without it becoming a source of disquiet or concern. I\u2019m also very pleased to see the lessening of the burden on our smaller societies, who would otherwise face a disproportionate financial and time burden on them when really there\u2019s not an awful lot to them in a monetary sense. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000309\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003ESo I want to thank the chair, Jamie Strange, the committee, and I want to thank the Minister for his hard work and that of the officials. It was clearly a committee that worked well and have come up with something which, as the chair said, strikes the right balance. The chair said, and my colleague Rachel Brooking has also referred to this as moving from an Act that used to be something that controlled the birth and death of a committee into something that is now going to help govern and guide the life of a society, while still maintaining its independence. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000310\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003EIt seems to me that it is peculiarly appropriate on this day when the Labour Party and Labour Government has made a series of announcements about the greater support we will be giving to our community that we are also enacting\u2014I hope\u2014this bill, which takes something that was cradle and grave and turns it into something that is cradle to grave, in this very important area to help those who do such important work around our community. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022 data-id=\u00221e64a4a8002c48cfa20b7a80e07d0431\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000311\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221e64a4a8002c48cfa20b7a80e07d0431\u0022\u003ECHRIS PENK (National\u2014Kaipara ki Mahurangi):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you very much, Madam Speaker, for the opportunity to speak to this, the Incorporated Societies Bill, at its third reading. Other members have used such rhetorical flourishes as the \u201Clifeblood of society\u201D, \u201Cengine room of civil society\u201D, and the \u201Cfabric of society\u201D, which I think is quite neat, actually, in terms of the way that we view these very important entities and organisations in our communities.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000312\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EI want to acknowledge that my discussion of the bill leans on the analysis by Andrew Bayly, our National Party spokesperson in that regard. He\u2019s made clear, I think, in various discussions and at previous stages, as have other speakers on this side of the House\u2014for example, the Hon Judith Collins, leading the charge for us on this\u2014that National does support the bill. We\u2019ve decided that its benefits outweigh its costs, but I did want to place on record, as others have on this side of the House, the fact that there are a couple of areas in which we are wishing to express concern, which we\u2019ll be watching carefully. So I\u2019ll emphasise those in my contribution, not to dwell on the negative for any reason other than to provide, for the record, the fact that we\u2019ll be watching closely to check that there aren\u2019t unintended consequences of the legislation passing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000313\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003ESo, first of all, as others have mentioned, this is an update to legislation. Some 114 years on following the 1908 Act, we have its replacement. Of course, there have been amendments along the way, and the fact that it\u2019s an old Act doesn\u2019t necessarily mean in itself that it\u2019s not worthwhile. Of course, if it were a new Act, that wouldn\u2019t also necessarily mean that it\u2019s worthwhile. So we should judge these things on the quality, not the age, and to do otherwise would be bone-headed, in the words of an item about this very piece of legislation by one Liam Hehir. For those transcribing in Hansard, that\u2019s H-e-h-i-r, pronounced \u201Chare\u201D.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000314\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EReflecting on the fact that it is an update, and a considerable update, there are positive aspects that go along with that. Rachel Brooking has mentioned the plain language that\u2019s now been employed within the legislation, and that\u2019s a positive thing, of course, as far as it goes. Interestingly, we don\u2019t need the Plain Language Act, as it will no doubt soon be, unbelievably, in order to be able to make legislation with plain language in it, but nevertheless that\u2019s a positive thing to be celebrated. The example of updated language and even the currency, with shilling being\u2014I think I\u2019m right in saying\u2014somewhere in the old Act as an amount payable, of course is outdated and outmoded, so it\u2019s appropriate to update that. But more substantively, of course, we think about the desire to make these entities, these coming together of individuals within a community, worthwhile and attractive to them, and, of course, not deter them as volunteers who would give their time; their money, oftentimes; and certainly their energy, expertise, and other resources to the community.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000315\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EVarious members have used the example of a tennis club. The Hon Judith Collins spoke of tennis clubs. Rachel Brooking spoke of a specific tennis club in the electorate of my friend and colleague Joseph Mooney. I think it\u2019s a good analogy or good example to use, because, of course, we don\u2019t want people who sign up to the tennis club to end up in the wrong kind of court, and others have spoken about the potential for legal liability. I hoped you\u2019d enjoy that one, Madam Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000316\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224a25943b-cb3b-49c3-bd10-74316fae17f1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b6a236ae42cd4d8aa7c95f16b2acab39\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean)\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m laughing on the inside.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000317\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002261ce9dfabfde47f39a0709631474d452\u0022\u003ECHRIS PENK\u003C/span\u003E: You\u2019re laughing on the inside. The mask is hiding it very well. But, of course, we hope that there will be net benefits rather than net costs, and\u2014you\u2019ll forgive me one more\u2014of course, we don\u2019t want the service of the legal variety but more the tennis nature to result from people\u2019s involvement in tennis clubs. For those reasons we\u2019ve talked about the fact that we don\u2019t want legal liability to attract in a way that would be inappropriate for, essentially, volunteers to these kinds of organisations and entities.