"\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=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00226a018994afc440ad843035e2b9714368\u0022\u003EWEDNESDAY, 7 JUNE 2023\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000003\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022b2cc565112b846e7ac86fadf2821b9cb\u0022\u003EWEDNESDAY, 7 JUNE 2023\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000002\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=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000004\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00227bbf2e454d6a41d9847da4416c171d1d\u0022\u003EKarakia/Prayers\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000006\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022011093984c7542c8be80860cc4c3dc87\u0022\u003EKarakia/Prayers\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00224a25943b-cb3b-49c3-bd10-74316fae17f1\u0022 data-id=\u0022bc1a191fd4e04e0582d6448f6311d515\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000005\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224a25943b-cb3b-49c3-bd10-74316fae17f1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022bc1a191fd4e04e0582d6448f6311d515\u0022\u003EHon JACQUI DEAN (Assistant 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=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000007\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002226dfd4f26f284eaaa412afb7e3aec47c\u0022\u003EVisitors\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000008\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00221d2862169cf549ed844bb5a415cd31f5\u0022\u003EAustralia\u2014House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u00225370610203a149a7ac3c89d08dcf88c3\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000009\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225370610203a149a7ac3c89d08dcf88c3\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I am sure that members would wish to welcome members of the Australian House of Representatives\u2019 Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport, Luke Gosling and the Hon Scott Buchholz, 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=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000010\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022d1091a8992fb472983e727b41c10fcf9\u0022\u003ESpeaker\u2019s Rulings\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000011\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022120adc3cfc684764a65d2e4d956da3be\u0022\u003EOral Questions\u2014Members Quoting Partial Statements\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u00221c5e79681f484737ab5d07aeb5bdcc76\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000012\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221c5e79681f484737ab5d07aeb5bdcc76\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Members, following a point of order from the Leader of the House, I\u2019ve decided to make the following ruling. It is both the longstanding practice of this House and exceedingly common for members to use excerpts in questions\u2014Speakers\u2019 ruling 177/7. Standing Order 390 explicitly states that questions must be concise, which means quotations of any great length will be ruled out of order. Members asking questions may choose which part of a Minister\u2019s statement to quote, as long as they do so accurately, can authenticate it, and do not misrepresent the statement\u2014for example, by failing to include the word \u201Cnot\u201D or similar. If words are missed from the middle of a quote, an ellipsis must be used\u2014Speaker\u2019s ruling 178/3\u2014and the missing words cannot fundamentally change the meaning of the quote; if they do, the question will not be allowed. In return, a Minister can choose how much context they wish to include in their answer. All members will be familiar with the phrase \u201CI stand by my full statement in the context in which it was made\u201D. The answer is so familiar as to be routine in this House and only underlines the accepted practice of quoting partial statements.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000013\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002271f7de2c6ef7477c990aee77960d71d8\u0022\u003EPetitions, Papers, Select Committee Reports, and Introduction of Bills\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000015\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022e8749d2cf5374378a02a02dfe29bdc93\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=\u002259461bc17bab43299a899e15d9f9d3b4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000014\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002259461bc17bab43299a899e15d9f9d3b4\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Petitions have been delivered to the Clerk for presentation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022\u0022 data-id=\u002285a54625ccbb41baaa620bf294ad41e1\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000016\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002285a54625ccbb41baaa620bf294ad41e1\u0022\u003ECLERK\u003C/span\u003E: \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000017\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003EPetition of Jody Hopkinson for Humans of Family Court Aotearoa requesting that the House act so warrants can\u2019t be issued to social workers and police to take children, and that people cannot use allegations of parental alienation to avoid accountability for abuse.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000018\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003Epetition of Kevin Scott requesting that the House amend legislation to require holders of on-licences and club licences to provide a range of zero-alcohol beers, wines, and spirits in addition to existing requirements to supply a reasonable range of zero-alcohol and low-alcohol products\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000019\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003Epetition of Theresa Zame requesting that the House amend the Therapeutic Products Bill regarding patients importing prescription meds, clinical trials through the SCOTT Committee, and the definition of \u201Cadvertisement\u201D so it does not risk criminalising patients, advocates \u0026amp; media.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u00229f3e13899be84e1e86e682ecdb46d819\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000020\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00229f3e13899be84e1e86e682ecdb46d819\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Those petitions are referred to the Petitions Committee. No papers have been delivered for presentation. 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=\u00220f51cc7da9654ad29a5b96c6dd17aaba\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000021\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00220f51cc7da9654ad29a5b96c6dd17aaba\u0022\u003ECLERK\u003C/span\u003E: \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003EReport of the Education and Workforce Committee on the briefing on the 2021-22 annual reviews interim report\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000023\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003Ereport of the Finance and Expenditure Committee on the Water Services Economic Efficiency and Consumer Protection Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u0022e62e261c2b654457b45b30efc782ae2d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000024\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e62e261c2b654457b45b30efc782ae2d\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The bill is set down for second reading, and the briefing is set down for consideration. The Clerk has been informed of the introduction of a bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022\u0022 data-id=\u0022844a7332d9864c34805bc23f224a2646\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000025\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022844a7332d9864c34805bc23f224a2646\u0022\u003ECLERK\u003C/span\u003E: Emergency Management 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=\u0022e092fd20ee5444719b934a70277d7d25\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000026\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e092fd20ee5444719b934a70277d7d25\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: That bill is set down for first reading.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000027\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022fdddcdda3c8b48afbc0305e63ed6d315\u0022\u003EOral Questions\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000028\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022e119f5b174c644e5a7f5f1aa9d423890\u0022\u003EQuestions to Ministers\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000029\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00225ba0b1e547614f059ec09180cf5b7b2b\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 1\u2014Health\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00228e5576ce-ac6e-42fa-8d46-bdec9ba3ec7c\u0022 data-id=\u0022ff963ae357734c1da22e3bf549f58dd0\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000030\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228e5576ce-ac6e-42fa-8d46-bdec9ba3ec7c\u0022\u003E1. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ff963ae357734c1da22e3bf549f58dd0\u0022\u003EDr ANAE NERU LEAVASA (Labour\u2014Takanini)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Health: What recent announcement has she made about curbing youth vaping?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022 data-id=\u0022e35a156757fd4c6e8cbccb1a782a9170\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000031\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e35a156757fd4c6e8cbccb1a782a9170\u0022\u003EHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL (Minister of Health):\u003C/span\u003E Yesterday, I was pleased to announce, alongside the Prime Minister, a suite of measures to reduce the number of young people taking up vaping. By next year, all vaping devices sold in New Zealand will need to have removable or replaceable batteries. This could limit the sale of cheap, disposable vapes that are popular among young people. We also want vapes as far from the minds and reach of children and young people as possible, so any locations within 300 metres of schools and marae will be off limits for new specialist vape shops. All vapes need child safety mechanisms, and potentially enticing names\u2014which accompany far too many products\u2014will be prohibited. These new regulations build on protections that the Labour Government introduced in 2020, including banning sales to under-18s and prohibiting vape advertising and sponsorship.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000032\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228e5576ce-ac6e-42fa-8d46-bdec9ba3ec7c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002268b64fca58fe49e59b007c5da66ac7c5\u0022\u003EDr Anae Neru Leavasa\u003C/span\u003E: Why is the Government making these changes?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000033\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b546f69bb0c34f4e870faa28e90bb58c\u0022\u003EHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL\u003C/span\u003E: Youth vaping is becoming increasingly prevalent, with many choosing to vape despite having never smoked. Alongside our efforts to reduce tobacco smoking, we want to ensure vaping products are safe, regulated, and primarily being used for smoking cessation purposes, as intended. We\u2019ve heard from parents and other family members and from teachers and principals, all of whom are concerned at the prospect that a lifelong bad habit is becoming established for many at a young age. We\u2019re creating a future where tobacco products are no longer addictive, appealing, or as readily available; the same needs to apply to vaping.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000034\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228e5576ce-ac6e-42fa-8d46-bdec9ba3ec7c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002238ce36a87b514b56be91aa7bd0be8f2a\u0022\u003EDr Anae Neru Leavasa\u003C/span\u003E: How will these changes improve the health of young New Zealanders?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000035\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022dce722a6115a4891a19e17dc731cebbc\u0022\u003EHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL\u003C/span\u003E: Vaping has played an important role in the record reduction of New Zealanders smoking over the last few years. But it is not entirely without harms, and too many young people are vaping. Alongside these changes, a health promotion campaign is already under way to encourage young people to live vape-free lives. Through a co-design process with rangatahi, Te Whatu Ora developed Protect Your Breath, which launched on social media last year. We\u2019re taking an evidence-based approach, working to protect youth from the appeal and attractiveness of vaping.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000036\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228e5576ce-ac6e-42fa-8d46-bdec9ba3ec7c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002297ae25b569a4429a8d0cc394333e3c2c\u0022\u003EDr Anae Neru Leavasa\u003C/span\u003E: What feedback has been received about these proposals?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000037\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221916481c85df4e23b92c2d87bc58e857\u0022\u003EHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL\u003C/span\u003E: There has been significant positive feedback following the announcement. Jacqui Brown, principal of New Plymouth Girls\u2019 High School, said, \u201C[Changes] to disposable vapes is probably the strongest step because I think that helps young people from starting to vape.\u201D H\u0101pai Te Hauora commended the announcement, saying, \u201C[It] is a praiseworthy commitment to safeguarding the hauora of communities, rangatahi and tamariki.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000038\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00226683a6cf05434daeac6933940dcac719\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 2\u2014Prime Minister\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022 data-id=\u0022dbb1beb2895c44dca7762aa2468b82e7\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000039\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E2. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022dbb1beb2895c44dca7762aa2468b82e7\u0022\u003ENICOLA WILLIS (Deputy Leader\u2014National)\u003C/span\u003E to the Prime Minister: On what occasions did the Cabinet Office ask Minister Michael Wood whether he\u2019d divested his shares in Auckland Airport and, in each instance, what commitments, if any, did the Minister make to the Cabinet Office about any next steps he would take? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022 data-id=\u0022417ad5e719234859aa1dc554ae1940f5\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000040\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022417ad5e719234859aa1dc554ae1940f5\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Prime Minister):\u003C/span\u003E I asked the Cabinet Office to provide a detailed time line of their interactions, and following a review of the records, I have been advised that on 19 November 2020, 9 and 14 December 2020, 24 March 2021, 30 June 2021, 17 December 2021, 1\u00A0March 2022, 28 March 2022, 4 May 2022, 16 January 2023, 6 March 2023, and 27 March 2023, the Cabinet Office sought to confirm whether he had divested the shareholding. Throughout the process, Michael Wood confirmed that he was about to or was in the process of divesting the shareholdings. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000041\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022806024d07bb74a7a91a2b09e331f074a\u0022\u003ENicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: How many times did the Cabinet Office ask Michael Wood to divest his shares or whether he had divested his shares, and on how many occasions had Minister Wood failed to do so? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000042\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223e56a0e27961418abb5b68a5405aca2b\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: By my count, the interaction\u2014there were 12 interactions. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000043\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224b1247ac24194cd8aa8b7e988f301e2c\u0022\u003ENicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: Does he think it was honest of Michael Wood to on 12 occasions commit to divest his shares, but then on 12 occasions fail to do so? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000044\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c747354f8bb54369b634f0e54c39150d\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: As I indicated yesterday, I think he should have divested the shares when he first said he was going to. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000045\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221a8324282f244694b789e3b9d17b2b97\u0022\u003ENicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: Why does Minister Wood retain his position in Cabinet when on 12 occasions he failed to meet his commitment to the Cabinet Office and when there is an ongoing investigation into his conduct, with clear evidence that he failed to appropriately manage conflicts of interest? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000046\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022848d61a3cbf7470ba5109c3f81159125\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: I have indicated that I don\u2019t think Minister Wood had met the relevant expectations, and that is the reason he has been stood down as Minister of Transport. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000047\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002281dfa0ffd93c4d4e9d5bf61d234ce2de\u0022\u003ENicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: Why is he still in a Minister when on 12 occasions he misled the Cabinet Office into believing he was divesting his shares, but failed on 12 occasions to do so? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000048\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222cc458a30e9d43dba71727d263360f11\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: Mr Speaker, that was the same question that she just asked, and the answer is the same. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000049\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224e33c7fe62b8471ba5ad68a0231e1453\u0022\u003ENicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: If Minister Wood had been clear that he had not sold his shares in Auckland Airport, then why didn\u2019t the Cabinet Office, which the Prime Minister is responsible for, ensure that they were noted on the Cabinet Office register of ministerial conflicts of interest until such time as they were sold? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000050\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d0ed13b40efc41b096072cfcb9945e93\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: Ultimately, that\u2019s a decision for the Cabinet Office. I think the first that I was made aware of the shareholding was over the weekend or on Friday, which was when my office was made aware of that. In terms of why they didn\u2019t signal that, I\u2019m somewhat frustrated that when I was doing the reshuffle, which the Cabinet Office were consulted on, they had not highlighted that as an issue for me. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000051\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224fe811622d674bf3bac0e8cae80f986d\u0022\u003ENicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: Is it good enough for the Prime Minister to be \u201Csomewhat frustrated\u201D when again and again his Cabinet Ministers and the Cabinet Office appear not to be enforcing the rules of Cabinet as set out in the Cabinet Manual, and has the Prime Minister considered simply locking his Ministers in a room for an hour, telling them to read it, and then to apply it? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000052\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224a8c99d90370428f97753c5e107e72a2\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: In answer to the first part of the question: no, it\u2019s not acceptable. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000053\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222ca88ce38f3441ae9bf1ff14de8ceef6\u0022\u003ENicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: Can he assure New Zealanders that all his Ministers have appropriately declared all conflicts of interest to the Cabinet Office and that those interests have been appropriately managed? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000054\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229ac1470e34dd455bbda78d052bebdaa6\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: It is my expectation that Ministers will follow the rules around conflict of interest. Those rules are clear, and where there is any evidence that they haven\u2019t, then I will deal with that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000055\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ccc194749278446dbc887f7055fdb83c\u0022\u003ENicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: Will he now authorise an independent investigation into how it is that on 12 separate occasions, Minister Wood told the Cabinet Office he was selling his shares, but on 12 separate occasions failed to do so, and will the Prime Minister stand Minister Wood down from his ministerial duties for the duration of that investigation? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000056\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a3c285f0a4a94896b5cbee7894ee0895\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: I don\u2019t believe that there is a need to have an investigation on that matter, because the facts are clear and they are not contested. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000057\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227277e1ad44304bbbbdf7695364722f8a\u0022\u003EDavid Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Were the communications between Minister Wood and the Cabinet Office written or spoken, and if written, will he release the correspondence to the public? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000058\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f7aaf322ddeb461d87dce69e3e255328\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: A mixture of both, and the Cabinet Office\u2019s records of course are subject to the Official Information Act. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000059\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00222e4e0e57821c45b0b2f7c46db2f5ba3f\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 3\u2014Regional Development\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00225a797c9e-cc29-454e-b348-6a415e930295\u0022 data-id=\u0022b1d130358e3f4bde9d3fd99301ad1fe3\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000060\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225a797c9e-cc29-454e-b348-6a415e930295\u0022\u003E3. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b1d130358e3f4bde9d3fd99301ad1fe3\u0022\u003ETERISA NGOBI (Labour\u2014\u014Ctaki)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister for Regional Development: What announcements has she made about investment into our regional economies?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022 data-id=\u0022d1bf160e8cef4962bdc8cbeed6540329\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000061\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d1bf160e8cef4962bdc8cbeed6540329\u0022\u003EHon KIRITAPU ALLAN (Minister for Regional Development):\u003C/span\u003E On 25 May, I announced a further round of investment from the Regional Strategic Partnership Fund, with $24 million allocated to 10 diverse projects up and down the country. Our regions are the backbone of our economy, and these projects build on the Government\u2019s investment to boost regional economic resilience and set up our communities so that they continue to thrive in the future. As at 25 May, around $3.2 billion has been paid out from K\u0101noa-managed funds to support our region\u2019s economies, and 1,148 projects have been completed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000062\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225a797c9e-cc29-454e-b348-6a415e930295\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c7958ba9271d4f7685f74e63ed5ea629\u0022\u003ETerisa Ngobi\u003C/span\u003E: What projects from the Waikato received funding from the Regional Strategic Partnership Fund as part of this announcement?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000063\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228d52524d38634778ac439f244708d995\u0022\u003EHon KIRITAPU ALLAN\u003C/span\u003E: A $1.1 million loan for Clean Technology for Fertiliser, to support the construction of a new geothermal energy uplink which will provide process heat in the manufacturing of slow release fertiliser membranes; a $4 million loan to He Ahi Limited Partnership for the development and construction of an industrial park with geothermal process heat options; and a $3 million grant to the South Waikato District Council for development of the Maraetai Road Intermodal Business Park. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000064\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225a797c9e-cc29-454e-b348-6a415e930295\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225cb4a91cbc8b46babc52369480c0da25\u0022\u003ETerisa Ngobi\u003C/span\u003E: What projects from the East Coast and Hawke\u2019s Bay received funding from the Regional Strategic Partnership Fund as part of this announcement?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000065\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223a169666272741ab892deda4411e3d8a\u0022\u003EHon KIRITAPU ALLAN\u003C/span\u003E: Fantastic region. With respect to the East Coast: on the East Coast, a $4 million loan to Judds Composting for construction of a facility to allow an existing composting operation to take in other waste streams from in and near Gisborne. In the Hawke\u2019s Bay, a $2 million to bbi Wood Products to expand a Building Futures programme for disadvantaged youth, as well as training and employment initiatives; and a $3.5 million loan to Ng\u0101ti P\u0101hauwera Commercial Development Limited for developing the initial phase of a 60-hectare orchard near Wairoa, for horticulture. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000066\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225a797c9e-cc29-454e-b348-6a415e930295\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221cdc1508f8a6435f8ad97fa5232c1dff\u0022\u003ETerisa Ngobi\u003C/span\u003E: What other projects received funding from the Regional Strategic Partnership Fund as part of this announcement? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000067\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a8cab3e3-b023-4ce7-9f4b-2c4137029057\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022494c4e62ba8d4460b8944fc49975c63d\u0022\u003EHon KIRITAPU ALLAN\u003C/span\u003E: And the member that just questioned me\u2014a fantastic electorate of \u014Ctaki: a $2 million loan to 26 Seasons Limited for the Foxton Scale Up Project, to support growth of indoor hydroponics-based horticulture business; in Nelson, a $2.5 million loan to SnapIT to support manufacturing and development of its live camera artificial intelligence hardware and satellite communication system technology\u2014perhaps the Leader of the Opposition might be able to make some use of that\u2014and in Timaru, a $500,000 grant to the Fraser Park Redevelopment Trust for the transmission of the Fraser Park facility into a multi-event arena. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000068\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022a24f78a409c6423cad240fe1d9148a21\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 4\u2014Prime Minister\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022 data-id=\u00227462c62991bd47feb757dc7a43b316c7\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000069\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E4. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227462c62991bd47feb757dc7a43b316c7\u0022\u003EDAVID SEYMOUR (Leader\u2014ACT)\u003C/span\u003E to the Prime Minister: Is he confident that officials and Ministers are making decisions transparently and impartially?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022 data-id=\u0022860bf97475984b74ad643d8bdc29f8bd\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000070\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022860bf97475984b74ad643d8bdc29f8bd\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Prime Minister):\u003C/span\u003E Broadly, yes. Ministers and officials make a broad range of decisions, each governed by different processes and considerations. The high-quality nature of those decisions, and the accountability and review mechanisms for decision makers in those decisions, is a core feature of New Zealand\u2019s Government, and one of the main reasons for New Zealand\u2019s renowned for transparency, good governance, and ease of business.