"\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=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00227d3bc4e1a18f46719fd9c0c55ee79bc7\u0022\u003ETHURSDAY, 6 APRIL 2023\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000003\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022aac743e41f1546a3b4d161ffeeb674a3\u0022\u003ETHURSDAY, 6 APRIL 2023\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000002\u0022\u003EThe Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000004\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022f614b8c9b5ec4914b645d41c7d1be20c\u0022\u003EKARAKIA/PRAYERS\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000006\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022ff0137bcf87a49ae9a07cd956ce52961\u0022\u003EKARAKIA/PRAYERS\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022 data-id=\u0022ba91e1556b8f4cd79beddc4a4e3f4533\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000005\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ba91e1556b8f4cd79beddc4a4e3f4533\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Almighty God, we give thanks for the blessings which have been bestowed on us. Laying aside all personal interests, we acknowledge the King and pray for guidance in our deliberations that we may conduct the affairs of this House with wisdom, justice, mercy, and humility for the welfare and peace of New Zealand. Amen.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000007\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022a844293833d842b6a4ce336ce9fb2028\u0022\u003EVisitors\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000008\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00222ac856a2722a4ea1926ab02783454a05\u0022\u003EAustralia\u2014Deputy Prime Minister\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u00225b11ecb9a457493cb2a4c0698f0a233e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000009\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225b11ecb9a457493cb2a4c0698f0a233e\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m sure that members would wish to welcome the Hon Richard Marles, Australia\u2019s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, and his accompanying delegation, who are present in the gallery.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000010\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00223a13aeeb5990487087d003f09837d561\u0022\u003EBusiness Statement\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000012\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022a44a8472925e45ae8d962b41542b075f\u0022\u003EBusiness Statement\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022 data-id=\u00222b1e39458a384be7ab0b6cdf68146bee\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000011\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222b1e39458a384be7ab0b6cdf68146bee\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Leader of the House):\u003C/span\u003E Today, the House will adjourn until Tuesday, 2 May. In that week, the annual review debate will continue, with eight Ministers scheduled to appear. Legislation to be considered will include the second readings of the Grocery Industry Competition Bill and the Worker Protection (Migrant and Other Employees) Bill, and the remaining stages of the Counter-Terrorism Acts (Designations and Control Orders) Amendment Bill. On Thursday, 4 May, there will be a 90-minute special debate on local issues.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022 data-id=\u0022ef45d9945ade42eb8941c1f95b669fce\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000013\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ef45d9945ade42eb8941c1f95b669fce\u0022\u003ESIMEON BROWN (National\u2014Pakuranga):\u003C/span\u003E Well, looking at the Order Paper, there\u2019s only 13 bills on it, and so a lot of the public are interested to know whether the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill may be up for debate next time we\u2019re sitting.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022 data-id=\u00227e3cfc2bae9d497c8ff44ca3bf39b6bf\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000014\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227e3cfc2bae9d497c8ff44ca3bf39b6bf\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Leader of the House):\u003C/span\u003E I\u2019m sure that the member\u2019s colleagues would have alerted him to just how hard parliamentary select committees are working at the moment and the enormous amount of legislation that will return to the Order Paper when we get back. The member will be among the first people in New Zealand to know when the Kermadecs bill is ready.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000015\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00220000c8eabe3d4626b280c0073d5b1adc\u0022\u003EPETITIONS, PAPERS, SELECT COMMITTEE REPORTS, AND INTRODUCTION OF BILLS\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000017\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00223599407f1c7c483aa1b41fada8cde9af\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=\u00225ab42368afdb4c7b8f1743b518014887\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000016\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225ab42368afdb4c7b8f1743b518014887\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: No petitions have been delivered to the Clerk for presentation. Ministers have delivered papers.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022\u0022 data-id=\u00229c4c8c63c7394a72933295c96667366f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000018\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00229c4c8c63c7394a72933295c96667366f\u0022\u003ECLERK\u003C/span\u003E: \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000019\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003EGovernment response to Privacy Commissioner\u2019s report Review of statutory authorities for information matching\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000020\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Blood and Organ Service annual statement of performance expectations 2022 to 2023.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u0022bb060deaccc84ea992f1cbe3c0270fc3\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000021\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022bb060deaccc84ea992f1cbe3c0270fc3\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Those papers are published under the authority of the House. Select committee reports have been delivered for presentation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022\u0022 data-id=\u00222a7cd5ad1d6749fb86031770bee3c8b0\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222a7cd5ad1d6749fb86031770bee3c8b0\u0022\u003ECLERK\u003C/span\u003E: \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000023\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003EReport of the Education and Workforce Committee on the petition of Tom Shanley\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000024\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003Ereport of the Petitions Committee on the petition of Leon Gibson.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u0022f30acf70cf3f4ea9a1d206152255ba34\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000025\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022f30acf70cf3f4ea9a1d206152255ba34\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The Clerk has been informed of the introduction of bills.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022\u0022 data-id=\u002242dfc196bfe44106b9647f8288dc8d5f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000026\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002242dfc196bfe44106b9647f8288dc8d5f\u0022\u003ECLERK\u003C/span\u003E: \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000027\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003EAnnie Oxborough Birth Parents Registration Bill, introduction\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000028\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003ECrimes (Theft by Employer) Amendment Bill, introduction.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u0022d4bee5207402449795ef06041f918266\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000029\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d4bee5207402449795ef06041f918266\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Those bills are set down for first reading.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000030\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00225f12a789878d4116aee9477322b3b26d\u0022\u003EVoting\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000031\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00227ba1db68408943119ad6574d793f644d\u0022\u003ECorrection\u2014Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Exemption for Race Meetings) Amendment Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00224d83c8a5-2f48-4991-9c45-b1a6060daedd\u0022 data-id=\u00229eb8e0d34e8b4c5d95a34d5c0fac42f0\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000032\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d83c8a5-2f48-4991-9c45-b1a6060daedd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00229eb8e0d34e8b4c5d95a34d5c0fac42f0\u0022\u003EMAUREEN PUGH (Junior Whip\u2014National):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. Last night, the National whips held proxies for all National members in favour of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Exemption for Race Meetings) Amendment Bill. Unfortunately, due to an administrative error, these votes were not cast on behalf of the members not in the Chamber. I seek leave for those 25 votes to be added to the Ayes and the result of the vote adjusted accordingly, and will supply the names of the proxies to the Clerk to include in the result.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u0022a9baaf39169d4617aa9a83c2262ca88b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000033\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a9baaf39169d4617aa9a83c2262ca88b\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there any objection? There\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000034\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222431e485605748d2920b2b1b7f66ecf2\u0022\u003EHon Grant Robertson\u003C/span\u003E: Speaking to the point of order, I don\u2019t want to object, Mr Speaker; I just want to, because I wasn\u2019t in the House last night, understand whether that affects the result of the bill. No, it doesn\u2019t? OK, that\u2019s fine.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000035\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226a60781001d146bf8f75ffc507d292ae\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: OK. Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there any objection? Appears to be none. The result will be corrected.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000036\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00222b768a0d97f84e8f8ec2e38d5e5a2821\u0022\u003EOral Questions\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000037\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002283b64a376fc642f183dd09a4b5273b88\u0022\u003EQuestions to Ministers\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000038\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022834584dff3c14ae0a5d40361277e7e53\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 1\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=\u0022ae911ebf813c4168ad3f63c89452ecb7\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000039\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E1. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ae911ebf813c4168ad3f63c89452ecb7\u0022\u003ENICOLA WILLIS (Deputy Leader\u2014National)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by his statement on Radio New Zealand last month that \u201Cwe\u2019re not going to let low and middle income people particularly suffer at the hands of the high inflation we\u2019re seeing\u201D; if so, is he delivering on that commitment?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022 data-id=\u0022a69bdf5034f34c6daaae0b17c23a7bd1\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000040\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a69bdf5034f34c6daaae0b17c23a7bd1\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance):\u003C/span\u003E I stand by my full statement, \u201CWe move into a phase where we do see government spending overall reduce, but at the same time we\u2019re not going to let low and middle income people particularly suffer at the hands of the high inflation we\u2019re seeing\u2014so it\u2019s tricky, everyone acknowledges that.\u201D To the second part of the member\u2019s question, yes, in particular the changes that came into effect on 1 April that will see pensioners, veterans, students, workers on a minimum wage, and families receiving Working for Families all better off. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000041\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fea84f2e7d994d9ba1ab59ec8a38e1bd\u0022\u003ENicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: How can he claim to be delivering for low and middle income New Zealanders when Canstar\u2019s Consumer Pulse survey for 2023 found that one in four Kiwis say putting food on the table is their biggest worry?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000042\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002274294873c5894a56a7c95e3b03944156\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: As we\u2019ve discussed many times in the House in recent times, there are particularly tough times for many New Zealand families. That\u2019s why, as I said, we were focused on lifting the incomes of low and middle income families through, for example, the 1 April changes I just mentioned. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000043\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228aef879aae134b52a6de4cc5c87ee89a\u0022\u003ENicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: Well, isn\u2019t it the case that a family with two school-aged kids on an average household income of $117,000 a year will likely get nothing from the Government\u2019s 1 April changes because they\u2019re not eligible for Working for Families?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000044\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022347b827feb2f4d6c81fc72216d097e5f\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: Obviously, the circumstances for each person is different. There are other benefits such as the accommodation supplement that might apply in the situation that the member has raised. What I do know is that the focus that we\u2019ve had on lifting the incomes of low and middle income New Zealanders, including through lifting Working for Families tax credits, has been opposed by the National Party.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000045\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224466d61879794b2ead7f19a6ae8ec668\u0022\u003ENicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: How will those changes support a family with a $600,000 mortgage who need to re-fix it from an average rate of 2.6 percent two years ago to a 6.4 percent rate today, costing them approximately $440 more every week?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000046\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022115c0135e91949bdbb7510c82ff5ed28\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: Again, obviously, individual circumstances for families would have to be taken into account to be able to answer the member\u2019s question precisely. What I do know is that if those people are in work they would have been part of an economy where we\u2019ve seen average annual wages rise by over 8 percent. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000047\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d23dc830d2fd471ca0ad8b4995ccf2d0\u0022\u003ENicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: Does he accept that it doesn\u2019t matter how many new payments he designs, the underlying issue in our economy is rampant inflation\u2014higher than that in Australia, the United States, Canada, and many other countries we like to compare ourselves with, and what will his Budget do to address the underlying drivers of inflation?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000048\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228f34512dde0c444d83ceb66c7e20505b\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s good that the member is focused on the underlying drivers of inflation\u2014for example, decarbonising our economy, making sure we\u2019re less reliant on the price of petrol, for example. For what happens in New Zealand would require a Government to actually act to start reducing emissions, which this Government did, and the previous Government didn\u2019t. We also have got the work we\u2019re doing around grocery competition, which I mentioned would be coming up in the next term of the House. These are the underlying causes of inflation. The Government continues to make sure that we support New Zealanders through tough times, and again I say, whenever we propose something to do that, the National Party oppose it. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000049\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b70cbb9a01e7403bbfa06575ac5389fe\u0022\u003ENicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: Does he accept that New Zealand is now suffering higher inflation and interest rates than many other countries because we embarked on a larger programme of money printing, because his Government is spending more, and because it has failed to act on immigration settings?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000050\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002279960dd88df04c2795d353b40b1dd655\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: In terms of one of the various questions within there, what we did during COVID was important to make sure that not only we saved lives but we also saved livelihoods and businesses. And as I noted to the member during the annual review debate earlier this week: actually, more often than not, when the official cash rate started to go up it was the National Party who were asking us to spend more money, including an $11 billion tax cut package that would have favoured the most wealthy in our society.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000051\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cf2aed0b210841cc9d72d8959ea424e0\u0022\u003ENicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: When will he take responsibility for his inaction on inflation, letting it rip through Kiwis\u2019 household budgets and forcing the Reserve Bank to deliver their 11th official cash rate hike in a row yesterday\u2014yet another punch in the guts to New Zealanders?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000052\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f20c549c131a459a988032b5a0b920d4\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: The member is well aware of who it is who is responsible for setting the official cash rate. In 2016, her mentor, Bill English, in response to questions, said, \u201CIt is the responsibility of the Reserve Bank. Our job, through fiscal policy, is to support New Zealanders through tough times.\u201D We are doing that. Every time we have proposed something to do that, the National Party has opposed it. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000053\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022db783bf9689045a1848b4dcb3de1e1f8\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 2\u2014Social Development and Employment\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002295945ace-51e8-4dbc-a0e3-c19f4ed99ed9\u0022 data-id=\u00223cc2223c4ec7440faf3456d87751e2ed\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000054\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002295945ace-51e8-4dbc-a0e3-c19f4ed99ed9\u0022\u003E2. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00223cc2223c4ec7440faf3456d87751e2ed\u0022\u003EANAHILA KANONGATA\u2018A-SUISUIKI (Labour)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What reports has she seen on the update of hardship grants for dental assistance?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022 data-id=\u0022c5e4f455e97644e8b57d420063c143eb\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000055\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c5e4f455e97644e8b57d420063c143eb\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI (Minister for Social Development and Employment):\u003C/span\u003E In December 2022, we increased the amount of non-recoverable assistance lower-income New Zealanders can receive from Work and Income for immediate and essential dental treatment from $300 to $1,000. In the four months following this change, there were 29,349 grants for non-recoverable financial help for dental treatment. This is more than double the number of grants in the same period of 2021-22. This change means that over $20.7 million in financial support has been provided to New Zealanders needing dental treatment\u2014an increase of over $16.7 million on the same time last year.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000056\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002295945ace-51e8-4dbc-a0e3-c19f4ed99ed9\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229ad6c773224e4f7cbf94c8f58bd5007d\u0022\u003EAnahila Kanongata\u2018a-Suisuiki\u003C/span\u003E: How many people have had to access recoverable assistance for dental treatment?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000057\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225b9fda9cb9234b27b8d31d92ef66989d\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI\u003C/span\u003E: If someone needs treatment that is in excess of $1,000, they may be eligible for a recoverable grant from the Ministry of Social Development (MSD). I\u2019m pleased to say that while the number of people who have accessed non-recoverable assistance has doubled, the people who have needed recoverable support has fallen by over 1,000 people. This means more people are getting help, less people are getting into debt, and the change is working.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000058\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002295945ace-51e8-4dbc-a0e3-c19f4ed99ed9\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002278f7e73d460741b5b38dbfd062c2e15f\u0022\u003EAnahila Kanongata\u2018a-Suisuiki\u003C/span\u003E: Have there been any changes to the criteria for the grants?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000059\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022abd5b127fd0144169b4a609858e3fe51\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI\u003C/span\u003E: Yes. We have widened the criteria for the grant. Now, instead of the grant only being available in an emergency treatment, it will now be available for essential treatment to help stop minor problems becoming major ones. We have also changed the amount of times you can access the grant throughout the year. Previously, you could only receive one dental grant, even if it did not reach the $300 limit. Now, clients can access the grant multiple times in one year, up to the value of $1,000, meaning if you have a treatment that costs $400, you still have $600 you can access if another necessary treatment is required.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000060\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002231c497206dc64d8e9158db0c969a3832\u0022\u003ERicardo Men\u00E9ndez March\u003C/span\u003E: Does she believe anyone should go into any form of debt because they need to access essential healthcare; if so, why?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000061\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f52a421949e542a0972a534ae16b5f7b\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s really important that we provide financial support to people who need it. Those on the lowest incomes struggle to pay for dental care. I\u2019m really proud of the fact that we have lifted that grant, which hadn\u2019t been increased for many years. When they require more, then it is an opportunity for them to be able to get that but pay it back, and MSD works with them to make sure that they can afford the payments that they have to make.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000062\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002295945ace-51e8-4dbc-a0e3-c19f4ed99ed9\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bbf8eecd56ec4271967afcfc80fa071c\u0022\u003EAnahila Kanongata\u2018a-Suisuiki\u003C/span\u003E: Have there been any other changes to hardship support?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000063\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c812831e342a441497b9473c94d79348\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI\u003C/span\u003E: In Budget 2022, we also announced a lift in the income-limits access to hardship support. This means more low-income people will be able to access hardship assistance, including dental grants.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000064\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002295945ace-51e8-4dbc-a0e3-c19f4ed99ed9\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d426c68f4c6e4e8e8ef38262f5873d8a\u0022\u003EAnahila Kanongata\u2018a-Suisuiki\u003C/span\u003E: Why was extending this support important?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000065\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002222be484a3fe047089f8f1b4611564928\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI\u003C/span\u003E: Dental care is something that can be put off by people due to affordability difficulties, especially in low-income households. We also know that issues with dental health have a negative impact on people\u2019s general health, financial health, ability to work, and quality of life. This is particularly important when it comes to employment. Having bad oral health can decrease someone\u2019s confidence and affect their ability to secure long-term sustainable employment.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000066\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022d9e43798cbb24a8a911761c12405b942\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 3\u2014Housing\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022 data-id=\u0022fae19d4f88214208b6b8d362624a0350\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000067\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003E3. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022fae19d4f88214208b6b8d362624a0350\u0022\u003ECHRIS BISHOP (National)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Housing: What advice has she sought, if any, on the impact of rising interest rates on housing costs? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022 data-id=\u0022202fa36062e34e888d780bce6bd25f2a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000068\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022202fa36062e34e888d780bce6bd25f2a\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Leader of the House)\u003C/span\u003E on behalf of the Minister of Housing: I receive a range of advice from my officials. This includes advice and information on the impact of interest rates on potential buyers, existing homeowners, and investor activity, and the impact of economic headwinds\u2014which also includes the rising interest rates\u2014on residential development and construction. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000069\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022004dfbc556744ffea004600e1df71de6\u0022\u003EChris Bishop\u003C/span\u003E: Has she sought an estimate on the increased number of borrowers in mortgage arrears due to the increase in the official cash rate yesterday, given that as at the end of February, there were 18,900 mortgages on which borrowers had missed payments? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000070\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002260e5972e4a4c4b17824ede7cf56a1067\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, I believe that the advice, indeed, on mortgage arrears is that that has increased in recent times. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000071\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022533a41521eb34881925c3fd3205d3c82\u0022\u003EChris Bishop\u003C/span\u003E: How does she expect a young family that borrowed heavily to get into their own home just two years ago will cope with hundreds of dollars a week more in interest costs? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000072\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220d94728912534e0bb304177371ffa03e\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: Well, it will be very challenging for a number of households, as we\u2019ve covered in this period of time recently in the House. What I do know is that if those people are in work, they will have been in receipt\u2014in many cases\u2014of wage increases, some of which have been in excess of inflation. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000073\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a46e1b19397248dfa6698ac25840d568\u0022\u003EChris Bishop\u003C/span\u003E: What modelling, if any, has she commissioned in relation to the impact on rents of the continued implementation of the removal of interest deductibility for residential landlords, allied with rising interest rates? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000074\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002218a2b92a8d3649d785f8e6668974b8f6\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: On behalf of the Minister, I\u2019m not sure if modelling is required necessarily by the Government when a lot of it is done, including the Kantar survey, which has already been quoted in this House. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000075\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a7ca2b03021a4caba1f8f41bb6472942\u0022\u003EChris Bishop\u003C/span\u003E: So has she seen any modelling from the Kantar survey or otherwise that suggests that rents will continue to rise as a result of the accelerating removal of interest deductibility, allied with rising interest rates? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000076\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022292fc743bea24d1d826e6fadbff2a913\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: There\u2019s a variety of reasons why people will increase rents, which, I might say, have increased under the rate of inflation in recent times. The Kantar survey indicated that just over a quarter of landlords were citing changes to property tax law, but many others cited other reasons for why they might increase rent. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000077\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00226037bd8b25794aaa8f06462e340f26b9\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 4\u2014Health\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022 data-id=\u0022d94387815edd4c35a87e001b193db094\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000078\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003E4. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d94387815edd4c35a87e001b193db094\u0022\u003EANGELA ROBERTS (Labour)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Health: What improvements have been made in Taranaki for patients requiring renal services?