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000318\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EOthers have talked rightly about the fact that there are reasons that we want to protect those who would be bound by obligations entered into or purportedly entered into by officers of an incorporated society. Actually, we had from Andrew Little discussion of a particular society in which he was involved or at least had knowledge\u2014and he didn\u2019t say it was a tennis club but he did say it was involved in a summer sport, so that may be a further example along those lines. But he talked about the need for decision making with a certain amount of solemnity, and, of course, he\u2019s right to make that point.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000319\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EAs others on this side of the House have said, though, of course, the good-faith obligation that exists within, I think, clause 49, no doubt it\u2019s already existing in a particular equivalent section in the current legislation. Of course, the need to act in the best interest of the incorporated society already does apply. So we just place on record the fact that some manner of obligation already does exist, notwithstanding, of course, an intention that we would all agree with that solemn decision-making, good-faith decision-making, decision making consistent with the duties of a fiduciary in some cases is appropriate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000320\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EBut, of course, what we don\u2019t want to have, on the other hand, is either a situation where would-be members of a society and would-be officers of a society are deterred from involvement because they think they might be legally liable if it\u2019s found that they haven\u2019t acted to that standard\u2014of course, the equivalent situation, but if it were to be the case that a person was needing to defend such a claim, such litigation that they would be found wanting in a way that would unfairly reflect the responsibilities that they\u2019ve taken on in good faith for all the right reasons, and so on.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000321\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EI think the idea of a social contract, as others have sort of hinted at\u2014I\u2019m not sure that they use that language exactly, but I think the idea that interconnected obligations are owed is a good one. Of course, these are consciously entered into, contrary to discussions oftentimes around a social contract, which ignore the fact that a contract by definition is an obligation that\u2019s entered into knowingly. But, of course, in this case, people do join clubs and societies\u2014incorporated societies, technically\u2014in a knowing and willing fashion. They do the things that are required to entail membership. They might seek election as an officer on the governing body of the society, and so on.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000322\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003ESo having placed on record those concerns, we do say, of course, that there are many good things in the bill that are worth supporting. I think it\u2019s only fair to nod at least to those, lest it should seem that my contribution is unduly emphasising the negative aspects.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000323\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EOne positive feature, I think, always worthwhile noting for new law that we\u2019re making if it is adding to the statute book legal understandings that haven\u2019t maybe necessarily been crystallised in the form of case law, or noting that, of course, some people don\u2019t have access to read judgments\u2014possibly they can\u2019t get hold of them. They don\u2019t know to look for them. They might find them difficult to understand or navigate. Even those involved in the practice and administration of law would have some sympathy with that. So I think it\u2019s helpful that the Government has been progressing and the select committee has considered and so forth the undertaking such that the law will fill in some gaps, so to speak\u2014fill in some legal gaps in terms of our understanding, and therefore adding certainty to those who put their hand up to serve the community in this way.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000324\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003EOthers have referred to the lifting of thresholds so that more societies will qualify as small. The significance of that is that they will then benefit from an exemption, which makes the financial reporting requirements less onerous\u2014so, for example, being able to avoid the cost of hiring an accountant. I should actually acknowledge, in saying that, of course, that oftentimes an accountant or a lawyer or other professional person will render their services for free in a pro bono fashion, and I think that that\u2019s a really positive feature. Again, I think it was Andrew Little who noted that that\u2019s commonly the case, and long may it be so in our society that those who would serve either directly in the administration of, for example, a tennis club, or those who would support the efforts of those doing so, perhaps to establish or administer or advise, do so on a volunteer basis. Of course, that\u2019s part of the magic of these kind of organisations and these societies and the things that we do together in this country, be it sports or other community activities.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000325\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f96cdca1-b63c-4602-b2b3-276f58ebb518\u0022\u003ESo I think we\u2019ve, between us all, given the issue a pretty good go over. I think we\u2019ve agreed as a House, and the record will reflect shortly in a majority passing this legislation, that there are many good things that it achieves. On the National side of the House, we have nevertheless stated that we\u2019ll be watching carefully to check that these unintended consequences do not flow through, and, of course, if they do, we shall be ready to legislate or to offer our assistance to legislate accordingly. We commend the bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022 data-id=\u002260536171068d43168f5d591bcded5b83\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000326\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002260536171068d43168f5d591bcded5b83\u0022\u003ECAMILLA BELICH (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. It\u2019s a pleasure to be back in the House and to be speaking on this third reading of the Incorporated Societies Bill. So it\u2019s a special honour, I think, to be the last speaker in the third reading of a bill, especially one that has taken such a long time to come to this stage, and also one which is replacing an Act which has served New Zealand and New Zealanders so well for such a long time. So I won\u2019t take too long, but I do want to go over some of the important points of this bill and, along with the majority of the House, support this bill today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000327\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003EThe Incorporated Societies Act 1908 governs around 24,000 incorporated societies. People may not hear those words that much unless they\u2019re involved in them. But we often hear about clubs, associations, federations, some marae, unions, and organisations that some of us in this House will be familiar with: political parties. So this bill would replace the existing Act and put in place a modern Act, which we think on this side of the House\u2014and most in this House, I would think, would agree\u2014retains the best of the previous Act but also modernises this legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000328\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003EBut before we move forward to passing this bill into law, I thought it would be interesting to look back at just how much times have changed since 1908. So in 1908 it was a high point for the temperance movement in New Zealand, and I understand that 12 districts in New Zealand voted to go dry that year. How times have changed. Another thing that happened in 1908 was there was quite a strong lobby for women to take up smoking in moderation, which is another sign of how the times have changed. A thing that\u2019s relevant to the side of the House was 1908 was the year that the Blackball miners\u2019 strike took place and this preceded the formation of the Labour Party some eight years later. And I think this was mentioned in Andrew Little\u2019s first reading speech on this bill. He\u2019s particularly passionate about this bill, as you would have heard, and the changes that it will implement.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000329\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003EOne last thing that happened in 1908 that I was able to find was Ernest Shackleton, a hero of our Prime Minister, set sail from New Zealand to Antarctica. And we\u2019ve all seen the state of the boat of Ernest Shackleton and how that\u2019s aged. That will just give us a bit of an indication of how long this particular Act that we we\u2019re replacing has been in place. I think actually that was one of his newer boats as well; the 1908 boat was an earlier version. So the Incorporated Societies Act must change too, just like the rest of New Zealand. It\u2019s lived a life longer than most members of this House. But in agreeing with my colleague on the other side of the House, it should not be replaced because of its age only. It should only be replaced because what we\u2019re doing is replacing it with something which is more fit for purpose, modern, and will serve New Zealanders better, and those who are volunteering in these important incorporated societies will be able to utilise this legislation more easily.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000330\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003EIt is relevant to a lot of people. It may not be something that you hear about as much as some of the other legislation that we have passed, and it\u2019s not\u2014I have to say the majority of the emails I get are not about this Act, but I did receive one about two weeks ago asking me about the progress of this legislation. So I just want to say, \u201CTony, we are going to be putting this into law soon.\u201D, and I know that there will be many, many people in the voluntary sector who will be looking for the passage of this bill, especially after it\u2019s been moving through this House and the process has taken such a long time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000331\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003ESo a further reflection, really, on the process to get to where we are today is: obviously, we have an Act which is of some substantial age and in 2010 the Law Commission was charged with reviewing the 1908 Act, and it delivered its report recommending principles to change the Act. These principles, as I understand, although I wasn\u2019t on the select committee or in Parliament at this time, were taken and then incorporated into the bill that we are looking at today. And I just wanted to acknowledge the Hon Judith Collins, who I understand was the Minister at the time that the report was delivered in 2013. So I just wanted to acknowledge her contribution to this bill, and it really does emphasise how it does have support and involvement from both sides of the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000332\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003ESo some of the\u2014quickly\u2014principles that they wanted to include in this bill were principles really at the heart of what incorporated societies are in New Zealand. So incorporated societies are run by their members and they have primary responsibility for holding societies to account, and if you don\u2019t have members, then really it\u2019s not the type of incorporation for you. They also thought it was an important point that society should not distribute profits or financial benefits to their members, and we\u2019ve heard some of the changes that will be implemented as a result of this particular principle, but also how the select committee made some additional changes to make sure that important things like scholarships or hardship grants were still able to be utilised by incorporated societies, as I understand they are at the moment. Also, societies are private bodies, and it was thought by the Law Society that they should be able to act without State interference and independently. So those are all principles that were carried forward into the drafting of this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000333\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003EThis bill will, as I\u2019ve said, replace the 1908 bill with a modern bill, and it will make incorporated societies more robust, improve governance, provide constructive options for dispute resolution while retaining the best of the tried and tested 1908 Act and codifying the case law into the Act, which, as we all know, makes it more accessible for people and easier to understand. And that\u2019s something that we should be endeavouring to do with all of our legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000334\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003EI think we\u2019ve covered most of the changes of the bill. It\u2019s surprisingly a bill that I could talk about for much longer, but I think it\u2019s time to make this bill a law. And so after 114 years, this is a bill that\u2019s time has come and I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000335\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000336\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\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=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000337\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00224673dcedbefe43b5b8f951ec4f7619b1\u0022\u003EMAori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Amendment Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000338\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00223dc0f1893db54ef5a7fa72944a2374af\u0022\u003EThird Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022 data-id=\u002217405d65db264c6b83cdf72b457f4b06\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000339\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002217405d65db264c6b83cdf72b457f4b06\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations)\u003C/span\u003E on behalf of the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries: I present to the House a legislative statement on the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Amendment Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000340\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224a25943b-cb3b-49c3-bd10-74316fae17f1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fc1ebc2b1b67424cb4d9530a7b794e9d\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean)\u003C/span\u003E: That legislative statement is published under the authority of the House and can be found on the Parliament website.