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000071\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a2b4e0937bfd4063a9ede4b987ca61c8\u0022\u003EBrooke van Velden\u003C/span\u003E: How can a developer applying for a subdivision consent be confident the independent hearings commissioner does not have an investment in a competing subdivision, when the Prime Minister couldn\u2019t trust his own transport Minister to declare shares of Auckland Airport when declining \u201Cairport authority\u201D status to the North Shore Aerodrome?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000072\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002236115808dd7a45d38d5ef2aebe44ba23\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: Those two things are completely unrelated. But if the member has any evidence of the first, I\u2019d encourage her to share it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000073\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223e43c957-a2f1-43cf-baf7-5b77358e038b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fa915b5409914a05bd62eb7d98042b1e\u0022\u003EChris Baillie\u003C/span\u003E: How can a humble pub owner applying for a liquor licence under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act be sure that the district licensing committee members haven\u2019t invested in a competing pub, when the Prime Minister couldn\u2019t trust his own transport Minister to declare shares in Auckland Airport when declining \u201Cairport authority\u201D status to the North Shore Aerodrome?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000074\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226c46c98ac6474a61b437ce349d0da257\u0022\u003EHon Grant Robertson\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order, Mr Speaker. Two parts of a question need to have something to do with each other. I think we can see what\u2019s being attempted here by the ACT Party, but I can\u2019t see how the first part of that question is in order as a question to a Minister\u2014the Prime Minister, in this case.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000075\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223c6e465ff5f84d5a8fcb1a2320d45c9e\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The primary question has quite a wide scope to it. The Prime Minister is basically responsible for everything that the Government does, so I\u2019m going to allow the question. But like I\u2019ve warned members before, especially when they get more than one lead to a question or it\u2019s not particularly\u2014if you\u2019re wanting a specific answer like that, you may not get that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000076\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022542fa4e1f32144f8bd9b068aac2fd2c2\u0022\u003EDavid Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Is he going to answer the question, Mr Speaker?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000077\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cc02071a1b674d138ed08dfded728d58\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Yes. The question\u2019s been asked and the Prime Minister will address it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000078\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bd36a25ab31e4cc294cc6ba2f5a7e31e\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: The two issues that the member raised in the question are completely unrelated. Again, the allegation in the first part of the question is a serious one. If the member has any evidence that that has happened, then he should produce it. But in answer to the second part of the question, the Minister concerned had declared the shares.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000079\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fafd4754eb0d4c5f9a52bc7e568e3302\u0022\u003ESimon Court\u003C/span\u003E: How can miners applying for mining permits under the Crown Minerals Act be confident that the responsible Minister hasn\u2019t invested in a competing mine, when the Prime Minister couldn\u2019t trust his own transport Minister to declare shares in Auckland Airport when declining \u201Cairport authority\u201D status to the North Shore Aerodrome?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000080\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002240924847fe324b29a7a92b4cbe60e3b9\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: Again, that\u2019s a very serious allegation that the member has made in the first part of the question. If he has any evidence at all to back up the allegation that he\u2019s just made, then he should produce it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000081\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ff1ad5a3-e02a-4ffe-a961-ef69bdaee1c9\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022dac9ff4c149143f19c1f076cac1a9a92\u0022\u003EDr James McDowall\u003C/span\u003E: How can he be confident that nobody approving or declining Callaghan Innovation grants has an undisclosed share in the applicant or their competitors, when the Prime Minister couldn\u2019t trust his own transport Minister to declare shares in Auckland Airport when declining airport authority status to the North Shore Aerodrome?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000082\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225c4b2c305376429dbcbd86b7728b0ba0\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: If the member has any evidence to back up the claim he\u2019s made in the first part of the question, he should produce it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000083\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002286ae9a20-33bd-4912-8dc1-5b4eb670be44\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224eafeb0342f7465c88e570e0259fb49c\u0022\u003EKaren Chhour\u003C/span\u003E: How can people dealing with Oranga Tamariki (OT) be confident with OT staff making decisions to put children in foster families\u2019 care don\u2019t have undisclosed interests in the adopting families, when the Prime Minister couldn\u2019t trust his own transport Minister to declare shares in Auckland Airport when declining airport authority status to the North Shore Aerodrome?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222be1131965924d179e3b9a727c092e43\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: I think that\u2019s an absolutely disgraceful way of abusing a system that\u2019s designed to protect children, and the member should know better.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000085\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a97e1705-20b1-4844-8140-1090426c1397\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d200058dfbce44f481b659d340cd4d4e\u0022\u003EDamien Smith\u003C/span\u003E: How can overseas investors be confident that nobody in the Overseas Investment Office making decisions about\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000086\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225bbd9f26-fdb0-4b85-a836-0fc46e1bba3c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022462bba174c304aaca91be35dc4e40359\u0022\u003EHon Dr David Clark\u003C/span\u003E: He\u2019s using a dead baby\u2019s passport.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000087\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a97e1705-20b1-4844-8140-1090426c1397\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b39e94d4d9f343e4b4f1548b13846f09\u0022\u003EDamien Smith\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014the application has shares\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002284679320575f444e973b3713e8f90083\u0022\u003EDavid Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order, Mr Speaker. I just heard David Clark make a pretty outrageous heckle which, first of all, he shouldn\u2019t be speaking\u2014questions should be heard in silence\u2014and, second of all, he might like to consider withdrawing the remark that he made, if he feels that\u2019s appropriate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000089\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f7a3d88fe70d49c6a1a95b96f881253f\u0022\u003EHon Grant Robertson\u003C/span\u003E: Speaking to the point of order, Mr Speaker, it has occurred a few times, in your reign as Speaker, where the nature of questions has led people to interject during them. We\u2019ve just had a succession of questions from the ACT Party that have impugned a range of public servants, public service agencies, and Ministers, and I don\u2019t think it\u2019s surprising, in light of those questions, that there will be interjections during them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000090\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222515a0b01fd54c1db0fee233957d97bf\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: Speaking to the point of order, Mr Speaker, it\u2019s not for individual members in this House to determine the appropriateness or otherwise of a question\u2014that\u2019s your job. That\u2019s why we have collectively supported you in the chair. And the questions that were asked from the ACT Party may not be comfortable for people who are hearing those questions, but they are, none the less, legitimately asked and should, wherever possible, in the public interest, be given an answer.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000091\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b446f2d3753342388bf2510f9e423095\u0022\u003EHon Grant Robertson\u003C/span\u003E: Speaking to that point of order.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000092\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002245826104a3644651b1cd010464704c69\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Do you have to? Quite clearly, the questions being asked have upset some members of the House. That doesn\u2019t automatically mean that they\u2019re out of order. I have allowed the questions to be asked, and members of the public will make their own judgment around them. But I thank the father of the House for his intervention.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000093\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229ba83f4a3d534a149b715a185afa0946\u0022\u003EHon Members\u003C/span\u003E: Grandfather.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000094\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fc0ef9a3281b4099a4def8707972b0d3\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Yeah, well\u2014I think I\u2019m acknowledging the experience of the member and his contribution. So whilst members might not like what they\u2019re hearing, in terms of the question, the member does have the right to ask it. Would you like to ask it again?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000095\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a97e1705-20b1-4844-8140-1090426c1397\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022540961fb86af456ebdca8cdaabbe752e\u0022\u003EDamien Smith\u003C/span\u003E: How can overseas investors be confident that nobody in the Overseas Investment Office making decisions about their application has shares in land or companies affected by the investment, when the Prime Minister couldn\u2019t trust his own transport Minister to declare shares in Auckland Airport when declining airport authority status to the North Shore Aerodrome?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000096\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022087656dc2f6d471b8fff80aabed2bf0d\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m absolutely satisfied that if any of the very serious allegations that the ACT members have raised in any of their questions have any basis of fact, there are systems in place to deal with them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000097\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00227f08843d62364f99bbeefa8eba263829\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 5\u2014Defence\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022acf78260-1a45-46a5-bc98-1a34a13ec1d1\u0022 data-id=\u0022c9383eb3478d4b2db2f47de54eb52a90\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000098\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022acf78260-1a45-46a5-bc98-1a34a13ec1d1\u0022\u003E5. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c9383eb3478d4b2db2f47de54eb52a90\u0022\u003EDAN ROSEWARNE (Labour)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Defence: What progress has been made on the procurement of Bushmaster protected armoured vehicles?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022 data-id=\u00221d5ebdef2b424737ab403529f6d2b511\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000099\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221d5ebdef2b424737ab403529f6d2b511\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Defence):\u003C/span\u003E Last month, I had the pleasure of visiting the Trentham Military Camp to mark the arrival of the first 18 Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles in New Zealand. This Government has purchased a total of 43 Bushmasters to replace the ageing Pinzgauers. The remaining vehicles will be arriving in the coming months. The Bushmasters are a world-class land defence platform designed to carry out a range of tasks from protected troop transport, ambulance response, mobile command, and advanced communications. They will ensure our army is ready to respond to the range of national security threats New Zealand faces both here and abroad, from extreme weather and natural disaster response to search and rescue to peacekeeping and security missions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000100\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022acf78260-1a45-46a5-bc98-1a34a13ec1d1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224c7b9a328f7641ebaa07ee9e62048c6f\u0022\u003EDan Rosewarne\u003C/span\u003E: How much has the Government invested into Bushmaster procurement programmes?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000101\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224050694c784343d3a4470c4bb20b7620\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: The Government has invested $106 million to procure the 43 vehicles, including spares and supporting systems. In Budget 2023, we committed a further $58 million to equip the Bushmasters with world-class, secure communications. That was the appropriate time to green-light this investment because it allows us to apply the very latest partner interoperability and cyber-security standards. Like all significant defence procurement projects, we should expect to see ongoing upgrades to the Bushmasters\u2019 platform over time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022acf78260-1a45-46a5-bc98-1a34a13ec1d1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bb9f68aa1ec24784949af2658a81b75f\u0022\u003EDan Rosewarne\u003C/span\u003E: Where would the Bushmasters be stationed?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000103\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227f9f58e2ff6e45f381b2d2b89a669723\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: After the delivery and commissioning phases, the fleet will be stationed at Linton and Burnham army bases. This means there will be Bushmasters ready to respond to extreme weather events and natural disasters in both the North and the South Islands.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000104\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022acf78260-1a45-46a5-bc98-1a34a13ec1d1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022573b7a90884e4c4bba8cc3ea5f730633\u0022\u003EDan Rosewarne\u003C/span\u003E: What reaction has he seen from the troops to the arrival of the Bushmasters?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000105\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225787dea5d5e04d3785c8a55d00f98b20\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. One lance corporal was quoted in the media saying, \u201Cwe\u2019ve definitely moved up there in the world\u201D and the Bushmasters \u201Cwill make a big difference to the role our soldiers play overseas\u201D. A number of defence personnel and officials told me about the pride they feel in this programme having now delivered in what is almost record time for defence procurement\u2014and I know that the Minister of Finance is thrilled about that as well\u2014from Cabinet sign-off in June 2020 to the first Bushmasters being unveiled last month. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the soldiers, officers, and civilian staff who have contributed to the delivery. And, of course, I thank one of my predecessors, or my predecessor but one, the Hon Ron Mark, who initiated the programme.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000106\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022acf78260-1a45-46a5-bc98-1a34a13ec1d1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225a2d7109e0d94389a0fde4a4414316e1\u0022\u003EDan Rosewarne\u003C/span\u003E: How does the investment into Bushmasters align with the Government\u2019s wider investments into defence?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000107\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223aeb92e0805f4ef6b9cb4943721aee80\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: The Bushmasters are part of the more than $4.5 billion this Government has invested into strengthening our defence capability across land, sea, and air. This includes four new P-8A Poseidon aircraft, five C130J Super Hercules, and upgrades to our frigates. In Budget 2023, we\u2019ve also invested in housing upgrades and the largest pay increases for our defence personnel in a decade. This is a Government committed to New Zealand having a defence force that is ready to respond and protect our national security.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000108\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00224db10500a90845e2a404af9bad4c498e\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 6\u2014Auckland\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022 data-id=\u00226ec15ae861544abcae3ccdde7cd939b5\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000109\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E6. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226ec15ae861544abcae3ccdde7cd939b5\u0022\u003EHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister for Auckland: Does he stand by all his statements and actions?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022 data-id=\u002272519f69f6ca4aa5bce0668990823a0f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000110\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002272519f69f6ca4aa5bce0668990823a0f\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOOD (Minister for Auckland):\u003C/span\u003E Yes, in their full context.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000111\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226aae43f63bdc4a6eb739f3127bc3a14d\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: Does he stand by his statements to the Cabinet Office about his personal shareholdings in Auckland International Airport?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000112\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b1210fc4b4884b7ca153c0852544018f\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOOD\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, I do, in their full context.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000113\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022959701b3e7a3497d9f0fa7716d88a448\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: And if he stated to the Cabinet Office that he was going to sell his shares in Auckland Airport, why didn\u2019t he sell them?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000114\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e82dfbd3587640838e005f7145517172\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOOD\u003C/span\u003E: I commenced the process of selling those shares in early 2022. I regret that I did not complete it. That is an issue that I am focused on fixing now.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000115\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a6d5007f96f049ffab9b1dc9c4832f23\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: Did he not say to the Cabinet Office in late 2020 that he was going to sell them, and why did he only start in 2022?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000116\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b77522fee3be44c185887f35da976d37\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOOD\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s important to note that I declared all of my shareholdings to the Cabinet Office at the time that I became Minister. They did provide advice to me on a number of occasions that I should have sold them. I regret that I did not pursue that as quickly as I should have. That is the process that I am focused on fixing now.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000117\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022684605f13d534f92aa6c2cd56694b00e\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: Does he acknowledge that for a Minister not to do something he has told the Cabinet Office he will do, once, is a mistake, but to do it twice as the Minister for Auckland and another 10 times before can only be either deliberate concealment or rank incompetence; and if so, which one is it?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000118\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022886119362fa64710851e0802f7009cb5\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOOD\u003C/span\u003E: The member\u2019s assertion is wrong. I only became the Minister for Auckland in February of this year.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000119\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227bb7cc6f1b4b433a89df7a5c31b5057d\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order, Mr Speaker. We just heard from the Prime Minister that he was asked twice during the time he was the Minister for Auckland by the Cabinet Office whether he\u2019d sold his shares or not.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000120\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222d0caf407b144ba9a37c280372e891bd\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Either way, the question was addressed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000121\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bbd7652102d84224a4ace8f2ef479911\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree with the characterisation of his performance over the shares in The Post this morning as, \u201Ccreeping incompetence\u201D?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000122\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022749ecc1fa2104fa08b2b1f49efa08b15\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOOD\u003C/span\u003E: I agree that I should have sold the shares more quickly than I did. I deeply regret that I did not. My focus now is on fixing that issue.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000123\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ec3205beae8447d89dc05e8b9440008b\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: During his meetings with the Mayor of Auckland, when the conversation turned to tourism and Auckland\u2019s connectivity, did he disclose to the mayor his personal shareholding in Auckland Airport?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000124\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d758bd2bccfb48dcafb5227a4d5e4b51\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOOD\u003C/span\u003E: No, I did not, but I note that I did publicly disclose that shareholding on the register of pecuniary interests in early 2022.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000125\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b58fed50f972402f8449b689e25befce\u0022\u003EHon Paul Goldsmith\u003C/span\u003E: Did he have any conversations with the mayor or with any unions about the council\u2019s proposed sale of Auckland Airport shares?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000126\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022098b8334-57f8-4062-bac6-bfbc3474e88e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222fbfdcee8a7d4b4e9cbe599408b9c9ad\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOOD\u003C/span\u003E: I have had no conversations of that kind. On a number of occasions, the major has spoken to me in general terms about his budget process, and I have said to him, as I have said publicly, that that is a matter for Auckland Council.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000127\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002246a1286fb0774f8b9f361c395321786c\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 7\u2014Oceans and Fisheries\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022 data-id=\u00221cf92ad595db47408488a90efc4a4d6c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000128\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003E7. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221cf92ad595db47408488a90efc4a4d6c\u0022\u003EHon EUGENIE SAGE (Green)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries: Is she confident that the vision that \u201CNew Zealanders work towards zero fishing-related \u2026 mortalities\u201D in the National Plan of Action \u2013 Seabirds 2020 is resulting in significant progress to protect seabirds; if not, will she ensure stronger action is taken?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002227535d92-0798-4e04-be80-9e91b53610e2\u0022 data-id=\u00224296fbf7a10e41b88523d12cacd71618\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000129\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227535d92-0798-4e04-be80-9e91b53610e2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224296fbf7a10e41b88523d12cacd71618\u0022\u003EHon RACHEL BROOKING (Minister for Oceans and Fisheries):\u003C/span\u003E Yes, I am confident in this vision and the significant progress being achieved by this plan. This plan has four goals: avoiding bycatch, healthy seabird populations, research and information, and international engagement. Preliminary 2020-21 estimations indicate a downward trend in seabird captures. This is a result of a comprehensive programme of scientific research, monitoring, and active management currently under way to achieve these goals. There is more work to do but Aotearoa\u2019s seabirds are a precious taonga, and I want to make sure they\u2019re here for future generations.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000130\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c1941c5d061e4244ab8f2acb6bdfa9b2\u0022\u003EHon Eugenie Sage\u003C/span\u003E: What, if any, further work does the Minister consider is needed before making all three best-practice mitigation measures for surface longlining, tori streamer lines, weighted lines, and night setting compulsory to reduce seabird bycatch and address the \u201Clow uptake of voluntary measures\u201D identified by Fisheries New Zealand in its 2022 review?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000131\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227535d92-0798-4e04-be80-9e91b53610e2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a1ed1e13f4ba497f985669b2771e4c75\u0022\u003EHon RACHEL BROOKING\u003C/span\u003E: A review of the surface longline mitigation regulations is currently under way. The consultation closed on Friday, 12 May. Submissions are currently being assessed and I will receive advice on those shortly. As the member said, this consultation addressed the three out of three mitigation measures on surface longline vessels and whether they should be applied at all times. That is, a tori line\u2014or a bird scaring line\u2014setting at night, and weighting the line. So I\u2019m awaiting that advice.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000132\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e3f8dcb4e334466abda627ba1d11e6dc\u0022\u003EHon Eugenie Sage\u003C/span\u003E: Is the Minister satisfied that the numbers of reported seabird mortalities in surface longline fisheries are accurate, when observed effort of surface longline hooks in 2020-21 was only 11 percent?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000133\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227535d92-0798-4e04-be80-9e91b53610e2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c2cb4560d1e647aabcd7fbeeb9152b15\u0022\u003EHon RACHEL BROOKING\u003C/span\u003E: I don\u2019t have information about that specific issue to hand; I\u2019m happy to provide it in a written question.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000134\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002257f2ba687ce64f87bf657fcd9af36cd3\u0022\u003EHon Eugenie Sage\u003C/span\u003E: What action, if any, is the Minister considering to avoid seabirds being killed by bottom longline and trawl fisheries, when each of these fishing methods captures more seabirds each year than surface longlining, between 1,400 and 2,598 birds in the case of bottom longlining in 2019-20?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000135\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227535d92-0798-4e04-be80-9e91b53610e2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002272ec7ef979fa4d7a826c6f07739b3e54\u0022\u003EHon RACHEL BROOKING\u003C/span\u003E: The plan has an annual report and there are review processes in that. At the moment, it\u2019s focused on the longline, and it will look at these other mitigation measures as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000136\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002267242f25341a458c8a549a1baf181b6f\u0022\u003EHon Eugenie Sage\u003C/span\u003E: What does the Minister say to BirdLife International, who predict that the critically threatened antipodean albatross will be made extinct by 2050 because of deaths from commercial fishing bycatch and a population which has declined by more than two-thirds since 2005?