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022 data-id=\u00226d5852de6ce74de2a7fd23ca51a8a4f0\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000079\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226d5852de6ce74de2a7fd23ca51a8a4f0\u0022\u003EHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL (Minister of Health):\u003C/span\u003E I was lucky enough to officially open the new renal unit at Taranaki Base Hospital last month. The renal unit, Te Huhi Raup\u014D\u2014a name gifted by Ng\u0101 Iwi o Taranaki and Taumaruroa\u2014is an amazing new facility that will play a key part in the lives of renal patients and their wh\u0101nau. Te Huhi Raup\u014D was built as part of Project Maunga stage two, the redevelopment of the Taranaki Base Hospital campus, in order to be able to deliver models of care in modern facilities.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000080\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002205178ff65fbb47b2ac3347b7ba314f70\u0022\u003EAngela Roberts\u003C/span\u003E: How will the new renal unit provide improved care to patients?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000081\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002277f7d46c24fa405c8c172b90bb8d5ced\u0022\u003EHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL\u003C/span\u003E: The new single-storey timber building has 10 patient treatment chairs, two training rooms to help patients learn to carry out their own care, an isolation room, and a self-care room. I know from my time working in dialysis units that convenient access to integrated health services is important for people who have to spend several hours a week in these facilities. The addition of three out-patient rooms means the facility can now accommodate other services, such as social work, dieticians, podiatry for patients with diabetes, and also provide wraparound care.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000082\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226b4a9e1747dd43e9bdf1df672787f24e\u0022\u003EAngela Roberts\u003C/span\u003E: How has the renal unit been supported by the community?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000083\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a653caf5ff1b4fc6a5e204a75bba4620\u0022\u003EHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL\u003C/span\u003E: There\u2019s been a great community support for this project. The Taranaki Health Foundation has fund-raised audiovisual equipment and an ultrasound; I acknowledge their support for this project. The landscaping outside the unit was a real community effort, with most of the plants, topsoil, and mulch donated by excellent local businesses. The work to complete the gardens was done by volunteers from the Lions Club, Downers, and New Plymouth District Council. I think we can all agree that these kinds of contributions are fantastic.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022eed790400e9949a086e05aab75fda49b\u0022\u003EAngela Roberts\u003C/span\u003E: How was the project funded?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000085\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f36ffbd0d8a24c86bc344780f54345d8\u0022\u003EHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL\u003C/span\u003E: Project Maunga is funded by a partnership approach between the Crown, regional fund-raising, and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority\u2014EECA. The Project Maunga stage two totals $403 million; this consists of $397 million in Crown funding, $5.3 million in Taranaki fund-raising, and $1.2 million from EECA.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000086\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022bd09ec988287498dac1804bc2c3c0f54\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 5\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=\u0022cb78b678d51a462b9ede7d96e6543d50\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000087\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E5. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022cb78b678d51a462b9ede7d96e6543d50\u0022\u003EDr SHANE RETI (National)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Health: Is the emergency department qualifying attendance data published by Health New Zealand this week different from the corrected ED data that she advised the House on 14 March 2023 was the correct data; if so, what are the differences?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022 data-id=\u0022b85c124e44f54da4ab12a220196b72b9\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b85c124e44f54da4ab12a220196b72b9\u0022\u003EHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL (Minister of Health):\u003C/span\u003E Yes, the statistics I was referring to on 14\u00A0March are different to what was published on 4 April. For the data published on 4 April, across the 12 measures, there are minor shifts in the reported numbers. I am advised that this is normal due to data in national collections continually being updated as patient records are processed. This means that the same analysis performed a week later will have slightly different results. For two measures\u2014emergency department (ED) admissions and emergency department presentations\u2014Te Whatu Ora\u2019s checking process identified underlying issues with the flow from Southern, West Coast, Waikato, and Counties Manukau. These types of updates have occurred in the past and will occur in the future when working with administrative data. Minor shifts in emergency department presentations impact the ED qualifying attendance data. This has been rectified in the republished metrics.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000089\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222efcea3fa85c41c2b7cdf3b143f7f16b\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: How can Kiwis have any confidence in this Government\u2019s health reforms if the new centralised health system can\u2019t even perform simple tasks like publishing accurate and consistent ED wait times?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000090\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222dca4a7066bd46a4a81f5aa398ff448a\u0022\u003EHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL\u003C/span\u003E: As I said to the House in my initial reply to this question a few weeks ago, this type of administrative data reflects real-world data collected in the health system, and there will be minor changes in it from time to time. Now, the sum total of these changes is less than 2 percent when you look across the \u201CShorter Stays in ED\u201D statistics. I wouldn\u2019t be fussy about a 2 percent difference if I was a party who had just had to correct the casting of 73 percent of their votes!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000091\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002206a87542566043e1ab983fd9fc48bc46\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: Is she calling a difference of 4,502 patients between the two datasets at Counties Manukau minor and insignificant?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000092\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a7fb3ed31b454beebf1382c589c9b51f\u0022\u003EHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL\u003C/span\u003E: No, but I think that when you look across\u2014what I am saying is that, with these types of administrative datasets, corrections occur all the time, and that is part of the usual publishing of these types of statistics, as I explained to him previously in the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000093\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224b2fe573139f435fb38d4a52c4b8fdf9\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: When she wrote that having eight ED beds out of commission for up to 10 weeks due to a leak at Waikato Hospital is having no impact on patient wait times, does she seriously expect New Zealanders and staff to believe that?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000094\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cb507e1773214d2896c86fa6deeea3a0\u0022\u003EHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL\u003C/span\u003E: The particular performance of that emergency department\u2014those updated statistics\u2014will be published in due course.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000095\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002212db10145c9c46ed8010f12cd2785b4b\u0022\u003EDr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: Doesn\u2019t it show that she has done absolutely nothing to fix Middlemore ED from June last year, when the independent inquiry into a death said Middlemore ED was overcrowded and unsafe, through to now, with a leaked staff survey last week showing 81 percent of Middlemore ED staff don\u2019t have the resources to do their job well?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000096\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022453453\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222d1fc0467cf24cb991d40b8d5050848c\u0022\u003EHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL\u003C/span\u003E: There have been a number of measures implemented at Middlemore ED to improve the flow there, from the type of senior staff being there right at the front door to assess patients being one of the lead ones so that good decisions are made by those most qualified to make them and in the patients\u2019 best interests. The staff have done an excellent job implementing the recommendations of their report. I stand by their efforts.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000097\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022ac6f178c98e640d2b5345b4ea3ad6e80\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 6\u2014Broadcasting and Media\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022cc477162-e622-4c94-add7-36a586729e51\u0022 data-id=\u0022f7b414933e754effa61bdb0a152bcfa1\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000098\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc477162-e622-4c94-add7-36a586729e51\u0022\u003E6. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022f7b414933e754effa61bdb0a152bcfa1\u0022\u003ENAISI CHEN (Labour)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister for Broadcasting and Media: What announcements has he made regarding funding for world-class public media?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022 data-id=\u0022e765f184bb2f43fd98f3d1bec45e14a4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000099\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e765f184bb2f43fd98f3d1bec45e14a4\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON (Minister for Broadcasting and Media):\u003C/span\u003E Today, I\u2019ve announced that we\u2019re delivering a funding boost to deliver world-class public media for New Zealanders. Radio New Zealand (RNZ) will receive a 60 percent increase of $25.7 million annually. This funding will help it meet competing demands and deliver world-class public media for all of Aotearoa. This will be made up of $12 million per annum to address existing capability, $12 million per annum to strengthen RNZ for the future and help it reach underserved audiences, and $1.7 million per annum to support its AM transmission service, which was so important during Cyclone Gabrielle. Without this immediate investment, RNZ would not have the ability to provide the services expected of public media, let alone meet the needs of New Zealanders in a digital age. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000100\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc477162-e622-4c94-add7-36a586729e51\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222e9c4a76f3e34f50b015f0f3e4b115fe\u0022\u003ENaisi Chen\u003C/span\u003E: What support is New Zealand On Air receiving?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000101\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d51eb7baf5384e2bbf2d176a87c0ba31\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: The news gets better. We will restore New Zealand On Air\u2019s baseline funding of $42.2 million per annum, which was going to the new public media entity under previous plans. On top of this, New Zealand On Air will receive an extra $10 million to its baseline for 2023-24, and the new funding will support the creation of new and innovative content to connect with new audiences through cross-sector collaboration with RNZ, Whakaata M\u0101ori, and Te M\u0101ngai P\u0101ho. It will go beyond journalism to include a focus on content for children, rangatahi, M\u0101ori, Pacific, and regional audiences. All New Zealand will benefit.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc477162-e622-4c94-add7-36a586729e51\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228f71cd51517f4ca895fb9870c9080c10\u0022\u003ENaisi Chen\u003C/span\u003E: Why is this new funding critical for public media in New Zealand?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000103\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022786bf45749a044a8b4cd068e34d6daa1\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: An independent, well-functioning, resilient public media is the cornerstone of our democracy. With the package I have outlined, we\u2019ll be able to develop high-quality content that better represents and connects with audiences. We want a public media that delivers for all Kiwis, including M\u0101ori, Pasifika, Asia, disabled people, rangatahi, and our tamariki. We can make sure that in a digital age, we\u2019re able to protect our unique Kiwi identity and ensure Kiwis have access to the information and entertainment they need when they need it on the platforms they use. Recent weather events have proved the importance of public media. Without this new funding, RNZ would not be commercially viable because they were starved of funding for nine years by the previous National Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000104\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a97e1705-20b1-4844-8140-1090426c1397\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227bc26724a2eb4d52a0831acdb72a5d8e\u0022\u003EDamien Smith\u003C/span\u003E: Will he look Kiwis in the eye and tell them he\u2019s proud to be spending tens of millions of their dollars on a shiny new website for Radio New Zealand, and how does he have the nerve to claim as \u201Csavings\u201D the cancellation of hundreds of millions of dollars in expenditure on the failed media merger, which he announced in the first place?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000105\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e3faeb3c8fa046d7a116cd2a918aa2bb\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: Yes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000106\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc477162-e622-4c94-add7-36a586729e51\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229bbcea89387e41f18584e2125bedc7cb\u0022\u003ENaisi Chen\u003C/span\u003E: What else is being done\u2014[Interruption]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000107\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229a7727c65aba4d7eb7efe41fa1a57378\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Order! Order! We\u2019ll have silence for supplementaries.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000108\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc477162-e622-4c94-add7-36a586729e51\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002239fbb91dc54f4e50952a4e0dafab6cca\u0022\u003ENaisi Chen\u003C/span\u003E: What else is being done to strengthen public media?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000109\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022dd7b46c8dab7479c8eda297069d7304e\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: There\u2019s even more. With TVNZ, a clear way to strengthen public media in Aotearoa is for TVNZ to play a more active broadcasting role. And I\u2019ll be sitting down with Simon and the old National Party mates over there and Manat\u016B Taonga. We\u2019re going to just traverse things and work things through with Simon in terms of a way forward. They\u2019re such an important part of our broadcasting ecosystem. We\u2019re looking closely at how Radio New Zealand can collaborate and work with M\u0101ori broadcasting. We\u2019ve made a significant investment in terms of M\u0101ori broadcasting. How can we work in tandem\u2014in partnership? The RNZ charter review: the Aotearoa New Zealand Public Media Bill included a new charter designed for a modern fit-for-purpose national public media entity. We\u2019ll use that good work to update and strengthen our RNZ charter. And my officials are looking to modernise our outdated Broadcasting Act legislation that the useless National Party put in place.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000110\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002218f9e3ea-81c5-4414-af48-d6bb843a9227\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022386fc457dd4e4f05bfb73e2f04926644\u0022\u003EMelissa Lee\u003C/span\u003E: Does the Minister regret spending nearly $12 million on consultants for the failed mega-merger of RNZ and TVNZ, who were not even public media experts, and how has that spending resulted in \u201Cworld-class public media\u201D?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000111\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f317ee7d-f040-44ec-8f2f-ad0a9f206d75\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ad6bc75d7aa74f98a9f4ce67280df705\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: No.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000112\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002277487b7588b64abab76c18578bb0b04d\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 7\u2014Justice\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022 data-id=\u00220dc4704fbd8f4ecd885f908166ca4d10\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000113\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E7. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00220dc4704fbd8f4ecd885f908166ca4d10\u0022\u003EHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Justice: Does she stand by all her statements and actions?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022 data-id=\u0022fd9c7108ee6347888c23b612694cbff4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000114\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022fd9c7108ee6347888c23b612694cbff4\u0022\u003EHon DAVID PARKER (Attorney-General)\u003C/span\u003E on behalf of the Minister of Justice: On behalf of the Minister of Justice, yes, in their context, including statements that address previous statements.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000115\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223b5af010604a4f61a47e6f622a6e6531\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: What actions, if any, has she taken to reassure New Zealanders that the Official Information Act legislation is fit for purpose following the recent case of former Minister Stuart Nash deciding not to release documents that were clearly captured by the Act?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000116\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002269d9533a15934f89866c018c9b7faa71\u0022\u003EHon DAVID PARKER\u003C/span\u003E: I have no information that would suggest that the Official Information Act is not fit for purpose.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000117\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d7c2ab99e37e4900a7d1357164d6ae75\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: What confidence should New Zealanders have in her commitment to the principles of the Official Information Act when she, as a Cabinet Minister, previously texted her colleagues\u2014quote, \u201Cif we are being lobbied on issues by colleagues, especially where we haven\u2019t had a yarn, things unfolding through OIA process less than desirable.\u201D?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000118\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225b5bd27741e243e1a72a3a4603acbcfe\u0022\u003EHon DAVID PARKER\u003C/span\u003E: I didn\u2019t hear the final words of that quote, but I do know, on behalf of the Minister, that she respects and abides by the Official Information Act.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000119\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022aaa818ce548e4297ac4755a567749772\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: What made her think it could possibly be appropriate for her as a Cabinet Minister to make statements to a State-owned public broadcaster that could be interpreted as telling them how to manage their staff or their company?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000120\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002273d2ac9682c74700b0e9533eacf78841\u0022\u003EHon DAVID PARKER\u003C/span\u003E: On behalf of the Minister, her intention was to speak on behalf of her family. She has made it clear that although she didn\u2019t have responsibilities in the media and broadcasting portfolio, she can understand that other people thought it was wrong to make statements when she was there. Even though not as a portfolio Minister, she was a Minister, and she has apologised for that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000121\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226356a394dbbd4175a604b4178ca48cd8\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: Are there any other instances the Minister is aware of where she has breached the Cabinet Manual, and if so, what are those?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000122\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022eb101a26b0a546aa8b5e50093c5aeb37\u0022\u003EHon DAVID PARKER\u003C/span\u003E: On behalf of the Minister, so far as I\u2019m aware, no.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000123\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002200ee070fed3b4e929a7aa6e1384c9ee9\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 8\u2014Police\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b464a62e-d900-452a-b842-e3cf4ccc6149\u0022 data-id=\u002284f7d6b803cc4ba0828e3274745bf9f7\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000124\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b464a62e-d900-452a-b842-e3cf4ccc6149\u0022\u003E8. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002284f7d6b803cc4ba0828e3274745bf9f7\u0022\u003EARENA WILLIAMS (Labour\u2014Manurewa)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Police: What recent reports has she seen on the composition of the Police workforce across New Zealand?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022 data-id=\u00228e2ae7281b23462ba69c08315b1140ed\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000125\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00228e2ae7281b23462ba69c08315b1140ed\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN (Minister of Police):\u003C/span\u003E Last week, I attended my very first police graduation as Minister of Police. It was a real honour, and I want to congratulate the 59 recruits who graduated; this is just the start of their journey, one that comes with an enormous responsibility. As of 3 April, there are 10,609 constabulary officers working across New Zealand, helping to keep our communities safe. Since 2017, there have been 3,938 new constables who have graduated from the Royal New Zealand Police College, including this week\u2019s 59 new recruits. After this graduation, the total number of fulltime-equivalent police officers has grown by 1,770 since 2017\u2014an increase of around 20 percent in constabulary numbers. Police are well on track to deliver the 1,800 extra police officers that we promised in 2017.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000126\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b464a62e-d900-452a-b842-e3cf4ccc6149\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022700418bbafb340ed9452d5751e47468b\u0022\u003EArena Williams\u003C/span\u003E: How many new officers have joined the service since 2017 in the North Island, and where have they been stationed?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000127\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227e392104d46d4cdeb9ba88f46678e790\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN\u003C/span\u003E: There are 984 additional police officers in stations right across the North Island since 2017. Of these, 181 are in Central and Wellington; 342 in Eastern, Bay of Plenty, and the Waikato; and 73 in Northland, with 389 across T\u0101maki-makau-rau.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000128\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b464a62e-d900-452a-b842-e3cf4ccc6149\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226dcc239c294a414cb180fa74a73936ef\u0022\u003EArena Williams\u003C/span\u003E: How many new officers have joined the service since 2017 in the South Island, and where are they located?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000129\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002243ed6cd862a7448ea65e9e2f47f46462\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN\u003C/span\u003E: There are 230 additional police officers right across the South Island since 2017. Of these, 126 are in Canterbury, 55 in Southern, and 48 in Tasman. As well as these districts, an additional 556 staff are working in the service centres right across New Zealand to keep our communities safe.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000130\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b464a62e-d900-452a-b842-e3cf4ccc6149\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002246184c02c83b4b018be04cf789dd8bc3\u0022\u003EArena Williams\u003C/span\u003E: What recent reports has she seen on the diversity of the New Zealand Police Service?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000131\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223d81497e981c4edf9029e5e8d42aafe1\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN\u003C/span\u003E: More than two thirds of the growth in constabulary numbers of employees since 2017 have been in ethnicities other than P\u0101keh\u0101: more than one in five in the growth has been M\u0101ori, almost one in five has been Asian, and more than one in five is Pasifika. With 2,725 female officers, more than a quarter of the constabulary employees are women. I believe it\u2019s important that we have a police service that reflects our community. While these numbers are promising, there\u2019s still more good work to be done.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000132\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022e237a3c3e4f5452697fc6021f40ab69a\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 9\u2014Local Government\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022713ccc5b-7ff0-4fa5-ab58-4780620184fe\u0022 data-id=\u002205c024df17524e949b0e1e8c2d1741b3\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000133\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022713ccc5b-7ff0-4fa5-ab58-4780620184fe\u0022\u003E9. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002205c024df17524e949b0e1e8c2d1741b3\u0022\u003ESIMON WATTS (National\u2014North Shore)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Local Government: What has been the total departmental expenditure to date on Three Waters, and is he confident it has represented good value for money?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022 data-id=\u002284ea8082b0db45cbb344d8156f948569\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000134\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002284ea8082b0db45cbb344d8156f948569\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY (Minister of Local Government):\u003C/span\u003E Our Government is setting up water services to make the $180 billion investment that is required to maintain and improve our infrastructure. This is to protect households from otherwise unaffordable costs. The reforms have been under way in earnest since 2020, and, as of mid-March, I have been advised the total departmental expenditure was just over $94 million. To the second part of the question, yes, because what\u2019s not good value for money is maintaining a status quo that no local authority wants or can sustain; what\u2019s not good value for money is leaving rural and provincial districts out in the cold, like what would happen under National\u2019s proposal; and what\u2019s not good value for money is leaving Kiwi households to face water bills that each year climb further beyond their means.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000135\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022713ccc5b-7ff0-4fa5-ab58-4780620184fe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223d4541e453494371b9d85c7c14224e8c\u0022\u003ESimon Watts\u003C/span\u003E: How can he stand by that answer when, as of December 2022, $57 million has been spent on consultants and contractors for three waters, including over 100 consultants, filling day-to-day positions like personal assistants and data administrators?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000136\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002288d508ce93a94fd79892b5ec7b7fa19a\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY\u003C/span\u003E: Noting that I have written to the CEO of the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) outlining this Government\u2019s expectation that consultants and contractors are used at a minimum, this Government does make no excuses for tackling the issues that this country faces. This country has to find $180 billion. New Zealanders have a clear choice: a policy from this Government that will save them rates over many, many years or putting their head in the sand and ignoring the issue doesn\u2019t exist, like what the National Party have done for five years.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022713ccc5b-7ff0-4fa5-ab58-4780620184fe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022331961ba7a6543b3b1be0c7f67af2937\u0022\u003ESimon Watts\u003C/span\u003E: Can he explain to the House, what value was derived from the $646 per hour paid to a Grant Thornton consultant?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000138\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e36b38db94c24b57b0c1d4ab08769fd0\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s very clear that when there is reform under way, certain skills that aren\u2019t already in the department are required. It is quite clear, looking across the House, that experts in water services are few and far between. The point here is that this Government is investing in a system that will save ratepayers money. If the National Party dispute that, I have a very clear request of them: show us their numbers\u2014so far, they haven\u2019t.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000139\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022713ccc5b-7ff0-4fa5-ab58-4780620184fe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ee395e4e23114fbd8c970edcfabadeb6\u0022\u003ESimon Watts\u003C/span\u003E: How does he justify DIA paying $133 per hour to contract a job description writer, and does he believe that that provided more or less value to the taxpayer than the position description specialist, who was paid $134 per hour?