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000341\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f12b570049dd4edfb6896005a84e0b1c\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: I move, That the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Amendment Bill be now read a third time. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000342\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EI would like to reiterate my thanks indeed on behalf of the Minister the Hon David Parker to the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee for their examination of the bill during the select committee stage and all submitters for their time and contribution to the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Amendment Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000343\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EThe Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Amendment Bill 2021 is an important bill that seeks to improve the allocation and transfer of process of aquaculture settlement sites. It does this by providing to Te Ohu Kaimoana, the M\u0101ori trustee, with limited discretionary power to make determinations on aquaculture settlement allocation entitlements. This provides practical steps to enable assets already allocated to iwi to be transferred to those iwi aquaculture organisations who wish to receive them. It also ensures assets will be preserved for those who do not wish to receive them at this time and seeks to prevent future delays for iwi receiving benefits from the aquaculture settlement.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000344\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EM\u0101ori have a significant presence in the aquaculture industry and the Government\u2019s aquaculture strategy and the growth of New Zealand\u2019s aquaculture industry and economy. Aquaculture is an industry in which many iwi already lead within their rohe and are invested in growing for the benefit of their iwi, hap\u016B, wh\u0101nau, and community. This will increase over time as iwi acquire and develop their interests in the industry and realise their aquaculture settlement assets. It\u2019s important that the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Amendment Bill enables iwi to access their settlement assets within an appropriate time frame so that iwi can realise their aquaculture aspirations. This bill will offer immediate benefit for those iwi facing delays in receiving their assets. Once Royal assent is given, the bill\u2019s limited discretionary powers could be used immediately to resolve allocation issues currently faced in the Northland and Bay of Plenty regions. This would offer benefits to those iwi who have waited years to receive their aquaculture assets and prevent this from occurring in future as iwi acquire and develop their interest in the industry.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000345\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EThere is broad support amongst iwi in the Bay of Plenty and Northland, members of the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee, and members of the House to progress this bill. This bill will provide long-term benefits for iwi to acquire and use their settlement assets to maximise aquaculture opportunities for M\u0101ori and, in doing so, that will be good not only for those iwi and for M\u0101ori but actually for all of Aotearoa New Zealand together. On that note, I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00224a25943b-cb3b-49c3-bd10-74316fae17f1\u0022 data-id=\u0022730f28a62b77492c991fbca381594977\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000346\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224a25943b-cb3b-49c3-bd10-74316fae17f1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022730f28a62b77492c991fbca381594977\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean)\u003C/span\u003E: The question is that the motion be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002298dbeffa-e059-49d5-8bbf-579cbaead9a3\u0022 data-id=\u002201e71f056f8e4713b32f1360f31718d2\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000347\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298dbeffa-e059-49d5-8bbf-579cbaead9a3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002201e71f056f8e4713b32f1360f31718d2\u0022\u003EHon SCOTT SIMPSON (National\u2014Coromandel):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. It\u2019s a pleasure to rise in this third reading debate. This bill represents sensible, pragmatic policy to resolve issues that have been outstanding for far too long. In my part of the country, there are significant issues that have meant that in the Bay of Plenty in particular, iwi have not been able to have access to their due rights, actually, and that\u2019s been a real problem, because it\u2019s holding them back from economic enterprise that can actually be very beneficial. And, actually, that was at the very core of this settlement process\u2014was to try and make a breakthrough that would help restore some of the economic opportunity that had been lost over, literally, 100 years or more. And so to have iwi not able to conclude and use the Treaty settlement opportunities that have been provided to them is enormously frustrating\u2014it\u2019s very challenging and very difficult.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000348\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298dbeffa-e059-49d5-8bbf-579cbaead9a3\u0022\u003EAnd so this bill seeks to provide, as I said earlier, a pragmatic solution which would allow the M\u0101ori Fisheries Trust\u2014which was actually first established back in 2004 by the Maori Fisheries Act, and that Act was specifically designed at the time that the very early Treaty settlements were taking place\u2014to assist iwi to fulfil the opportunity that access to aquacultural opportunity may provide them. And for there still to be roadblocks due to a lack of consensus or agreement, that is holding back significant economic opportunity and development, is something that this bill seeks to fix. It\u2019s frustrating that it has to happen this way, but I\u2019m confident that the trust will be able to use the limited powers that this legislation provides to provide a breakthrough to resolve those issues.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000349\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298dbeffa-e059-49d5-8bbf-579cbaead9a3\u0022\u003ENow, not everybody\u2019s going to be pleased. Not everybody\u2019s going to be happy with the decisions made, but a decision will be made. At the risk of mixing metaphors, there\u2019s an old Chinese proverb that says, \u201CWhen you get to a fork in the road, take it.