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227535d92-0798-4e04-be80-9e91b53610e2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022caceb0784a0b495dbe148795f8824d68\u0022\u003EHon RACHEL BROOKING\u003C/span\u003E: Protection for the antipodean albatross is an issue that needs to be solved with the international community, and New Zealand is leading the measures internationally to help protect these majestic seabirds. We do have a lot of research under way and are actively working with other countries to understand where the risks to seabirds are occurring across the Southern Hemisphere, and how best to manage these risks. The proposals to strengthen the seabird mitigation in surface longline fishing that I\u2019ve just discussed and will receive advice on soon will help with that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000138\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022523a8013ccab40f6a394bf69bfce1943\u0022\u003EHon Eugenie Sage\u003C/span\u003E: With no significant improvement over the last 10 years in the number of protected seabirds killed each year, will the Minister consider using her powers under the Fisheries Act to establish mortality limits for seabird species after which fishing stops; if not, why not?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000139\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227535d92-0798-4e04-be80-9e91b53610e2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228eff8bfdb16245e0bc090b13fbbb9ecf\u0022\u003EHon RACHEL BROOKING\u003C/span\u003E: I will continue asking officials for advice on the best mitigation measures.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000140\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022904283d5c413474981e762e88c19f86e\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 8\u2014Rural Communities\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00224b53c8fa-5ba4-4150-98be-dd23e49cf0bb\u0022 data-id=\u00229a4d7ec3c946460195c911b483b34e0e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000141\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224b53c8fa-5ba4-4150-98be-dd23e49cf0bb\u0022\u003E8. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00229a4d7ec3c946460195c911b483b34e0e\u0022\u003EANNA LORCK (Labour\u2014Tukituki)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister for Rural Communities: What recent reports has he received on Government support to cyclone-affected rural communities?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022 data-id=\u00227eebe33dae2345b38bc630f4d05f1f58\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000142\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227eebe33dae2345b38bc630f4d05f1f58\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY (Minister for Rural Communities):\u003C/span\u003E I receive regular updates on the Government\u2019s work to support rural communities to recover from Cyclone Gabrielle. I can confirm that, as of 6 June 2023, $62.8 million has been paid out in recovery grants to farmers and growers for 5,474 impacted properties. There are also specific recovery projects that have been funded through a fully committed $4 million mobilisation fund. These grants have gone towards immediate cost of recovery following the cyclone. I acknowledge that many of these farmers and growers continue to do it tough, so I\u2019m regularly meeting with them to get on-the-ground perspectives on what further support is needed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000143\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224b53c8fa-5ba4-4150-98be-dd23e49cf0bb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226bebd413ae714d8abfa4564c00cba569\u0022\u003EAnna Lorck\u003C/span\u003E: What projects have been supported through the $4 million mobilisation fund?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000144\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002205ce3c1775784061aef3a46cf05fce9f\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019ve been advised that the fund has been fully committed to projects covering aerial surveys, mental wellbeing, recovery advice, logistics, and reimbursement of costs of urgent response activity. Since the start of March, Operation Muster has facilitated the transport of more than 45,000 livestock off Hawke\u2019s Bay farms left cut off following Cyclone Gabrielle. The areas covered include Patoka, Rissington, Dartmoor, Puketitiri, Tutira, Putorino, and Waikoau. More than 6,000 tonnes of critical supplies have been delivered to cut-off rural communities in Tair\u0101whiti, but through Operation Reach the support is ensuring vital supplies get to farmers and growers left isolated by severed transport links.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000145\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224b53c8fa-5ba4-4150-98be-dd23e49cf0bb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022434c2cc3fa0448498b4447944acc8d27\u0022\u003EAnna Lorck\u003C/span\u003E: What further support has been announced through Budget 2023?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000146\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022eb0038a1f7d14b4f84b5502d7435d459\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY\u003C/span\u003E: Budget 2023 allocated a further $35.4 million to support the recovery of rural communities. This is broken down into a $5.4 million fund for the North Island Weather Event Isolated Rural Communities Recovery Fund and $30 million for the North Island Weather Event Time-Critical Primary Industries Recovery Fund. The Ministry for Primary Industries is seeking expressions of interest from industry partners, including industry good organisations, community groups, and M\u0101ori entities that can provide supplies and services in affected regions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000147\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224b53c8fa-5ba4-4150-98be-dd23e49cf0bb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022adc90f52a8f545419907b068a3992ee4\u0022\u003EAnna Lorck\u003C/span\u003E: How will the $5.4 million isolated rural communities fund be used?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000148\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022843038e9052d4a5092b417312f595c9a\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY\u003C/span\u003E: This funding will be used for activities which deliver support for impacted rural communities, including support for marae or other suitable facilities in communities to provide hub locations and supporting the hub\u2019s operations; funding community groups and support networks to coordinate community-led recovery and increase community members\u2019 access to the support needed for their recovery; helping community groups to cover the logistical cost of operating in severely impacted regions; the development of iwi-led wellbeing initiatives supporting community hubs to host regular community clinics and events; and the delivery of specialised support and information resources, support for maintenance of telecommunications links, supply of materials and equipment to community hubs, and movement of community coordinators and specialist advisers into and around isolated regions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000149\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224b53c8fa-5ba4-4150-98be-dd23e49cf0bb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ec11b31b8d1946a081a9fcc95cdfb0db\u0022\u003EAnna Lorck\u003C/span\u003E: What support is available for the management and removal of silt and debris in Hawke\u2019s Bay?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000150\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002207c77f99c51f4cc39c9b9be5406bd463\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY\u003C/span\u003E: Applications for the sediment and silt recovery fund have opened today. Available funding includes grants of up to $40,000 and further funding of up to $210,000 on a 50:50 cost-share basis. Applications can be made directly to the Hawke\u2019s Bay Regional Council.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000151\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022d0d466812cdc40a38b9858b5405160a8\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 9\u2014Education\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022275c91f8-c6b8-42fd-b3ab-d8fc000dd41f\u0022 data-id=\u0022d3cbc6c81df94f4d9b725a7424b6cbfb\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000152\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022275c91f8-c6b8-42fd-b3ab-d8fc000dd41f\u0022\u003E9. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d3cbc6c81df94f4d9b725a7424b6cbfb\u0022\u003EERICA STANFORD (National\u2014East Coast Bays)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Education: 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=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022 data-id=\u002206b152c2a66c418ea448f6058111e4b0\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000153\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002206b152c2a66c418ea448f6058111e4b0\u0022\u003EHon KELVIN DAVIS (Associate Minister of Education (M\u0101ori Education)) \u003C/span\u003Eon behalf of the Minister of Education: On behalf of the Minister, in the context they were given, yes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000154\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022275c91f8-c6b8-42fd-b3ab-d8fc000dd41f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f3ab511e7ec646e18c7d82284401260d\u0022\u003EErica Stanford\u003C/span\u003E: How many students are not enrolled in school, based on the latest data she has seen?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000155\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220fe2d67efb384a76bc697fa1e459776c\u0022\u003EHon KELVIN DAVIS\u003C/span\u003E: I don\u2019t have that information directly to hand, and if she wanted specific information on that subject, she should have put it in the primary question.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000156\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022275c91f8-c6b8-42fd-b3ab-d8fc000dd41f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fc1572d26ae947a081268fcb89afd6aa\u0022\u003EErica Stanford\u003C/span\u003E: Is the reason the numbers of non-enrolled students are not reported in the publicly released attendance data because her office requested this data be omitted?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000157\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229638e35f412f4f019a523c02831f0002\u0022\u003EHon KELVIN DAVIS\u003C/span\u003E: On behalf of the Minister, no.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000158\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022275c91f8-c6b8-42fd-b3ab-d8fc000dd41f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002205cded4832a7472b8dff4db1addd24e1\u0022\u003EErica Stanford\u003C/span\u003E: Why is it that the number of young people who\u2019ve completely disengaged from the education system is not released to the public alongside other attendance data?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000159\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022546fc99c276f428b91ed4523d113d636\u0022\u003EHon KELVIN DAVIS\u003C/span\u003E: Look, I don\u2019t have a specific answer to that question. Again, that\u2019s something I think she should put in writing to our Minister, and the Minister\u2019s office will get back to her.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000160\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022275c91f8-c6b8-42fd-b3ab-d8fc000dd41f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a5dc13c7f4d34c9e976e09e5bad42161\u0022\u003EErica Stanford\u003C/span\u003E: Is the reason she isn\u2019t proactively publicly releasing the number of young people unenrolled from school because under this Government, that number is two and a half times higher after six years in office; and will she commit to regularly publishing the number of unenrolled students with the rest of the attendance data?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000161\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229a23efe248a947479723749bc67d4ae9\u0022\u003EHon KELVIN DAVIS\u003C/span\u003E: There were about three questions in that\u2014no.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000162\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00228335e76a6a7f4086888a9e0fcc6ad045\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 10\u2014Digital Economy and Communications\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022 data-id=\u00221953c99646dd4276ac6822cf504bfc06\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000163\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003E10. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221953c99646dd4276ac6822cf504bfc06\u0022\u003EGLEN BENNETT (Labour\u2014New Plymouth)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications: What recent announcements has the Government made about boosting our digital workforce?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022 data-id=\u0022a9543f563b764b0595b1feedd9a4e85f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000164\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a9543f563b764b0595b1feedd9a4e85f\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN (Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications):\u003C/span\u003E Budget 2023 lays the foundations for a low-emissions, high-wage economy, with major investments into our digital and tech sectors. The Government is investing $27 million in a digital skills package that will focus on growing the tech sector workforce under the Digital Technologies Industry ITP\u2014Industry Transformation Plan. Funding will support the development of apprenticeship-like pilot programmes that will include support for both trainees and employers to make the most of these pathways into employment. We\u2019re supporting these pilots so people can earn while they learn and also get industry experience while they study.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000165\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cd857adc55cc4379a3546286ce9ea18a\u0022\u003EGlen Bennett\u003C/span\u003E: What else will the digital skills package be supporting?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000166\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220f9354f2fdd7403587a1f69bb77105a6\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN\u003C/span\u003E: We\u2019re also, then, supporting in-school outreach programmes. These programmes are designed to provide students with the opportunity to get a real view of the industry by highlighting tech careers and integrating the skills needed into their education programme. This includes integrating in-school learning and work-based learning with local employers. For example, students might gain NCEA credits and work towards completing qualifications in information technology. Through programmes such as these, students become work-ready and are able to earn higher wages.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000167\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221721cd9bc8ee43699a4def2eb6975664\u0022\u003EGlen Bennett\u003C/span\u003E: Why are you looking to grow the tech sector workforce?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000168\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221b01373a2fef495ebe3eea391e8e307c\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN\u003C/span\u003E: The digital tech sector significantly helps lift New Zealand\u2019s productivity and wealth. In 2021 alone, the sector contributed $7 billion towards New Zealand\u2019s GDP and, since 2016, has grown twice the rate of the wider economy. We want to make the tech sector accessible, especially for women and underrepresented groups such as M\u0101ori, Pacific peoples, those with disabilities, and also neurodiverse people. We know from looking at advanced economies like Germany, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore, the best investments you can make in the future of your economy are in science, technology, and skills and infrastructure.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000169\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002247d191e2a0e0468c835f0654b075a672\u0022\u003EGlen Bennett\u003C/span\u003E: What feedback has the Minister seen on the digital skills package?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000170\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022080a36c7ce0549a1951763e269bbca29\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN\u003C/span\u003E: Heaps. NZTech chief executive, Graeme Muller says, \u201CIt\u2019s great to have some focused funding to address the skills shortage in the tech sector, particularly around new pathways and diversity, and the ITP provides a framework to help coordinate efforts across Government and industry.\u201D Stephen Knightly of RocketWerkz said, \u201CIt\u2019s great to see the Government taking tangible action to support not only interactive games but also the wider digital economy too.\u201D Health Informatics NZ board chair Karen Blake said she\u2019s \u201Cparticularly excited to see funding for boosting women\u2019s participation\u201D in the sector.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000171\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00223bfb17de54f544cdae3f289b5f7106f7\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 11\u2014Land Information\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227ec53e32-05ab-4c6b-a080-4024e72a9099\u0022 data-id=\u002266bae42163df445885dc86f6e087e967\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000172\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227ec53e32-05ab-4c6b-a080-4024e72a9099\u0022\u003E11. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002266bae42163df445885dc86f6e087e967\u0022\u003EDr ELIZABETH KEREKERE (Independent)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister for Land Information: Does he agree with the New Zealand Geographic Board Te Rautaki | Strategy 2020-2025 vision statement, \u201CWe continuously improve our capability and processes to achieve our goals and objectives\u201D; if so, what changes, if any, have been made to improve processes for M\u0101ori participation? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022 data-id=\u0022cdd21c492257446bb03ca30f94c743e6\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000173\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022cdd21c492257446bb03ca30f94c743e6\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE (Acting Minister for Land Information)\u003C/span\u003E: To the first part of the question, yes. In terms of the goals and objectives of the New Zealand Geographic Board Ng\u0101 Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa, this includes naming \u201Cfeatures and places so that people can effectively communicate information about location and preserve New Zealand\u2019s heritage and culture\u201D. To the second part of the question, the board is bound by a statutory process which generally requires historical research, direct iwi engagement, and public notification. The board has made a number of improvements in recent years to their engagement with M\u0101ori to ensure that M\u0101ori are supported to participate in the work that the board does. This includes significant engagement with mana whenua on the development of new maps for Te Ika-a-M\u0101ui and Te Wai Pounamu to encourage the use of original M\u0101ori place names, establishing a fast-tracked process to work directly with mana whenua to have unofficial place names added to our maps and records, and agreeing an approach to encourage councils and iwi to submit alternative M\u0101ori place names for towns and cities. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000174\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227ec53e32-05ab-4c6b-a080-4024e72a9099\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229a65199c798f4c47b8cb29c441f3165e\u0022\u003EDr Elizabeth Kerekere\u003C/span\u003E: What does the Minister say to kuia Aki Paipper and Margie McGuire from Operation P\u0101tiki at Kohup\u0101tiki Marae, who struggled with the lengthy New Zealand Geographic Board application process to successfully restore Te Awa o Mokot\u016B\u0101raro as the rightful name of their river today? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000175\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f54e338fe9e74f078f62dedac63834cc\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: On behalf of the Minister, firstly, I would begin by congratulating Aki Paipper and Margie McGuire for their leadership in restoring the name of Te Awa o Mokot\u016B\u0101raro. The original proposal made by ng\u0101 kuia, which was to have the river named Ngaruroro Moko-t\u016B-\u0101-raro ki Rangitira, was declined because that is the name of the original river before it was diverted for flood protection and before the river was split, and, therefore, also to avoid confusion with the adjacent Ngaruroro River. Members of the board personally met with Kohup\u0101tiki Marae on 26 July last year to break the news of that proposal being declined and to be there to acknowledge their disappointment, and to make the suggestion that they come back with a different name that they would be happy with. Following that, the proposal of the name Te Awa o Mokot\u016B\u0101raro was then proposed by Kohup\u0101tiki Marae instead and that name is official, and, indeed, it has been made official from today. The name Te Awa o Mokot\u016B\u0101raro acknowledges the stories and history of the river and is a step towards restoring its mauri, which was what prompted Kohup\u0101tiki Marae to propose a new name in the first place. The process\u2014it is true\u2014has been lengthy, but it has allowed for ample consultation and engagement with stakeholders to ensure that their whakaaro will respect it and the board will fulfil its statutory responsibilities. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000176\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227ec53e32-05ab-4c6b-a080-4024e72a9099\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228ebde944cf65448688846d13dd14225b\u0022\u003EDr Elizabeth Kerekere\u003C/span\u003E: How will the Minister ensure tangata whenua are fully supported to achieve the New Zealand Geographic Board\u2019s goal of restoring original M\u0101ori place names, and will he commit to simplifying the process to one led by tangata whenua? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000177\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cc658a64b3cb4dfaa1b3d995d004bb38\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE\u003C/span\u003E: On behalf of the Minister, to the member: by definition, all the work that the board does involves engaging with M\u0101ori and upholding Te Tiriti o Waitangi\u2014that\u2019s the statutory obligation that they have. Some things that the board has done are to establish a fast-tracked process to work directly with mana whenua to have unofficial place names recognised, and on some occasions when there is no objection and there are no alternative names, then that can be done in a way that doesn\u2019t have to be publicly notified. Secondly, it involves agreeing an approach to encourage councils and iwi to submit alternative M\u0101ori place names for towns and cities, and then, finally, developing new maps for Te Ika-a-M\u0101ui and Te Wai Pounamu to encourage the use of over 1,800 original M\u0101ori place names. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000178\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002203fe6a51ec6e4f7a86322bd2ecb403c6\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 12\u2014Police\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022 data-id=\u00228ff8f5758e6d4ea88efee5f05d10c5e0\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000179\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E12. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00228ff8f5758e6d4ea88efee5f05d10c5e0\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL (National\u2014Whangapar\u0101oa)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Police: Does she stand by her statement, \u201CIt is my view that New Zealanders feel safer\u201D; if so, why?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022 data-id=\u00228a48acfe615748c1b6b6b9106d5d1e2f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000180\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00228a48acfe615748c1b6b6b9106d5d1e2f\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN (Minister of Police):\u003C/span\u003E The quote in the member\u2019s question is not my full statement and is a misrepresentation of my actual statement.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000181\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022df8c3ea699ac4d0ab0dbef74ea6cbbc6\u0022\u003EHon Michael Woodhouse\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order. Mr Speaker, that response is clearly out of order. She cannot say that a question itself that has been ruled in order is a misrepresentation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000182\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002232b2ee2b898d468ca721e8b45da7cb8b\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Given my ruling earlier today, I agree. The Minister will stand, withdraw, and apologise.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000183\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223146c88c859f4e5b9777bc275983ffb8\u0022\u003EHon Grant Robertson\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000184\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022504e3c99dd8a422a918354282b4fe93e\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: New point of\u2014I\u2019ll do the apology first. Stand, withdraw, and apologise.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000185\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002210211e8c1a984ac9bd9835493c9cb919\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN\u003C/span\u003E: Stand, withdraw, and apologise.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000186\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b3c7070032614cd582124f5b43d870c6\u0022\u003EHon Grant Robertson\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order, Mr Speaker. The question contains a statement that is not the full statement that the member made, and, therefore, misrepresents the statement of the member. The fact that it has been accepted as a question does not change the fact that a partial statement misrepresents the statement of a member. If the question is to be allowed, the Minister responding should be allowed to state the fact that it is a misrepresentation. I think that if partial statements that change the meaning of a statement are allowed, then a Minister must have the right to be able to say that that misrepresents their view.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000187\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220875d16eb7d64f1cae73375038897157\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: Well, Mr Speaker, can I just say that you have ruled today\u2014and, I think, very appropriately\u2014and I just suggest to Mr Robertson that people like him and me should not try dancing on the head of a pin, and particularly when you get the sort of result that you\u2019re seeing at the moment. It is quite clear that the Minister can respond\u2014that might give clarity to why she said what she said.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000188\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d3a12c6309d546c49fdfb282cac9405c\u0022\u003EHon Andrew Little\u003C/span\u003E: This is not a point of order.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000189\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d2925628a7f2458abca2e8a38bc6a637\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: This is a point of order, and it will be heard in silence.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000190\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226b9e253a0d1c4feabf237f76c3b35c6e\u0022\u003EHon Gerry Brownlee\u003C/span\u003E: Well, thank you \u201CMr Speaker Andrew Little\u201D.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000191\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228dc44f180ece41e19cfee615b6e59be9\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019ve made my ruling; I\u2019m not changing it. The Minister can address the question and the context of it\u2014as I said in my ruling earlier today. The breadth to which the Minister does that is entirely up to her, but he can\u2019t say what she says.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000192\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227260f8aeb0f744719c7e731ea16e3310\u0022\u003EHon Mark Mitchell\u003C/span\u003E: Mr Speaker, shall I ask that question again, or\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000193\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224b63e23edaad40b2879d359b2d5a947d\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: No; I\u2019m pretty sure she knows what it is.