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000140\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bc3af8b33ba04d3e98ae7cf7962a418e\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY\u003C/span\u003E: The value of this proposition is that it will lead to ratepayers paying less. That is a fact. It is a fact that has been established from councils\u2019 own numbers. It is a fact that has been reviewed by Water Industry Commission for Scotland and peer reviewed twice. The National Party can try and pick at the margins, but what they have failed to show New Zealanders is what their plan is and how that will save ratepayers rates. They haven\u2019t done that because they can\u2019t.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000141\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022eda7f32a82c34fa4b96bcde2b4eb028a\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 10\u2014Police\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002258baa209-edaf-42a5-92d6-b2613c144bfb\u0022 data-id=\u002224d7250f327e42c69382b42870cfeb69\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000142\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258baa209-edaf-42a5-92d6-b2613c144bfb\u0022\u003E10. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002224d7250f327e42c69382b42870cfeb69\u0022\u003ENICOLE McKEE (ACT)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Police: Is she concerned that increasing fees for a new firearms licence from $126.50 to $625.60, as proposed in the Arms Regulations: Review of Fees discussion document, will deter potential applicants and encourage the illegal use of firearms, and is she also concerned that increasing the firearms dealers licence fee from $204 to $2,710 annually will impact upon the safe use of firearms within the community?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022 data-id=\u002251f414998eeb44c7a62d6568e96d2ec0\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000143\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002251f414998eeb44c7a62d6568e96d2ec0\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN (Minister of Police):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. No, because decisions have not yet been made on setting fees for the licensing regime. Fees for a firearms licence haven\u2019t changed in over two decades, during which time the Government has heavily subsidised the practice, to the tune of tens of millions of dollars. I think taxpayers would expect this fee to be reviewed after that period of time. In saying this, I\u2019m mindful that we need to have a system that is welcoming to law-abiding firearms users, and I\u2019m committed to having a system that is fair and proportionate. I\u2019ve been advised that Police have received over 6,000 submissions on the consultation document, and I look forward to reviewing these before taking any further decisions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000144\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258baa209-edaf-42a5-92d6-b2613c144bfb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221f8f7fcb36ce4976aacce5c4d59f4eb3\u0022\u003ENicole McKee\u003C/span\u003E: Can the Minister guarantee that proposed increases for visitors\u2019 firearms licences from $25 to a maximum of $470 will not negatively impact upon the small businesses such as hunting guides who host international\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000145\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221a9852dc0cc44ea18bf6fd1d934d6f83\u0022\u003EHon Dr Duncan Webb\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, subsidising hunters?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000146\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258baa209-edaf-42a5-92d6-b2613c144bfb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002219459ffd19e24bb68c916c8e1a50e35d\u0022\u003ENicole McKee\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014visitors?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000147\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226d2fa9d6f998406aaddb925f299f6296\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: And whoever that was who was interrupting while that question was being asked needs to stand, withdraw, and apologise.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000148\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d2a4d834d274459babc62fa1d52ebbcb\u0022\u003EHon Dr Duncan Webb\u003C/span\u003E: I withdraw and apologise.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000149\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223d3a5d9d174f409eb4e06691e6e2d83e\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN\u003C/span\u003E: It is not our intention to encourage firearms licence holders to disengage from the firearms regulatory system, so fees need to be set at levels that neither deter applicants nor encourage retention of firearms without a licence. The Government needs to consider a wide range of options before deciding on the final fees for providing the services sought by licence holders.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000150\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258baa209-edaf-42a5-92d6-b2613c144bfb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002259069972a79844ca98e91e8aacf2f1c3\u0022\u003ENicole McKee\u003C/span\u003E: Does the Minister recognise that the proposal to impose a $590 import fee for those returning home from overseas with a sporting firearm may bring about an end to New Zealanders competing and achieving in shooting sports internationally?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000151\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221ecbec2b3f56410b9311288b8eac1462\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN\u003C/span\u003E: The Government needs to consider a range of options before deciding on the final fees for providing the services sought by licence holders. I look forward to receiving the submissions that have come in and the recommendations I will get from Police.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000152\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258baa209-edaf-42a5-92d6-b2613c144bfb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f2274b0ec51a4ebaafc7ff559532cca8\u0022\u003ENicole McKee\u003C/span\u003E: Will the Minister acknowledge that the need for Police to increase fees and to recover costs is a direct result of rushed and ill-thought-out firearms policy implemented by her Government in 2019 and 2020?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000153\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b7f65427e4fa4266a40bdf1231c0b1c0\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN\u003C/span\u003E: The fee has not increased since 1999. Set at $126 for 10 years, that works out to be $12.60 a year. Cabinet will consider submissions and recommendations from Police before determining what fees or firearm licensing should be. Other regulatory systems, such as dog control, have annual registration fees for the privilege of owning a dog, and there is much more involved in assessing if someone is fit and proper for what is involved in administering a firearm.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000154\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00228525c35d86924bcf836eaec77137b102\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 11\u2014Veterans\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022acf78260-1a45-46a5-bc98-1a34a13ec1d1\u0022 data-id=\u00220471fd0461f94bf4ad2a11843887eb2e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000155\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022acf78260-1a45-46a5-bc98-1a34a13ec1d1\u0022\u003E11. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00220471fd0461f94bf4ad2a11843887eb2e\u0022\u003EDAN ROSEWARNE (Labour)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister for Veterans: What recognition and support is the Government giving to veterans as we look towards ANZAC Day?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022 data-id=\u00225419fdc9d5b84cf1bbdaa0f69b19e0b0\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000156\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225419fdc9d5b84cf1bbdaa0f69b19e0b0\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance)\u003C/span\u003E on behalf of the Minister for Veterans: Benefit adjustments that came into effect on 1 April saw more than 5,300 people on a veterans pension, and their wh\u0101nau, increase their pension by over $100 for a couple per fortnight and nearly $70 for individuals. Veterans\u2019 Affairs, who have more than 20,000 clients, also pay out entitlements of $118 million each year, mostly for those who have service-related conditions, some of whom require rehabilitation and support because they cannot work.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000157\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022acf78260-1a45-46a5-bc98-1a34a13ec1d1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002247b28970e80f474eb54388b6a3ffb38d\u0022\u003EDan Rosewarne\u003C/span\u003E: What does Government do, through Veterans\u2019 Affairs, to support the independence of our veterans?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000158\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c4defb986173479296798a0712500f81\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: Veterans\u2019 Affairs also runs a veterans independence programme, which provides a range of services on a needs basis to help veterans stay independent in their own homes. More than 6,500 individuals receive more than 163,000 individual services each year, including lawnmowing and gardening, assistance with housework, and other services, which I know are greatly appreciated by the veterans concerned.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000159\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022acf78260-1a45-46a5-bc98-1a34a13ec1d1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002267b485b7167148d4831540f91cc72be3\u0022\u003EDan Rosewarne\u003C/span\u003E: How does the Government support the commemoration of our veterans\u2019 service?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000160\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022700b9955155b46339e9acf24588f8c2e\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: Veterans\u2019 Affairs manages a commemorative fund and in the current year has paid out tens of thousands of dollars in contributions to a variety of projects. This includes some memorial projects that will be unveiled on or around Anzac Day 2023, including the stand for a memorial gun in Ruat\u014Dria, plaques to commemorate service and recent deployments on a memorial archway in South Taranaki, and in support of the Remembrance Army with a project that will add 228 names of New Plymouth Boys\u2019 High School servicemen to the memorial gates at the school. In addition, almost $140,000 has been paid out in the current year in contributions to support veterans to travel back to where they were deployed or for reunions with those they served with.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000161\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022acf78260-1a45-46a5-bc98-1a34a13ec1d1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224125f4badf9c433cbeb96147d92a43b7\u0022\u003EDan Rosewarne\u003C/span\u003E: What is the Government doing to support the commemoration of Anzac Day in Gallipoli?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000162\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222e23f70aa8a6434d9230e5363011d8f4\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: On 23 April, the New Zealand Defence Force Gallipoli contingent will deliver a ceremony of rededication and remembrance at what is known as the New Zealand M\u0101ori P\u0101 site at the No 1 Outpost in Gallipoli. This ceremony will mark the installation of a plaque in M\u0101ori, Turkish, and English, commemorating the service of the New Zealand Maori Contingent at Gallipoli in 1915 and the call to action of the chaplain Captain H\u0113nare Te Wainohu, \u201CKia m\u0101ia, kia toa\u201D\u2014be brave, be bold\u2014before our brave soldiers advanced up Chunuk Bair. The plaque, signage, and access track have been developed in partnership with M\u0101ori, the Turkish Government, and the Turkish Gallipoli historical site directorate, and we are very appreciative of their support. I am sure the whole House would join with me in thanking all of our veterans, including the member who asked the question today, Dan Rosewarne, for the service that they have given\u2014and indeed all active soldiers\u2014and, to our fallen men and women as we get closer to Anzac Day, we will remember them, lest we forget.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000163\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022f15816f63dda4167a115e2d30be3c57c\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 12\u2014Defence\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00223d42e8cf-544e-415d-892b-f4ef8014d80f\u0022 data-id=\u0022046ff32b041d411c8ba57ab34bc5e60a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000164\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d42e8cf-544e-415d-892b-f4ef8014d80f\u0022\u003E12. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022046ff32b041d411c8ba57ab34bc5e60a\u0022\u003ETEANAU TUIONO (Green)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Defence: Does he stand by his statement that joining AUKUS \u201Ccould not compromise our legal obligations and our moral commitment to nuclear-free\u201D; if so, does he think that AUKUS is a threat to a nuclear-free and independent Pacific?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022 data-id=\u00224eca66d740974283b46b67ab395e2abd\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000165\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224eca66d740974283b46b67ab395e2abd\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Defence):\u003C/span\u003E I stand by my full statement, which was we \u201Cwould not compromise and could not compromise our legal obligations and our moral commitment to a nuclear-free Pacific.\u201D To the second part of the member\u2019s question, no.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000166\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d42e8cf-544e-415d-892b-f4ef8014d80f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fd8334023d994c94ad85354a256afde7\u0022\u003ETeanau Tuiono\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree with the Minister of Foreign Affairs that \u201COur concern is not to see the militarisation of the Pacific, that the Treaty of Rarotonga [is] \u2026 upheld\u201D; and, if so, why is New Zealand even considering joining AUKUS?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000167\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227997a60adaee48d7b69f4320f28006f4\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: A number of things. First of all, the agreement between Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom is a technology agreement. Secondly, both the Minister of Foreign Affairs\u2014the Hon Nanaia Mahuta\u2014and I agree that in the face of militarisation, particularly on the part of China, to the extent of an increase of their military capacity tenfold since 2000, means the circumstances in our region of the world are changing and we cannot ignore them. Finally, this country, with this Government, does have to think carefully about how we ensure we can protect the best interests not only of New Zealand but our Pacific neighbours, working alongside with them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000168\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d42e8cf-544e-415d-892b-f4ef8014d80f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022abb8ff951cb04ab2b4d508dee29b7edc\u0022\u003ETeanau Tuiono\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree with the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands that the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal goes against the Treaty of Rarotonga; and, if not, why not?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000169\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d9c9b3f362d34aa49a7648c91279e1b3\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: No, I don\u2019t, because the Treaty of Rarotonga is very clear that it is about the prohibition of, and the removal of, nuclear weaponry from the South Pacific. It does not bear upon nuclear propulsion of vessels such as submarines or ships, and it is nuclear propulsion that Australia has signed up to under its AUKUS agreement.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000170\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c6bba88fd7e441f49c2125f76f1aef8f\u0022\u003EGolriz Ghahraman\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree with Auckland Peace Action that \u201CSigning up to one part of AUKUS is joining a nuclear arms alliance\u201D; if not, why not?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000171\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022af45ace6fa90424cae63338caddfdb2a\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: No, because that\u2019s extremist and alarmist and, frankly, completely ridiculous.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000172\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002257f7e275550b43a7812f8f98bed7a0c1\u0022\u003EGolriz Ghahraman\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree with former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern that \u201CThe focus [of] \u2026 our region is on furthering the Pacific values and the focus that Pacific Island leaders have determined for themselves\u201D; if so, does he believe a US-led military alliance which undermines the nuclear-free Pacific upholds Pacific values and independence?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000173\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022795ef0adb4bd4c0f9cf9b980c6bd4d98\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m not aware of a US-led military alliance that undermines the nuclear-free Pacific.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000174\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224f52be50b47e4802bb58b42261cfbdd2\u0022\u003EGolriz Ghahraman\u003C/span\u003E: Does AUKUS\u2014a military partnership which undermines a nuclear-free Pacific\u2014reflect his Government\u2019s stated commitment to supporting Pacific leadership in facing the climate crisis and inequality, as the key challenges of our region?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000175\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e67194a3cb4b4cb091cb32915a18d0cb\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: This Government is, and was, an early signatory and promoter of the Treaty of Rarotonga since 1985. We stand by that. It follows the adoption by this country of legislation\u2014by a Labour Government\u2014that keeps us nuclear free in all respects. We remain totally committed to that, as I think, actually, pretty much every New Zealander is. We work closely with our partners in the Pacific to make sure that their priorities, particularly their need for resilience against climate change, is a top priority for us. That is why we wanted to ensure that our New Zealand Defence Force remains equipped to respond as quickly as possible to them in their times of need, at a time when climate change is creating more frequent and more intense weather events.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000176\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\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=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000177\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022725b02cf76644e209161487ccffcafd0\u0022\u003ESevere Weather Emergency Recovery Legislation Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000178\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022c13f20957b9d4f939218de184c10de1a\u0022\u003ESecond Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022 data-id=\u00221c3f51f95b014cb5af52272a17f1d080\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000179\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221c3f51f95b014cb5af52272a17f1d080\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY (Minister for Emergency Management):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. After consultation with the Business Committee, I seek leave to present a legislative statement on the Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Legislation Bill. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000180\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bbc1d8192b6347c8a7639eed24e65966\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there any objection? There appears to be none. 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=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000181\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ll just take a moment and I will ask those members who are leaving to do so quietly and expeditiously, the Hon Andrew Little included\u2014you can\u2019t even hear me! Yeah, please leave. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000182\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b5da5fbdcb374128b14d378f9b3461c6\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I move, That the Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Legislation Bill be now read a second time. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000183\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EI\u2019d like to thank the members of the Governance and Administration Committee for their bipartisan and collaborative consideration of the bill and, in particular, Ian McKelvie, the chair of the committee, for his steady steering of the ship. I also want to acknowledge and express my thanks to parties across the House for the cross-party support this bill has received. I appreciate the support for the bill\u2019s efforts to support communities impacted by the recent devastating severe weather events. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000184\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EThe purpose of this omnibus bill is to assist local authorities and communities in areas of the North Island affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and Cyclone Hale and the heavy rain events in the upper North Island. I want to acknowledge the widespread and ongoing impacts of the damage on so many Kiwis and the communities that they live in. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000185\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EI was heartened that the expressions of cross-party support for the bill during the first reading speeches were carried through into the work of the committee. The committee backed up the similar efforts on the Severe Weather Emergency Legislation Act. Its thorough and careful deliberations mean that the bill is appropriately placed to support Kiwis affected by the severe weather events. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000186\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EThis bill represents a vital part of our commitment to supporting a timely, effective recovery for those affected by the recent severe weather events. It follows on from the recent enactment of the Severe Weather Emergency Legislation Act. This legislation package complements the work done on the ground to assist communities in the immediate aftermath of the severe weather events. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000187\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EThe bill proposes allowing Orders in Council to be used to amend legislation where this would support more timely recovery efforts in affected areas. The flexibility provided by Orders in Council will help communities react more quickly to the range of issues that could arise during recovery efforts in a way that best suits the needs of each community. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000188\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EThe bill contains a range of safeguards to ensure the flexibility provided by enabling Orders in Council is used appropriately. One of the safeguards is a community engagement process on draft Orders in Council that must be followed, barring only the most exceptional of circumstances. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000189\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EThere are also review processes that must occur, including oversight by an independent panel headed up by a former or a retired High Court judge. A draft Order in Council also cannot unjustifiably limit rights and freedoms in the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act, or amend key legislation forming part of our fundamental democratic and constitutional arrangements. This key legislation includes the Constitution Act, the Electoral Act, and, of course, the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act. In addition to the safeguards, there are transparency obligations on Ministers to publish the reasons for the making of any Order in Council and to keep any orders made relating to their portfolio under review. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000190\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EThe bill makes amendments to the Local Government Act 2002, the Local Government (Auckland Council) Act, and the Resource Management Act that cannot wait for the Order in Council mechanism by this bill. These amendments ensure those Acts do not unduly impede ongoing recovery effort. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000191\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EDespite the short process, the committee\u2019s call for submissions from interested parties and the general public received a remarkable 204 submissions. Some of these submitters also made oral submissions. I want to thank all submitters for taking the time to participate in the select committee process and for the efforts they\u2019ve put in to submit their views on the bill in a short time frame. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000192\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve heard and wish to acknowledge the substantive concerns raised by submitters that, in their view, the bill is undemocratic and that it grants the Government far greater power than is needed. Submitters were also concerned that the truncated time frame meant that there was insufficient time for submissions to be made and for proper select committee scrutiny. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000193\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EI want to re-emphasise that these powers are only given to the extent needed to support recovery efforts and are not given lightly, and only because swift action is needed to support and enhance communities\u2019 recovery efforts. The Order in Council process is the most efficient way to do this. The bill is modelled on legislation passed after other emergencies such as the Hurunui-Kaik\u014Dura earthquake. The framework for the exercise of these powers remains broadly similar to their exercise in those situations, but some improvements have been made. For example, there is no ouster clause, which means courts retain the power to test the Minister\u2019s recommendations and decisions. With great power comes great responsibility, which is why the safeguards I\u2019ve just outlined are designed to ensure these powers are carefully and appropriately exercised. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000194\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EI also wish to acknowledge the points raised by my colleagues in this House during the first reading of the bill, regarding the number of members on the panel. The bill allows for up to 12 members, and there was concern that this was too many. In my opinion, up to 12 members is about right, considering the geographical spread of the affected areas and the range of knowledge, expertise, and experience to be represented on the panel. The panel can sit in divisions to ensure it can effectively and efficiently review the draft Orders in Council. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000195\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EThis bill is just one aspect of the recovery, and I note that the Government has committed to ensuring local perspectives are included in recovery, including those of iwi and M\u0101ori. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000196\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EBecause the select committee period was so short, the committee reported the bill back to the House un-amended. However, the committee did make recommendations for improvements in their commentary on the bill. I intend to propose a Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) to address some of the issues raised by submitters and to incorporate some improvements suggested by the committee. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000197\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EThe SOP adds the Manawat\u016B-Wanganui Regional Council, trading as Horizons Regional Council, and the Wellington Regional Council, trading as Greater Wellington Regional Council, to the list of local authorities affected by the severe weather events. This recognises that sufficient damage has occurred in parts of territorial authorities that fall within their regional boundaries. Adding these regional councils to the list will allow them to amend their regional plan documents where needing to, for example, enable flood protection or bridge repair works. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000198\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve looked carefully at the membership of the panel. The purpose of the panel is not to provide representation of various interests, but to bring the knowledge, experience, or expertise in the matters listed to bear when considering draft Orders in Council. Another requirement set out in the SOP would mean the Minister responsible for panel appointments would also have to consider appointing members with expertise in health protection; primary industries; emergency management, including resilience; and rural interests. The Minister will also need to consider appointing members with local perspectives of M\u0101ori communities in the affected areas, including m\u0101tauranga M\u0101ori, tikanga M\u0101ori, iwi, and hap\u016B. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000199\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EThe SOP also ensures that Orders in Council can only deal with new subject matter if doing so is reasonably necessary to achieve the purposes of the order and that orders are no broader than geographically necessary. The relevant Minister must now provide draft orders to the Regulations Review Committee in all circumstances, unless Parliament is dissolved or has expired, and the Minister can extend the time frame for comments from the Regulations Review Committee. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000200\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EI consider the changes proposed in this SOP will enhance the protections in the bill against the inappropriate making of Orders in Council and will allow for the right balance to be found in respect of panel composition. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000201\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EFinally, I note that the committee strongly supported a review of the bill, once enforced, to more fully scrutinise the powers granted under it, given the short time frame in which the bill has progressed. I acknowledge this proposed method of parliamentary oversight and invite the appropriate select committee to conduct such a review at the most suitable time after the bill comes into force. I look forward to this House\u2019s contribution during the committee of the whole House stage, and I\u2019m pleased to commend this bill to the House. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u0022103191077248443084be66fc6bc6a50f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000202\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022103191077248443084be66fc6bc6a50f\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\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=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022 data-id=\u00225958a694ecf84b8487df17d9679ed56a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000203\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225958a694ecf84b8487df17d9679ed56a\u0022\u003EIAN McKELVIE (National\u2014Rangit\u012Bkei):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. I intend to use this second reading speech to address the issues the Governance and Administration Committee considered during the course of its quite brief but lengthy\u2014lengthy in time\u2014hearings.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000204\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EI\u2019ll start today by making a few observations about the process used to introduce and process this urgent piece of legislation, which came in for some critical scrutiny from both submitters and some sectors of the media. That criticism was to some degree warranted. However, no one came up with a better way of expediting this process for the benefits of those affected. Frankly, I believe, as a select committee and as a Parliament, we\u2019ve come to the best position possible on this. I also believe that members of Parliament come to Parliament with a very strong idea of making people\u2019s lives better, and this is a great example of this Parliament coming together in an attempt to make people\u2019s lives better. Admittedly, those people are suffering some significant challenges at the moment.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EI could not stand here to talk today without thanking all those who worked their way through making this bill what it is today and put in place a piece of legislation that will benefit the areas and people affected by the weather events of February. The committee staff, under our minder Tui, who put in many hours to assist us to get to this point, and especially Hannah, who must have listened to every word that was said and captured them in a very good report. To our officials, who put the great effort in over the past three or four weeks, actually, developing two bills\u2014not one but two\u2014to deal with this emergency situation, I thank them as well. They did an amazing job, and I think it\u2019s really interesting to have a group of officials who are very prepared to cooperate with the select committee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000206\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EI think, during the course of those hearings, we addressed most of the concerns raised by submitters\u2014not necessarily how the supporters would want us to, of course. I hope in saying that, that those submitters are more comfortable with the process than they were at the time that submissions were called for. I also want to thank those submitters who made the effort under extreme urgency to provide the select committee with some very good submissions which helped shape this bill as it has come back to Parliament.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000207\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EIt interested me, however, that some submitters made a significant effort with very little resource to provide us with very good information and very good submissions, and others appeared to use the process as a grandstanding exercise, basically, to criticise the Government for the urgency required to act in this instance. I think that\u2019s very disappointing, particularly as those organisations tend to be well resourced.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000208\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve probably said in this House before that I was the Mayor of the Manawat\u016B at the time of the 2004 flood event which devastated our region, and I know that any help forthcoming gives local communities great hope and it also gives local communities, I think, hope that someone in Wellington cares. I think it\u2019s important that this House puts in place a piece of legislation that will assist quite a large number of people in those communities. I think that is the least we can do. The fact that it\u2019s done under urgency and with comparative haste, I think, also signals the importance of this issue to this House, and, in fact, the importance of it to those people concerned.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000209\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EI must also thank the select committee and our two adopted members\u2014Eugenie Sage and Simon Court\u2014who may not agree entirely with the position we ended up in but, none the less, added great value to the discussions. I also thank Minister McAnulty for tolerating many of the sentiments we expressed, and addressing them in his second reading speech.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000210\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve no fears the seemingly unwarranted power we\u2019re granting to Ministers will be abused, and I\u2019m confident that local communities will benefit greatly from the enactment of this legislation. It also means roads, bridges, water pipes, houses, farms, orchards, and even railway lines will be reinstated much quicker as a result of this bill. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000211\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EI think the important thing to remember in the course of the reinstatement\u2014and these Orders in Council will largely deal with reinstatement\u2014is that they\u2019ll be reinstated in the same place they were before. So the fear that the Resource Management Act, for example, will be abused in the course of this, in my view, is minimal, and we have taken one or two other safeguards in the course of the alterations to the bill to manage that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000212\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EAs I\u2019ve said, we had many constructive submissions, and a number expressing concerns about the lack of communication with M\u0101ori. We\u2019ve endeavoured to address this matter where appropriate. However, most of those concerns raised by submitters, in relation to the lack of communication with M\u0101ori, relate to the emergency response, not the emergency recovery. We\u2019ll take the opportunities at select committee to raise these issues on their behalf with the appropriate parties as they all report to our select committee either through annual reviews or whatever. So there will be an opportunity for us to take those up at a later date.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000213\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EBack to the bill. On the changes the select committee has made: we introduced one more safeguard with respect to the ability to make Orders in Council, and that was to ensure that geographical areas, where appropriate, are defined. The reason for that is that there\u2019s\u2014and I think the most obvious one\u2014the need, or there may be the need in some cases, to burn waste, for example; there may be no other way to do it. You wouldn\u2019t want that Order in Council to stipulate that waste could be burnt and that it could be burnt all over New Zealand, because it will almost certainly be specifically for one area. So I think that was an important change to make.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000214\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EAs the Minister said, the Manawat\u016B Regional Council or Manawat\u016B-Whanganui Regional Council, or Horizons Regional Council, as it\u2019s known, and the Wellington Regional Council both added to the bill because a number of their constituent councils declared civil defence emergencies during the course of those events, and, of course, it would be difficult for the regional councils to not have been included in this bill, because quite a significant amount of those damaged assets actually affect regional councils as well as district councils. So that was necessary.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000215\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EAnother very interesting discussion we had related to the need to consult the leaders of previous Parliaments\u2019 political parties. This comes about, of course\u2014and it\u2019s most appropriate now\u2014in that this Parliament will dissolve for a time for the general election, and there will be no committees in force. And because the Orders in Councils are automatically referred to the\u2014oh, I\u2019ve forgotten the name of the committee\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000216\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229f7be5eaf6834f6f9688536b84e270bd\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: Regs Review.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000217\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022deba43debc7e4a17ba02770e57a33b65\u0022\u003EIAN McKELVIE\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014the Regs Review, thank you, Gerry\u2014the Regs Review Committee, that committee won\u2019t be sitting while Parliament\u2019s in adjournment, and it\u2019s highly likely, I think, that these Orders in Council will be made at that time. So the need to have a body that represented this Parliament that could peruse those needed to be put in place. It was decided that the leaders of those political parties in the previous Parliament\u2014so the Parliament\u2019s adjourned, the leaders of the political parties in the previous Parliament then, effectively, take the place of the Regulations Review Committee until the new Parliament is convened. So that was necessary because you had to have some reference point for those Orders in Councils.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000218\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EThe other issue was amending clause 13(3)(a) to add to the list of matters the Minister must consider in appointing members of the review panel. That was extended to health, rural interests, and primary industries. I guess those terms were used because they\u2014certainly, the health one was an interesting one, and I\u2019m sure there\u2019ll be other committee members to talk about that more later on this afternoon. So that was a change that, I think, was very useful.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000219\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EFinally in this speech, I just want to talk briefly about the discussions we had with submitters, and amongst the committee, about how we could improve this process for the future. I think that the committee came firmly to the view that a more permanent piece of legislation needs to be developed which would never be the perfect platform, because disasters are all different, but, none the less, it would be a base from which the Parliament could then develop legislation in the event of future emergencies\u2014and there\u2019s no doubt there\u2019s going to be plenty of them. But I think that that would allay the fears of submitters that we\u2019re giving, effectively, what you might term as \u201Cunbridled power\u201D to the executive. It would have to be altered per event, but, none the less, the base legislation would be there, and I think that the public would have some confidence that at least the base legislation has been given adequate scrutiny\u2014or scrutinised in the appropriate manner\u2014and so, therefore, it would give the public more confidence that what we\u2019re doing in the future was good.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000220\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EThe National Party provide an alternative view in the committee report, and outline some of the changes which, with more time, we would have liked to have seen made in the bill. This will not, however, stop us from supporting the bill. I think, despite the fact that the system\u2019s never perfect, this bill, for all intents, will be of great value to those areas affected by the disasters of the last few months. Thank you, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022 data-id=\u00225b4b8545fb7a45f9b02f8ab5c8dc2ce4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000221\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225b4b8545fb7a45f9b02f8ab5c8dc2ce4\u0022\u003EHon EUGENIE SAGE (Green):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. I\u2019m pleased to take a call on the Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Legislation Bill. The Green Party really supports the objectives of the bill in terms of assisting communities and local authorities and facilitating recovery in the areas affected by Cyclone Hale and Cyclone Gabrielle and the Auckland anniversary weekend storm, but we won\u2019t be supporting the bill, because of the major override on the powers of Parliament. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000222\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EStarting where Mr McKelvie, as chair of the Governance and Administration Committee, finished, I note there is a real need to develop a framework for how the Parliament responds and how the Government responds to ensure that decisions are made during a recovery which are expedited, but without the major executive override of the Parliament which this bill involves. I know that in response to Hurunui, Kaik\u014Dura, and Canterbury, there was some discussion of this and there was a decision not to proceed with the framework for emergency\u2014well, for recovery response legislation that would provide a permanent framework. But I think the major submissions that we had by a lot of constitutional lawyers, and the New Zealand Law Society\u2014and they described the bill as not being constitutionally appropriate and raising fundamental rule of law issues. Those are serious issues, and I feel, as an MP, quite uncomfortable, the day before a three-week recess, discussing this bill because we have not had adequate time to ensure that it sets an appropriate structure with enough checks and balances on the power of the executive. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000223\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003ESo this further work does need to be done on how we as a Parliament respond and what safeguards are bedded in when the executive needs to use Orders in Council. Our concerns, which we expressed while supporting the bill going to select committee at the first reading, remain\u2014that there are nearly 30 pieces of legislation which Orders in Council can amend and modify, including retrospectively back to the start of the weather emergency event, and that one of the most problematic provisions is clause 19, because that enables other pieces of legislation to be added to those which the executive can amend by Orders in Council, and that is being done not by this Parliament but by another Order in Council. So there is a Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) in my name seeking to have those provisions excised from the bill and consider whether there is new legislation that needs to have Orders in Council made coming back to the Parliament.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000224\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EThere were over 204 submissions, and the majority of those submissions were opposed to the bill. I think, again, that underlines the need for the Parliament to look at a more enduring structure in terms of recovery. Some of the other reasons that we aren\u2019t supporting the bill is that, as submitters noticed, it does largely appear to be for administrative convenience. Everyone wants an expeditious recovery, but officials could not say what Orders in Council are waiting to be done, and if they can\u2019t do that, then the Parliament could\u2019ve had a longer time and potentially be recalled over the three-week recess to deal with this more thoroughly.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000225\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EThere\u2019s the issue of the very broad purpose clause, and then the fact that under clause 8 there\u2019s a threshold for Ministers to make Orders in Council when the order \u201Cis necessary or desirable\u201D, and while officials said that that language appears in some other legislation, that legislation is concerned with emergencies. This legislation is concerned with recovery, and as everyone in Canterbury knows, major decisions were made after the earthquakes that are having a significant impact, sometimes beneficial but sometimes\u2014in terms of the major costs of the stadium, half a billion dollars\u2014decisions were made during that framework which are not necessarily for the best interests of the majority of residents.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000226\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EThere are processes which exist in law which enable communities to participate. Those processes ensure that we get a range of opinion informing the decision. When you cut through those processes to act quickly in a recovery, when there are millions of dollars being spent that do not necessarily go to the best decision. So the concern about acting very quickly in an emergency\u2014granted. But in a recovery, there should be \u201Cnothing about us without us\u201D\u2014that was a common refrain in Canterbury and equally it applies in Tair\u0101whiti, Hawke\u2019s Bay, Auckland, and other areas. Communities need to be involved in those investment decisions. So where you slice through processes such as under the Resource Management Act, you don\u2019t necessarily get that involvement.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000227\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EOne of the critical things that we think is missing in the bill is a real focus on ensuring that actions are taken to promote climate resilience and adaptation. So we\u2019re seeking an addition to the purpose to do that, because the investment decisions that are made now, whether roads are repaired to a very, very high standard, means that there are opportunity costs of that. Those funds may not be available to invest in more regional rail, and regional rail is likely to provide both climate benefits and ensure that a lot of heavy traffic is taken off roads. So those sort of priorities are quite critical and we need to go through a consultative process, and our concern is that with Orders in Council there\u2019ll be less of an ability to do that, because consultation is seen as taking too long, so the Orders in Council override that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000228\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EOne point I do wish to make clear is that some submitters seem to think that the Severe Weather Events Review Panel was all about directing the recovery. It\u2019s not. It\u2019s about reviewing the Orders in Council. There is not a single body as there was in Canterbury that is directing the recovery itself. But this panel is only about the Orders in Council and their content. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000229\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EThere are too many overrides of the basic rule of law. The legislation is going through this Parliament too quickly. There hasn\u2019t been an adequate opportunity to really improve it. There have been some suggestions that submitters made that the committee discussed, which the Minister is taking up in his Supplementary Order Paper because there was not time for a revision-tracked version. But there were a number of other suggestions in submissions that aren\u2019t on that SOP, and I think that accounts for the range of SOPs that you have from members in other parties, including the Green Party. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000230\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003ESo the other major issue that we have with this is that the sunset clause of allowing the Order in Council power to go on for five years is too long, that that needs to come back, and that the Parliament have the power to extend the ability for Orders in Council itself, not putting such a lengthy clause in the bill. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000231\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EThere will be major decisions that are made through Orders in Council. One that we have a particular concern about is in the waste space. In Canterbury, it was an Order in Council around the storage, sorting, and processing of earthquake waste at the Burwood Resource Recovery Park. There was not nearly enough emphasis on reuse of houses that were damaged\u2014reuse and recovery and reprocessing of materials. And similarly, there are likely to be significant issues around waste management here. They need to go through a good process so that we are maximising materials\u2019 reuse and recovery, and not just sending everything to landfill. Big issues, and we were pleased with the change that the select committee recommended around potential health impacts with people suggesting that the slash will be burned, and the smoke and respiratory impacts that that will have. So the panel will at least now have to have someone with that health protection expertise. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000232\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EThere have been some additional safeguards, but still there is this fundamental issue with nearly 30 pieces of legislation having Orders in Council that can be developed with some consultation by the Minister, with some scrutiny by the panel, but not enough public engagement. And those who think that the Regulations Review Committee is an effective safeguard should remember that that committee\u2014which I\u2019m a member of\u2014rarely looks at whether Orders in Council meet with the purpose of the Act. They don\u2019t go into any of the substantive policy issues, and it\u2019s the substantive policy issues which some of these Orders in Council may allow that we are particularly concerned with. So the Green Party\u2014despite the very good chairing of Mr McKelvie of the Governance and Administration Committee and the very collegial approach in that committee\u2014cannot support the bill because it raises fundamental rule of law issues, and it doesn\u2019t have enough safeguards.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022 data-id=\u0022c4ebfd5aa0d14d1cb2fe2a9b9625ca86\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000233\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c4ebfd5aa0d14d1cb2fe2a9b9625ca86\u0022\u003ESIMON COURT (ACT):\u003C/span\u003E The ACT Party cannot support this Government\u2019s Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Legislation Bill. It gives the Government \u201CHenry VIII\u201D powers to modify 27 Acts of Parliament for purposes that may go well beyond cyclone recovery. ACT says that that alone is unacceptable and is a reason to oppose this bill\u2014despite all of the good intentions that the Government, ACT, National, and the Green Party had, sitting around the committee table with officials, hearing from submitters and trying to work out what the important things are that people in the Hawke\u2019s Bay, Gisborne, Wairoa, Northland, Auckland, and, of course, the Manawat\u016B-Whanganui region need in order to recover from the cyclone. Well, what ACT said, back on 6 March, \u201CHere are 15 good ideas\u201D\u2014urgent ideas they were on 6 March, only a month after Cyclone Gabrielle hit. None of those ideas has been taken up by this Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000234\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EThe committee received high quality submissions: from the Law Society, from the New Zealand Initiative, from constitutional and public law experts, from Federated Farmers, and, of course, from Civil Contractors New Zealand, who represent the people who will actually be doing the work with the diggers, with the trucks, cleaning up silt and demolishing all of those structures and getting ready to rebuild after the cyclones and severe weather. What many of them asked for was, \u201CPlease speed it up. Please hurry up. This has taken far too long.\u201D All we have here today is an omnibus bill, a bill that grants extraordinary powers to the Government but actually provides no certainty, no frameworks for economic recovery, no formulas that would help people who are flooded out of their homes in places like West Auckland or Hawke\u2019s Bay understand, if they have to leave their properties, if it\u2019s too dangerous to rebuild, what the formula is that they could expect to see that would help them to understand what compensation they might receive if they have to leave their land and property, where they could go, and, of course, what would make it easier to rebuild, because currently the Resource Management Act makes it very, very hard to consent and build new developments. None of those things is addressed in this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000235\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003ETwenty-seven Acts of Parliament could be amended for any reason, at any time, in the next five years, by a Minister in a Government, with only three days\u2019 review by a panel. Now, ACT suggested\u2014in fact, we provided an amendment, which we hope to debate at the committee of the whole House stage, which proposes to include on that panel representatives from the rural community and people with infrastructure experience. We also proposed that, if there is going to be legislation like the COVID-19 emergency response legislation or the legislation that guided the recovery from the Kaik\u014Dura-Hurunui earthquakes and the Christchurch and Canterbury earthquakes sequence, that legislation comes back to Parliament every 90 or so days, at a maximum, for Parliament to debate whether it was actually effective, whether those measures were helping, the costs and benefits, what could be learned, and so that the Government also had an ability to table amendments to its own recovery legislation that it might want to table, and have the scrutiny of Parliament to do that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000236\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EWhat we also propose, through amendments, which came out of submissions we heard at select committee, is to protect private property, because one of the problems that we\u2019ve heard about is that many people, including 50,000 in Auckland, live in homes built on flood plains, and it may not be possible to rebuild in those locations. We\u2019ve been hearing from this Government and from experts and insurance companies about managed retreat, which means some people will have to leave their properties and the homes will have to be demolished, but what we don\u2019t know is how they will be compensated. So that\u2019s why the ACT Party says there needs to be a compensation mechanism, and that needs to be in terms of the existing Public Works Act.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000237\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EBut I just want to come back to the committee stage and the report that the Governance and Administration Committee has provided back to the House and for the people of New Zealand to read. I just want to run through some of the things that ACT felt were important to highlight out of that report. Now, despite declaring a climate emergency in 2020, this Government has done nothing to prepare for the response to the inevitable natural disasters that will befall New Zealand. We\u2019ve had cyclones and storms\u2014in the past two decades, we\u2019ve had severe, devastating earthquakes and landslides that have killed hundreds of people. Large parts of New Zealand will be affected by what could be almost an inevitable earthquake on the Alpine Fault, and of course there are many communities in New Zealand built in places where, historically, tsunami have devastated them\u2014and in fact, wiped out entire communities. And yet there is nothing in this bill; the Labour Government has done nothing since declaring a climate emergency in 2020 to actually deliver legislation that sets out how New Zealand might recover from a disaster in future, when we can all safely assume there will be one.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000238\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EBut that\u2019s not to say the work hasn\u2019t been done. The New Zealand Initiative submitted to the committee, although, as they pointed out, 20 hours to prepare and submit a written proposal\u2014which was all this Government gave them\u2014was not sufficient. They pointed to a document that they prepared in 2018: Recipe for disaster: Building policy on shaky ground. They were referring to how flawed it was that every time there\u2019s a natural disaster, a Government comes along and says, \u201CDon\u2019t worry, we\u2019re going to cook up some new disaster emergency response legislation. Whether we\u2019ve learnt from past disasters or not, here\u2019s something that needs to be passed under urgency\u201D. What the initiative said is, look, post-disaster plans should recognise not only the importance of clarity about the infrastructure rebuild\u2014that\u2019s the roads and other essential utilities\u2014but it should also facilitate organic economic development in a way that the local community wants to; not have it imposed, top-down, from the Government. And that is one of the risks of this legislation: that a Minister with best intentions\u2014or maybe not\u2014could come up with an Order in Council that says \u201CHere\u2019s what a region is going to get.\u201D Would it be a convention centre; a swimming pool; a stadium? Who knows\u2014but how on earth would a Minister in Government know, unless it comes as a direct request from the locals, from local government, or from the regions? That\u2019s what\u2019s missing in this bill. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000239\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EThe Initiative also points out \u201Ca recovery agency should be set up expeditiously.\u201D Well, what we do know is that the Government has appointed Sir Brian Roche to go and investigate what needs to happen. Well, there\u2019s a gentleman who has represented the Government and other agencies at the highest level and has competencies around infrastructure, governance, and management, and yet, we haven\u2019t heard from Sir Brian Roche. We haven\u2019t heard from his cyclone recovery working group or committee. We have no idea what is planned in terms of a recovery agency.