\u201D And that\u2019s the problem: iwi have got to the fork in the road and they haven\u2019t been able to take it. And so there will be discussion, ongoing, about what should be the right method and which fork they should take, but, actually, just doing nothing and being stuck at the fork of the road is hopeless. It\u2019s a hopeless situation for everybody.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000350\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298dbeffa-e059-49d5-8bbf-579cbaead9a3\u0022\u003ESo in commending this bill to the House, I am encouraged by the pragmatic approach that\u2019s being taken here. The powers are limited but they will enable iwi who currently find themselves stuck at the fork of the road to take a fork in the road and move forward. I commend the bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226590faa0-f76b-4386-84f3-9b06296cc772\u0022 data-id=\u00223fd556d169d84ebba4d1d952f3c3addf\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000351\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226590faa0-f76b-4386-84f3-9b06296cc772\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00223fd556d169d84ebba4d1d952f3c3addf\u0022\u003ET\u0100MATI COFFEY (Labour) (remote):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I\u2019d like to also just acknowledge the heavy work that\u2019s been put in to get us to this point. This is an incredibly significant bill. It shouldn\u2019t have taken this long for iwi to be able to recognise their aquaculture aspirations. All of the data says that the sales at the moment\u2014if we look at the aquaculture industry, they\u2019re bringing in about $600 million based on growth, based on sales, based on the potential for innovation. This is an industry that as a country, we\u2019ve set us up for goal and said, \u201CCan we do $3 billion out of aquaculture products by 2035?\u201D That\u2019s where the aquaculture strategy is currently heading towards, and this bill will help to enable that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000352\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226590faa0-f76b-4386-84f3-9b06296cc772\u0022\u003EAs the previous member said, this has been too long, in fact. There have been plenty of iwi that have been waiting, waiting, waiting for everybody to be ready. But, unfortunately, as we all know, sometimes everybody is not ready at the same time. Sometimes, we have to make sure that we\u2019re running with the people who are at the front of the pack, who are ready to go. Right here in the geothermal paradise of New Zealand, right here in Rotorua, we\u2019ve got an iwi: Te Arawa Fisheries. That\u2019s our aquaculture industry, our aquaculture organisation. They have been champing at the bit to be able to help realise their aspirations.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000353\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226590faa0-f76b-4386-84f3-9b06296cc772\u0022\u003EAnd I want to thank Chris Insley from Te Arawa Fisheries, who put in a submission, alongside some of our other iwi here in the Bay of Plenty\u2014iwi such as Te Whakat\u014Dhea, iwi such as Te Wh\u0101nau-\u0101-Apanui. They have been incredibly supportive of this process, wanting to get under way, wanting to realise their aspirations in this space, and I\u2019ve been alongside them the whole way. When Chris talks, he gives you a really positive vibe for the future in this space. They\u2019re talking about things like offshore and onshore opportunities, too. Offshore things like rainbow trout, things like kingfish for high-value tables, things like seaweed, things like scallops\u2014and we know that the scallop industry needs a bit of help at the moment; it\u2019s not doing as well as it could be\u2014and also our very famous New Zealand, Kiwi-owned and Kiwi-loved green-lipped mussels, which actually can be turned into nutraceuticals as well. And we\u2019ve already started seeing that roll out around the country, and there is huge opportunity in this space. It will only be done with innovation, though. Because a lot of our iwi organisations haven\u2019t done this before, they\u2019re coming to this table with a really innovative approach. They want to do some new and exciting things, they want to be able to realise their aspirations, and it\u2019s really pleasing that around the House today, they\u2019re going to get their third reading and they\u2019re going to be able to realise their aspirations. So, Madam Speaker, I absolutely, wholeheartedly, commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00222170b5bd-171f-4d9f-bfa6-cab72178f108\u0022 data-id=\u002289133d24d58641a49842011af8c8d71d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000354\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222170b5bd-171f-4d9f-bfa6-cab72178f108\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002289133d24d58641a49842011af8c8d71d\u0022\u003EJOSEPH MOONEY (National\u2014Southland):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. It\u2019s a privilege to rise as National\u2019s Treaty of Waitangi negotiations spokesperson and the member of Parliament for Southland to take a call on the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Amendment Bill. The National Party supports this bill. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000355\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222170b5bd-171f-4d9f-bfa6-cab72178f108\u0022\u003EThe objective of this bill is to improve the allocation and transfer process provided for in the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Act 2004 to better enable the allocation and transfer of aquaculture settlement assets to iwi. According to the bill\u2019s general policy statement, currently iwi in some regions are facing indefinite delays in receiving their aquaculture assets from the trustee, Te Ohu Kai Moana Trustee Ltd. This is due to the inability of iwi in those regions at times to reach agreement in accordance with the provisions of the settlement Act about how regional aquaculture settlement assets should be allocated amongst them. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000356\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222170b5bd-171f-4d9f-bfa6-cab72178f108\u0022\u003EThe dispute resolution process provided in the settlement Act has been unable to address these issues, and there\u2019s a risk that similar situations will arise in future regional settlement processes. If no changes are made, settlement assets for iwi in those regions will remain held in trust by Te Ohu Kai Moana indefinitely, causing further frustration for those iwi who will be unable to realise their aquaculture aspirations and contribute to the broader aquaculture industry. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000357\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222170b5bd-171f-4d9f-bfa6-cab72178f108\u0022\u003EThe New Zealand aquaculture industry contributes significantly to regional development and the national economy, generating, in 2008, $600 million in revenue and employing 3,000 people, largely based in the regions. M\u0101ori have a significant presence in the aquaculture industry and have significant aspirations to increase that. This bill will ensure that iwi can access their aquaculture assets within an appropriate time frame. It will improve the delivery of the Crown\u2019s aquaculture settlement obligations, it will protect the interests of iwi who do not wish to claim their aquaculture settlement assets at this time, and it will support iwi aquaculture aspirations as well as further support the growth of the aquaculture industry. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000358\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222170b5bd-171f-4d9f-bfa6-cab72178f108\u0022\u003ESouthland has a long-established fishing industry and is particularly well-known for the famous delicacy, the Bluff oyster. Southland\u2019s coastline covers approximately 3,150 kilometres. The deep, cool southern waters of New Zealand\u2019s exclusive economic zone contain a wide variety of species, including blue cod and crayfish, or the spiny rock lobster, which is Southland\u2019s most common commercial fishing species, as well as Southland\u2019s p\u0101ua, or abalone, fishery, which is the second-largest in New Zealand. The main fishing methods in Southland are crayfishing and cod-potting, oyster-dredging, trawling, set-netting, hand lines, and diving. Seafood exports account for around 90 percent of the seafood industry revenue, and it consistently ranks as the country\u2019s fourth- or fifth-largest export earner, so it\u2019s very significant. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000359\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222170b5bd-171f-4d9f-bfa6-cab72178f108\u0022\u003EI am pleased to note that Ng\u0101i Tahu, the largest iwi in Southland, and, in fact, in the South Island, signed an aquaculture settlement with the Crown last year. This is a positive development for Southland and the M\u0101ori economy. Representatives of the Hokonui, Waihopai, Awarua, and \u014Craka-Aparima Papatipu R\u016Bnaka signed the agreement, which provides Ng\u0101i Tahu marine space to develop their aquaculture industry. This will help get te Murihiku kaimoana to the world and help their aspirations so as to diversify the Southland economy, leading to new jobs and new opportunities. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000360\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222170b5bd-171f-4d9f-bfa6-cab72178f108\u0022\u003ESouthland, I\u2019m proud to say, is growing into a centre for aquacultural excellence. In fact, the CRA8 fishery is the largest Mainland rock lobster fishery geographically. The region extends from Long Point south to Stewart Island and it goes up to the coastline of Foveaux Strait, and then northwards along the Fiordland coastline\u2014much of which is in my electorate\u2014to Bruce Bay. While the area is large, almost all of the fishing occurs within 8 kilometres of the shore. And it\u2019s a significant fishery that we don\u2019t hear a lot about, but a lot of brave men and women spend their time off the sometimes wild waters of Fiordland catching crayfish and sending them to the world.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000361\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222170b5bd-171f-4d9f-bfa6-cab72178f108\u0022\u003EThe value of aquaculture in Southland extends beyond the contribution it makes to the local and national economies. A 2015 study on the social effects of aquaculture in Southland found that aquaculture had a highly positive impact on the Bluff and Stewart Island communities. The creation of employment as well as the contribution the companies and the employees are making means that Stewart Island and Bluff are significantly socially richer due to the presence of aquaculture. Something that\u2019s probably not well known is that the town of Te \u0100nau in my electorate is also the base of possibly the biggest crayfishing operation in New Zealand, and one of the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere. They have their international headquarters, so to speak, in the town of Te \u0100nau, providing great local employment, and it\u2019s a fantastic story for regional New Zealand and for my electorate. And I see opposite me a local who knows well the value that this adds to the Te \u0100nau community.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000362\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022078503aadaa4451cbc5f27aef62ef2d4\u0022\u003EHon Dr Ayesha Verrall\u003C/span\u003E: And a lover of the produce too.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000363\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222170b5bd-171f-4d9f-bfa6-cab72178f108\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002232c42f586a8a41dc863f132d52600143\u0022\u003EJOSEPH MOONEY\u003C/span\u003E: Yes. A fantastic local company.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000364\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222170b5bd-171f-4d9f-bfa6-cab72178f108\u0022\u003EAlthough it\u2019s a little dated, a 2014 Colmar Brunton survey of the public perceptions of aquaculture in New Zealand showed that Southlanders had a very positive attitude towards the aquaculture industry: 91 percent of Southlanders agreed that New Zealand should look for opportunities to sustainably grow the aquaculture industry, 84 percent of Southlanders had positive views of the industry, and 74 percent of Southlanders said that aquaculture has not had an impact on their personal use of New Zealand\u2019s coastline. And I know, having spoken to players in the industry, that there\u2019s been really careful work over many years to balance the interests of commercial fisheries with those who like to go fishing for personal use. They are very carefully managing the stocks in the wild fisheries, but this move towards aquaculture will help to sustainably grow our seafood industry in New Zealand and sustainably grow our economy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000365\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222170b5bd-171f-4d9f-bfa6-cab72178f108\u0022\u003ENational supports this legislation because it helps to unleash M\u0101ori potential and M\u0101ori prosperity in the M\u0101ori economy. And I note that in 2018, a study noted that the M\u0101ori economy at that time was already worth $68 billion, which is an incredible story of aspiration and success that I don\u2019t think we hear enough about, and it shows the genuine efforts and the incredible things that are happening in the M\u0101ori economy, and is a story that I think New Zealand could do well to tell more of.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000366\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222170b5bd-171f-4d9f-bfa6-cab72178f108\u0022\u003EMost M\u0101ori fisheries are based out of regions that are crying out for new opportunities, jobs, and a reason for M\u0101ori to return to their whenua and papak\u0101inga. This reform has the potential to help make a real difference to the M\u0101ori fishing industry and to the future prosperity of rural iwi. Under the current law, when there is disagreement between regional iwi groups over how aquaculture assets from a Treaty settlement can be shared, it can mean iwi are left unable to receive their assets and to use them indefinitely. The intent of this amendment bill is to better facilitate the timely distribution of iwi aquacultural settlement assets where disputes arise regarding the proposed allocation. Submitters have stated that aquaculture presents significant opportunities for iwi and M\u0101ori. For example, in the Bay of Plenty there has been significant investments in aquaculture to support regional development, creating jobs for hap\u016B, wh\u0101nau, and iwi. Many other regions are keen to take advantage of this opportunity when settlements are released.