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000194\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c1e6bea7df4c4251bb64586e3aec7e20\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN\u003C/span\u003E: I stand by my full statement in the context of that time: \u201CIt is my view that New Zealanders feel safer with a Government on track to deliver 1,800 extra police.\u201D As I noted yesterday, this Government has now delivered on its commitment to deliver 1,800 extra police. This Government has also passed new laws to tackle gangs by allowing additional warrants and search powers for gang conflict, introducing a five-year prison sentence for discharging a gun with intent to intimidate, and allowing greater ability for police and other agencies to seize cash. We\u2019ve also committed to ongoing funding to keep the police ratio of one cop per 480 of the population. We\u2019ve introduced an extended retail crime prevention programme and the fog cannon retail subsidy. We\u2019ve introduced firearm prohibition orders to keep firearms out of the hands of those most dangerous New Zealanders who shouldn\u2019t have them. We\u2019ve supported police to crack down on gangs and organised crime through Operation Cobalt, which has seen over 38,000 charges laid and nearly 400 firearms seized. We\u2019ve introduced legislation to crack down on fleeing drivers, including the ability to seize and impound vehicles. We\u2019ve announced a nationwide roll-out of the tactical response model to better support front-line police in dealing with dangerous and high-risk situations. We\u2019ve established and delivered a firearms registry to set and begin on 24 June\u2014that\u2019s this month. We\u2019ve created programmes like Kotahi te Whakaaro and Circuit Breaker to disrupt cycles of reoffending. We\u2019ve passed new laws to seize criminal assets and targeted associates of organised criminal groups and forfeit illegal funds in their KiwiSaver. We\u2019ve also invested $94 million into tackling gangs and organised crime through Budget 2022. We\u2019ve established Te Tari P\u016Breke\u2014Firearms Safety Authority\u2014as a dedicated business unit within police to improve gun safety in Aotearoa. I could go on, but I think I might save some more highlights for the next question. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000195\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227afc5144d8104f129b7404ace1681b25\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Order! I\u2019m on my feet. That answer was far too long. I didn\u2019t interrupt you\u2014I was taking tally and deciding how many extra questions Mr Mitchell is going to get\u2014two extra.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000196\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022833ccdf6d97841178a35a4d0c5f8296a\u0022\u003EHon Mark Mitchell\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. When she says, \u201CIt is my view that New Zealanders feel safer.\u201D, who is she speaking for?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000197\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002259561e5d579547b3b4fcf254b61ed5c7\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN\u003C/span\u003E: That is not my full statement.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000198\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ee8eb7bfb0824c12b1a3d34e38379454\u0022\u003EHon Mark Mitchell\u003C/span\u003E: When she says, \u201CIt is my view that New Zealanders feel safer because we\u2019ve delivered 1,800 extra police officers.\u201D, who is she speaking for?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000199\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a8bb073fe9df4e109b07e21df498f683\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN\u003C/span\u003E: For myself. That\u2019s why I said it is my view.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000200\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002204eb1eae66e04f1799bfad094662888c\u0022\u003EHon Mark Mitchell\u003C/span\u003E: So just for clarity for the House, when she says that New Zealanders feel safer, she\u2019s just talking about herself?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000201\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220aedca73e06f48058022f7d41c96db57\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN\u003C/span\u003E: When I said it is my view that New Zealanders feel safer now that we have 1,800 more police officers on the beat, I believe that New Zealanders are safer than they were under a National Government, when we had fewer police officers on the beat.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000202\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022aaa640d4356e425ea29013855c66d5e8\u0022\u003EHon Mark Mitchell\u003C/span\u003E: Does she consider that she is gaslighting the public of New Zealand when she stands in this House and continues to tell the people of New Zealand that they should feel safer?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000203\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002211dcb078bf654f3fa3a0a1cc86cf67af\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: In so far as the Minister is responsible\u2014you can address it, if you like. You don\u2019t have to if you don\u2019t want to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000204\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227f05be7aa4a54707ae30148b7a40de6d\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN\u003C/span\u003E: The only gaslighting going on in the House today is that member, who continually misrepresents my quote.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e22b5075d9d144ecb18f607bcd08e3c2\u0022\u003EHon Michael Woodhouse\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order. Mr Speaker, we\u2019re now getting into some territory of the Minister openly defying not only the ruling you gave at the start of question time but the ruling you gave at the start of primary question No. 12. The second thing I would say is that if the Minister feels that she has been misrepresented, there are ways to deal with that, and this isn\u2019t that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000206\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228daa7af348594a9faf2be37a94d5ee2e\u0022\u003EHon Grant Robertson\u003C/span\u003E: Speaking to the point of order. Mr Speaker, again, acknowledging the way in which you have chosen to run the House and that you have often said that it is up to members in the House to be able to behave responsibly within that framework, it will be obvious to absolutely everybody in the House that Mr Mitchell\u2019s last supplementary question was completely outside Standing Order 390, and he should expect the kind of response he got.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000207\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222c3f6378b85140558a15125e3f44b715\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Yep\u2014and expect no relief from the Speaker. So if you\u2019ve got another question.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000208\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002252ddf4ce1bea4ea09b2448db4513fa87\u0022\u003EHon Mark Mitchell\u003C/span\u003E: When the Minister says that she\u2019s met with shopkeepers that have been subjected to ram raids and that they now feel safer, what\u2019s the number\u2014how many has she met and how many have said that?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000209\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022087bd35ef9b3400585dfb3dad84e9092\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN\u003C/span\u003E: I have met with retailers in Auckland, I have met them in Wellington, and I\u2019ve also met them in Christchurch. I\u2019m happy to provide the member with a written account of each of those visits.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000210\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000211\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002296dc72b498254988a986406b61a4dd32\u0022\u003EGeneral Debate\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000213\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022364c2bab96954576834ebbaa1af703cc\u0022\u003EGeneral Debate\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022 data-id=\u0022e7955d10f5d7416281ff29cb12619e88\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000212\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e7955d10f5d7416281ff29cb12619e88\u0022\u003EDAVID SEYMOUR (Leader\u2014ACT):\u003C/span\u003E I move, That the House take note of miscellaneous business.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000214\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EThank you, Mr Speaker. There\u2019s something I hear too often from people up and down this country. They say, \u201CIf this Labour Government gets back in, I\u2019m going to Australia.\u201D, and some go on to say, \u201CIf it\u2019s Labour propped up by the Greens and Te Paati M\u0101ori, I might move even further just to be safe.\u201D Well, ACT\u2019s message is very simple: don\u2019t give up on New Zealand. Yes, the problems facing our country are large. Recently I asked a group of 12-year-old kids what they would do if they were king or queen of New Zealand today. In happier days, they\u2019d say, \u201CSave the dolphins.\u201D or \u201CMake you go on Dancing with the Stars again.\u201D, but not now. Three at once said, \u201CMake food cheaper.\u201D I said, \u201CReally? If you were all-powerful, what else would you do in charge of New Zealand for a day?\u201D \u201CMake petrol cheaper.\u201D That\u2019s what a cost of living crisis really means.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000215\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EThen I visit dairies being fortified with wire mesh and special gates like Harlem; but they are in Hamilton. You can explain it to a four-year-old: if you follow the law, you\u2019ll be safe; you\u2019ll have rights; nobody will hurt you. But if you break the law, you will face consequences making you wish that you hadn\u2019t. You can explain those basic values to a four-year-old, no problem. But try explaining it to Poto Williams or Stuart Nash or Chris Hipkins or Ginny Andersen or whoever is going to be the Labour Party Minister of Police next week\u2014you can\u2019t.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000216\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EAnd I hear from time to time\u2014in fact, just about every week\u2014another example of a Government policy, from health to local government to resource management, that divides New Zealand into two peoples. And the people out there, they know they were never asked, \u201CWould it help if the Treaty was interpreted in such a way to create two different sets of political rights based on race?\u201D Of course, this Government and no Government has ever asked the people, because no majority would ever agree to it, because nothing good would come from it, because dividing people by their superficial characteristics, putting their identity above their common humanity, has never, ever worked. And what used to be called bigotry and discrimination and prejudice when I grew up has become the official policy of this Government in so many facets of life. And that\u2019s on top of education results that have been in free fall in global exams all century. This Government can\u2019t even reliably tell you if kids went to school let alone what they were taught, and the problem is they are not taught. They are subject to the failed fad of child-centred learning\u2014you know, modern learning environments, the big barns with three teachers, a hundred kids, and lots of bean bags where they teach themselves. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000217\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EDo you know what\u2019s worse? Labour are making these problems worse faster, but they didn\u2019t start with Labour. The cost of living crisis is really a productivity crisis. When John Key was elected, the median wage was 11 grand higher in Australia; nine years later it was 17 grand higher; and after six years of Labour, there\u2019s a $23,000 gap between New Zealand and Australian wages.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000218\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EIt was National\u2019s Amy Adams who raised the age of criminal responsibility before youth crime took off. It was National\u2019s Hekia Parata who told schools, \u201CYou can have any type of classroom you like so long as it\u2019s a modern learning environment.\u201D And it was National that signed us up to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples that gave us He Puapua. What\u2019s clear is that, this time, change alone won\u2019t be enough. New Zealand needs real change, and that\u2019s why I was so thrilled to see such a bumper crowd and so much energy at ACT\u2019s rally Real Change Now this weekend. People want a party that hears them. People want a party that puts forward new ideas to solve their problems. And people want a party that will say unpopular things when they need to be said, if it truly believes them. And that is why the ACT Party is the party that puts out more policy than any other, the only one with a fully costed alternative budget, and that\u2019s why ACT is the fastest growing political movement in New Zealand today, and it\u2019s not even close.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000219\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EI say to people: don\u2019t give up on New Zealand, real change is coming, and the ACT MPs look forward to delivering that real change this October with your support.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022 data-id=\u00224e5783230fed4aaf965f5ad94c5d47dd\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000220\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224e5783230fed4aaf965f5ad94c5d47dd\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI (Deputy Prime Minister):\u003C/span\u003E I would hope, and I pray, that New Zealand wants a Government that uses an evidence base to make their decisions, not political philosophy or a Government that uses culture wars to divide New Zealanders. And so we have faith in New Zealanders that at the end of this year, in October, they will look at the political parties that make decisions based on what is best for New Zealand and on the evidence that is in front of them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000221\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003EI want to make mention of the fact I was in Samoa last week for Samoan independence, the end of their 60th year and going into the 61st. They were wonderfully hospitable, and it was a reminder of the strength of our relationship with the Pacific region.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000222\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003EThis week also, we\u2019ve had the opportunity to welcome Prime Minister Rabuka from Fiji. And in recent months, making up for lost time because of COVID, we\u2019ve had the opportunity to meet with multiple Pacific leaders across the region. These were very interesting conversations because we share challenges with our region, and we are not alone. A priority for Pacific nations is, of course, climate change and the environmental issues that we face as a Pacific region.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000223\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003EThey\u2019ve also raised with us their labour workforce issues and areas where they have shortages. One country even brought up that there has been a spike in youth crime in recent years, off the back of the pandemic, saying that it was the uncertainty. And this is something that many countries have experienced across the globe as well, because, often, this is what happens after you experience a big event like a pandemic. And, of course, all of our Pacific neighbours have raised the impact of global inflation and the impact of cost of living increases on their nations. We are not alone here in Aotearoa. We are not immune to what the rest of the world is facing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000224\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003EBut I\u2019m really proud\u2014I\u2019m really proud\u2014because we have come through better than so many. We had a very, very difficult Budget to pull together this year because of the circumstances that we face. And I want to acknowledge our amazing Minister of Finance for the very smart Budget that he presented Aotearoa with. He was very aware of the fact that New Zealanders needed some reprieve from the cost of living pressures, but he also understood that if he wasn\u2019t clever about how that was done, then it could actually fuel the fire of inflation and see New Zealand families no better off.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000225\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003EIt was disappointing, then, to see some of the measures that were put in place, which will make a real difference for New Zealand families, not only not supported by Opposition parties in the House but for Opposition parties to come out and say that if they have the opportunity, they will take those things away from New Zealanders.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000226\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225a797c9e-cc29-454e-b348-6a415e930295\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227c7e81bbbbd046819514e09d80d47297\u0022\u003ETerisa Ngobi\u003C/span\u003E: Shameful and out of touch.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000227\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b554bfd63c174674af8caee89353986b\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI\u003C/span\u003E: How stingy and out of touch is it to think that the $5 co-payment\u2014the removal of that for prescriptions\u2014won\u2019t make a difference to New Zealanders? Who are the ones that are going to benefit most from it? It is our seniors. It is our disabled. It is the people that more often have health conditions. And so it\u2019s one of those measures that makes sense to just about every New Zealander except for the people on the other side of the House. And, yet, to come out and say they will charge for contraception is just indicative of the support that the Opposition political party has always denied women in this country.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000228\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003EWe have been very much focused on those areas that cost New Zealanders a lot of money. Childcare is one of those areas. On 1 April, we saw the thresholds lifted, we saw the amount increased, and then we saw that followed up by 20 hours\u2019 free for two-year-olds. That makes a difference to families. And I have to remind the House that it was National, back in 2010, that froze those thresholds, and that it was National that shut out thousands of New Zealand families from being able to access childcare\u2014one of the main measures to support families to get into employment and for them to make a living for their wh\u0101nau.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000229\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003EWe know what New Zealand wants and needs right now, and we are focused on that. We are all about the cost of living. It\u2019s such a pity that the other side continues to vote against these measures.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022 data-id=\u002267ff9a0310c84bec9741341e7e471527\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000230\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002267ff9a0310c84bec9741341e7e471527\u0022\u003EGOLRIZ GHAHRAMAN (Green):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. I rise today to speak about a subject close to my heart, which is democracy\u2014close to all our hearts, hopefully, in this House of Representatives\u2014and to draw the House\u2019s attention to the recommendations of the independent review of our electoral system that were released yesterday\u2014finally. We\u2019ve been waiting for this review all the way back when Labour and the Green Party first negotiated our cooperation agreement, where we highlighted democracy as an area of cooperation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000231\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003EI introduced my member\u2019s bill, the Electoral (Strengthening Democracy) Amendment Bill, last term, and it seemed like it wasn\u2019t a priority to either of the big parties. But, as we heard more and more about the concerns that New Zealanders have of groups who were excluded from voting\u2014like young people, like those in custody\u2014as we heard more from members of the public who were concerned about the way that elections are funded and political party donations are governed, and as we heard more and more about the ways that Te Tiriti o Waitangi is breached or undermined through our electoral system, this is an area that did become, thankfully, an area of priority.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000232\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve seen some good changes. We\u2019ve seen transparency around electoral donations improved vastly. We\u2019ve seen most prisoners\u2019 rights to vote restored. We\u2019ve seen the M\u0101ori electoral option changed so that people can, in fact, switch rolls much more easily. Those were all Green policies.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000233\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003EBut, now, after being told over and over again by both sides of the House that we need another independent review, we have those recommendations. So my call to this House, in particular to the Government but to all parties in this House of Representatives\u2014because we do have a convention that electoral reforms, whether they\u2019re required by legislation or not, are done with some degree of consensus across this House\u2014is that we all come to the party, so to speak, and we take party politics out of electoral and democracy reform and look at the independent recommendations.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000234\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003EA lot of them are recommendations that have come to us before, like the restoration of the right of those in prison to vote. That has come to us from the Supreme Court, it\u2019s come to us from the Waitangi Tribunal, and we\u2019ve heard it from our Human Rights Commission.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000235\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003EThen we have the right of 16- and 17-year-olds to vote. Again, we\u2019ve heard from the Supreme Court that we\u2019re breaching their fundamental right, pursuant to the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act, and that 16- and 17-year-olds specifically have a right to be free from discrimination in having their New Zealand Bill of Rights Act rights fulfilled. That obligation falls upon us. That\u2019s the way human rights work.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000236\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003ESo we are in breach, and we have heard now from an independent review that our democracy would be strengthened if all of these groups whose rights we are breaching were, in fact, included. Our decisions would be stronger. Our democracy would have more trust in it from members of the public.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000237\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003EWe know that young people take an interest in politics. They may, indeed, be marginalised from formal voting, and even at 18, when they become eligible to vote, young voters are among the lowest numbers in terms of our constituents. But we know that they care about issues like the climate crisis, they care about their mental health care access, about public transport, about education; they are more likely to be dealing with hardship now than anyone. We know that if young people are made eligible to vote while they\u2019re all together at school, and if their right to vote is facilitated through civics education and they all register to vote, that, as first-time voters who vote in that first election when they become eligible, they will become lifelong voters. That\u2019s good for all of us.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000238\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022abf27403-4392-47c9-9af0-6773753e95cb\u0022\u003EThe other thing that I will briefly touch upon, because we\u2019ve done so much with electoral funding reform, is that finally we have a recommendation that says that not only should we make it possible for everyone in New Zealand who has a right to vote to vote, but also it says that, finally, we need to put a top on our donations; we need there to be a limit\u2014a $30,000 limit per election per registered voter. Get big money out of our elections and get more people to vote. That would make democracy stronger.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022 data-id=\u00223c523a2e916f438eaf24d09d039075a4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000239\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00223c523a2e916f438eaf24d09d039075a4\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Defence):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. I acknowledge the member who\u2019s just resumed her seat, Golriz Ghahraman, and her longstanding commitment not only to international human rights but to rights around democracy. It\u2019s well worth pointing that out, because the reality is, in many countries today, it is democratic institutions that are under threat.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000240\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EI want to draw attention to the challenges that this Government has been facing for some time and to acknowledge that, 5\u00BD years into this Government, it continues to tackle some very hard challenges in these difficult times and is delivering on them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000241\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EThe spirit of democracy is not thinking three years by three years by three years but is actually serious about challenging some of the really serious, intractable problems that have been ignored for years\u2014things like responding to climate change, things like having an affordable water regime\u2014so that when the rains get harsher, the storms get stronger, and climate change creates greater intensity in our weather systems, we actually have stormwater systems that can cope and we have waste water systems that can keep our water supplies hygienic and operating.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000242\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EBut this is a Government that came to office determined to restore or to rebuild public services; to restore, more recently, the economy after the ravages of COVID-19; to recover from climate change - driven weather; and to make sure that we build back better. How thrilling it was today that the Hon Kiritapu Allan has now already confirmed the preferred contractor to rebuild one of the bridges in Coromandel that has been taken out\u2014a plan is already in place, contracts have been identified, and that work can get under way.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000243\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EThat\u2019s what a Government does when it responds seriously to the challenges we\u2019ve got, has got its eye on the ball, and is prepared to do the hard graft and respond to the public need to make our systems and our roadways better.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000244\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EBut it doesn\u2019t, of course, just stop there. This is a Government that came to office when the previous Government had run down our public housing stock, had sold it off, and left it unoccupied; and this is a Government that has committed to rebuilding our housing stock\u2014making sure people have warm, dry homes\u2014and, more recently, expanded the Warmer Kiwi Homes programme so we continue to get insulation in homes and drive down people\u2019s power costs.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000245\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EIn health, we\u2019ve invested massively in restoring our health system: $7 billion invested in infrastructure when the last Government\u2014over its nine years\u2014spent just $1 billion. We\u2019ve increased the incomes of most of our health workers; nurses\u2019 incomes have gone up significantly. In this year\u2019s Budget, we\u2019ve now taken off the prescription charge\u2014something that members opposite completely and utterly opposed because they don\u2019t get what poverty looks like for those who struggle to afford $5 to get their prescription filled.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000246\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EOf course, on law and order, 1,800 additional police were added to our front-line workforce; the clearance rate for serious crime is better, and those who commit serious crimes are being caught much more quickly. The biggest deterrence to crime is the high probability that you\u2019re going to get caught, and our police force has demonstrated that that is exactly what is happening.