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000240\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EWhat local people\u2014like Gisborne farmer, Charlie Reynolds, who I spoke to this morning\u2014are asking for, Minister, is: please, speed it up. Please provide a framework so that people know exactly what recovery will look like and what their part in it is, whether they are private contractors, rural landowners, homeowners, or business owners; people who own packhouses and orchards. What Charlie Reynolds told me today is that many of his friends who are farmers spent weeks trying to pull stock out of mud, trying to get access back to their farms. They didn\u2019t have internet access, and then it turns out, when they finally got online to apply for the $10,000 that they\u2019ve been told that they will get immediately, it could be weeks and weeks and weeks before they even receive an acknowledgment of their inquiry\u2014because, it turns out, thousands and thousands of people have applied for this funding. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000241\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003ESo what ACT would say to the Government is, \u201CPlease get on with it.\u201D Please provide some clarity to people who are suffering following these disasters; whether it\u2019s the people in West Auckland who are red-stickered out of their homes, or people of Hawke\u2019s Bay who just want to know whether they\u2019ll be able to keep orcharding and keep packing fruit in the future; even though it\u2019s three years until the trees come back. And what about the people of Northland who are cut off, again, by a massive slip in the Mangamuka Gorge? All of these communities need answers, Minister\u2014this bill doesn\u2019t provide them. ACT says, \u201CGet on with it.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u0022fc73bce8733344d3bba77cceadf085c0\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000242\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022fc73bce8733344d3bba77cceadf085c0\u0022\u003EHon GERRY BROWNLEE (National):\u003C/span\u003E I\u2019m extremely disappointed by the speech that\u2019s just been delivered, and I\u2019ll tell you why. It lacks the sort of electoral ambition that I would\u2019ve thought would\u2019ve been more to the fore from a party like ACT. We could be, in six months\u2019 time, in a situation where, Mr Court, you\u2019re the Minister, so think about that list of things that you\u2019ve just suggested\u2014that Mr Court has just suggested, Mr Speaker\u2014should be done by the Government. What would be the levers that would let him be able to do that? All this bill does is make way for good things to happen for people who need relief and need encouragement and need to be able to be certain about the activities they take for their recovery.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000243\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003EI have listened over and over for a very long time to the people who say this type of bill confers \u201CHenry VIII\u201D powers, it\u2019s a constitutional outrage, etc., etc. Well, it\u2019s Parliament that\u2019s doing it, and that makes a whole lot of their arguments fall to one side. I heard the previous speaker, Ms Sage, saying that this was a dreadful thing and she wants to take out clause 19 because that would allow other Acts of Parliament to be brought into the regime and altered through the Order in Council process. Well, if Parliament decides today that that\u2019s what\u2019s necessary to keep things moving in a recovery, then that is, under our arrangements, constitutionally acceptable. I just get so annoyed by people who sit in their cloistered environments having no idea of what it\u2019s like for people who are on the end of the worst effects of this disaster.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000244\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003ESo we are supporting this legislation. There are a number of things in the minority view that the National Party have appended to the Governance and Administration Committee report which make it clear that there are aspects we don\u2019t agree with. There are some things that we would\u2019ve liked, but it would be completely churlish to turn round and say we\u2019re not going to vote for this, and it would be a withdrawal of support for the people who are so adversely affected not only now but will be for literally years to come in the areas that are affected by or covered by this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000245\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003EI was surprised too to hear the suggestion, really from the last two speakers, that decisions that might be made under this bill will be sort of rushed and ill-considered and that that would lead to decisions that were bad and didn\u2019t end up having a great positive outcome. Well, I can think of 100,000 houses, three waters, the media merger, the polytech debacle, health waiting list, and six out of 10 kids not going to school every day\u2014all decisions made under the proper provisions of Parliament and are a mess. So, no system that you might choose to use is going to guarantee that all decisions that are made as a consequence of a piece of legislation are going to be perfect.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000246\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve got to say, too, my experience has been that if a decision is made, it creates a degree of certainty. Even if it\u2019s not the best decision, it creates a degree of certainty. If it can go one step further and provide a degree of choice for the people who are on the end of whatever it is that the decision is about, then that makes it just all the more palatable. So I think the idea that we should be having some sort of a perfect piece of legislation is absolute nonsense.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000247\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003EThe only thing I\u2019d agree with Mr Court on is that this fails to recognise that there needs to be some single source of accountability for the recovery. At the moment, it\u2019s far too diffused. The member raised the issue of, well, who\u2019s making a decision about managed retreat, for example. It\u2019s a huge issue. It\u2019s got massive effect, potentially, on other parts of New Zealand for all sorts of other conditions geologically that people face in their place of occupation, and it does need to be managed in the context of this disaster so that we don\u2019t get that unintended consequence of all sorts of other things. But there\u2019s nothing clear that you could point to and say, well, that\u2019s where the go-to place is for all of these sorts of problems, and that\u2019s something that would have to be rectified. That\u2019s something you could do, Mr Court, in the future, perhaps, in a role such as this.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000248\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003EFor all of its faults, this is a bill that does enable those who have responsibility to move things forward. It is far from a situation where a Minister wakes up in the morning with a good idea, decides to change a piece of legislation, gets it all written up, flicks it through a process, and gets it done, as would\u2019ve been the case under Henry VIII times. It has got layers of accountability in it, and I think those, while they are expeditious, are appropriate to make sure that the people who need this legislation to get on with their lives are able to do exactly that. That\u2019s why we\u2019re supporting the bill today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022 data-id=\u0022d460c54b566e4555b491fb2efec27610\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000249\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d460c54b566e4555b491fb2efec27610\u0022\u003EHon DAVID PARKER (Minister for the Environment):\u003C/span\u003E Can I thank the Hon Gerry Brownlee for his contributions\u2014other than the gibes in respect of non-emergency recovery achievements of the Government, I endorse his comments.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000250\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229b719fbc59ef4e15971ea53796f3f94b\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: I didn\u2019t call them achievements.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000251\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cfdf209d3ad847f7b871b2cc3b74509c\u0022\u003EHon DAVID PARKER\u003C/span\u003E: I beg your pardon?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000252\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223b8a2cf02d124568b0ef77bcc1d9c71a\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: I didn\u2019t call them achievements.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000253\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002260f5ed2ea4bb46dbbbdd7d5a3835249d\u0022\u003EHon DAVID PARKER\u003C/span\u003E: No, you didn\u2019t call them achievements\u2014a lack of generosity there, given the number of houses we\u2019ve built and progress we\u2019re making on other things like child poverty and reducing carbon emissions. Those are, of course, all irrelevant to this bill, as were the member\u2019s comments.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000254\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f449285fc833424f88dc4a97e70cee79\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Talk to me, Mr Parker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000255\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bc843d19c54b471abe5d30771a7a3707\u0022\u003EHon DAVID PARKER\u003C/span\u003E: I thank the select committee for the improvements that they\u2019ve made to the bill, particularly, making it clear that the review panel should be chaired by a High Court judge. I think that the panel including a High Court judge gives it more credibility. I think New Zealanders can be satisfied that they\u2019ll guard the proper boundaries of orders being necessary in terms of the purpose of the legislation. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000256\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003EI do share a little concern that, as we base these emergency responses on the last emergency response, the lists of enactments that are affected in Schedule 2, which now lists 29 Acts directly and then makes reference to others, seems to grow ever longer and doesn\u2019t ever seem to be pruned.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000257\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003EPerhaps agencies can have a look at that outside of the exigencies of an emergency and think about whether, for example, you need to include the Land Transfer Act in an order such as this. I understand what the Land Transfer Act was included post-earthquakes in Canterbury, because there was an issue as to what you did for boundary adjustments. I\u2019m not sure that that was under the Land Transfer Act or survey legislation, but I do think that we have to take care that we\u2019re not unnecessarily extending the ambit over which the Orders in Council can be passed amending the primary legislation, because it something that should be done sparingly, only when necessary, and conferring the power on the executive to do it ought to be constrained to the extent reasonably possible.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000258\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003EThat said, I also endorse the Hon Gerry Brownlee\u2019s comments and, I\u2019m sure, Minister McAnulty\u2019s comments as well, that this is necessary to do at speed in order for the recovery steps to be taken.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000259\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003EIn respect of my own responsibilities as Minister for the Environment, there are two obvious examples of where it\u2019s likely to be necessary to have Orders in Council. One is to override some plan provisions requiring consents. We\u2019ve had this discussion in this House about how the current plans in the area prohibit absolutely the burning of tanalised materials. You can\u2019t avoid that in some circumstances, when you\u2019ve got a pile of debris, which includes the occasional fencepost that\u2019s tucked in the middle that you can\u2019t see, it\u2019s just not practical to enforce that rule in this context. So there\u2019s likely to have to be an Order in Council enabling that if there\u2019s not some other route to enable it already in the Resource Management Act or in the local plans.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000260\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003EThe other one is that we\u2019re going to have to, on occasions, truncate plan-making processes, where we\u2019re going to have to rezone land either for or against use. Those processes have a lot of public participation and time baked into them\u2014which is appropriate, given that the affect local people\u2019s private and public property rights\u2014but, sometimes, in a situation such as this, you have to move a bit more speedily in order to create the recovery opportunities for the populations that have been affected by these severe flooding events. So those are two examples where I think Orders in Council are likely to be necessary. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000261\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003EIn respect of the point that the Hon Gerry Brownlee made about who makes the decisions about managed retreat if that does prove to be necessary in some of those issues, Cabinet takes those decisions. I can assure the House that Cabinet is well alert to the public and private interests involved and the complexity of those issues, the effect that that can have on people\u2019s lives, and the possible precedent effect. So all of those issues are and will be carefully considered. Accordingly, I endorse this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022 data-id=\u0022402b6813a70742059dd96b91134e0585\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000262\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022402b6813a70742059dd96b91134e0585\u0022\u003EHon DAVID BENNETT (National):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. I concur with the last speaker, David Parker, and also Gerry Brownlee\u2019s speech in that there are a number of people that want a fast, efficient Government to actually do something to help them in their time of need. And that\u2019s why the National Party is supporting this bill\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000263\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fa8ac9184f41468b91db37ae20b0c98f\u0022\u003ESimon Court\u003C/span\u003E: Well, it\u2019s only two months to bring this legislation to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000264\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228ab383b0d105472fa58e6d9d9b9094d1\u0022\u003EHon DAVID BENNETT\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014and it needs to happen in that manner. The ACT member has just said something there, and I agree with a lot of what he said, actually, in his speech, but the reality is that when you\u2019re a Minister in these kind of situations, 80 or 90 percent of the decisions you\u2019d make would be the same as a reasonable person, whatever colour party you were. They are just the reasonable decisions that need to be made to help people in time of need and to rebuild. It\u2019s not about policy dimensions necessarily. If the road to Coromandel needs rebuilding, it needs rebuilding, and that\u2019s the reality of it. And I don\u2019t believe that in the New Zealand Parliament those kinds of situations would be taken in a context which would be misused in that sense. So we have faith in the Labour Ministers to make those right calls, just like we expect them to have faith in us and ACT and Green and New Zealand First or whichever Ministers there may be in the future that have to make those calls at another point in time. That\u2019s the reality of having a small Parliament and a small country\u2014that you can actually enable that to happen. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000265\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003EIn saying that, though, the ACT member did raise some really good issues around what we actually look at as a country about resilience. These events probably started with Christchurch as the major event that nobody had anticipated. And then you\u2019ve got the Hawke\u2019s Bay and Gisborne at the moment. The next one will come and it may be weather related, it may actually be biosecurity related, it may be something else, but there is something else that will come and it\u2019s not necessarily climate change. It may be some other thing that happens, and we are not resilient as a country. We do not have plans around that, and that\u2019s really the point, I think, the ACT member was getting across. And I agree with that 100 percent. We do not think of those things here. It\u2019s OK to have plans of rebuild and suchlike, but we have got some foreseeable risks in this country and some risks which you can\u2019t foresee, and I would put Christchurch in the unforeseeable sort of category. Nobody thought that was going to happen to that degree. But there are some foreseeable risks, especially around this city, that we know will happen at some point. Are we resilient around that? No, we\u2019re not; not at all. There are foreseeable risks around the connection between Auckland and Whang\u0101rei. Are we resilient around that? No, we aren\u2019t. There should be a decent road there and people shouldn\u2019t have to go through little tracks to join one of our biggest cities to our major city. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000266\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003EThose resilience issues need to be agreed upon. That\u2019s really what this shows. We trust Kieran McAnulty and his team to make the right calls in this case, and we will give the people of the Hawke\u2019s Bay and the Gisborne the support they need for that Minister and other Ministers to make the right calls. We will do that. But at the same time, New Zealand needs to work out what we\u2019re actually going to do about resilience for Northland, what we\u2019re going to do around resilience here for our Governments, and those sort of things that are foreseeable. They\u2019re there. You can see them. We\u2019ve had enough events happen that you can see how Northland gets cut off from Auckland and there needs to be something done about that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000267\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222802f1035a53437eb98b5c8431a24d65\u0022\u003ETim van de Molen\u003C/span\u003E: Waikato cut off from Tauranga. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000268\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228f7499839e064683a78058d4af70f8ae\u0022\u003EHon DAVID BENNETT\u003C/span\u003E: Now, Mr Tim van de Molen has gone to the next point in my speech, which was the advantage of Hamilton as providing the resilient option of no issues at all! You know, the place that will not flood, the place that will not have an earthquake, and the place that will be the safest place in New Zealand for Governments and such like. But we won\u2019t go there too far because the reality is we\u2019re dealing with serious issues that people are facing in their communities at the moment. But if you were actually looking at resilience, that Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga area is undervalued in New Zealand for what it can do for the resilience of this country.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000269\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220959854686744210befbd355c6aaf2cc\u0022\u003EIan McKelvie\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s got the odd volcano.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000270\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ab701978fbf44023a451758f52dc98d1\u0022\u003EHon DAVID BENNETT\u003C/span\u003E: Yeah, it has and, you never know, that may be the issue, as Ian McKelvie says. But that\u2019s the option that we have as a Parliament, which is to look forward and to look at those foreseeable things and try and resolve those. There\u2019s always going to be the unforeseeable that we can\u2019t deal with. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000271\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003ESo in this case, we support the Labour Party Ministers and give them the ability to do what they need to do. They don\u2019t need three-year legislation to do that. These things need to be happening in the next couple of months\u2014the big decisions. If you need three years to work this out, then there\u2019s something wrong. Kieran McNulty and his team, I bet you, will have three or four big decisions they need to make in the next couple of weeks and they need to happen now. We don\u2019t need to elongate this too long in the sense of that power base for Ministers. We also need that accountability, and it\u2019s great for David Parker to talk about Cabinet having that role, but we don\u2019t actually know how that would work in practice and we haven\u2019t seen how that would be defined. All we got is Cabinet saying that they\u2019re going to make a decision in the best interests of New Zealanders. That\u2019s not the accountability that actually the Ministers will require by having people that they can put some pressure on to get things done. And it\u2019s not the accountability that the public or this institution actually would require. So for the best interests of actually the Ministers making the decisions now, they need the accountability that Gerry Brownlee talked about to get things done. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000272\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003ESo my plea is that this place actually looks at some of those foreseeable risks. We will be doing legislation like this again soon and we don\u2019t know what it\u2019s going to be on. But there are some things that we do know\u2014we have risks in the economy\u2014and we don\u2019t do anything about it. And you can look through a couple of examples that we\u2019ve talked about here now, and that\u2019s really the issue that we should be putting our mind to. This is a done deal. This needs to happen. This needs to give the Ministers the ability to do what they need to do. But the reality is that we\u2019re going to have bigger problems in the future and we need to work out how we deal with those.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000273\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003EDebate interrupted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000274\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002204ae2400aee147dfb82d8ce3ec7ea8cd\u0022\u003EVoting\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000275\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00223ccc0918b57741eaa366f6b3d3fd38d9\u0022\u003ECorrection\u2014Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Harm Minimisation) Amendment Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022 data-id=\u00222f557005a8a2469cb86ca00560063a4e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000276\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222f557005a8a2469cb86ca00560063a4e\u0022\u003ETANGI UTIKERE (Chief Whip\u2014Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Last night, during the vote on the first reading of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Harm Minimisation) Amendment Bill, the votes of five Labour members were not cast. I seek leave for those votes to be added and the result of the vote adjusted accordingly. I will supply the names of the members to the Clerk; four were opposed and one was in favour.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000277\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022802230515a0848b99d5f2721faf2a780\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there any objection?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022 data-id=\u00223e6f4b8415ed4739abbb731e6956c8ab\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000278\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00223e6f4b8415ed4739abbb731e6956c8ab\u0022\u003ETIM VAN DE MOLEN (National\u2014Waikato):\u003C/span\u003E I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. It\u2019s not clear, but were proxies held for those members at the time?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022 data-id=\u002272703956c0d94422b3add36b7fbf4709\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000279\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002272703956c0d94422b3add36b7fbf4709\u0022\u003ETANGI UTIKERE (Chief Whip\u2014Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Speaking to the point of order, yes, I confirm that the five members had proxies that were held.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022 data-id=\u0022a1a577f6bd604139a8623196c519b974\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000280\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a1a577f6bd604139a8623196c519b974\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: So there is none. That vote is corrected and the result is now Ayes 30, Noes 89.\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=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000281\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022267d2ad459e447de8fbd7f4d9faa0174\u0022\u003ESevere Weather Emergency RECOVERY Legislation Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000282\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022148b84d9a1a54bfeb7983c4f1df4e320\u0022\u003ESecond Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000283\u0022\u003EDebate resumed.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b8550e1a-ed25-44a2-b0e2-b0a8d52a7a80\u0022 data-id=\u0022d7dd4f199f4d4f43b9707588facd16f1\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000284\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b8550e1a-ed25-44a2-b0e2-b0a8d52a7a80\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d7dd4f199f4d4f43b9707588facd16f1\u0022\u003ERACHEL BOYACK (Labour\u2014Nelson):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. It\u2019s a privilege to take the final call in the second reading of the Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Legislation Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000285\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b8550e1a-ed25-44a2-b0e2-b0a8d52a7a80\u0022\u003EI want to begin just by coming back to the intent and the purpose of this bill. The general purpose of it being to assist local authorities and communities in the areas affected by severe weather events, primarily to rebuild and recover from the severe weather events earlier this year. It\u2019s times like this when we need to remember the intent and the reason that we are here as parliamentarians in this House, and that is to represent the people. The comment I want to make on that is that at times like these, the people of Hawke\u2019s Bay, the people throughout the North Island who\u2019ve been affected, they\u2019re not interested right now in party politics; they\u2019re interested right now in recovery and seeing this House come together and act so that they can get on with their lives.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000286\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b8550e1a-ed25-44a2-b0e2-b0a8d52a7a80\u0022\u003EOn that note, I want to thank particularly the officials, many of whom have worked tirelessly as we looked at this bill through its process. I want to thank the other members of the Governance and Administration Committee, and those members who joined us for the purpose of considering the bill. And I particularly want to thank the submitters, many of whom gave up a considerable amount of time to submit, and I note that many of them had to do that in a hurry and came to the committee with useful contributions so that we could improve this bill as we have brought it back today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000287\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b8550e1a-ed25-44a2-b0e2-b0a8d52a7a80\u0022\u003EI just want to take a short amount of time to comment on some of the changes that the committee has recommended, but also some of the more substantive points about what we need in terms of an enduring framework when these events do happen in the future, as they no doubt will.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000288\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b8550e1a-ed25-44a2-b0e2-b0a8d52a7a80\u0022\u003EThe first point that I want to note is around geographic boundaries. I will just single out a submitter: Dr Dean Knight from Victoria University. During both bills, actually, we\u2019ve had some very useful exchanges with Dr Knight. I want to thank him for the contribution he\u2019s made to both of the bills that we\u2019ve passed. One of the suggestions he made was for us to potentially have two tiers of councils, because his concern\u2014and it\u2019s a fair concern\u2014is that if you put in place an Order in Council, it may potentially apply to all of the areas that were affected. It\u2019s a fair point and it\u2019s something that we grappled with and talked about a lot at select committee. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000289\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b8550e1a-ed25-44a2-b0e2-b0a8d52a7a80\u0022\u003EWhat we ended up recommending\u2014and I note that the Minister for Emergency Management does include this in his Supplementary Order Paper\u2014is to amend clause 8(1)(a)(ii), which requires that the making of an order only be recommended if the relevant Minister is satisfied that the order\u2019s extent is not broader than is reasonably necessary to address the matters that gave rise to order. What we have suggested is to include clarification that that includes the geographical application. I note that Mr McKelvie has already mentioned an example of this which we talked about, which is around clearing of waste or potentially the burning of tanalised timber, and that what is important is that if an Order in Council of that nature is made, it\u2019s only made in the specific geographic area where that particular activity needs to occur; that it wouldn\u2019t then be applied to the entire area that is covered in the scope of the bill. So that\u2019s something that the committee was united on, submitters made very clear points about, and it was important that we recommended that change. So that will be a very useful change.