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000367\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222170b5bd-171f-4d9f-bfa6-cab72178f108\u0022\u003ESo this bill solves an important issue which the primary legislation cannot. It has a potential to make a real difference to the M\u0101ori fishing industry and, as I said, to the future prosperity of rural iwi and the growth of new opportunities that we do not yet have. I\u2019m proud to be the member of Parliament for Southland and have an opportunity to speak about Southland\u2019s world-leading aquaculture sector, the exciting growth that is happening there, and I look forward to seeing the growth of this sector, particularly the contributions of iwi and M\u0101ori to that growth. 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=\u002281825190-fd5d-4ed0-bb80-f12f3c93e653\u0022 data-id=\u0022c132cd1ba64e4c18831398868d4cc7aa\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000368\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002281825190-fd5d-4ed0-bb80-f12f3c93e653\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c132cd1ba64e4c18831398868d4cc7aa\u0022\u003ERINO TIRIKATENE (Labour\u2014Te Tai Tonga) (remote):\u003C/span\u003E T\u0113n\u0101 koe, Madam Speaker. Otir\u0101 t\u0113n\u0101 t\u0101tou e te Whare. It\u2019s a pleasure to speak in the third reading of this bill. This is a really historic bill that I always have pleasure in supporting, and I\u2019d like to acknowledge our Minister David Parker for leading this bill through the House. This is about returning assets to iwi. It\u2019s about honouring\u2014well, providing a mechanism whereby the settlement assets that iwi do receive by virtue of their aquaculture settlement rights are actually able to be distributed. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000369\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002281825190-fd5d-4ed0-bb80-f12f3c93e653\u0022\u003EMr Simpson spoke about the fork in the road or this matter being stuck, and that\u2019s exactly what happened. Because of the wording of the actual bill, as it stands at the moment, where there was a disagreement in a particular region, even if it just involved one iwi and they had no other issue with everyone else, that whole region\u2019s assets were held up. It was unintended, but it\u2019s something that came to light, and I want to acknowledge Te Ohu Kaimoana, who have responsibilities under the statute in terms of working with iwi in the allocation of these settlements in fisheries and in aquaculture. I want to acknowledge Te Ohu for their work in raising this issue and working with the Minister and with officials to ensure that we can come to an approach\u2014and also, obviously, with the iwi stakeholders to ensure that we had a workable way forward. And that\u2019s what this bill does: it provides a limited discretion for Te Ohu Kaimoana where there is a disagreement and there\u2019s no other way through, through dispute resolution mechanisms\u2014it provides a way for Te Ohu Kaimoana to be able to release those assets where there is no issue so those other iwi are able to receive those assets and pursue their aspirations in aquaculture. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000370\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002281825190-fd5d-4ed0-bb80-f12f3c93e653\u0022\u003EAs we\u2019ve heard, this bill is really focused on two areas: Te Moana-a-toi, or the Bay of Plenty region, and also up in Ng\u0101 Iwi o Tai Tokerau, up in the Far North. And I just am really pleased that we are able, as a Parliament, to work with Te Ohu and work with iwi to ensure that there is a way that we can get through this, because aquaculture is a dynamic industry. It\u2019s a really important industry to regional New Zealand. I know Mr Mooney was talking about how he has quite a lot of aquaculture interests down there in Southland. I don\u2019t mean to boast, but I can confidently say that I have the most aquaculture assets and industry within Te Waiponamu and also potentially in future over at Wharekauri as well. And if we want to add in the head of the fish up in P\u014Dneke, we can add that too. So aquaculture is really important. We see it\u2014anyone can see it in Marlborough. They can see it in the Banks Peninsula. They can see it down in Stewart Island and down in Southland, and also up in the Far North and in the Bay of Plenty. And so this is a real welcome piece of legislation. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000371\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002281825190-fd5d-4ed0-bb80-f12f3c93e653\u0022\u003EI want to particularly acknowledge the iwi who have been so patient in waiting for this bill to be passed into law, in particular the iwi of the Bay of Plenty and also in Te Tai Tokerau. Rest assured, I know that Te Ohu Kaimoana, once this bill has been passed into law, will work through its processes to exercise its new discretionary power to ensure that those assets can be released. I\u2019m excited at the future of aquaculture for Aotearoa, and in particular I want to acknowledge the member in Waiariki, my colleague T\u0101mati Coffey, because it is a dynamic region for aquaculture and has huge potential for aquaculture. They will be direct beneficiaries from the passage of this bill. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000372\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002281825190-fd5d-4ed0-bb80-f12f3c93e653\u0022\u003EIf we look at the wonderful operations that are happening\u2014whether it\u2019s Whakat\u014Dhea with their processing of mussels; whether we look to Te Wh\u0101nau-\u0101-Apanui now, who have been receiving some funding support for their Te Huata mussels spat hatchery, which is a project that we certainly hope and we are supporting to come to fruition; or whether it\u2019s Te Arawa Fisheries as well and the world-famous manuka-smoked flavoured mussels that Chris Karamea Insley is such a great marketing spokesman for, and the wonderful results that they\u2019ve achieved this past year\u2014iwi are at the forefront of the aquaculture industry. They have to be because they have significant interests in it, and I guess just the examples that I\u2019ve outlined in the Bay of Plenty alone demonstrate how the future is going to be so dynamic for that region. And we want to do our bit as Government to be able to support, to honour our obligations under these Treaty settlements, and to ensure that the iwi can achieve their aspirations not only in the Bay of Plenty, but all the way around the motu.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000373\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002281825190-fd5d-4ed0-bb80-f12f3c93e653\u0022\u003EI\u2019m unsure of my time, but I\u2019ll keep going until I get a bell or something. But I just want to support and commend the Minister and Te Ohu Kaimoana and the iwi. It takes a while, but we have worked through the various processes to ensure that we can effect a simple change\u2014but will make a huge difference to the iwi concerned. I know that all the other iwi around the country are looking towards the main aquaculture regions and taking the lead from them. I know, whether it\u2019s down in Te Waipounamu or up in the North Island, it\u2019s inspiring iwi. I\u2019ve just had a recent meeting with Aquaculture New Zealand, the industry heads, in support of Minister Parker. It is an important industry and definitely very welcoming of the M\u0101ori participation in the industry, as evidenced by the representation around the table from iwi interests.