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000290\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b8550e1a-ed25-44a2-b0e2-b0a8d52a7a80\u0022\u003EThe second observation that I just want to make is around the importance of ongoing parliamentary scrutiny. Other members have pointed out the role that the Regulations Review Committee plays. The committee\u2019s view was that it would be appropriate, post-enactment, for a parliamentary committee to be operating a review of both the legislation that we\u2019re introducing today, and also the ongoing application of it over the coming years. So while the majority of us on the committee didn\u2019t feel the need to include that in the actual legislation, and actually held the view that that wouldn\u2019t be appropriate, the view very much is that that does need to occur on an ongoing basis. We acknowledge that Orders in Council do give extra power to the executive and that, in New Zealand, constitutionally we do hold Parliament to be sovereign and we do need to ensure that we\u2019re always having as many checks and balances as we can. So that was something that, again, the committee was united on in terms of wanting to see some ongoing parliamentary scrutiny from a select committee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000291\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b8550e1a-ed25-44a2-b0e2-b0a8d52a7a80\u0022\u003EWe added, as others have pointed out, some recommendations around panel members and some of their knowledge. We particularly singled out the need for people with expertise in public health, because we acknowledge that some of the decisions that may be made through an Order in Council could have an impact on public health, and having that expertise so that we get the right balance between recovery and also environmental protection and public health is very important. We also added just the broad group of primary industries, because we note that, in some of the areas affected, a large number of the areas are horticultural, agricultural, and potentially fisheries areas, and that some expertise would be helpful for the panel.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000292\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b8550e1a-ed25-44a2-b0e2-b0a8d52a7a80\u0022\u003EOne other small point I want to make is around the length of the legislation and how long it will be in place for, because some have commented that it could be a shorter period, similar to what we\u2019ve had with COVID legislation. Actually, COVID legislation\u2019s quite different to what we\u2019re doing, in terms of its application. Previous legislation from Christchurch and from Kaik\u014Dura did have longer periods of time. Part of that is because, for organisations like Waka Kotahi, building a road isn\u2019t something that just happens in a month or so; it is actually something that will happen over a number of years. So officials\u2019 advice to us, which I think was really helpful, is that Waka Kotahi need some certainty on an ongoing basis to ensure that they can do some, what will be, very, very large infrastructure projects.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000293\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b8550e1a-ed25-44a2-b0e2-b0a8d52a7a80\u0022\u003EFinally, I just wanted to finish by just talking about our legislative framework. There is a large piece in the select committee report, and it\u2019s an area where Mr Court and I do agree. We have risks, for those of us who live in the South Island, we have risks from the Alpine Fault potentially doing its thing. We have developed bespoke legislation over the last few years but the select committee held the view that we probably do need something that is purposeful in this area. But what I would say is that that would never take away the need for something that is bespoke, because each event is unique and will need an application of unique legislation for that particular circumstance.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000294\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b8550e1a-ed25-44a2-b0e2-b0a8d52a7a80\u0022\u003ESo I think that, through this process, the select committee has identified, as well as what we need to do for this legislation, some of the things that we may need to do into the future. I hope that our commentary on that will satisfy those submitters who had concerns that we really did listen and we really did consider the concerns that they raised.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000295\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b8550e1a-ed25-44a2-b0e2-b0a8d52a7a80\u0022\u003ESo it has been a privilege for everyone involved to put this bill through today. The goal, as I said at the beginning of my speech, is that we are here to support the people affected by Cyclone Gabrielle to rebuild. On that note, I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u0022a505402df6d348b498aeaa605311a5c1\u0022 name=\u0022division\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, That the Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Legislation Bill be now read a second time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 98\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 64; New Zealand National 34.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 22\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EGreen Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10; ACT New Zealand 10; Te Paati M\u0101ori 2.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000296\u0022\u003EBill read a second time.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022 data-id=\u00227718e5526edf48bf9e8531df9a8d70b0\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000297\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227718e5526edf48bf9e8531df9a8d70b0\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: In accordance with the determination of the Business Committee, this bill is set down for committee stage. I declare the House in committee for this consideration of the Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Legislation Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000298\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002296fe4604cd8a40d5b58347c043581337\u0022\u003EIn Committee\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000299\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022a2572e99509642ca9f42f071cbbbefba\u0022\u003EParts 1 to 4, Schedules 1 and 2, and clauses 1 and 2\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022 data-id=\u0022de77a7e238d34cfdae3faf854325acfc\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000300\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022de77a7e238d34cfdae3faf854325acfc\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa)\u003C/span\u003E: Members, the House is in committee on the Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Legislation Bill. Part 1 is the debate on clauses 3 to 6 and the preliminary provisions in Schedule 1. The question is that Part 1 stand part.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022 data-id=\u0022ef1127d955da43e58f47461901b07938\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ef1127d955da43e58f47461901b07938\u0022\u003ETANGI UTIKERE (Chief Whip\u2014Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Point of order. I seek leave for all provisions to be taken as one question.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022 data-id=\u0022e3ba44ad8b8f4f4fb43bb72d54da23b6\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000302\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e3ba44ad8b8f4f4fb43bb72d54da23b6\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa)\u003C/span\u003E: Are there any objections to this? There is none. The question is that Parts 1 to 4, Schedules 1 and 2, and clauses 1 and 2 stand part.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022 data-id=\u002244bc018b114b4dd193b0f5360afa2035\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000303\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002244bc018b114b4dd193b0f5360afa2035\u0022\u003EIAN McKELVIE (National\u2014Rangit\u012Bkei):\u003C/span\u003E Just a brief call, really, first to acknowledge the Minister in the chair, the Hon Kieran McAnulty, but also to acknowledge the very hard-working members of his team\u2014I suppose they\u2019re not his team, really; they\u2019re our team\u2014behind him, who, I think, did a pretty amazing job in a difficult environment, putting together a bill that has been discussed in the second reading; whilst, to some people, relatively contentious, none the less absolutely necessary, and my view is that a vote against this bill is, effectively, a vote against those people who have been significantly affected by the events of the couple of cyclones that went through the country.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000304\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EChris Penk, who\u2019s our spokesperson in this area, has put together a number of Supplementary Order Papers (SOPs) relating to the bill, which clearly were discussed\u2014almost all these issues. In fact, all the issues in the SOPs were discussed at various stages during the select committee, and they\u2019ve turned up in the form of SOPs here today, and I guess they\u2019re probably\u2014and I\u2019m not speaking for the other parties\u2014in all cases that I can see, issues that you might have liked to include in this bill in an ideal world. This isn\u2019t an ideal world, and I think, if we ask anyone who\u2019s affected by the events of these cyclones, their ideal world won\u2019t return for quite some time. To quote Gerry Brownlee\u2014and a number of other speakers from earlier, actually\u2014in the debate on the second reading, the things that this Act allows will not directly impact their lives for quite some time, but none the less they will impact them, and I think it\u2019s very positive.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000305\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003ESo I guess, from my perspective\u2014I don\u2019t intend to keep the Minister answering questions for ever\u2014there are a number of SOPs in the name of Chris Penk on the Table today, and one or two of them tests things that we discussed quite significantly at the select committee stage. I wonder whether the Minister might like to comment just briefly on the \u201Cnecessary or desirable\u201D test, which was discussed, I think, by almost every party in the course of those discussions in the select committee. I think that\u2019s an interesting point for the Minister just to elaborate very quickly on. As I said, Mr Penk has put a number of other SOPs in the process today, one requiring the Auditor-General\u2019s written opinion, and that might be an issue that\u2019s worth discussing as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000306\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003ESo, Madam Chair, that\u2019s just a very brief comment from me on this and a couple of questions for the Minister if he wishes to answer them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022 data-id=\u00221440e1a361a346a5963d62be3e624a1a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000307\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221440e1a361a346a5963d62be3e624a1a\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY (Minister for Emergency Management):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you very much, and I\u2019d like to acknowledge the member Ian McKelvie and thank him very much for this comments, and indeed his acknowledgment of the work that has been put in by officials and those that work here in the select committee. He\u2019s dead right that what this Parliament has asked of them over the last few days has been extraordinary, and they have delivered at every step. So good on him for acknowledging that, and I echo that sentiment.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000308\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EIn regard to his comments specifically to Supplementary Order Papers 335 and 336, I\u2019m more than happy to do a brief comment on that. But, before I do that, I just want to reassure him that we looked at every Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) in great detail and, where we were comfortable and where we were able to, we have tried to incorporate that into the Government\u2019s SOP. In the areas where we haven\u2019t, it doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that we disagree, either. It\u2019s just that, when we looked into it, the advice was that what the SOPs were suggesting could be done by the bill as it stands. So we tried to be as collaborative as the National Party has been through this.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000309\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EBut, in regards to Supplementary Order Paper 335, proposing that \u201Cnecessary or desirable\u201D is replaced with \u201Cin accordance with the purposes of this Act\u201D, we did look into this. So \u201Cnecessary and desirable\u201D is the appropriate threshold for making orders under the Act, and \u201Cin accordance with the purposes\u201D is, in essence, the same as \u201Cnecessary or desirable\u201D. But, to get to the point, we\u2019ve been advised that there are over 200 statutes that use the \u201Cnecessary or desirable\u201D test, and, on that basis, we were comfortable to keep it in the bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000310\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EIn regards to Supplementary Order Paper 336, which proposes that the Attorney-General must assess whether Orders in Council are consistent with the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act\u2014the Attorney-General must provide this assessment in writing\u2014this would, essentially, create a pressure point as Orders in Council are developed. The Minister can determine the appropriate individuals and organisations to engage with, including whether advice should be sought from the Attorney-General. This amendment, therefore, we didn\u2019t think was justified, but, again, we appreciate the fact\u2014as you could tell; there was a range of them\u2014all of them were constructive, and all of them were a genuine attempt to try and improve the bill in the point of view of the member.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022 data-id=\u00225cd1a387164a4a2fa91d897c3bae8fcc\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000311\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225cd1a387164a4a2fa91d897c3bae8fcc\u0022\u003EHon EUGENIE SAGE (Green):\u003C/span\u003E Can I also acknowledge officials who\u2019ve done a lot of work on the bill and recognise that the Green Party\u2019s concern is with the \u201Ctrust us\u201D approach to Government agencies. It\u2019s certainly not to senior managers and individuals within those organisations; it is the principal issue of the executive and Government agencies having a lot of power under this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000312\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EOne of the many things that was very helpful in the departmental report was that there is a list attached, as Appendix 3, of the Acts that have been included in the Schedule and a very summary reason of why they have been included. There were a number of submitters who were really concerned with the Climate Change Response Act 2002 being one of the Acts that could be overridden by an Order in Council, but the officials made it clear that there may be an Order in Council here around extending the deadlines for participants to submit notices in their emissions returns under the emissions trading scheme (ETS) because there are over 300,000 hectares of forest in the affected regions in the ETS. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000313\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EBut Supplementary Order Paper 341 in my name\u2014given the very broad purposes that clause 3 has, the Green Party\u2019s wanting to provide for climate change resilience, because this is not core in the purpose at the moment. There\u2019s a reference to resilience, but not in relation to adaptation and not in relation to the investment priorities for the recovery, and I would be interested in the Minister\u2019s response, as he\u2019s said it wasn\u2019t justified to include a reference to the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act but didn\u2019t give reasons. It would be of some assistance if he could explain whether the Government also sees it not being justified to include a more specific reference to provide in clause 3(1)(a) for climate change - resilient planning, rebuilding, and recovery\u2014explain why that is. Because given these events, climate change and our broken climate contributed to them, and we are, as others have noted, going to experience more of them, why won\u2019t the Government allow a greater focus on ensuring that the rebuilding and the recovery is climate resilient and is really adapting to the reality we face with the broken climate?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022 data-id=\u0022310a87bd015e4aafae2496e05b17d2f2\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000314\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022310a87bd015e4aafae2496e05b17d2f2\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY (Minister for Emergency Management):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Chair. I thank the member Eugenie Sage for her contribution and her constructive contributions throughout this process thus far. While the Government didn\u2019t feel the need to include this, it doesn\u2019t mean that the Government disagrees with what the member is saying. Of course what she\u2019s outlining is vitally important, but under clause 3(1)(a)(iv) of the bill it does provide that one of the bill\u2019s purposes is facilitating the restoration and resilience of the environment. In our view, we felt that that covered the intent of what the member was outlining. Of course climate change is a hugely important factor in this; that\u2019s what\u2019s driving the severity of these weather events and that\u2019s what\u2019s driving the frequency of them. And it touches on many of the concerns that were raised by members in their second reading speeches. There\u2019s no denying that. But for the purpose of what the member\u2019s hoping to achieve, we were confident that as it stands that covered that intent. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022 data-id=\u0022f5bf51e801454e0db5e3e5f9a789698a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000315\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022f5bf51e801454e0db5e3e5f9a789698a\u0022\u003ESIMON COURT (ACT):\u003C/span\u003E Oh, thank you, Madam Chair. Minister, there were a number of different options available to the Government at the time this legislation was developed. A few weeks ago, another piece of severe weather legislation was brought to the House which made specific amendments to the Resource Management Act, to the Local Government Act, and to the Food Act, for example. At the time, I questioned you and officials who came to select committee on that bill about why we weren\u2019t doing more to make the Resource Management Act more flexible, why we couldn\u2019t do more to make, say, the Land Transport Act more flexible so that local councils or Waka Kotahi could use the money that they\u2019re currently forced to use for walking and cycling and instead reallocate it to roads, bridges, and improving resilience.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000316\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EWe were told to expect another bill to come which would solve a lot of those problems, and yet what we have is a smoke-and-mirrors bill, Minister, which says, \u201CLook, Ministers can amend by Order in Council any one of 27 Acts, and they can do anything the Minister wants it to do.\u201D It turned out that when the good old engineers and planners from Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency came to the Governance and Administration Committee last week, they said, \u201COh, that\u2019s what we want to do, Simon. We want to be able to move money around from bucket to bucket. We need some changes made to the Land Transport Act and to the Land Transport Management Act.\u201D, and councils said, \u201CWe want to do the same. We need some changes to the Local Government Act.\u201D \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000317\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003ESo why on earth, Minister, weren\u2019t those specific changes to legislation, that could\u2019ve enabled councils and the roading agency responsible for administering taxpayer- and ratepayer-funded budgets enabled, then? Instead, we\u2019ve got this bill, and now we still have to wait weeks, no doubt, for an Order in Council to be generated, which may well do just that but which could\u2019ve been done already.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022 data-id=\u0022096518176eee476582f3d6950fbb743b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000318\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022096518176eee476582f3d6950fbb743b\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY (Minister for Emergency Management):\u003C/span\u003E Well, on the one hand, in his second reading speech, the member criticised the process for happening too quickly, and then at the end of his speech he said the Government should just get on with it, so I\u2019m struggling to understand what the member\u2019s position is. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000319\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003ERight throughout, there\u2019s been politicisation of this to try and make various points. At the first bill, that very member identified one area that we all agree needs to happen, and we pointed out in response that this bill will enable it to happen, and it will. So, ultimately, we must remember\u2014he\u2019s referred to it as a smoke-and-mirrors bill. This bill is based on the Hurunui/Kaik\u014Dura legislation, which the ACT Party voted for, and I do wonder if that\u2019s because at that time they had an arrangement with the Government and this time they\u2019re in Opposition. I think that sort of behaviour for something so serious reflects very poorly on the party.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022 data-id=\u0022334c8855f5e84d3c9ce343af2cb42073\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000320\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022334c8855f5e84d3c9ce343af2cb42073\u0022\u003ESIMON COURT (ACT):\u003C/span\u003E Look, I just want to clear it up for people watching at home and for the Minister and for everyone in this House: the ACT Party is not seeking to politicise this. What we\u2019re asking for is for urgent and specific action that gives confidence to those people who are seeking to recover.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000321\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003ESo I just want to speak to a Supplementary Order Paper that ACT has tabled, which talks about actually putting a time limit on the Orders in Council that the Minister\u2014this Minister of Local Government, or a Minister for a Resource Management Act, or another Minister who might be responsible for transport. It says if they want to create an order, it needs to be approved by the House of Representatives within a certain amount of time or it becomes revoked. That was a check; that was a balance that the Government proposed when it came to the COVID-19 recovery legislation. This text here is cut and paste from the Government\u2019s own COVID-19 recovery legislation, which included provision that every 90 days or so, that legislation was brought back to the House so that if the Government wanted to make any changes, they could table it, we could debate it\u2014then the Government used its majority to pass it. If Opposition parties had any suggestions as to how the response could be improved, it could be debated and the Government might\u2014as the Minister has acknowledged\u2014take up some suggestions from submitters at select committee or from other members on the select committee, and make some changes. But that\u2019s not what the Government\u2019s chosen to do.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000322\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EWhat they\u2019ve chosen to do is to give themselves \u201CHenry VIII\u201D powers to change up to 27 pieces of legislation for up to five years, and to give a minimum of three days\u2019 notice to a review panel that these changes, these orders are necessary. And so what ACT is asking\u2014and Minister, I\u2019d just like you to explain why there is no time-limiting clause which would limit the relevant period that these orders are valid for, the longer of which would be 10 sitting days of the House after the order was made; 60 days after the date the order was made as an alternate; or any other period that the Minister might want to specify in the legislation. That wouldn\u2019t stop the order from operating. It wouldn\u2019t undermine any instructions or actions taken when the order was in force. But what it would do is provide a check, provide a balance from Parliament and from elected members who could scrutinise the order; the actions of the Government; what are the costs and benefits; is it doing what it said it would; and actually give New Zealanders some confidence that this Government\u2019s directions, instructions, orders, and actions are working.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022 data-id=\u00221c6b3d1f8b3a422bb9771a548f9c21cf\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000323\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221c6b3d1f8b3a422bb9771a548f9c21cf\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY (Minister for Emergency Management):\u003C/span\u003E I thank the member. Again, this bill is based on that which was passed by Parliament after the Hurunui/Kaik\u014Dura earthquake. This bill\u2019s checks and balances have been significantly strengthened since then, and through the select committee process there\u2019s been further improvements. The ACT Party was happy to vote for the bill then, and so they should feel comfortable that, given the strengthened checks and balances, this bill will ensure through the parliamentary process that those Orders in Council will get adequate scrutiny. But I would point out that a significant problem with this Supplementary Order Paper is that there\u2019s likely to be very large infrastructure projects which will take a very long time to complete, and having a provision that requires it to be continually coming back to the House will ultimately undermine certainty in those projects; that\u2019s likely to undermine the level of investment that we might be able to attract, or indeed those companies that wish to seek the contracts to deliver that work. Uncertainty in these sorts of things slows things down\u2014the very thing that the ACT Party is urging us not to do.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022 data-id=\u0022d2747558f24a4e378674b316107f7dca\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000324\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d2747558f24a4e378674b316107f7dca\u0022\u003ESIMON COURT (ACT):\u003C/span\u003E I\u2019d just like to draw the Minister for Emergency Management\u2019s attention to the Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) 345, clause 7A(4), where the concern he raises that if an Order in Council was to expire or be automatically revoked, that would undermine the ability of the Government to engage in, say, contracts or with contractors or on projects that lasted a long period of time. That, absolutely, is not the case. What 7A(4) provides for\u2014it says quite clearly that revocation of the order does not undermine or affect the validity of any action taken to give effect to that order while it\u2019s in place. So, Minister, the ACT Party\u2014a party of practical people; I\u2019m an engineer\u2014are thinking about this kind of thing. We believe that this SOP provides not only a check and a balance on the use of the Order in Council powers, which we accept are necessary at times\u2014that\u2019s how secondary legislation is made; that\u2019s how national environmental standards are proposed\u2014but there is a check and a balance, and there\u2019s also enough flexibility for the Government to engage in contracting. So, Minister, would you just please acknowledge that is in fact a feature of this SOP?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022 data-id=\u002215fedd39d41d4d859e9524f87eaa3b1d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000325\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002215fedd39d41d4d859e9524f87eaa3b1d\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY (Minister for Emergency Management):\u003C/span\u003E There\u2019s not really a question there, Madam Chair. I mean, it\u2019s turning into a debating point now. I\u2019ve addressed the member\u2019s question initially. I was referring to the Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) in question. We clearly have a different view. The Government doesn\u2019t feel that what\u2019s proposed in the SOP is necessary. And I thank for the member for the detailed explanation, but there wasn\u2019t really a question there.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022ff1ad5a3-e02a-4ffe-a961-ef69bdaee1c9\u0022 data-id=\u0022e6e09e7225184ad7a1cb82da97ef0cea\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000326\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ff1ad5a3-e02a-4ffe-a961-ef69bdaee1c9\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e6e09e7225184ad7a1cb82da97ef0cea\u0022\u003EDr JAMES McDOWALL (ACT):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to query with the Minister\u2014and this is a specific inclusion in Schedule 2; the piece of legislation in question is the Immigration Act 2009. I would like to know what advice the Minister has received from, say, the Minister of Immigration or from Cabinet or officials around the reason for including the Immigration Act. The reason I ask that is because the Minister of Immigration has immense powers in the immigration space; in terms of visa creation, change of rules\u2014he can basically do whatever he likes in immigration instructions, and very seldom needs to actually amend the Immigration Act itself. So I\u2019d like to allow the Minister to talk about that, because the broader issue here is that if somehow this Act was included almost by mistake, or just for the sake of it, then that creates a few sort of confidence issues with other pieces of legislation that might be in Schedule 2. So that would be quite good to hear the Minister\u2019s thoughts on this.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022 data-id=\u00224a3b3a5245c8403c8669847be2514b40\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000327\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224a3b3a5245c8403c8669847be2514b40\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY (Minister for Emergency Management):\u003C/span\u003E The whole point of this legislation is to make the recovery happen as smooth and quickly as possible, and to make sure that there isn\u2019t inflexible barriers in front of things preventing the recovery to happen. In order for the recovery to occur across each of the regions that have been affected by the severe weather event, we are likely to require labour force in order to perform that\u2014we saw that in Christchurch, and to a slightly lesser degree, but not insignificantly, in Kaik\u014Dura. What we don\u2019t want is for something to come up that would require an adjustment to immigration rules to meet the demand. By not including it, we have then found that we have hit a barrier that we didn\u2019t anticipate. I would much rather include it and find that it\u2019s not required, than not include it and find that it is required and we stall things unnecessarily.