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000374\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002281825190-fd5d-4ed0-bb80-f12f3c93e653\u0022\u003ESo with that, I wholeheartedly support this bill. I wish the iwi all the very best and Te Ohu Kaimoana and thank them for all their patience throughout. N\u014D reira, I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227ec53e32-05ab-4c6b-a080-4024e72a9099\u0022 data-id=\u00227c6f46031898475fb84c1dcd05fb8391\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000375\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227ec53e32-05ab-4c6b-a080-4024e72a9099\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227c6f46031898475fb84c1dcd05fb8391\u0022\u003EDr ELIZABETH KEREKERE (Green) (remote):\u003C/span\u003E T\u0113n\u0101 koe e te M\u0101ngai. I speak on behalf of the Green Party to support the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Amendment Bill on its third reading. Many thanks to the Minister\u2014t\u0113n\u0101 koe te Rangatira\u2014and the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee for bringing this to the House. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000376\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227ec53e32-05ab-4c6b-a080-4024e72a9099\u0022\u003ELong before Te Tiriti o Waitangi guaranteed iwi and hap\u016B tino rangatiratanga over our lands, forests, and fisheries, long before European settlement and the subsequent colonisation of those lands, and long before Captain Cook claimed to have found us when we were in fact not lost, wh\u0101nau and hap\u016B have exercised their fishing practices, and our ancestors practised local forms of stock translocation for p\u0101ua, for toheroa, for tio, and other shellfish. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000377\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227ec53e32-05ab-4c6b-a080-4024e72a9099\u0022\u003EAs Takutai Trust, the M\u0101ori Commercial Agriculture Settlement Trust identified\u2014and I quote\u2014\u201CAs descendants of Tangaroa [God of the Sea], Iwi M\u0101ori have the obligation and responsibility to tiaki\u2014to care for Tangaroa so that Tangaroa may continue to care and provide for Iwi. Ka ora ki tai, ka hu ki uta.\u201D So events have certainly overtaken us since then, and while the obligation and responsibility may remain, the authority is a little less so. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000378\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227ec53e32-05ab-4c6b-a080-4024e72a9099\u0022\u003ESo the original bill provided for the full and final settlement of M\u0101ori commercial agricultural claims since September 1992, but it was never one settlement. It was always multiple regional settlements. Those assets were transferred to Te Ohu Kaimoana to facilitate agreement between what they called \u201CIAOs\u201D\u2014iwi aquaculture organisations\u2014and settle with them. There\u2019s so much wrong with that system. We think it\u2019s a different version of large natural groupings that have been used in Treaty settlements that the Greens have consistently and adamantly spoken against. In this case it breaks iwi and aquaculture interests into regional council boundaries. However, our iwi leadership is visionary and nothing if not pragmatic, so they make it work. Extensive consultation was undertaken with iwi prior to this bill being introduced, and the positive submissions certainly attest to that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000379\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227ec53e32-05ab-4c6b-a080-4024e72a9099\u0022\u003ESo iwi see that the powers given to Te Ohu Kaimoana to allocate and transfer assets to iwi advance their interests and the opportunities, but more importantly, it enables iwi to uphold their tino rangatiratanga over their own moana and fisheries. That works really well when the iwi within the respective IAOs agree, but what this amendment bill does, as others have identified, is enable Te Ohu Kaimoana to make a decision when they don\u2019t agree. That is a big deal, and I think it\u2019s going to be quite a good incentive to come to consensus. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000380\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227ec53e32-05ab-4c6b-a080-4024e72a9099\u0022\u003EA priority for the Greens is that iwi, hap\u016B, and wh\u0101nau have a say in the issues that affect them. So we agree with submitters such as Te Wh\u0101nau-a-Haunui Ahuwhenua Trust and others who suggested that hap\u016B should be directly represented, and we\u2019re disappointed that this is outside the scope of the bill. However, as Minister Little, T\u0101mati Coffey, and others in the House have identified, the select committee heard that iwi were just impatient to get on with things, to access the assets after years of waiting. Again, as my colleague T\u0101mati Coffey specified, Te Arawa Fisheries was one of them. They raised in their submissions that approximately half of all those IAOs that should have received their assets by now have faced indefinite delays because of the current constrict of the Act, which has not allowed the Bay of Plenty or Northland to settle. They\u2019re hoping that as soon as this bill gains Royal assent, Te Ohu Kaimoana will use that new limited discretionary power to resolve allocation issues in the Bay of Plenty and Northland areas to stop any further delays and enable iwi to just get on with their work with the aquaculture assets that, let us remember, were already theirs. I commend this bill to the House. Kia ora.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00224a25943b-cb3b-49c3-bd10-74316fae17f1\u0022 data-id=\u0022e61473c16c684caa8240dddaa64d20c5\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000381\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224a25943b-cb3b-49c3-bd10-74316fae17f1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e61473c16c684caa8240dddaa64d20c5\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean)\u003C/span\u003E: Members, this debate is interrupted and set down for resumption next sitting day. With thanks to everybody who works within and around this Chamber, including the sound guys and Chamber staff and clerks\u2014everybody\u2014including members. The House stands joined until 2 p.m., Tuesday, 5 April.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000382\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224a25943b-cb3b-49c3-bd10-74316fae17f1\u0022\u003EThe House adjourned at 4.59 p.m.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202203317be341886aaf467db6e1fc64205d58cc000383\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224a25943b-cb3b-49c3-bd10-74316fae17f1\u0022\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n  \u003C/body\u003E\n\u003C/html\u003E"