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022ff1ad5a3-e02a-4ffe-a961-ef69bdaee1c9\u0022 data-id=\u0022a94c0218aff34b6897d4ca15140bac2e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000328\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ff1ad5a3-e02a-4ffe-a961-ef69bdaee1c9\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a94c0218aff34b6897d4ca15140bac2e\u0022\u003EDr JAMES McDOWALL (ACT):\u003C/span\u003E Well, just in response to that, notwithstanding everything the Minister just said about labour shortages and needing to get people\u2014the point of the question is that the entire immigration system can be changed to meet those needs and instructions, so you don\u2019t actually need to amend the Act. So the question remains: why is the Act there at all?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022 data-id=\u0022f7adc3485b7748e4b9b02781972ee1ed\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000329\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022f7adc3485b7748e4b9b02781972ee1ed\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY (Minister for Emergency Management):\u003C/span\u003E I\u2019ve already answered that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022 data-id=\u00225b3373ae4a984906ae48cc6a63841151\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000330\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225b3373ae4a984906ae48cc6a63841151\u0022\u003ESIMON COURT (ACT):\u003C/span\u003E Minister, we\u2019ve heard a lot about managed retreat. People of West Auckland, where I live, have been flooded out of their homes, some on more than one occasion, and most recently on the weekend of 26-27 January, flooded out of their homes, terrified, and are still out of their homes, many of which are red-stickered. It\u2019s quite clear that they live in an area which is subject to flooding, extreme natural hazards, and it\u2019s unsafe for them to return to their homes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000331\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EWhat many people are seeking is a formula for some type of compensation, if that\u2019s available, so that should they not be able to return to their homes or rebuild on their land, they will receive compensation so they can move on and get on with their lives. This is becoming even more urgent as children and their families are not able to find accommodation next to the local school or where they would normally do their afterschool sports activities. You\u2019ve got entire communities at Muriwai and P\u012Bh\u0101 who are cut off or still living behind traffic management and barriers who can\u2019t resume their lives because in many cases they don\u2019t know what is going to happen. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000332\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EWhat the ACT Party would like to do is to see this bill provide a lot more confidence for people that if the Government intends to take their land, because a Government agency believes that it\u2019s unsafe for them to reoccupy that land, they receive adequate compensation. And what ACT is proposing in Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) 346 is to insert a new clause 7A, which refers to Part 5 of the Public Works Act, and that basically ensures that if private property is taken or damaged\u2014I mean, sometimes you might have to track a digger over someone\u2019s land in order to fix something\u2014the existing provisions of the Public Works Act and the formulas in there would entitle these landowners for compensation to be paid. So, Minister, would you give a view on ACT\u2019s proposal that the Public Works Act form the basis of compensation for land taken, including for managed retreat, which potentially may come under an order created by this Act, Minister?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022 data-id=\u0022b86dc693ce4048b09c3d032298b212c6\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000333\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b86dc693ce4048b09c3d032298b212c6\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY (Minister for Emergency Management):\u003C/span\u003E The Public Works Act sets a model for determining how compensation is set for compulsorily acquired property based on current market value. Properties that have been damaged would be subject to current market value with the damage, not their pre-damage value. Supporting this SOP reduces the ability of the Government to decide on a bespoke compensation scheme in it and choices about how the valuation of the property is dealt with.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022 data-id=\u0022d576d4187c5f4018a8f3ef3c4d341a12\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000334\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d576d4187c5f4018a8f3ef3c4d341a12\u0022\u003ESIMON COURT (ACT):\u003C/span\u003E Minister, the reason the ACT Party proposes that the Public Works Act, Part 5, is applied is because that is a well-understood basis to assess the taking or the damage of private land by the Government for what are no doubt legitimate purposes, and that gives people confidence. There is case law around that. There is a way for people to identify what they should be entitled to. It\u2019s when the New Zealand Transport Agency needs to take the front of the farmer\u2019s yard and use that to widen the road. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000335\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EAnyone can look at formula and say, \u201CYes, we agree that that\u2019s how much we should be paid.\u201D What the Minister has just stated quite clearly is that the Government is coming up with a different formula. So, Minister, will that formula be consulted on? When will we know about it? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000336\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EWhen will the people of Hawke\u2019s Bay who have been threatened that they won\u2019t be able to return to their properties because they\u2019re too unsafe, the people of Muriwai and P\u012Bh\u0101, and the people of Waimoko Glen in Swanson in West Auckland\u2014when will they know what this formula is, because they\u2019ve been quite clear what they want. They want to be compensated for their land at a value that allows for them to move on and go and restart their lives in a place where it\u2019s safe to rebuild. Minister, will you tell us a bit more about this formula? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000337\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e7618ac8cf5341f78861d7651ae511ec\u0022\u003EHon Dr Duncan Webb\u003C/span\u003E: Madam Chair. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022 data-id=\u0022ab9a297bbc48453faf934297aa57ec7e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000338\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ab9a297bbc48453faf934297aa57ec7e\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY (Minister for Emergency Management):\u003C/span\u003E Apologies to the Hon Duncan Webb. The member Simon Court did not accurately reflect what I said, so I\u2019ll read it out to him again: supporting this Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) reduces the ability of the Government to decide on a bespoke compensation scheme in it, and choices about how the valuation of the property is dealt with. That doesn\u2019t signal that something is coming; what it signals is that if the Government did decide to, they would be restricted in their choices if they adopted this SOP. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022 data-id=\u002207d3157c98d14bae9b88e809816caca3\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000339\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002207d3157c98d14bae9b88e809816caca3\u0022\u003EHon Dr DUNCAN WEBB (Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs):\u003C/span\u003E I move, That the question be now put.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022 data-id=\u00229fffa8ce878a4a3a9aac3e754def7e62\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000340\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00229fffa8ce878a4a3a9aac3e754def7e62\u0022\u003ESIMON COURT (ACT):\u003C/span\u003E I just want to ask the Minister: would he consider including a person on the review panel who has experience with the delivery of infrastructure?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000341\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EThe Government is going to pass\u2014no doubt, create\u2014many Orders in Council, which involves officials from Government departments coming up with a list of legislation that needs to be modified or a set of rules that need to be developed, and that\u2019s to change bits of primary legislation. It could be the Land Transport Act, it could be the Local Government Act.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000342\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EBut on the review panel of up to 12 people who will review these Orders in Council\u2014could be in as little as three days they\u2019ll have to review them\u2014the Minister hasn\u2019t provided for anybody with experience in the delivery of infrastructure. Yet the Minister has himself said here in the House this afternoon, that the Government expects to be undertaking very, very large-scale infrastructure projects as part of the recovery.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000343\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EMinister, would you care to explain why you haven\u2019t included a person with delivery of infrastructure or that skill on the panel, and whether the Government would accept making that modification here at the committee stage?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000344\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226083c87ba9d648b3959d0cfb972773e5\u0022\u003EHon Eugenie Sage\u003C/span\u003E: And before the Minister does that\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022 data-id=\u00226e30b50ee2a54c2a9fd55c86a147840e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000345\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226e30b50ee2a54c2a9fd55c86a147840e\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY (Minister for Emergency Management):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Chair. Speaking specifically to Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) 347, the purpose of the panel is not to provide representation of various interests, but to provide the knowledge, expertise\u2014or expertise in the matters listed\u2014when considering draft Orders in Council. The point being is that there is nothing in the bill to prevent the Minister from appointing other skill sets and expertise to the panel if it is needed. That is why, in part, we\u2019ve chosen to go with a larger panel\u2014to give greater scope, to include expertise when it\u2019s required. In short, we don\u2019t feel that the SOP is required to achieve the goal that it\u2019s promoting.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022 data-id=\u0022c6e3d072ce3b47d78006c1552f82bb57\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000346\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c6e3d072ce3b47d78006c1552f82bb57\u0022\u003EHon EUGENIE SAGE (Green):\u003C/span\u003E My apologies, Madam Chair. Thank you. Could the Minister for Emergency Management also expand a bit on some comments he made in his second reading speech, I think, about his views on a cross-party forum. It\u2019s not something that the bill provides for but it has been used in the past, and Mr Penk has a Supplementary Order Paper about it. But it is another opportunity of providing parliamentary scrutiny, so would he be able to expand on that? Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022 data-id=\u002293da2f3031e34d4887d7d2f0a5b5afc5\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000347\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002293da2f3031e34d4887d7d2f0a5b5afc5\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY (Minister for Emergency Management):\u003C/span\u003E Yeah, I thank the member for that. We have absolutely no concern about the Governance and Administration Committee reviewing the bill and the Orders in Council, etc.\u2014none at all. We looked at it, and there is only one incidence previously, in the history of the House, where Parliament has moved a bill instructing a select committee. So we\u2019ve taken very seriously the concerns that were raised around the speed at which this bill has had to go through, and I felt, as Minister, uncomfortable looking to address those concerns by proposing something that also was very rare. So we thought a pragmatic way about it would be to\u2014in the second reading speech, as I did\u2014invite the committee to do that; not set perimeters on that, let the committee decide, but, in doing so, give a very clear indication that the Government would support that and is supportive of what the member\u2019s proposing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022 data-id=\u0022e2490db29193429b96dcd6dcf802fc8b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000348\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e2490db29193429b96dcd6dcf802fc8b\u0022\u003ESIMON COURT (ACT):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you\u2014very briefly, Madam Chair. So, Minister, thank you for explaining that the Minister responsible will have the ability to appoint, potentially, somebody with delivery of infrastructure experience. Would the Minister be able to enlighten the House\u2014because we understand that Sir Brian Roche is leading an investigation into cyclone recovery, into the response to Cyclone Gabrielle\u2014as to what that organisation, that working group, which has experience in delivery of infrastructure, might have shared with the Minister that might give the House some confidence that the recovery will proceed at pace?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022 data-id=\u0022dc3a25b4ea1d47028e5f0aab92b18461\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000349\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022dc3a25b4ea1d47028e5f0aab92b18461\u0022\u003EHELEN WHITE (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E I move, That the question be now put.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022 data-id=\u0022ff7c3a0874c84c6388a77bc70fb78632\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000350\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ff7c3a0874c84c6388a77bc70fb78632\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY (Minister for Emergency Management):\u003C/span\u003E In response to the previous question, Sir Brian Roche is leading the task force; he\u2019s not leading an investigation. The task force has been set up to ensure that the Government\u2019s support of the locally led recovery is as efficient and as streamlined as possible.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022 data-id=\u002255fc8ec0b1044616bf6f279194523d70\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000351\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002255fc8ec0b1044616bf6f279194523d70\u0022\u003EHELEN WHITE (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E I move, That the question be now put.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u002235583a407773442b8ddc08222b5ad8e4\u0022 name=\u0022division\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, That the question be now put.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 108\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 64; New Zealand National 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 9\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EACT New Zealand 9.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022 data-id=\u00225866020ad41042a99312bad2e948df31\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000352\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225866020ad41042a99312bad2e948df31\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa)\u003C/span\u003E: The question is that the Minister\u2019s amendments set out on Supplementary Order Paper 348 be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000353\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003EAmendments agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022 data-id=\u0022574d68ba425444398d5cf3377e342bc4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000354\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022574d68ba425444398d5cf3377e342bc4\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa)\u003C/span\u003E: The question is that the Hon Eugenie Sage\u2019s amendment to clause 3 set out on Supplementary Order Paper 341 be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u002249ecfc6a07834012be34952472a3adbd\u0022 name=\u0022division\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, That the amendment be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 44\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 73\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 64; ACT New Zealand 9.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAmendment not agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022 data-id=\u002284c1fde43c214746a1d4c4bceb56eabb\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000355\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002284c1fde43c214746a1d4c4bceb56eabb\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa)\u003C/span\u003E: The question is that Simon Court\u2019s amendment inserting new clause 7A set out on Supplementary Order Paper 345 be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u002251d4dc643122401aba5317d66a1d13e7\u0022 name=\u0022division\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, That the amendment be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 43\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 34; ACT New Zealand 9.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 74\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 64; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAmendment not agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022 data-id=\u00228bcae699cec449dfb048bf64713f354d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000356\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00228bcae699cec449dfb048bf64713f354d\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa)\u003C/span\u003E: The question is that Simon Court\u2019s amendment inserting new clause 7A set out on Supplementary Order Paper 346 be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u0022b6bebf2454b142a69f48e2c31171c4d4\u0022 name=\u0022division\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, That the amendment be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 43\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 34; ACT New Zealand 9.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 74\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 64; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAmendment not agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022 data-id=\u002260189ae90cfe4a7b9389cd55347beb0f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000357\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002260189ae90cfe4a7b9389cd55347beb0f\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa)\u003C/span\u003E: The question is that Chris Penk\u2019s amendments to clauses 8 and 9 set out on Supplementary Order Paper 335 be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u0022862b9aee3d45422db8e25f5df037c7df\u0022 name=\u0022division\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, That the amendments be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 43\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 34; ACT New Zealand 9.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 74\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 64; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAmendments not agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022 data-id=\u00225b5be628d6194b92a0b3f2d022921299\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000358\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225b5be628d6194b92a0b3f2d022921299\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa)\u003C/span\u003E: The question is that the Hon Eugenie Sage\u2019s amendment to clause 8 set out on Supplementary Order Paper 342 be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u002285c58ba1788447e2a48e617162b708c6\u0022 name=\u0022division\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, That the amendment be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 53\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10; ACT New Zealand 9.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 64\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 64.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAmendment not agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022 data-id=\u0022d7e5f4a907cf4a538ccb60b0de7760fc\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000359\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d7e5f4a907cf4a538ccb60b0de7760fc\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa)\u003C/span\u003E: The question is that Chris Penk\u2019s amendment to clause 8 set out on Supplementary Order Paper 336 be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u00223a81c18e55e142788b0155f5b6c8fb68\u0022 name=\u0022division\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, That the amendment be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 53\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10; ACT New Zealand 9.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 64\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 64.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAmendment not agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022 data-id=\u0022e045ce585e1e4725811965d3d73e6625\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000360\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e045ce585e1e4725811965d3d73e6625\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa)\u003C/span\u003E: The question is that Chris Penk\u2019s amendment to clause 9 set out on Supplementary Order Paper 337 be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u0022b46b5a84c331431ebc4295f8383d125a\u0022 name=\u0022division\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, That the amendment be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 53\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10; ACT New Zealand 9.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 64\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 64.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAmendment not agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022 data-id=\u0022b39f3a36cb6949b69893967979bb20a3\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000361\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b39f3a36cb6949b69893967979bb20a3\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa)\u003C/span\u003E: The question is that Debbie Ngarewa-Packer\u2019s amendment to clause 13 set out on Supplementary Order Paper 332 be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u00222a1dff76792f446eb28052fea3ad6bf8\u0022 name=\u0022division\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, That the amendment be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 12\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EGreen Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10; Te Paati M\u0101ori 2.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 107\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 64; New Zealand National 34; ACT New Zealand 9.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAmendment not agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022 data-id=\u00226e22b6b8fcae400997c4b89ada6a989b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000362\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226e22b6b8fcae400997c4b89ada6a989b\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa)\u003C/span\u003E: Debbie Ngarewa-Packer\u2019s amendment replacing clause 13(3) set out on Supplementary Order Paper 333 is out of order as being inconsistent with a previous decision of the committee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000363\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003EThe question is that Debbie Ngarewa-Packer\u2019s remaining amendment inserting clause 13(2)(a) set out on Supplementary Order Paper 333 be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u0022c0aa0bf3b6b1409b86bafdb3360d2f44\u0022 name=\u0022division\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, That the amendment be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 12\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EGreen Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10; Te Paati M\u0101ori 2.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 107\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 64; New Zealand National 34; ACT New Zealand 9.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAmendment not agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022 data-id=\u0022e12e6ffe54544652916f4fe308360a8e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000364\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e12e6ffe54544652916f4fe308360a8e\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa)\u003C/span\u003E: Simon Court\u2019s amendments to clause 13 set out on Supplementary Order Paper 347 is out of order as being inconsistent with a previous decision of the committee. Chris Penk\u2019s amendment to clause 13 set out on Supplementary Order Paper 334 is out of order as being inconsistent with a previous decision of the committee. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000365\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003EThe question is that Chris Penk\u2019s amendment to clause 13 set out on Supplementary Order Paper 338 be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u0022c305971607634b53bfeee3488b2ed51e\u0022 name=\u0022division\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, That the amendment be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 53\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10; ACT New Zealand 9. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 64\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 64.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAmendment not agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022 data-id=\u002202dd3333ce39438192056b0995c649d8\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000366\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002202dd3333ce39438192056b0995c649d8\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa)\u003C/span\u003E: The question is that Chris Penk\u2019s amendment to clause 19 set out on Supplementary Order Paper 339 be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u00225255fbbee04f4c1c80a3e139d32e0b5e\u0022 name=\u0022division\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, That the amendment be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 43\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 34; ACT New Zealand 9.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 74\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 64; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAmendment not agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022 data-id=\u0022b84175b0b62a46fba5cd3a2613d74cb0\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000367\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b84175b0b62a46fba5cd3a2613d74cb0\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa)\u003C/span\u003E: The Hon Eugenie Sage\u2019s amendment deleting clause 19 set out on Supplementary Order Paper 343 is out of order as being inconsistent with a previous decision of the committee. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000368\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003EThe question is that the Hon Eugenie Sage\u2019s remaining amendments deleting clauses 20 and 21 set out on Supplementary Order Paper 343 be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u0022dec5a7e31a134b988ba5e8a92266ef70\u0022 name=\u0022division\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, That the amendments be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 19\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EGreen Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10; ACT New Zealand 9.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 98\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 64; New Zealand National 34.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAmendments not agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022 data-id=\u002299002c4daebf4ce4901bc263221d72d6\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000369\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002299002c4daebf4ce4901bc263221d72d6\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa)\u003C/span\u003E: The question is that Chris Penk\u2019s amendment inserting New Part 2A set out on Supplementary Order Paper 340 be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u0022ff1a860f72ae489dae87ed63fd4f1ad5\u0022 name=\u0022division\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, That the amendment be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 53\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10; ACT New Zealand 9.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 64\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 64.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAmendment not agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022 data-id=\u00223f9f472bc8fc430ca40a8f95b0540fb1\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000370\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00223f9f472bc8fc430ca40a8f95b0540fb1\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa)\u003C/span\u003E: The question is that the Hon Eugenie Sage\u2019s amendment to clause 34 set out on Supplementary Order Paper 344 be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u0022e7a650269366409394568e942fb2a59a\u0022 name=\u0022division\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, That the amendment be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 19\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EGreen Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10; ACT New Zealand 9.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 98\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 64; New Zealand National 34\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAmendment not agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u0022b03b287c291e4d12b4dc53ad08c10731\u0022 name=\u0022division\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, That Parts 1 to 4, Schedules 1 and 2, and clauses 1 and 2 as amended be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 98\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 64; New Zealand National 34.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 19\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EGreen Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10; ACT New Zealand 9.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EParts 1 to 4, Schedules 1 and 2, and clauses 1 and 2 as amended agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000371\u0022\u003EBill to be reported with amendment.\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000372\u0022\u003EHouse resumed.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022 data-id=\u0022ebcf7aad4ce54633becbd21574268880\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000373\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ebcf7aad4ce54633becbd21574268880\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa)\u003C/span\u003E: The committee has considered the Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Legislation Bill and reports it with amendment. I move, That the report be adopted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000374\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000375\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003EReport adopted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022 data-id=\u0022b1fc2de8096d4681971b82cb3cb12eb6\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000376\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b1fc2de8096d4681971b82cb3cb12eb6\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: In accordance with a determination of the Business Committee, this bill is set down for third reading immediately.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000377\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00229db276e882cf4d9bbd4d60005babf45b\u0022\u003EThird Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022 data-id=\u002257730ea46857433d86d7c781bc67b5d7\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000378\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002257730ea46857433d86d7c781bc67b5d7\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY (Minister for Emergency Management):\u003C/span\u003E I move, That the Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Legislation Bill be now read a third time. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000379\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EI would like to take the opportunity to thank submitters who considered the bill in such a short time. Even though the consultation phase was short, the bill has undoubtedly been improved. I also want to acknowledge the Governance and Administration Committee for their collegial approach, their careful consideration of the views of submitters, and the thoughtful recommendations they made. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000380\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EThis omnibus bill will support and provide relief to local authorities and communities in those areas affected by the recent severe weather events in the North Island. The bill supports these areas as they shift towards recovery efforts by providing the flexibility to speed up those efforts through the use of Orders in Council. The bill also sets out safeguards to ensure this flexibility is used sensibly. The bill also sits alongside the recently passed Severe Weather Emergency Legislation Act as part of the broader Government support package for affected communities.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000381\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EThe Government has accepted the vast majority of the Governance and Administration Committee\u2019s recommendations and incorporated them into the bill through a Supplementary Order Paper (SOP). I wish to take a few minutes to run through the most significant of these changes. I think it is important to briefly outline these changes for the House, since there wasn\u2019t an opportunity to do so during the second reading of the bill. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000382\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EFirstly, I want to talk about the Severe Weather Events Recovery Review Panel. Under the bill as introduced, the Minister responsible for cyclone recovery or the associate must consider appointing members with specific experience and expertise, such as in the law, environment, protection, climate change, local M\u0101ori interests, and other community interests in the affected area. SOP 348 amended the membership of the panel by expanding the knowledge and expertise of its membership. The SOP broadened the specified areas of experience and expertise by adding in health protection, primary industries, and emergency resilience. To me, these additions will only make the panel more effective in its role of scrutinising draft Orders in Council.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000383\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EThe bill as introduced also required the Minister to consult the Regulations Review Committee, or each leader of the political party represented in the present or previous Parliament, if that is not practicable. The SOP clarified that party political leaders are only intended to be consulted during an interregnum when Parliament has been dissolved or has expired and that this requirement only applies to leaders in the most recent Parliament. I should note that for any Orders in Council proposed to add more Acts to the list of legislation in Schedule 2 of the bill, I have opted to retain the test requiring the unanimous or near unanimous support of political party leaders. I consider this test is often used in the House Business Committee and does not need to be specified in this bill. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000384\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EThis SOP also allows relevant Ministers to extend the time frame for the Regulations Review Committee to provide comments on draft Orders in Council, which is within three working days, as currently set out in the bill. I think this is a sensible amendment and it will provide additional time for the committee to scrutinise the draft Orders in Council. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000385\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EThe SOP also addresses a point the committee and submitters raised by reiterating that Orders in Council are to be no broader than geographically necessary. Keeping the scope of any orders tight in this way will help ensure the powers are not exercised beyond where they need to be. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000386\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EAs I mentioned during the second reading debate, I would again like to extend an invitation for an appropriate select committee to conduct a review of the powers contained in the bill. I think this will be a really useful exercise, given the short time frame in which the bill has progressed. I also think a post-enactment review by a select committee will go some way to addressing the concerns raised by submitters. The select committee process will complement the ability of the courts to review ministerial decisions about the making of orders, reflecting the valuable and ongoing contribution that independent processes operating by convention can provide. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000387\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003ELastly, I am appreciative of the efforts of this House for considering this bill within truncated time frames. Despite this constraint, there were many considered and intelligent views on points of debate in the bill during the committee of the whole House stage. I appreciate the cross-party support in this House for supporting the best recovery efforts possible to meet the needs of affected communities. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000388\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EI want to take the opportunity to acknowledge the efforts put in by officials and by clerks and the select committee team\u2014many people here at Parliament and through agencies that have worked incredibly hard in a short period of time to work with the committee, incorporate its recommendations, working with officials to come up with something that I think this Parliament should be pretty proud of, given the circumstances. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000389\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003EThis bill will facilitate Aotearoa\u2019s recovery from the recent severe weather events and help our communities bounce back to being their vibrant, best selves. I commend the bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022 data-id=\u00221d305f61611e4027842469d61c23765e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000390\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221d305f61611e4027842469d61c23765e\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\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=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022 data-id=\u0022ff5d67d0b22e48dc94f184f225bb0a47\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000391\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ff5d67d0b22e48dc94f184f225bb0a47\u0022\u003EIAN McKELVIE (National\u2014Rangit\u012Bkei):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. It gives me some pleasure to speak on this bill, but no pleasure on behalf of the people affected by it\u2014because clearly, the events and the tragic effect it will have on those people\u2019s lives for quite some time to come will be felt by them. And I think that this bill will go some way to alleviating some of those fears for them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000392\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EI was just thinking, as I was thinking about the time of the day, that if we could use this bill to short circuit the \u014Ctaki to north of Levin bypass road, I\u2019d get home an hour quicker tonight\u2014so seeing as I can\u2019t, I might as well stand here talking, because it\u2019s going to take me\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000393\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226a59224e3d564b2d9fe5fd6eebba8716\u0022\u003EHon Member\u003C/span\u003E: No!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000394\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222094169faa0a46a6aaa86e0e97d05295\u0022\u003EIAN McKELVIE\u003C/span\u003E: Ha, ha! Clearly that won\u2019t be used for that purpose, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000395\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ddd516a0bd3c483682d4696b38902f60\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The opening of the road might be more desirable, Mr McKelvie, but carry on.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000396\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228c1126ffa31c424f81049557674324b3\u0022\u003EIAN McKELVIE\u003C/span\u003E: There\u2019s no magic solution to this, to recovering from these types of disasters, and the National Party fully supports the Minister\u2019s objectives in passing this bill. We\u2019re confident that the bill will make a difference, and we\u2019re also very mindful of the fact that we\u2019re going into an election time, and that could very well be a different Minister in six months\u2019 time running this process. So I think we had to put in place a process that could work for all, and make sure that those who may or may not have to take over at any stage in the future have the opportunity to progress the activities that the Government of the day initiates. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000397\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EMany decisions can\u2019t be made in a hurry in these sort of events, and we\u2019ve had discussions today about retreat. These sort of decisions can\u2019t be made until other decisions have been made as to what you repair and what you don\u2019t\u2014and I mean, the most obvious example of this is flood banks: if you\u2019re not going to rebuild flood banks, then you\u2019re going have to retreat a whole lot of people. If you are going to rebuild flood banks, then you\u2019ve got to consider how you rebuild the infrastructure inside those flood banks. I think I\u2019ve said before in this House that the example of Palmerston North\u2019s a very good one, where the flood banks were built to a to a 200-year return period standard after the 2004 event, and they\u2019ve worked beautifully. And I think, if you think about the Hawke\u2019s Bay, these decisions are going to have to be made long before any other decisions can be made around retreat. Also, those decisions, on the whole, are made by communities, whereas whether you rebuild your house or not\u2014or rebuild your business or not\u2014is generally going to be made in partnership with the insurance company and yourselves, or the individuals. And so there\u2019s many different ways these decisions are going to be made. And the reason for the longer, I guess, period this bill operates for, is that some of these decisions won\u2019t be made in a hurry, and they just can\u2019t be. So that\u2019s the need for the bill to be extended and to run on for some five or six years in some cases, and the Orders in Council especially.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000398\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EI also want to acknowledge the Minister and the work of the select committee, basically, for acknowledging the need to take this issue further\u2014and I think that\u2019s where the select committee inquiry will be extremely useful to future Parliaments, because I think if we do run a select committee inquiry, or a select committee runs it, then that inquiry will turn up a whole lot of the groundwork that\u2019s required to put an Act in place in the future to act as a base for these types of disasters. As I said earlier, you\u2019ll never get that base to be entirely transferrable; it\u2019ll have to always be altered. But at least if the base is there, then I think submitters\u2014and people are interested in what we do in Parliament\u2014will have a lot more confidence; so at least we\u2019ve got that part of work right, consulted on, and everyone\u2019s had an opportunity to be part of it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000399\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EI just want to speak briefly\u2014because there\u2019s been some mention of this as well that all of these Orders in Council are going to have to be accompanied by funding. That\u2019s a decision that can\u2019t be made until the magnitude of the work required as a result of the Order in Council is understood, and that\u2019s work for future governance\u2014well, it\u2019s work that\u2019s required to be done in the future, because you can\u2019t put in place the funding matters until you understand the magnitude of the need, and so I think these Orders in Council will almost all require Government funding as we move forward. That will be decided as we go along. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000400\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003ESo, from the National Party\u2019s perspective, we are very confident that this bill is as good as we could have got it, and as I said earlier\u2014and I want to reiterate it\u2014I have no fears that the seemingly extraordinary powers that we\u2019re granting to Ministers and to the executive will be abused. I\u2019m confident local communities will benefit greatly from the enactment of the legislation, and it also means that their infrastructure and all those sorts of things will be expedited in a much more measured fashion than they otherwise might have been. I think that we can be confident that we\u2019ve made the right decision, and I guess we can only hope that those communities that are affected by this recover as quickly as possible. Thank you, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022 data-id=\u002266d0481f3f1d4c25810a0a7023cdf9cd\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000401\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002266d0481f3f1d4c25810a0a7023cdf9cd\u0022\u003EHon EUGENIE SAGE (Green):\u003C/span\u003E We certainly agree with the last statement by Mr McKelvie, that the Green Party hopes that the communities recover as quickly as possible. But also, he made the point that big decisions take a while. It\u2019s important that big decisions such as the investment in stop banks, where new infrastructure goes, and what sort of infrastructure it is do take a while and that they engage the community strongly in making them, because it is the community that uses them and the community generally contributes funding. So the Local Government Act is one of the Acts in the Schedule that can be changed by Order in Council. We really encourage the Government to ensure that there isn\u2019t too much truncation of the consultative procedures under that Act so that the community is really engaged. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000402\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EIn Christchurch, there was a district plan that went through a very expedited process under the Resource Management Act (RMA) to enable consents to be granted quickly, and the quarrying provisions in that plan, because they are so permissive because of the need for quarry materials in the reconstruction, have been an ongoing source of conflict with residents because of the effects of quarries not having adequate setbacks from residential areas, the health effects, the amenity effects from dust from those quarries. That is just one example of where a quick decision was made\u2014a poor planning decision because it didn\u2019t take account of the community\u2019s needs and it put the needs of rebuilding to the fore. So people are suffering because of that. That\u2019s why processes exist: to ensure that different aspects of the decision are examined and that as much information as possible can contribute to good decisions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000403\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EWe also encourage the Government\u2014others have talked about the big infrastructure projects, which are going to be required as part of the recovery. The Reserves Act is one of the pieces of legislation that could be subject to Order in Council to modify the permission processes relating to infrastructure reconstruction on reserves managed by Te Papa Atawhai Department of Conservation. We have a biodiversity crisis. There are significant impacts, often on indigenous vegetation and habitat, and we\u2019d really encourage Ministers, when they\u2019re looking at the scale of projects that will go through and be allowed by an Order in Council, to think about the potential impacts on nature and whether it\u2019s appropriate that some big projects with a scope for big impacts go through the normal RMA and Conservation Act and Reserves Act processes to ensure that those effects are properly managed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000404\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003ESimilarly, there\u2019s an ability to have an Order in Council for the Resource Management Act. Officials say that it may be around waiving the requirements to exclude stock for waterways, given the destruction of fences. That is all very sensible in those immediate areas where fences have been destroyed. But given that the Orders in Council can apply across the whole of the geographic area affected by severe weather, we don\u2019t want to see those really hard-won requirements to get stock out of streams to protect waterway health wound back over any greater area where the properties\u2019 fences have actually been destroyed. So the Green Party will be watching the Orders in Council closely. We do hope that a cross-party\u2014more of a political group\u2014forum is set up, not just the select committee review process, given the length of time that the bill will be in place once it becomes an Act.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000405\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EWe are pleased that there have been some more safeguards inserted in through the select committee process, which, once again, establishes that public submissions and select committee scrutiny always improves legislation. This Parliament is one of the fastest lawmakers in the West, and we still think that things could have been brought back to the whole of the Parliament, rather than just done through executive power, because of that public scrutiny that you get through the select committee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000406\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EAs well as thanking officials, we\u2019d particularly like to thank the Office of the Clerk, the very helpful assistance the office provided in options for increasing parliamentary scrutiny, one of which made it into the bill, and the work that legislative counsel does in advising the Regulations Review Committee, which will have another increase in its workload\u2014as it did with the COVID legislation\u2014in scrutinising these Orders in Council. The advice that legislative counsel provides to that committee is a critical part of its work.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000407\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EThe Green Party, as I\u2019ve said in earlier speeches, is not supporting this because of the extent of executive powers, the broad-purpose ability to add new Acts through an Order in Council, but there have been some improvements through this process.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022 data-id=\u00221baf28777f0b48a08ee44734c674d4ee\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000408\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221baf28777f0b48a08ee44734c674d4ee\u0022\u003ESIMON COURT (ACT):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. The ACT Party said we would work constructively with the Government on severe weather response legislation. On the first bill that was introduced to this House, over a month ago, we did work constructively with the Government and on the select committee and were happy to be able to nudge some changes. But it didn\u2019t go far enough. What ACT was seeking, in fact, was an economic development plan and a significant liberalisation of the environmental rules, of the labour rules, and other constraints on rebuilding in places hit by severe weather. But ACT can\u2019t support this bill, because of the \u201CHenry VIII\u201D powers that it gives Ministers in this Government and even a future Government, which, as the Hon Gerry Brownlee pointed out, might even involve an ACT Minister like me. We don\u2019t think it\u2019s acceptable for a Minister to have the powers that this bill confers on that Minister. But, again, Labour, in all its wisdom, believes that that\u2019s what it needs. But why?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000409\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s been three months since Cyclone Hale, just after New Year 2023; 2\u00BD months since West Auckland was flooded and P\u012Bh\u0101 and Muriwai devastated by slips and flooding; and two months since Cyclone Gabrielle. We still don\u2019t know what Labour would do to assist the recovery\u2014we don\u2019t know; it\u2019s not clear. They\u2019ve sent Sir Brian Roche and a task force. I would assume he\u2019s lost up some metal road in Hawke\u2019s Bay, because we haven\u2019t heard from him! And the Minister, the Hon Kieran McAnulty, wasn\u2019t prepared to say what he has found and what he has recommended to the Government. It would be really interesting and ACT would support a briefing into what Sir Brian Roche and the recovery task force have found, and how that might inform recovery.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000410\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve heard a little bit from the Minister today that he\u2019s considering bespoke legislation which would allow for the Government to value people\u2019s land when it takes it off them if it says they can\u2019t live somewhere any more. That\u2019s what they call \u201Cmanaged retreat.\u201D Well, ACT said, \u201CLook, the Public Works Act has a formula. It\u2019s fair. People understand it. If you disagree with it, you can go to court and litigate it.\u201D But, instead, the Government is going to come up with its own formula, apparently. They\u2019re going to make it up, and there\u2019s going to be three days for the panel of experts to review it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000411\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EThen I want to come to managed retreat and where the Green Party is in this managed retreat debate, because, while we have had some very positive contributions from the Green Party, from the Hon Eugenie Sage, when it comes to pointing out flaws and suggesting amendments to the bill, what is completely missing is the climate adaptation Act that the climate Minister, Green Minister James Shaw, was supposed to introduce. Apparently it\u2019s coming. Well, it would have been very helpful if there was already a piece of legislation which said how New Zealand might respond to sea-level rise, to ongoing flooding, and to other natural hazards. But despite a climate emergency being declared by Labour and Green MPs and Ministers, saying we\u2019ve only got one more year\u2014or two or three or four more years\u2014before the planet burns, we still have no idea what they think climate adaptation should look like. But the Green Party will continue to offer solutions around that that actually don\u2019t help. What ACT will do will is offer practical solutions when it comes to working out formulas and actually adapting to climate change by funding, financing, and building infrastructure.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000412\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EI just want to come very briefly to who wins from this piece of legislation. Well, clearly, the officials, who will be able to draft Orders in Council and won\u2019t have to subject their proposed policy changes or changes to legislation to parliamentary scrutiny. The officials will win, and Government Ministers who are floundering around and still have no idea how they\u2019re going to actually craft a response to those farmers, to those people in Hawke\u2019s Bay whose land is covered in silt, to the pack houses who\u2019ve had all their equipment destroyed, who have no apples to process\u2014we have no idea, and they have no idea, what economic response, what support, what wage support, what capital support, what loan support might be available to them. They\u2019re not just living in limbo; some of them are losing hope. As the farming representative Charlie Reynolds said this morning, they feel they\u2019ve been abandoned, and the ACT Party says it\u2019s unacceptable 2\u00BD months since Cyclone Hale. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000413\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EI just want to come, finally, to the people of Marlborough. This legislation covers a whole lot of regions, but it excludes Marlborough, and the Marlborough District Council and others, including engineers, submitted that actually Marlborough is the test case. Their roads were devastated. There are large areas of the Marlborough Sounds where jetties were decimated in floods and storms in 2022. And yet they are suffering under the same impenetrable red tape\u2014the Resource Management Act\u2014having to ask and beg for permission from a whole range of people in order to rebuild infrastructure. They\u2019re also limited by the funding constraints that the New Zealand Transport Agency imposes on local councils in terms of what they can use money for from the Land Transport Fund. And Marlborough said we\u2019d love some recognition, we\u2019d love some support with our recovery, but we\u2019re not included and our storm was just as bad.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000414\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EI think that really signals how important it is that we move from a knee-jerk reaction, as this Government has done\u2014supposedly great crisis managers, although the crisis manager in chief has just quit and gone off to the UN or some other country. But, look, what we really need is not knee-jerk crisis managers, we need a well-designed piece of recovery legislation as proposed by the New Zealand Initiative, and that would include establishing a recovery agency and a framework within which it would be much simpler and quicker to respond in the face of these\u2014no doubt\u2014emergencies we will face, whether it\u2019s an earthquake, or a tsunami, or a volcano, or whatever it is. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000415\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003ESo the ACT Party supports the submission that New Zealand Initiative made. And what we will also be seeking from the Minister is a briefing on the work that Sir Brian Roche and the task force has undertaken, because it will be very helpful for all parties in the House to understand what\u2019s going on there. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000416\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ll also continue to advocate for property rights. We believe it\u2019s important that people whose land might be taken by the Government or by councils, supposedly in the name of managed retreat, have the right to a fair assessment and a rapid assessment of their needs and of the value of their property if they\u2019re to be told they can\u2019t live there anymore. The people of West Auckland\u2014the organisation West Auckland is Flooding\u2014have been begging for a formula that enables people in their community, where they can\u2019t return to their homes, to move on, and the ACT Party would urge the Government to get on with that. And we look forward to working constructively with the Government on what a fair formula might be. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000417\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EBut the ACT Party can\u2019t support this piece of legislation. We won\u2019t be supporting it today, but we encourage the Government to get on with the recovery, and to include all parties in the House in the method for doing that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u0022dddaabf8ef134412b392e72f17d2de22\u0022 name=\u0022division\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, That the Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Legislation Bill be now read a third time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 98\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 64; New Zealand National 34.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 21\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EGreen Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10; ACT New Zealand 9; Te Paati M\u0101ori 2.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000418\u0022\u003EBill read a third time.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022 data-id=\u0022f4ddfa82078944f4973f4488258c731a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000419\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022f4ddfa82078944f4973f4488258c731a\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The House stands adjourned until 2 p.m. on Tuesday, 2 May 2023. Thank you for your efforts this week, ladies and gentlemen, and enjoy Easter.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000420\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003EThe House adjourned at 5.07 p.m.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202304065246b8b2d4e94d229d1dc58c7828a886000421\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n  \u003C/body\u003E\n\u003C/html\u003E"