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000247\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EOf course, addressing child poverty: our Government has committed to it, we report on it, we\u2019ve reported on it again in this Budget, we\u2019ve increased childcare assistance, we\u2019ve extended the school lunch programme, and we\u2019ve lifted benefits\u2014all of which helps to alleviate child poverty and family poverty. Those are things you do when you are faced with a cost of living crisis and when you\u2019re trying to assist those on the lowest incomes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000248\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EThese, of course, all are long-term challenges. In defence, we\u2019ve now got money to pay our front-line soldiers and sailors and aviators more\u2014that\u2019ll assist with the retention challenge that we\u2019ve got. We\u2019re modernising our equipment; we\u2019re investing more\u2014because that\u2019s what we have to do for our internal security when we face storms and we need humanitarian assistance and to help our neighbours in the Pacific when they need humanitarian assistance, and also to have trained and equipped people ready to deploy overseas when that call is needed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000249\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EWhat we aren\u2019t going to do is descend into the kind of gimmickry that we\u2019re seeing opposite. So for the ACT Party, who says they want smaller Government, their headline announcement is a Government department to look at Government departments. That is just a silly gimmick from a silly party, and we saw that in full display today in question time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000250\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022106966ef-8cc3-434a-9dbe-dd76b708c2a1\u0022\u003EIn the end, what is needed for parties who aspire to Government is a vision for all of New Zealand, a vision for every New Zealander, to lift those out of poverty, to help grow the wealth of the economy; and to make this country safe.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022 data-id=\u002226ef1091346c4fbbb6d43fa87c9483e1\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000251\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002226ef1091346c4fbbb6d43fa87c9483e1\u0022\u003EHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National):\u003C/span\u003E Well, what a sorry tale we\u2019ve seen today and this week, in this House. I have never in my time in Parliament seen a Prime Minister so lost, so discombobulated by the events, and having to explain the unexplainable, at a time when we all want the Prime Minister to be outlining how his Government is going to deal with the cost of living crisis in this country\u2014and National\u2019s got a plan to do that: it\u2019s about bringing discipline back to Government spending; it\u2019s about removing costs from the community and giving people some taxes back so that they\u2019ve got more money in their pockets. No, instead of hearing about that, instead of hearing about how this Government will restore law and order\u2014we haven\u2019t heard anything about that, but National\u2019s got a plan to restore law and order.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000252\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022619d9a3d57b548518ffdcf6935cd5b23\u0022\u003EHon Dr Deborah Russell\u003C/span\u003E: Eighteen hundred more police!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000253\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f64afc50e9d84291b1bcbb50842d2b95\u0022\u003EHon PAUL GOLDSMITH\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s about\u2014yes. It\u2019s about starting off with the very top direction in the justice system which is to say that, currently under this Government, the number one and only priority is to reduce the prison population, irrespective of what happens in the community\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000254\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022859e13f9-33bb-41bb-b2f0-d848eaf25407\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225a8dae3a935c42309f711cedcbb72d19\u0022\u003EAndrew Bayly\u003C/span\u003E: Just let \u2018em out!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000255\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022588310c8dfdc438ba68368a45369f16e\u0022\u003EHon PAUL GOLDSMITH\u003C/span\u003E: Just throw them out, and somehow, somehow, we\u2019re all going to be safer. Well, that hasn\u2019t worked, and we will focus on keeping people safe as our priority for crime. So instead of focusing on that, instead of focusing on actually delivering decent outcomes in health and education\u2014where we\u2019re seeing half of the kids aren\u2019t at school; where we\u2019re seeing a falling off, dropping off, in actual developments in reading and writing; and in health, longer waiting lists for everything that you look at in health. Instead of making any progress on that, what do we hear the Prime Minister talking about? We have the Prime Minister trying to explain why a senior Minister in his Government was asked not once, not twice, not thrice, but 12 times by the Cabinet Office to sell his shares in a company\u2014Auckland international airport\u2014that he, as Minister of Transport, was clearly conflicted over. Twelve times, he was asked, and 12 times the Minister didn\u2019t get around to it. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000256\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve never seen a Prime Minister look so lost, so confused, so weak, and so helpless, trying to stand up and explain the unexplainable. And so we all stand here trying to figure out why Michael Wood is still a Minister in this Government, because he\u2019s failed on three areas: he\u2019s failed to declare\u2014well, first thing, he became Minister of Transport; he failed to do the obvious thing, which was to sell a parcel of shares that he had in Auckland international airport. Why is that important? Because it\u2019s important that Ministers, when they make decisions, aren\u2019t conflicted by their personal interests. So he failed to sell them, then he failed to declare that he still had the shares, for more than a year as Minister, and then he finally got round to declaring them publicly on the pecuniary interest list, but then he failed to do anything about managing the conflict of interest.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000257\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EAnd we\u2019ve got examples\u2014we wake up reading the New Zealand Herald today about the North Shore Airport, which is a clear decision he made as Minister\u2014a conflicted decision, because he owns shares in a competing airport, an absolute no-no. And then we\u2019ve heard later today that he, as Minister, signed off hundreds of millions of dollars to the airlines during COVID, of which the secondary beneficiary of that was Auckland Airport. We had a press release from Auckland Airport saying thank you to the Minister for it. Again, that was a conflicted decision. So how on earth does the Prime Minister still think it\u2019s appropriate for him to be there? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000258\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EThen we have\u2014at the same time, he was in conversation with the Cabinet Office, and the Cabinet Office are telling him to sell the shares, and he\u2019s saying, \u201CI\u2019m going to do it\u201D\u201412 times\u2014and yet the Cabinet Office never made public that conflict in the ministerial list, and they never seemed to deal with it, and they never seemed to stop him from making conflicted decisions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000259\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003ESo it\u2019s almost bizarre and almost black comedy that we have a Minister 12 times not dealing with it. And so why is this important to people? Because integrity in our political decision making is a foundation of our democracy, and we have a Prime Minister who\u2019s meant to defend that, and instead he seems to be of the view that so long as Michael Wood, on the 13th request, finally gets around to selling his shares and changing his pecuniary interests, he\u2019ll be back, welcomed on\u2014nothing\u2019s happened; it\u2019s all fine. Those are the standards that are appropriate in the Chris Hipkins Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000260\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EWhat a disgrace. What a joke. He needs to stand up and clear out the stables and get rid of a Minister that has clearly shown\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000261\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d0472cf718644187bb5ae31363dc06de\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Order! The member\u2019s time has expired.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022 data-id=\u0022b0d1c90e938341bda05f83d8885362b5\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000262\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b0d1c90e938341bda05f83d8885362b5\u0022\u003EHon Dr DEBORAH RUSSELL (Minister of Statistics):\u003C/span\u003E When it comes to integrity, how does integrity go with a party that has investigated one of its members but refused to release that report to the public? Glass houses to the Opposition\u2014glass houses; just think about it for a little bit. However, I don\u2019t want to engage in too much \u201Cwhat aboutism\u201D; what I want to talk about is the challenges that this Government has faced and what it has done about them. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000263\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003EThis Government, since it has come to office, has had to deal with three major crises\u2014three really major ones. The first was the COVID-19 pandemic which affected the entire world and had a dramatic effect on the world economy and, of course, on New Zealand\u2019s economy. It stopped trade worldwide. It stopped travel worldwide. It changed our way of life. This Government has had to deal with this crisis that affected the entire world and, of course, had an enormous effect here in New Zealand. This Government has had to deal with the war in Ukraine, which has had an extraordinary effect on energy prices and which has pushed, along with the COVID-19 pandemic, worldwide inflation to quite high levels. This Government has had to deal with that problem that has been a worldwide problem\u2014felt in particular ways in New Zealand but nevertheless a worldwide problem. On top of that, this Government, this year, has had to deal with the intense weather events in the Auckland anniversary weekend floods and in Cyclone Gabrielle\u2014three enormous challenges that have had an extraordinary effect on our economy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000264\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003EThe good thing is that this Government has been up for it and has dealt with them in a really effective way. Let me give you the evidence of that. Net debt is sitting at 19 percent of GDP; that\u2019s well below OECD averages. Unemployment is sitting at just 3.4 percent; that\u2019s one of the lowest rates of unemployment ever\u2014and, actually, it\u2019s been below 4 percent since 2021. This Government knows how to get people into work and how to keep them there. Our economy continues to grow. Our economy continues to be on a path for growth. So, instead of facing recession, we are actually looking at continued growth in our economy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000265\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003ENow, of course we are dealing with inflation\u2014we are dealing with inflation\u2014and it\u2019s really hard to deal with that. It\u2019s at higher levels now than many people remember. The last time inflation was higher was way back in the 1990s. However, it is at levels which have not been seen for a while, but the good news is that it is on its way down. In fact, the Governor of the Reserve Bank said in his latest Monetary Policy Statement\u2014said around it\u2014that this Government\u2019s Budget had been a friend to the Reserve Bank in its efforts to control inflation. The predictions are to be back on the 1 to 3 percent band by the end of next year.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000266\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003ESo this Government is managing the economy extraordinarily well. In the face of those challenges, I say, the Minister of Finance, Grant Robertson, has done a remarkable job. Of course, ordinary people don\u2019t feel that, all right? Those are just numbers and stats about the economy. So we can say it\u2019s going well\u2014and it is going well\u2014but for the person trying to balance their household budget, things are tough. This Government has addressed that in our Budget as well, too. That change to the $5 prescription charges, a change that the Opposition rejected, will make a difference to ordinary families\u2019 budgets\u2014no longer having to pay for prescription medicines; twenty hours of free early childhood education for children aged two and up. We think that that will make a difference of about $130 a week to families with young children. On top of that, we have free public transport for children aged under 13. That will make a difference to families\u2019 budgets, and it will enable families to make greater use of public transport for getting children to and from school instead of using cars. Half-price public transport for people aged under 25\u2014that helps students, and, again, it just helps families to manage their daily living costs.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000267\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002212d74f81-b1f7-4b51-9fb4-8f9481477192\u0022\u003ESo, in this Budget, not only is the Government running the economy well but we are also addressing the cost of living for ordinary, everyday New Zealanders.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022ee649aea-c6fa-4610-9fcf-5c4bb2d3cd33\u0022 data-id=\u00229c08633a2681429eb4904f215e260f39\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000268\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ee649aea-c6fa-4610-9fcf-5c4bb2d3cd33\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00229c08633a2681429eb4904f215e260f39\u0022\u003EMATT DOOCEY (National\u2014Waimakariri):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. Well, at the start of question time, the Clerk of the House gets up and reads the petitions that have been presented for the day. There was a petition today read out in the name of Theresa Zame to amend the Therapeutic Products Bill to allow importation of medication. Theresa Zame was actually sitting in the gallery today watching her petition being presented. Theresa calls herself \u201Cvulnerable\u201D, \u201Cjust a mum from Gizzy\u201D. I describe her as someone who is incredibly courageous, brave, and strong. It would be very easy, when you get a diagnosis of stage four lung cancer, when you only have nine months to live\u2014it would be understandable if you would contemplate giving up the fight. In fact, Theresa Zame has done the opposite: she\u2019s galvanised many voices in New Zealand, she put together a petition, and in only two weeks she got 6,500 signatures. It was a real honour to be the member of Parliament to receive that petition today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000269\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ee649aea-c6fa-4610-9fcf-5c4bb2d3cd33\u0022\u003ETheresa\u2019s story is: she has a script from her oncologist because she doesn\u2019t qualify for any publicly funded medication in New Zealand. She imports via compassionate access schemes a medication called Tagrix, which comes through the mail. Tagrix costs Theresa $1,000 a month. In her words, her cancer has shrunk and she is feeling a lot better. She\u2019s actually quite hopeful. After her diagnosis of June 2022, when she got given nine months, she feels stronger for taking that drug.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000270\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ee649aea-c6fa-4610-9fcf-5c4bb2d3cd33\u0022\u003EBut, unfortunately, what Theresa and many other New Zealanders have learnt under Labour\u2019s Therapeutic Products Bill is that the ability to import prescription medications will be stopped. Not only will it be stopped but it will be illegal. Theresa and many other New Zealanders will be criminalised. As Malcolm Mulholland said on the forecourt of Parliament today, as he speaks on behalf of Patient Voice Aotearoa, if the Therapeutic Products Bill is not amended, people will die. This will cost people\u2019s lives.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000271\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ee649aea-c6fa-4610-9fcf-5c4bb2d3cd33\u0022\u003EWhat was really encouraging is seeing the parties out on Parliament\u2019s forecourt\u2014the ACT Party, Te Paati M\u0101ori, the Green Party, and the National Party\u2014standing up in opposition to this bill. What was really disappointing and a real blow to people like Theresa is that the Labour Party did not turn up. No one went out and met that petition today\u2014not one of the dozens of MPs they have. They didn\u2019t think those people deserved the respect of a democratic process where any Kiwi can turn up on the forecourt and give Parliament a petition. These are the real stories of legislation like this and of the impact it will have on everyday Kiwis.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000272\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ee649aea-c6fa-4610-9fcf-5c4bb2d3cd33\u0022\u003EYou\u2019d ask yourself the question, in respect of Theresa\u2019s story\u2014stage four lung cancer; nine months to live; she\u2019s got a prescription from her oncologist in New Zealand to import Tagrix, a prescription drug, from Bangladesh, at a thousand dollars; she wouldn\u2019t be able to afford the tens of thousands of dollars for privately buying a similar medication in New Zealand; it\u2019s a lifesaver for Theresa Zame; the ability to import prescription drugs is a lifesaver for many Kiwis at their time of vulnerability\u2014why will Labour not listen? Why did they not go out today?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c46de55f-b9e4-4c64-9ac6-877bd89c2fc5\u0022 data-id=\u00221fa7ca55477c40f887c7396c28638649\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000273\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c46de55f-b9e4-4c64-9ac6-877bd89c2fc5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221fa7ca55477c40f887c7396c28638649\u0022\u003EDr TRACEY McLELLAN (Labour\u2014Banks Peninsula):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. There are two things that I like most about Budget 2023. The first one is that it makes sensible, meaningful support for today, and the second is that it takes the opportunity to continue to build for tomorrow. I think those two high-level things are worth celebrating. We\u2019ve already heard several contributions from colleagues from this side of the House as they went through specific measures. I think they\u2019re worth repeating.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000274\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c46de55f-b9e4-4c64-9ac6-877bd89c2fc5\u0022\u003EThe Government has introduced a suite of measures to help people, because we know people are doing it tough at the moment. There\u2019s no denying that. We know that people are experiencing a change to their budgets and that they\u2019re feeling a bit more vulnerable than they were a couple of years ago because of global inflation rates. And we know that it\u2019s not just people in New Zealand; it\u2019s people right across the world. But it\u2019s people in New Zealand too, and that matters, and we know it matters to them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000275\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c46de55f-b9e4-4c64-9ac6-877bd89c2fc5\u0022\u003EWhat\u2019s important, though, is how the Government tackles this. A good Government steps in when needed and helps the people who need it most, and that\u2019s what this Government\u2019s doing. We recognise the issue. We\u2019ve created measures that can be helpful and sensitive but are also really, really balanced so that they don\u2019t then go on to cause more inflation. As my colleague the Hon Deborah Russell just said, these measures were lauded for the fact that they can be inflation friendly, so to speak. So we\u2019re really pleased about that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000276\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c46de55f-b9e4-4c64-9ac6-877bd89c2fc5\u0022\u003EWhen I said there were two things, I very broadly said the second thing was about building for tomorrow, and over the last couple of weeks, we\u2019ve heard several contributions about what that might look like specifically. But the one thing that I wanted to talk about today was that Budget 2023 positions the New Zealand economy for the future because of some major investments into our science, into our digital spaces, and into our horticultural technology sector as well. And even within that, there\u2019s a specific investment that I think\u2019s worth talking about, and that\u2019s the support that we\u2019ve given so that our gaming industry can grow. I don\u2019t know if many people realise just how big this industry is and just how much potential it has. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000277\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c46de55f-b9e4-4c64-9ac6-877bd89c2fc5\u0022\u003ELast week, I tagged along with my Christchurch colleague the Hon Dr Duncan Webb, and we went to a place called CerebralFix, and we met the boss, Tim, a fantastic young man who\u2019s done an amazing job over the 10 years that CerebralFix has been operating. It\u2019s an entertainment studio. It\u2019s not just about gaming; it\u2019s about all sorts of things. They are an experienced technology firm, they\u2019ve got developers, they\u2019ve got artists, they\u2019ve got designers, and they\u2019re pretty top notch. And he was, I think it\u2019s fair to say, pretty chuffed with the measures that the Government has introduced. By providing the 20 percent rebate for video game developers, what we\u2019ve done is even that playing field. This industry, like many other industries, is always competing for skill and always competing for talent. And they know, I think, that they have barely even scratched the surface of how this industry can grow and what the potential is. So they\u2019re pretty excited and we appreciated the tour. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000278\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c46de55f-b9e4-4c64-9ac6-877bd89c2fc5\u0022\u003EThe other thing we\u2019re doing is investing in science research centres. Many of us, depending on what select committees we\u2019re on, would have travelled around looking at different Crown research institutes, and what we\u2019ve heard when we talk to people there is that often they just want more collaboration. So we\u2019re creating three multi-institute research hubs that are actually going to bring those scientists together and make them work closer together and increase that collaboration. It ensures that we use the resources better\u2014these are really expensive facilities with really expensive equipment\u2014and it positions New Zealand to meet what are our complex challenges\u2014and we know what they are. They include things like health and wellbeing. You know, so much more is expected from health and wellbeing than even 10 years ago. We have to move and grow in that direction.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000279\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c46de55f-b9e4-4c64-9ac6-877bd89c2fc5\u0022\u003E Climate change: the advances that we need to make in advanced manufacturing and technology\u2014these are all really good, positive things, And, as I said, while it\u2019s incredibly important that we keep our eye on what matters most to people right now, today\u2014which is tackling the cost of living\u2014we\u2019ve also got to be really wise and future-focused and think about how we build for tomorrow. So we are focused on the issues that matter to most New Zealanders while still keeping a healthy eye on tomorrow.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022 data-id=\u0022c236e588e5b847658f95c5624d8505c7\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000280\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c236e588e5b847658f95c5624d8505c7\u0022\u003ETAMA POTAKA (National\u2014Hamilton West):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you for this opportunity to k\u014Drero. A mahalo nui loa to T\u0101 Herewini Parata. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000281\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EThe safety, prosperity, and success of M\u0101ori in education have been compromised, particularly in the last six years of Government. T\u0101 Apirana Ngata, a great National Party man, gave an enduring message to nearly all a hundred years ago: thrive in the days destined for you, your hands to the tools of the P\u0101keh\u0101 to provide sustenance, your heart to the treasures of your ancestors to adorn you, your soul to the Atua, to whom all things belong. This House must ensure that all M\u0101ori and, indeed, all Kiwis have an equality of opportunity to access and succeed in parenting, education, and learning. International human rights documents articulate that everyone has a right to education, but that right is balanced with responsibilities to turn up, to show up, to participate, and to be curious. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000282\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EThis Government spearheads an education system which religiously fails and discriminates against M\u0101ori. K\u0101wanatanga has ballooned to the detriment of tino rangatiratanga and equality, undisturbed when an audacious Government spends $5 billion extra since 2017 and hires 1,400 extra staff in education, and M\u0101ori are not doing any better in our schools. The results are lamentable. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000283\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve scored Government performance on three simple measures. Number 1: attendance\u2014not achieved. Wh\u0101nau, we\u2019ve got issues. Thousands of tamariki between five and 13 are just not enrolled in school: 260 schools, or more than 10 percent of all schools, have full attendance below 30 percent. In term 4 of 2022, only 38 percent of M\u0101ori kids went to school regularly. Neither Labour\u2019s nor ACT\u2019s ideological warfare fermented at that party hui will change this. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000284\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EThe Ministry of Education\u2019s purpose states, \u201CWe shape an education that delivers equitable and excellent outcomes.\u201D\u2014Tui ad pin drop\u2014yeah, right! If equitable and excellent outcomes mean that 38 out of 100 kids turn up to school regularly, we need to learn to count brilliantly again. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000285\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EHere\u2019s a thought for our ministerial colleagues\u2014although who sits in what seat, I don\u2019t know these days\u2014make it compulsory for every school to publish weekly attendance data: less bureaucracy, more accountability. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000286\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003ENumber 2: retention\u2014not achieved. Retaining kids in schools is a multifaceted responsibility across parents, schools, and rangatahi. Completion of senior education helps with wellbeing, higher-level skills, and knowledge and participation in society and the global community. Education Counts remarks that \u201CSimply keeping boys at school (by making school relevant) until they have decided what they want to do in their next step in life \u2026 can reduce the chances of a boy \u2018arriving at a prison gate\u2019.\u201D It reminds me of watching Boyz n the Hood in the early 1990s, Nicola Grigg, or a daily, shocking rerun of retail crime issues that are drowning fine places like Dinsdale in Hamilton West\u2014hang on: \u201Cblow on the pie\u201D; safer communities together\u2014Mr Eagle.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000287\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EBut in 2021, the number of M\u0101ori school-leavers remaining at school to at least age 17 was a mere 68 percent, underwhelming P\u0101keh\u0101 at 82 percent, Pacific at 83 percent, and Asian school-leavers at 95 percent. It could not be clearer: keeping school and learning relevant, along with holistic fitness\u2014as my Chiefs\u2019 brothers Jamie and David remind me in the parliamentary gym\u2014is not a \u201Cnice-to-have\u201D; it\u2019s a \u201Cneed-to-have\u201D. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000288\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003ENumber 3: achievement\u2014not achieved. Getting kids to school and keeping them ends up helping kids achieve at school\u2014surprise, surprise. However, educational achievement is a societal ladder pulled up from a lot of M\u0101ori kids, particularly those in poverty. Programme for International Student Assessment test performance and literacy and numeracy performance rates are abysmal, with 35 percent of M\u0101ori passing the relevant year 10 assessments. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000289\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EOnly 19 percent of M\u0101ori left school with university entrance in 2021. You could say that that\u2019s better than the Government\u2019s 2 percent delivery on KiwiBuild. Our Asian brothers and sisters were at 68 percent. Almost 25 percent of M\u0101ori kids leave school without a level 1 NCEA result. After 13,000 funded hours, no qualification\u2014wow! \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000290\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EThese are more frightening, despite the extravagant dumbing down of the NCEA curriculum. It reminds me of Inspector Hogben, whose 1906 report on Te Aute College claimed that M\u0101ori needed to recognise the dignity of manual labour, forcing the college\u2019s academic curriculum to change away from Euclid geometry and Latin towards so-called vocational and domestic training. What\u2019s changed? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000291\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EThe education system needs to realise the human potential of young M\u0101ori, not the prejudicial nonsense deepening years of poor investment into M\u0101ori educational success. M\u0101ori education keeps further going down the pothole-filled highway to the red danger zone. If we keep following the current spending and policy pathway, many more M\u0101ori kids will be lost to the system, to welfare, to risk, or to Australia. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000292\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EDuplicating successful models like M\u0101ori for M\u0101ori, like at Manukura in Palmerston North, is necessary now. Follow innovative and determined leaders like Dame Georgina Kingi at St Joseph\u2019s in Napier, Kieran Fouhy, formerly of St Paul\u2019s in Ponsonby, and Marie Gordon at Hamilton Girls\u2019 High. We need relentless passion to support rangitahi to attend school, to stay at school, and to achieve. If we do that, we might generate many more entrepreneurial M\u0101ori women and men who elevate New Zealand\u2019s standards of living, a future taxpayer base that can shoulder the debt burdens faithfully expanded by the current K\u0101wanatanga, and a culturally proud demographic who further activate the proverb of our greatest national sentinel, Ngati Porou man T\u0101 Apirana Ngata, tau te ora e hoa m\u0101 [let there be health and vitality, friends]. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022ed9f7e2a-8a0b-4bd9-a526-13450770b2db\u0022 data-id=\u0022443595cf6dd840deaf5ec5ba6f12e817\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000293\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ed9f7e2a-8a0b-4bd9-a526-13450770b2db\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022443595cf6dd840deaf5ec5ba6f12e817\u0022\u003ESORAYA PEKE-MASON (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Again, there is so much to celebrate on this timely, traditional, no-frills Budget 2023. We are laying a foundation for the future, for future growth and improved productivity, by investing in skills, science and technology, and infrastructure. We are doing the small things well at this point in time. There is so much in this Budget that will make a real difference in the lives of all New Zealanders. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000294\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ed9f7e2a-8a0b-4bd9-a526-13450770b2db\u0022\u003ELast night, I spoke on the third reading of the Child Support (Pass On) Acts Amendment Bill. There is a saving of $20 per week. This may, as I always say, seem a pittance to some, but actually it\u2019s gold to others. But when we join this up\u2014yes, when we join this up with the Budget\u2014along with winter energy payments, helping with health costs, cheaper childcare fees, free transport costs, and infrastructure in wh\u0101nau, whare, and whakapapa, the savings are our way of helping keep the cost of living down. That is the priority\u2014keeping the cost of living down, at the same time investing in skills, science and technology, and infrastructure.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000295\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ed9f7e2a-8a0b-4bd9-a526-13450770b2db\u0022\u003EI am grateful, and reiterate the investment in wh\u0101nau, whare, and whakapapa, as I mentioned earlier on\u2014by M\u0101ori, for M\u0101ori. Let me reassure everyone: what is good for M\u0101ori is good for everyone. It is good for this nation, Aotearoa, such as the extra funding to build and repair more homes; a boost to Te Matatini; more funding for Wh\u0101nau Ora; increased funding for hauora providers, iwi-M\u0101ori partnership boards, rongo\u0101 practitioners, and more prevention funding; more support in M\u0101ori education\u2014for that speaker that\u2019s left the room, if I may say\u2014for kura, kaiako, and \u0101konga across the country; more funding for M\u0101ori media; and funding made available for Te Ao M\u0101rama programmes in the courts.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000296\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ed9f7e2a-8a0b-4bd9-a526-13450770b2db\u0022\u003EI just want to touch also on the delivery of 3,000 additional public homes\u2014yes, this is a big issue. There are many issues for this country, and this is a significant one. An extra 3,000 public homes will be built by June 25\u2014that\u2019s on top of the over 14,000 that have already been funded to June 24. There is support, also, for M\u0101ori housing\u2014322 more homes for M\u0101ori and 400 relocatable cabins to assist people and wh\u0101nau that are displaced by extreme weather events across the North Island through by M\u0101ori, for M\u0101ori programmes. Also, too, this Budget is boosting two homelessness action plan initiatives, including delivery of an extra 80 places for rangatahi.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000297\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ed9f7e2a-8a0b-4bd9-a526-13450770b2db\u0022\u003EWe care about people. We have a plan, and we have a Budget that is future focused. Kia ora.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u002288564ddfc3c04d659ed1d7b6db7fc2a1\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000298\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002288564ddfc3c04d659ed1d7b6db7fc2a1\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: This is supposed to be a Te Paati M\u0101ori call. Would some honourable member like to take it?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022fdb01002-a7cf-4a77-8f05-678d24a36849\u0022 data-id=\u0022667a82a04a8743ef94cbd719692671d7\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000299\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022fdb01002-a7cf-4a77-8f05-678d24a36849\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022667a82a04a8743ef94cbd719692671d7\u0022\u003ETODD MULLER (National\u2014Bay of Plenty):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. So when the story of the 2023 election is written, as it will surely be, and edited by Stephen Levine, as it most surely will be, this week will be identified as the week that the Labour Government lost the election.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000300\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022fdb01002-a7cf-4a77-8f05-678d24a36849\u0022\u003ESo let\u2019s helicopter back up to just before Christmas last year, when it was very clear that Prime Minister Ardern had lost the country. The polls were talking to a huge defeat for the Labour Government, and the senior team of four or five decided that there needed to be a seamless transition to Chris Hipkins. That occurred at the start of the year, and he stood up immediately and said that the Ardern era is over and that this is a new Government that will be focused on bread and butter issues.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022fdb01002-a7cf-4a77-8f05-678d24a36849\u0022\u003ESo let\u2019s just test how well that has gone. His signature focus, of course, has been the Budget. And you\u2019ve heard a couple of MPs try to talk about that today. So the bread and butter focus has been an utter failure. Any conversation with any New Zealander can reinforce that point. Inflation is at the highest level it\u2019s been in decades. Interest rates are going up. Every action that they are seeking to put on the table is creating more pressure on New Zealand households.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000302\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022999fd9b0e8214957aa783686d9ea3744\u0022\u003EHon Louise Upston\u003C/span\u003E: And pain.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000303\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022fdb01002-a7cf-4a77-8f05-678d24a36849\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022402164c400034a1194cb8a20baf63487\u0022\u003ETODD MULLER\u003C/span\u003E: And pain, as Louise Upston has said, and it is real. So the only other focus that he had, or approach that he had, was to try and create the impression in New Zealand that somehow his Government was focused on the issues that matter for New Zealand and was different from the incredibly unpopular Government of his predecessor.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000304\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022fdb01002-a7cf-4a77-8f05-678d24a36849\u0022\u003EBut, over the last few weeks, he has had four hammer blows to his credibility. First up: the Hon Stuart Nash. I like him as a guy, but he had to leave Cabinet for disclosing confidential information from Cabinet to external people\u2014a remarkable failure in judgment. Then, Meka Whaitiri had to leave, and walked away from her Cabinet colleagues and the Prime Minister without even picking up the phone and telling them why. And then, Jan Tinetti is now in front of the Privileges Committee because of her behaviour. And in this week, one of the Government\u2019s rising stars in the front bench, quoted as a future leader, is stood down from Cabinet because he was asked by the Cabinet Office to sell shares that conflicted him as a transport Minister\u2014not once, not twice, not three times, but 12 times.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000305\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022fdb01002-a7cf-4a77-8f05-678d24a36849\u0022\u003EEveryone in this House knows that that is fatal politically. Perhaps he could have hung on to an argument which said, \u201CI am so busy, I have so much to do, I am so important that this just slipped my mind and I should have got round to it.\u201D when he told the media and his boss yesterday that, actually, he had been told five times to do it, but 24 hours later he had to admit, and force his boss to admit, under the cross-examining by the deputy leader of the National Party, that, actually, it\u2019s not five times that he was reminded, it\u2019s not half a dozen times that he was reminded, it was 12 times.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000306\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022fdb01002-a7cf-4a77-8f05-678d24a36849\u0022\u003ESo a Prime Minister that has essentially said to New Zealand, \u201CWe are different to what we were pre-Christmas.\u201D has now demonstrated that he is weak and he has lost control, and four Ministers\u2014nearly a fifth of Cabinet\u2014have had to be sacked or walked away. This is the week that the country has realised that, actually, these guys have got to go. They simply don\u2019t have the capacity to govern in our interests.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022 data-id=\u002266b7b1c78d8046f98c25ce5e5bdceb0b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000307\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002266b7b1c78d8046f98c25ce5e5bdceb0b\u0022\u003EANGELA ROBERTS (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. I despair sometimes but I\u2019m a patient teacher. There\u2019s a constant reminder from the other side of the House that there is a lack of basic understanding of how our economy works. So it\u2019s great that I\u2019ve got a teachable matter, because there\u2019s a level 2 concept in NCEA which talks about our production possibility frontier. It is a little curve, but it\u2019s an important little curve, because, actually, what the model does is it helps us to explain what happens when we provide support for today and invest for tomorrow.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000308\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003ESo there are two things that an economy generally tries to do: they try and shift the economy towards the frontier, and then they also like to shift that frontier, because that means that our possibilities are growing and we are much more likely to be able to grow our economy. There are some really wonderful examples\u2014in fact, dozens of examples\u2014in this year\u2019s Budget that were brought to us by the Hon Grant Robertson, and so it\u2019s wonderful; we\u2019ve got some great teachable moments. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000309\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003EThere are things that help us move towards possibilities that we already have, such as making sure that we look after health and housing so that our children can get to school and so that our workers can get to work. Housing, transport\u2014we\u2019ve heard so much about that in the last few weeks. Our low unemployment is evidence of where we are getting to the edge of that frontier. Of course, then we have supply issues and we get pressure points externally, globally, and we have inflationary pressure. So what we need to do is we need to shift our frontier, and we do that by investing. We do it by investing in our infrastructure, and we do it by investing in our people, because when we invest in our people and they become more productive, our whole curve moves out and our entire nation is better off because of it. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000310\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003ESo I just wanted to touch on a couple of aspects of investing in our people that I\u2019m really, really proud to remind the House of, such as the Training Incentive Allowance that we know people in this House have been able to take advantage of over the years. Since its reinstatement in 2021, it has supported over 6,000 eligible Ministry of Social Development clients. We know that this is life changing. This is about making sure that individuals are able to reach their potential and that we move them towards the production possibility frontier.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000311\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003EI think I\u2019ve already spoken about this in the House, but it\u2019s pretty exciting, so it is worth reminding people about our Apprenticeship Boost. It has been significant. We\u2019ve heard concerns about success for M\u0101ori, and we do know that there\u2019s been a 71 percent increase in M\u0101ori apprenticeships since we supported industry and we supported small firms and large firms to invest in their workers. We know that that pays off, not just because they become more productive but because those workers are more resilient and more adaptable in the future and their careers. It\u2019s a great thing to have seen that continued in this year\u2019s Budget.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000312\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003EOne of the other things that we have invested in is our industry transformation plans. This is about making sure that we don\u2019t just keep up but that we are transformative and continue to be world leading. There are eight of those plans; they\u2019ve taken a long time to develop with industry. It\u2019s wonderful to see evidence of the Government and industry and workers walking alongside each other and making sure that we grapple with those really challenging issues about making sure that we have a sustainable and wonderful economy in the future. There are seven industry transformation plans, and three of them are highlighted in the Budget for additional investment. We\u2019ve heard about the digital technology plan many times in the House, even just today\u2014especially how exciting it\u2019s going to be to see the gaming industry being supported and how we make sure that our young people transition into the workplace and into further training and skills. It\u2019s a wonderful process and, I\u2019m sure, one that will be replicated as we see the industry training plan for tourism and for agritech and all of the others continue.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000313\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003EIt is a wonderful Budget, and it is going to make sure that we have a just transition, that we have a strong and sustainable economy, and that the wellbeing of our people and of our planet is something that we will be happy with in the future.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000314\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003EThe debate having concluded, the motion lapsed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u0022b51384d2ea014cedbd56a93190b5d091\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000315\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b51384d2ea014cedbd56a93190b5d091\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I declare the House in committee for consideration of the New Plymouth District Council (Perpetual Investment Fund) Bill.\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=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000316\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022f1087e60b0f0472383e3eadbad5246ef\u0022\u003ENew Plymouth District Council (Perpetual Investment Fund) Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000317\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002263ff44c11a46401cbf6dcba683d677b4\u0022\u003EIn Committee\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000318\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00223233a27bb49b4fad8afa619167151997\u0022\u003EParts 1 and 2 \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000319\u0022\u003Eand clauses 1 and 2\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022 data-id=\u0022ca3cb5b8ff0f402784aeb25279b9f70a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000320\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ca3cb5b8ff0f402784aeb25279b9f70a\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Members, the House is in committee on the New Plymouth District Council (Perpetual Investment Fund) Bill. We come first to the\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022 data-id=\u0022e441f13b540b4bc0a11009d6b00af46c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000321\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e441f13b540b4bc0a11009d6b00af46c\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=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022 data-id=\u00227185e4d2de2b488d9f60e46d18a896ae\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000322\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227185e4d2de2b488d9f60e46d18a896ae\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there any objection? There is none. The question is that Parts 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=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022 data-id=\u0022b90677639dcd4938ad944765d7e037a8\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000323\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b90677639dcd4938ad944765d7e037a8\u0022\u003EGLEN BENNETT (Labour\u2014New Plymouth):\u003C/span\u003E Kia ora, Mr Chair, and thank you for this opportunity to address the House this afternoon. It\u2019s been a new experience for me in terms of shepherding through this piece of legislation, the New Plymouth District Council (Perpetual Investment Fund) Bill, but I am grateful for the support not only of members across the aisle in this House but also, too, the New Plymouth District Council\u2014to our mayor, Neil Holdom; to councillors who have pursued this piece of legislation; but then to their officials and the work that\u2019s been done not only in-house at council but throughout the community. They had this open for submissions for a number of time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000324\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EI just want to, I guess, clearly remind people the purpose of what this is about today and why we need it in New Plymouth. This very much is around ensuring the Perpetual Investment Fund, the PIF, continues as a long-term financial investment for the benefit\u2014and it goes across the board for us in New Plymouth: it\u2019s the social, it\u2019s the economic, it\u2019s the environmental, and it\u2019s the cultural wellbeing\u2014not only for today and for the residents and ratepayers of New Plymouth District today, but it\u2019s also holding it in perpetuity for the future, so for those who are to come.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000325\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EIn terms of what this is about, it is ensuring that it lasts, that it\u2019s not used for vanity projects or for short-term gain. It\u2019s around how do we make sure that the investment we have grows and continues to serve generations to come. Just a note that at the end of April, the fund was worth $349.7 million, and we look forward to seeing that continue to grow and to be drawn down upon each year to support the initiatives of the community, of the environment, of the cultural fabric of the New Plymouth District.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022 data-id=\u002298f04d7c80e74a599e4ceddd86e58eeb\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000326\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002298f04d7c80e74a599e4ceddd86e58eeb\u0022\u003EBARBARA KURIGER (National\u2014Taranaki-King Country):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Chair, and thank you to the member, Mr Glen Bennett, for that initial statement.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000327\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003EI just wanted to underpin a couple of things, and perhaps ask Mr Bennett if he\u2019s pleased we\u2014in the past, New Plymouth District Council have actually had the fund running at a loss due to some investments which didn\u2019t turn out the way that they were wished for. The bill now creates responsibilities that ensure the council must ensure that investment decisions are made only by persons designated or appointed by the council to make decisions on the investment of the perpetual investment fund. Does Mr Bennett see that as an improvement?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000328\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003EAlso, just the second question for the member: while there\u2019s new apparent plans for amalgamation, the New Plymouth District Council have expressed a desire to ring-fence this fund for their own ratepayers, as the capital came from selling their assets. National has spoken in favour of ratepayer assets staying in the ratepayers\u2019 hands. We just would be interested in a comment from Mr Bennett on those two things, thanks.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022 data-id=\u00226b142cfbfc3d4f1ab33875dc1d4225b5\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000329\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226b142cfbfc3d4f1ab33875dc1d4225b5\u0022\u003EGLEN BENNETT (Labour\u2014New Plymouth):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Chair. You are right, there, Barbara Kuriger, in terms of the challenges. It\u2019s almost 20 years since the fund was established. Early on, there were a few hiccups and a few investments that may not have been as helpful as they could have been\u2014looking at farm investments as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000330\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EWe look to move forward. I could have brought some graphs and charts and props today, but I chose not to. But the good news is that in recent years, we\u2019ve managed to pull things back. For the council themselves, they\u2019ve been able to get things into a place. They have the Perpetual Investment Fund Guardians Limited, who are a council-controlled organisation who sit at arm\u2019s length.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000331\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003ECurrently\u2014obviously, in terms of that situation\u2014the mayor and councillors have no involvement. They\u2019ve actually gone a steady-as-she-goes approach now, in terms of making sure that it\u2019s not the big flashy Tasmanian farms that we invest in, but it\u2019s actually looking at the bigger picture and the long term. So I feel confident that we have got the balance about right.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000332\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003ESecondly, the comment was around the size of the district. It\u2019s very clear in this piece of legislation that this investment will be what the actual current District of New Plymouth is today. There is no talk of amalgamation, there is no talk of changing council boundaries\u2014but if there were, then this fund will specifically be for the people who live within the current district of New Plymouth and in years to come.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000333\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EI\u2019ll just note that South Taranaki District Council, back in 1999, I believe, did a similar piece of legislation and it has the same effect that, whatever happens, which hasn\u2019t\u2014and it\u2019s not been since 1989 that there\u2019s been any change around boundaries\u2014but that would retain for South Taranaki as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000334\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003ESo I think us, in Taranaki, have some good investment plans and options to ensure the wellbeing and the future of our region.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022 data-id=\u0022e2b6d666c277458f9d1b60b215cbaa3e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000335\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e2b6d666c277458f9d1b60b215cbaa3e\u0022\u003ESIMON COURT (ACT):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Chair. Look, the ACT Party supports this bill. We believe that local government should be able to use their assets as they see fit and that where they have adequate democratic accountability for the use of their assets\u2014whether they be financial or physical assets like the three waters\u2014then that should be up to a democratically elected council and their officers to determine how those assets are managed. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000336\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EI want to ask the member a couple of questions about how the fund is managed. Clause 7 lists two principles to govern how this would be achieved. The fund will be used for \u201Csocial, economic, environmental, and cultural wellbeing\u201D, and that\u2019s fantastic because, of course, wealthy societies are able to afford to invest in social infrastructure whether it be swimming pools or libraries or childcare centres. Of course, wealthy societies are also able to invest in environmental outcomes, so that\u2019s laudable.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000337\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EBut I\u2019m interested in the concept that the fund should be managed with the intent of maintaining or increasing the real value of its capital, and I\u2019m interested in the member\u2019s perspective: would the member be comfortable with the fund investing in oil and gas production; or mining, including seabed mining; or offshore wind, for example\u2014all of which have an environmental effect but which generate great wealth and add to New Zealand\u2019s economic and social potential?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022 data-id=\u00221bac8ad09b9d4b02a09b592366e9379b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000338\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221bac8ad09b9d4b02a09b592366e9379b\u0022\u003EGLEN BENNETT (Labour\u2014New Plymouth):\u003C/span\u003E The Perpetual Investment Fund (PIF), the PIF Guardians Limited, they sit at arm\u2019s length. That\u2019s not, I guess, within my remit or requirement to do that. I\u2019ll note to the member that yesterday, I think, the South Taranaki District Council actually came out very loud and clear against seabed mining, which was an interesting thing for elected members to do. In terms of when it comes to this fund, that is completely at arm\u2019s length from the elected members to decide. They have their own policies and internal decisions to be made, and we will trust for them to do the right thing. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000339\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EI will note that I think as we look to the future, green investment often is something that has been looked at more and more, whether you look at the New Zealand Superannuation Fund, which I know is looking at offshore wind options. So, obviously, it\u2019s a space in that clean energy, which is profitable and has a future. So I\u2019m comfortable with the guardians doing what they see fit to ensure that the fund continues to build and grow.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022 data-id=\u0022d7b0ed23a44b4635b74da2bd1be30e20\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000340\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d7b0ed23a44b4635b74da2bd1be30e20\u0022\u003ESIMON COURT (ACT):\u003C/span\u003E I\u2019m wondering if the member is aware that\u2014of course, there is potential for offshore wind investment to deliver clean energy and return a profit on the investment for the shareholders. But is the member aware that even though the Government\u2019s professed its support for this type of technology, that in fact there is no form you can fill out to apply for an offshore wind farm in New Zealand; that the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment\u2014the agency responsible for that\u2014hasn\u2019t developed the regulatory structure? So while we appreciate that the fund could be used for that, is the member aware that there\u2019s actually no way we could do offshore wind in New Zealand yet, because the Government that he\u2019s a member of hasn\u2019t designed the regulatory system?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000341\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228882b9367c474bc0a1ee12aad8fb9483\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019ll allow the member to answer that, although obviously it\u2019s off the topic of the bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022 data-id=\u00220b5b7a0a70a34f699a9574cc6a9602ba\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000342\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00220b5b7a0a70a34f699a9574cc6a9602ba\u0022\u003EGLEN BENNETT (Labour\u2014New Plymouth):\u003C/span\u003E Yeah, that\u2019s what I was going to say, Mr Chair. It feels very off topic and, as an ACT Party, I\u2019m not sure if you\u2019ve actually read the bill. But it\u2019s worth coming to have a look at, and what the bill is actually about. If you want to politicise it and play games, that\u2019s fine. But that\u2019s actually not what the bill is about. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022 data-id=\u0022cab3245250a5461e8d367d47debae0ec\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000343\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022cab3245250a5461e8d367d47debae0ec\u0022\u003ESIMON COURT (ACT):\u003C/span\u003E I\u2019m interested in the independent financial management. The member mentioned that the guardians do operate at arm\u2019s length from elected members, and that sounds like a perfectly reasonable approach to take. Are there any environmental, social\u2014what\u2019s the G? Can anyone remind me what the G is of ESG? No. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000344\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022bbded2ec-ac25-4a73-a380-3f4d87693084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224b921051d2ea42348c64015e7bbb9d6f\u0022\u003EHon Stuart Nash\u003C/span\u003E: Governance.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000345\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224f19952266ed478b8daa35a712481f86\u0022\u003ESIMON COURT\u003C/span\u003E: Governance. Thank you, Mr Nash. You see, it\u2019s so hard to get your head around all the acronyms that tell people what a kind, cuddly, friendly investment is, compared to one that actually makes money\u2014it\u2019s hard to keep up. I don\u2019t know what DEI means and I\u2019m struggling with ESG, but would the member be concerned if the fund was to invest in businesses or activities related to oil and gas exploration or mining?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022 data-id=\u002238ddc29ed2284dc5b069e276031f34c4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000346\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002238ddc29ed2284dc5b069e276031f34c4\u0022\u003EGLEN BENNETT (Labour\u2014New Plymouth):\u003C/span\u003E I will remind the previous speaker that that\u2019s, I think, steering away from what this bill is about. This is around ensuring the perpetuity of this piece of legislation. If you want me to go there and speak around what the New Plymouth Perpetual Investment Fund Guardians\u2014I know Mercer is one of their agencies that they deal with, of course, so they\u2019re always being investigated and looked into. I have no concern, neither is it my concern to concern myself in those kind of discussions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000347\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EParts 1 and 2 and clauses 1 and 2 agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000348\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EBill to be reported without amendment.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000349\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EHouse resumed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022 data-id=\u0022d7d2204e5d764d449fbc402f9cf25629\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000350\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d7d2204e5d764d449fbc402f9cf25629\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: The committee has considered the New Plymouth District Council (Perpetual Investment Fund) Bill and reports without amendment. I move, That the report be adopted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000351\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000352\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003EReport adopted.\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=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000353\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00229751b185d27d417384b618e975a141fd\u0022\u003EEmployment Relations (Extended Time for Personal Grievance for Sexual Harassment) Amendment Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000354\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022de8642759e5741f3851ec4f7d9af6fa0\u0022\u003EThird Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000355\u0022\u003EDebate resumed from 10 May.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022 data-id=\u00225ad45fccf456420dac9df9b726e52e43\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000356\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225ad45fccf456420dac9df9b726e52e43\u0022\u003EHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. It\u2019s my privilege to speak on the third reading of this, the Employment Relations (Extended Time for Personal Grievance for Sexual Harassment) Amendment Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000357\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003ENational is supporting this bill. What it does is it seeks to extend the time for an employee to raise a personal grievance alleging sexual harassment from the current 90 days\u2019 time limit to a year. People who don\u2019t follow this particular area of law might be puzzled by this, but, in essence, if a relationship at work breaks down and an employee seeks a personal grievance against their employer, which is an appropriate sort of process, there is a time limit around that which is 90 days\u2014so three months. That\u2019s in place so that employers and, particularly, small-business owners don\u2019t have the potential for some kind of claim against them hanging over their heads for years to sort of reappear, say, five years later\u2014that they\u2019re unhappy with the way that they were dealt with. So that sort of statute of limitations, as it were, of 90 days is in effect.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000358\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EBut the point has been made, and I think quite well and quite strongly, by the member responsible for this bill, Dr Deborah Russell, that allegations involving sexual harassment are a unique category in the sense that it is a very difficult thing to deal with and often takes a long time for people to, sort of, think over it, to process it, and then to be in the position to raise it as an issue. That\u2019s why the case has been made for giving more time for that process to evolve and, indeed, giving people a year.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000359\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EI think everybody in this House is conscious of the terrible impact that sexual harassment can have in the workplace. Many, in fact, will have experienced some example of that. Nobody should have to go to work and face any kind of sexual harassment. So the law is clear in this area, but this is an area that we can come together as a House, as a Parliament, to pass legislation that will, I think, help\u2014let\u2019s not hope many cases, because this is not something we want to see in our workplaces anywhere, but it may well indeed help many cases where people have faced sexual harassment in the workplace and had to deal with it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000360\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003ENow, there was lots of debate about elements of it. There was a desire to extend it further, beyond sexual harassment, to a much wider, broader category of bullying and to change that threshold. That wasn\u2019t appropriate within the scope of this legislation. There were some who wanted it to be more than one year, but five years, or to have no limit, and we were still conscious of the need for some sense of certainty, particularly for the small-business owners who have to try and get on with their business. So I think where we\u2019ve landed is sensible and it will make a small difference. On that basis, I commend this bill to the House, and congratulate the member for bringing it and for its passage in this Parliament. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f677db8b-66c5-4794-953c-bdf7aa425710\u0022 data-id=\u0022b375e4841355435bb1efca44bcfcafd8\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000361\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f677db8b-66c5-4794-953c-bdf7aa425710\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b375e4841355435bb1efca44bcfcafd8\u0022\u003EMARJA LUBECK (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. It\u2019s a real privilege to be able to stand here and take the final call in the third reading of the Employment Relations (Extended Time for Personal Grievance for Sexual Harassment) Amendment Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000362\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f677db8b-66c5-4794-953c-bdf7aa425710\u0022\u003EFirst of all, I would like to commend everyone who has worked on the progress of this bill, and especially, of course, my good friend and colleague the Hon Dr Deborah Russell, who had the good fortune to have a great bill drawn out of the tin but then entrusted me with the final stages of getting this bill through the House in its last stage.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000363\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f677db8b-66c5-4794-953c-bdf7aa425710\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s also my good fortune to stand here today, because it\u2019s a double celebration: it is my birthday. So may I take the opportunity to extend a shout-out to my parents and say: meeting you has been the best moment of my life.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000364\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f677db8b-66c5-4794-953c-bdf7aa425710\u0022\u003EIt was a real privilege to chair the Education and Workforce Committee at the time when they had to consider the 43 submissions on this bill. This bill took slightly longer to go through the House because there was the need to go to a recommittal stage and clarify the need for some transitional provisions through a Supplementary Order Paper. That was necessary to make it clear that there was no need for employers to update every single existing employment agreement to comply with the new law.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000365\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f677db8b-66c5-4794-953c-bdf7aa425710\u0022\u003ESo the previous speaker has already explained what this bill does: it makes a minor change to the Employment Relations Act. But while it\u2019s minor on paper, it has the potential to be very significant for people who otherwise would not complain. The problem that this bill deals with is that in the current situation, an employee who wishes to raise a personal grievance with allegations of sexual harassment has a time period of 90 days to do so, and this particular bill extends that to 12 months, as has been explained. The previous speaker, Paul Goldsmith, explained really well, I think, what that process of a personal grievance is.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000366\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f677db8b-66c5-4794-953c-bdf7aa425710\u0022\u003EThe change that this bill makes acknowledges that a period of 90 days to raise a grievance is not really reflective of the way sexual harassment plays out in practice, and that was a point that was made very well by many of our submitters and, in particular, also by Simon Schofield, a former member of the Auckland District Law Society Employment Law Committee who teaches employment law at the University of Auckland. Extending the time recognises the special nature of sexual harassment. The Hon Dr Deborah Russell spoke about it in her second reading speech, and I would like to actually quote her. What she said is that \u201CThe reason [sexual harassment] can be traumatising is because the person who experiences it is disregarded, \u2026 treated as an object, and is treated as being of no worth\u2014or, if they have worth, it is only their sexual value that matters.\u201D I think that really puts a very fine point on that matter.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000367\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f677db8b-66c5-4794-953c-bdf7aa425710\u0022\u003EI join other members of this House who have spoken of personal experiences. People spoke about how they remembered exactly what they were wearing, where they were, what was being said, and they remember, still, even if it\u2019s many, many years later, how it made them feel. I too remember a time really clearly where I was made to feel very uncomfortable, disrespected, and powerless by the sexual innuendo of a senior co-worker. It was a long time ago but, exactly like previous speakers have said, you still remember exactly what was said. There was no physical behaviour in any way, and it was almost like a throwaway comment for the person, who probably thought it was a funny joke they were making, but it actually made me feel really bad. This incident happened many years before there was even a Me Too movement, and perhaps it happened, because, at that time, that sort of behaviour was almost normalised, but it is not OK. My colleague Helen White spoke about it in her contribution very eloquently. She said: \u201C[the need] to examine some of the damage that we do to people when we do things we think are innocent but are not. They hurt people.\u201D \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000368\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f677db8b-66c5-4794-953c-bdf7aa425710\u0022\u003ESo it\u2019s really good to see that there is a changing attitude to this issue. It\u2019s clearly reflected in the very respectful and bipartisan way that this bill has gone through the House. That\u2019s really important because to achieve lasting cultural change, there needs to be a collective ownership of the need to change culture and attitudes and to establish common values. We all have a right to feel respected in a workplace.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000369\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f677db8b-66c5-4794-953c-bdf7aa425710\u0022\u003EBut this bill is also important in light of gender equality. With the worldwide backlash against women\u2019s sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender equality is being eroded. There is a long road ahead to achieve gender equality. The time to act and invest in women and girls is now.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000370\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f677db8b-66c5-4794-953c-bdf7aa425710\u0022\u003EAs I said previously, this bill makes a small improvement but it has large implications. So I would like to finish my contribution by thanking all of those who worked on this bill, all the parties around the Education and Workforce Committee for their very collaborative approach. I acknowledge, as many others have, Zo\u00EB Lawton for her relentless advocacy for a change in the law, and bringing this matter to the attention of the Hon Dr Deborah Russell, who took the work forward. I thank my colleagues around the House for what Mr Speaker earlier in this debate referred to as collegial lawmaking. Most importantly, immense thanks must go to all those who courageously shared their stories to make sure that the voices of the victims were heard. It is good to see that it is not only the 50 percent of women in this House of Representatives that support this bill but it actually has unanimous support. So I\u2019m happy and proud to commend this bill to the House. Thank you, Mr Speaker. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000371\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f677db8b-66c5-4794-953c-bdf7aa425710\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000372\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f677db8b-66c5-4794-953c-bdf7aa425710\u0022\u003EBill read a third time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022\u003EBills\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000373\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022f4e0087c3726448e9ebe0ca959213b8b\u0022\u003ESale and Supply of Alcohol (Exemption for Race Meetings) Amendment Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000374\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022500c697537974d3c812592fd22f5df9f\u0022\u003EThird Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022 data-id=\u0022f96893de22fa4634ab2da86bffd6cf97\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000375\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022f96893de22fa4634ab2da86bffd6cf97\u0022\u003EIAN McKELVIE (National\u2014Rangit\u012Bkei):\u003C/span\u003E I move, That the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Exemption for Race Meetings) Amendment Bill be now read a third time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000376\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s a great pleasure for me to open this third reading on a bill in my name which, if passed, will have a significant impact on a very few small but very popular thoroughbred racing and harness racing clubs, spread throughout rural New Zealand. That\u2019s, of course, one of the keys to this bill: it does have an impact on those small clubs that represent the people of rural New Zealand and, of course, if you look at the history of thoroughbred racing in New Zealand, particularly\u2014and well, in fact, both forms of racing in New Zealand, they were largely popular and originated, to some extent, in rural New Zealand. If only our metropolitan clubs could work out, they are still, today, the source of many owners, trainers, and people interested in what\u2019s colloquially known as \u201Cthe sport of kings\u201D\u2014and it is the sport of kings now, not the sport of queens.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000377\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EThis bill was first presented in 2018 as a result of the then Minister for Racing the Rt Hon Winston Peters\u2019 suggesting that attendance of race meetings was being impeded by police objecting to the ability of patrons to bring their own alcohol to race meetings, where appropriate, as they preferred all clubs to run on licences. Chris Bishop picked the bill up, and as a result of this discussion, produced a bill the next morning, basically, and put it in the ballot in my name. So I need to thank Chris Bishop for the original work on this bill and, of course, I could thank the previous Minister for Racing for having the idea, but he\u2019s no longer the Minister for Racing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000378\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EThis morning we had a very interesting discussion with the current Minister for Racing about the strengths of the racing industry and also about some changes that are happening with respect to the TAB, which are very relevant to the health of racing in New Zealand, and I\u2019ll talk about that a little later. But it was a really interesting discussion and I think the racing industry is fortunate, in a way, to have had\u2014and I\u2019m not great at giving credit across the House\u2014the last two Ministers for Racing, or the last three, actually, who have all been cooperative in progressing what was a struggling, and still is a struggling, industry.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000379\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EThis bill makes it clear that racing clubs and race meetings are not the intended targets of section 235 of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012. The bill effectively allows families and other race goers to attend race meetings, taking their family picnics, including a bottle of wine or beer, and enjoy a day out without having to stand in a queue or a bar with family and friends. Some of you will be old enough to remember some of those barns in the bottom of grandstands at race meetings\u2014Mr Speaker, I\u2019m not including you in that description, of course\u2014but the West Coast, of course, had a large number of those facilities and they were usually cold, damp and very damp by the end of the day.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000380\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EThis bill actually overcomes some of those challenges, because the intention of it is to create a social environment that people can enjoy. Of course, as I said earlier, this industry has struggled in recent years, and I think the changes that have been made in the last four or so years will make a significant difference to it. This bill will make a little bit more difference if it\u2019s passed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000381\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EAs with so many matters that concern our everyday lives, we only need to look across the Tasman to a country that, as recently as last month, showed a Budget Day surplus; interest rates running about 2.5 percent less than ours\u2014probably less than that now\u2014an economy in sound shape due to the sound use of their natural resources and doing what they\u2019re best at. Their racing industry is no exception. Stakes are booming, attendance is going well, magnificent horses are doing well\u2014so well that, in fact, 60 percent of our horses annually are bred and sold to Australia\u2014and, of course, the New Zealand thoroughbred in Australia has a huge reputation, and I\u2019ll just briefly touch on that in a second, too. They also attract much international interest and money to their country by great promotion of their racing industry. Racing to Australia is a little like the All Blacks or Black Ferns to New Zealand\u2014a wonderful advertisement for the country. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000382\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EThis industry has the potential\u2014with the changes that have been made in the last four years, and with some encouragement to our breeding industry\u2014to be a great tourist attraction for New Zealand as well. I think that it\u2019s important that we keep it going. We breed better horses in New Zealand than almost\u2014I\u2019ll take the risk of saying it in here\u2014anywhere else in the world\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000383\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228d7fdbc28f4b43beb5e36002d1d40e88\u0022\u003EHon Louise Upston\u003C/span\u003E: We do.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000384\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022dfe1daef6cd34d62b2f387eed4331358\u0022\u003EIAN McKELVIE\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014and we\u2019ve proved that. Of course, the member to my right, Louise Upston, comes right from the heart of the great horse breeding area of New Zealand. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000385\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003ESo back to the bill. The activities this bill promotes can be achieved now in a form by larger clubs who have the facilities and resources to manage the licence applications, to manage the distribution and sale of alcohol under their licensing. The most notable one of those, for mine, is the CJC, the Canterbury Jockey Club, at the New Zealand Cup meeting, where they have literally thousands of people around their boots under the beautiful trees of Riccarton\u2014and in what I would call an interesting but civilised environment, I think, quite exciting actually. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000386\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EThe small clubs that we\u2019re promoting and enabling here do not have the resources to make it work in this manner, nor do they often have the facilities to run bar facilities that cater for the crowds they get, because generally these are small clubs\u2014they\u2019re defined as small clubs in the racing Act, and that means they run two or less meetings a year\u2014and they\u2019re generally run in holiday environments and enable quite large crowds to turn up. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000387\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003ELast night, we heard the first reading speeches on a bill designed to enable pubs, clubs, and other licensed facilities to open for World Cup rugby events being held at odd times of the day or night because of the time difference between us and the Northern Hemisphere. In an interesting sort of way, this bill achieves much the same thing for the small racing clubs of New Zealand. It enables them to do something a little easier and, I guess, it enables them to attract people to their racecourse they may well otherwise not, just as the bill we put through the first reading last night, when passed, will enable those hospitality facilities to do the same thing. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000388\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EMy life in racing started a long, long, long time ago, and, as a teenager, I tried to train a horse. I\u2019ve ridden a few, but you can tell I\u2019ve never been a jockey\u2014I wasn\u2019t built that way, unfortunately, or fortunately, whichever way you look at it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000389\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c110d1f932774353913470740a54f874\u0022\u003EHon Member\u003C/span\u003E: Built for comfort, not for speed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000390\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002295b52114d03c4ed69260b938a32f0582\u0022\u003EIAN McKELVIE\u003C/span\u003E: Yeah, the long and short of it. And I have had a lifelong interest in racing and have also been the president of a racing club\u2014a two-meeting club, interestingly\u2014and, as I said, have lifelong interests in the racing industry, the breeding industry, and all those things that go with it. I think, as I said earlier, it\u2019s a very important industry for New Zealand, it\u2019s important that we continue to promote it, and I think that it\u2019s essential that we give people the opportunity to enjoy the things that my generation had the opportunity to enjoy, for much the same reasons that we\u2019re here looking at this bill now. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000391\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EI do want to thank the following clubs who strongly supported the bill and they\u2019re generally harness racing clubs, interestingly: Manawatu Harness Racing Club, Kaikoura Trotting Club, Rangiora Harness Racing Club, Wairio Jockey Club, Banks Peninsula Trotting Club, and Central Otago Trotting Clubs. I want to thank all those people who had an input into it, the committee staff who helped us and, in fact, did a very good job of advising us on a way of, I guess, achieving what we set out to achieve with this bill, without involving the big racing clubs in New Zealand who have the resources to do this on their own. It was very fortunate that when we passed the racing Act some 3\u00BD years ago now, we inserted a clause defining \u201Csmall racing clubs\u201D because that\u2019s just been transferred to this, and I think that\u2019s been a bonus for this bill. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000392\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a6c42c44-3622-4c9c-98b8-793fb5ec15cc\u0022\u003EI also want to thank the Governance and Administration Committee, who helped shepherd this through to this point. I want to thank all those who\u2019ve supported the bill as it\u2019s got this far through the House, and I very much hope that it goes a little further today. This industry has struggled in New Zealand in recent years and any little glimmer of help that we can give them will be great for them. So I urge members to support the bill at third reading as it will give our volunteers running our small rural clubs new life and may well result in new people joining our great racing industry. Thank you, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022 data-id=\u002210f760ec6d1047f9bc417523fb107708\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000393\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002210f760ec6d1047f9bc417523fb107708\u0022\u003EANGELA ROBERTS (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is my pleasure to rise and stand and discuss the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Exemption for Race Meetings) Amendment Bill. It\u2019s been wonderful: over the process of this bill, almost everyone in the House has reflected on their times at a small country race meet\u2014and the wonderful electorate of Taranaki - King Country is also full of good stories. I was also, like my esteemed colleague across the aisle, not built to be a jockey, but simply sit on the sidelines and take a solid bet. I\u2019m not a good better either; I just, you know, go by the colour of the horse and maybe the name. But sometimes it pays off. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000394\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003ESo I just want to reflect\u2014we heard that racing is the sport of kings, but up in Waip\u0101, of course, Waip\u0101 is the \u201Chome of champions\u201D and we\u2019ve got some really long history of the racing industry, like we\u2019ve heard right across the country. It isn\u2019t just a huge part of our economy but it is also a huge part of our culture, especially for our smaller towns. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000395\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve heard the pros and the cons. We know it is a conscience vote, and one of the pros we\u2019ve heard about is the significant opportunity we get when we get to come together for a very small\u2014and we now know the classification of that: very few meetings a year\u2014racing club\u2019s opportunity to come together. So we\u2019ve got this wonderful park, and I have to think very carefully whether it\u2019s in Whanganui electorate or the Taranaki - King Country electorate\u2014it\u2019s right on the border there. Maybe the carpark\u2019s in King Country. But Te Kapua Park is a fabulous racetrack and we have had wonderful, wonderful New Year\u2019s Eves there, and we\u2019ve heard about it being a social environment, a family environment, and a wonderful day out. You know, we\u2019d pack up the picnic and we\u2019d take the kids down and there\u2019d be a bouncy castle and a train and you\u2019d go down to the birdcage and you\u2019d pick out your horse and it was always very, very exciting and it was fun for everybody. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000396\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003EThe fact that, at that stage, there was a licence required meant that there was a little bit of supervision of the alcohol consumption, but there was a licence to bring your own, and I think that the behaviour of those who turned up was very much peer-moderated. We had the young lads who turned up with a bit of beer, and those of us who had kids around, you know, we\u2019d make sure that they kept themselves sorted. It was a real community responsibility that was taken very seriously. I can remember experiencing having a shandy with my nana. So the idea of actually introducing responsible drinking is, you know, something that happens at a race club.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000397\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220b9dc3141c9c4dabb31db3b65e2ddb87\u0022\u003EHon Member\u003C/span\u003E: Nothing like a shandy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000398\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002211083f220f574d4f9957f0b70862e4c9\u0022\u003EANGELA ROBERTS\u003C/span\u003E: Nothing like a shandy, especially on a hot New Year\u2019s Eve like we get under that beautiful maunga in Taranaki. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000399\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003EWe really appreciate the care with which this bill has been shepherded through the House, and it\u2019s interesting to observe the submissions that were made from all of these racing clubs. Not all of them are tiny and, you know, even good old Waverley Racing Club, which everyone would assume is small but mighty, it has seven meets a year so it isn\u2019t even covered by this bill. So this is really very much about supporting those little race clubs who don\u2019t have the infrastructure, they don\u2019t have the bar and the licence and the staff and everybody else that would, quite frankly, not be as effective as my nana, I don\u2019t think, at controlling the behaviour of those who did bring their alcohol. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000400\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003EWe look after each other in our small communities, we make sure that we\u2019ve got designated drivers, and we make sure that the shandy is very much more lemonade than beer. I think that we can be very reassured that in these really small clubs that meet so infrequently that, actually, it is possible for us to look out for each other. I know that when I had conversations with constituents across my electorate, it was a no-brainer to them. They really felt that it could be assumed that as communities they are mature enough to absolutely make sure that harm is minimised and risk is mitigated, and I think that\u2019s been evidenced in all of the submissions that were made. I think, given that these submissions came from the communities most affected, it\u2019s been really interesting that it is a community response; it\u2019s about relationships and the maturity that will be expected of these communities to make sure that this lands well, and I think that\u2019s great. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000401\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003EI think that actually reflects the strength of our rural communities, the fact that we look after each other. When things go wrong, we look after each other; and when things are going well\u2014you know, when that horse comes in on New Year\u2019s Eve on that beautiful sunny day when you\u2019ve got your shandy\u2014that we hang out with each other and we have a great time. It\u2019s really nice, actually, that we have an opportunity to relax and have a good time and look after each other as rural communities, and that holds us in good stead when we have tough times like the East Coast has had.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000402\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003ESo I think\u2014personally, obviously, because it is a conscience vote\u2014that this is a pretty solid bill and it\u2019ll be interesting to see if all of those reflections that people have had about the importance of such a social occasion to our small communities is really recognised in, hopefully, this bill passing in the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000403\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003EThere was opposition and they were fair challenges. We know that we have, in general as a society, got a long way to go to make sure that we are able to consume our alcohol responsibly and look after each other. We know that our statistics with drink-driving and family violence are not pretty. But this is something quite different: this is a community event and it is something that, like I say, I\u2019ve spent many times taking my small children\u2014who aren\u2019t so small any more\u2014along to race meetings and haven\u2019t worried about, you know, a mosh pit or anything being something that they are going to have to be worried about. It has always been a family event and we\u2019ve always looked out for each other. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000404\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003EI really do think that this has been a great little bill to bring to the House and I really appreciate the care\u2014I didn\u2019t sit on the select committee; we\u2019ve heard from our colleagues who have shepherded it through and they were really clear that they took care to get the technicalities right. I think attending to \u201Cracing club\u201D to \u201Csmall racing club\u201D means that this becomes really, really efficient and effective and it is something that will stand it in good stead. Obviously, we\u2019ve had things like the Racing Act 2003 that has been replaced by the Racing Industry Act and a lot of those little technical details that mean that there\u2019s no drama or problem with trying to reduce the compliance issues for our small racing clubs. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000405\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve heard from many of our previous speakers about the challenges that our little racing clubs have had. Unfortunately, the idea of having a race meet at Te Kapua Park is no more, as racing clubs have consolidated their meets. Our really tiny racing clubs are in a precarious position, and something that can enable them to not have to have huge compliance costs\u2014which I would argue don\u2019t necessarily improve the behaviour of those who are attending a race meet\u2014means that they are more likely to be able to engage their local community in a really great event. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000406\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003EI really thank Mr McKelvie for bringing this bill to the House, his commitment and his care for the industry and to his community is obvious, and it\u2019s wonderful to be able to support that effort of Mr McKelvie\u2019s to bring it to the House. So for those of us who enjoy a wee bet every now and then and a wee shandy while we\u2019re having that bet, and whether or not we win or lose doesn\u2019t matter because we can go and have a bounce on the bouncy castle and all will be forgiven. So I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022 data-id=\u00227443a784868349c5b785e817bb7aeba3\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000407\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227443a784868349c5b785e817bb7aeba3\u0022\u003EHon TODD McCLAY (National\u2014Rotorua):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. I\u2019m very pleased to speak on this bill. The reason is clear: it\u2019s not often, when we have a members\u2019 day and we have a bill brought before the House by a member of Parliament, that it has a chance to reach consensus and support over broadly much of the House, and then go on perhaps to become law and to make a change that, whilst it may seem small and not overly significant to some, to those communities that it will affect, it absolutely will be.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000408\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EI want to commend Ian McKelvie for the way he has conducted himself from the very first moment this bill was drawn, and then all the way through the process to third reading. Ian, I think you have gained much more support for this legislation than probably many thought was there at the beginning. It\u2019s because of the respectful or responsible way you have raised these issues, listened to those that had concerns, and looked to address them, rather than what often happens in this place\u2014we sometimes ignore the views of others and perhaps shout each other down. I also know that Ian McKelvie brings this legislation here because of a deep-rooted, longstanding interest and much experience in the racing industry\u2014not the part that this bill is trying to allow people to have when they go racing, although I know that he responsibly has enjoyed that as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000409\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EIt used to be said that New Zealand was a country of racing, of rugby, and there was something else in there\u2014it was probably often the drink, I\u2019m not sure. The world has changed. We view all of those things\u2014some people view them all\u2014as vices now. If we are not victorious in the Rugby World Cup, those who beat us, it would be a vice.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000410\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EBut certainly, if you think about racing, whilst it is a very important part of the economy\u2014in fact, that delivers significantly in as far as the breeding of thoroughbreds of racehorses is concerned; it employs a lot of New Zealanders and it is something that we should work very hard in this House to support. From the moment we get out of bed to the moment we go to sleep, whether we agree with the racing aspect of it\u2014because it is important there and people take a lot of pride in it, and they put their life\u2019s work into it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000411\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EBut at the same time, there is another part of this sector, which is the enjoyment that everyday New Zealanders, with their families, have when they choose to go out one day a year, sometimes, to go to the races. They go because some people get to dress up or they get to go and see the horses, or the kids can have a hotdog on a stick, or they\u2019re just going to be together with their friends. Many years ago, they might go along and sit on the lawn and bring their own food because they would have a picnic, and they might have a little bit of wine\u2014or, probably in those days, it was just a bottle or two of beer.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000412\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EWell, we\u2019ve had to be very responsible, as lawmakers, to make sure that alcohol doesn\u2019t harm people because, of course, its misuse can create significant amounts of harm. But in so doing, when it comes to the way we have agreed laws, we\u2014collectively, many parliaments; not any party, but we as a Parliament\u2014have agreed laws around the control of alcohol and the restriction of it, there has been consequence. Sadly, those decisions, or the interpretation of those decisions, by the police force who we ask to administer this for us has led to those who are responsible\u2014want to have a little bit of fun with their friends and family, not cause any harm, and with their lunch or whatever else they\u2019re doing, have a little bit to drink as they just enjoy that horse racing\u2014we have had an impact upon that enjoyment.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000413\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EWell, Ian McKelvie\u2019s bill addresses that. I want to say to him that I thought it was a very good bill when he first brought it to the House. I was very happy to support it because his intentions are correct and he\u2019s looking to fix a bit of New Zealand history and culture that should remain so people who are not causing harm can enjoy themselves.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000414\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EBut I must say that I think some of the suggestions that have been brought in through the select committee process show that select committees can work when there is a bipartisan approach to listening to submitters and finding solutions rather than party positions, as we often always see. The suggestion that this should be limited to small racetracks that have two or fewer betting meetings a year, I think, probably meets the requirements and gets the balance about right.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000415\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003ELook, if somebody is having four or five or six meetings, then actually it is more serious, I suppose, their engagement with racing\u2014any racecourse in the country\u2014and then they can go to the extra expense or complication of making sure that they are properly licensed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000416\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EBut there will be tracks around the country that actually, in the new year after Christmas, have always had a race meeting and they choose to continue to do that. As local people go along, it\u2019s the one time they go to the races every year or their friends or family visitors or holidaymakers go along there and they have a huge amount of fun in the sun. This legislation brought to this House by Ian McKelvie means that, actually, they get to have that little bit of fun, and if they choose to have a little bit of wine or beer with that, then the House believes that\u2019s OK.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000417\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EIt doesn\u2019t mean that people shouldn\u2019t be responsible or that the hosts there don\u2019t have responsibilities when it comes to the use of alcohol or what happens in that venue. It doesn\u2019t, in this instance, drive people to want to do this where they wouldn\u2019t otherwise. Because, actually, if somebody wants to go and drink on a Saturday, sometimes the races are the last place that they would go and maybe take a little bit of alcohol themselves.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000418\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EIt doesn\u2019t diminish from the importance of the harm\u2014and the work that this House and others should do to minimise harm\u2014around alcohol, particularly with younger people. But what it does do is recognise that there is a part of New Zealand and its culture that is important to this country. For some, it will be a fabric of the type of country we have become\u2014and that where people can be responsible and will be responsible and are able to share a drink with friends and family at one or two race meetings a year, then there must be a way for that to happen. I commend Ian McKelvie for bringing this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000419\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EI guess the final thing I would say is that people in this House will have different views. Some parties will have a view; for others it will be a conscience vote. Look, at the end of the day, each of us has to dig deep and decide what we believe is right and the rest of us should be very respectful of that. So there were people that\u2019ll have a different view of this than me. Actually, that doesn\u2019t mean that my view is better than theirs or that they are wrong or they think I\u2019m wrong and they are right. It just is something in this House where we get to use our conscience and think those sorts of things through.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000420\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003ESo however people decide to vote on this debate, we should be as respectful to each other as we are in the way we would explain this decision to those who are out having fun. But I would ask those who are a little bit unsure\u2014who haven\u2019t been to a racetrack very often, who maybe themselves wouldn\u2019t understand or wouldn\u2019t want to go and enjoy a bit of time; a pastime with friends and family in this way\u2014just to think of the very many New Zealanders who do this, and they do it respectfully and responsibly. See if you can get to the point of deciding that, actually, this is one of the areas where that vote in favour can enable and allow New Zealanders to do something without it causing harm for them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000421\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EI think it\u2019s very infrequent that a member of Parliament brings a bill to this House as a member\u2019s bill, and it is discussed and considered as respectfully and as responsibly as this has been done. For any member that wants to think that, actually, Ian McKelvie is a good guy who has come here and brought this piece of legislation in good faith to make a small change for a very small part of rural New Zealand, this will be one of the very last things he does before he gets to retire with his head held high, very proud of what he\u2019s achieved for his electorate and all of New Zealand. That vote in support of him would mean that he can, in his early retirement, travel around the country to those 10 racecourses and share a drink with them every Christmas from now until the rest of us have a chance to join them. I commend you for this, and I am very proud to support you, Ian.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022 data-id=\u00220c76e2b1fec747c7b3ae6530399d5ff2\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000422\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00220c76e2b1fec747c7b3ae6530399d5ff2\u0022\u003EGLEN BENNETT (Labour\u2014New Plymouth):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker, and, yes, I acknowledge Ian McKelvie for the wonderful opportunity that the biscuit tin provided him. When the previous speaker talks about how one of the last things he gets to do is this, I\u2019m sure he\u2019s had many last things he\u2019s done over many years, whether it be in business, whether it be on council, whether it be here in Parliament. So I\u2019m sure that Mr McKelvie has had plenty of wins in plenty of spaces and places. Tonight, I\u2019m grateful to be part of a party\u2014part of the New Zealand Labour Party\u2014that allows us to vote on our conscience when it comes to topics of alcohol, and for that reason we on this side of the House hold differing views; who I sit next to on my left or right might hold a different perspective to what I hold.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000423\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EThis piece of legislation, the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Exemption for Race Meetings) Amendment Bill, is one that I won\u2019t be supporting this evening. I respect Mr McKelvie and the work he does, as I\u2019ve said, over many years, but this is one that I won\u2019t be supporting. I want to, I guess, just explain a little bit why and sort of get to a place where\u2014not that I convince others to vote my way but to know that my conscience in what I\u2019ve been asked to do\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000424\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022956cc53f6fb84854b37e70d625318e8e\u0022\u003ESimon Court\u003C/span\u003E: Go on\u2014assume this is a debate and this is Parliament. Have a go.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000425\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b665024d4a6249108d0767f07c3cbc37\u0022\u003EGLEN BENNETT\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014is the way that I will vote. So\u2014thank you. I didn\u2019t hear anything you said, but I don\u2019t need to. I am the MP for New Plymouth, and in New Plymouth we have some very, very strong organisations, individuals, and groups that lobby me hard and push on many topics. Alcohol is one of them. Alcohol is one of them that, on an almost probably weekly basis, I am having conversations and being pushed on. For that reason, I want to honour the organisation New Plymouth Injury Safe, who are doing a marvellous piece of work in New Plymouth around what does it look like when it comes to alcohol reform, what does it look like when it comes to the reduction of harm in the consumption of alcohol. That\u2019s why, for me\u2014and I know people will think I\u2019m a party pooper or I\u2019m denying people things, but, thankfully, I get to make my choice on this vote, and I will be voting no.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000426\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EBut I guess I just want to reflect, as we look at the legislation\u2014and I understand it\u2019s a very small piece here today, but, obviously, I mean, I was part of an organisation a number of years ago where we did serve alcohol for a particular event and we did have to get a special licence, and I think that\u2019s an appropriate thing to do, whether it\u2019s to serve alcohol on the premises or to allow the BYO, I think, because it\u2019s some checks and balances. They\u2019ve been put in place for a reason: to ensure that organisations, to ensure that businesses, to ensure that racecourses and race meets have things in place to ensure that they protect people.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000427\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EI often look at this House and what we do, and often it\u2019s not looking at the majority of people; it\u2019s looking at a small amount of people who often like to rort the rules or like to play them or just struggle when it comes to potentially something around alcohol. Four out of five New Zealanders do drink alcohol, and I acknowledge that; that it is a pastime that is intimately ingrained in our culture here in New Zealand, but one in four of those drinkers do drink hazardously. Of young adults particularly, two in five do drink hazardously. For me, in terms of the work I have done in community development and with young people, but also the work in this House, it is how do we ensure that our communities\u2014how do we ensure that our culture is one that is inclusive and doesn\u2019t allow others to trip or fall?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000428\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003ESo when I look at this bill and I see it is\u2014and we have several racecourses in my electorate, obviously our main one in New Plymouth, which is one of the bigger ones in our region. But I like, as I said, the checks and balances that take place when you use something, like having to apply to a council for a special licence. In terms of looking at the alcohol consumed in New Zealanders, it is a lot and I want to be part of a culture that starts to move away from that being just the given; that on a Friday night you go to the races or you go to the cinema or you go to a function or event and the first thing you are handed is a glass of wine or a bottle of beer. Because it doesn\u2019t need to be that way.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000429\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EThis legislation isn\u2019t anything that\u2019s trying to encourage mass drinking, I know, but I think it\u2019s the small wins that we can have where, actually, we say, \u201COK, how do we do it differently?\u201D We don\u2019t need to have alcohol served at every event or for us to enjoy an afternoon at the races, to enjoy an evening at the races. Yes, getting dressed up; yes, taking a pocketful of cash or whatever it is you do\u2014it\u2019s fine\u2014but the fact that it doesn\u2019t always have to involve a glass of wine or a bottle of beer.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000430\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EWhen we look at the numbers, in 2018 there were 35 million litres of pure alcohol consumed in New Zealand. That equals quite a lot. Over the last 10 years, pure alcohol available for consumption in New Zealand\u2014although it\u2019s decreased slightly, there have been big increases when it comes to spirit-based drinks, up 22 percent, and wine, up 7 percent. I look at this House and I look back at the history of this House, and alcohol reform and alcohol legislation has often been something that has been fought out, that has been something that\u2019s often been high up on the agenda, because it\u2019s quite important, often for people and members of this House, which interests me. I think one of the early laws that were first passed in the New Zealand Parliament in the 19th century actually was around drinking alcohol on site at Parliament, because our rules were different to everyone else\u2019s because\u2014I don\u2019t know, maybe we needed more, or maybe it was just a way of getting through the days or having to deal with other parties. I don\u2019t know.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000431\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EI want to thank the members of the Governance and Administration Committee, who have followed through; to the submitters who have been engaged in this process, because it is\u2014and I\u2019m always grateful for democracy in New Zealand, that we have these tools and these ways to engage. So often in current times we\u2019ve had challenges and pushbacks, you know, in terms of a closed Government, but I look around the world and I would not want to be anywhere else but here to be a member of Parliament. Being able to sit on select committee and to be able to lean in and listen to what people think is good about legislation or to think about what they don\u2019t like or to critique and to change and to find ways to make it better.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000432\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003ESo, therefore, this Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Exemption for Race Meetings) Amendment Bill has been through that process, and again, Ian McKelvie, a passionate supporter, obviously, of the racing industry and still the spokesperson, I believe, for racing on the National Party. So yeah, I respect you for that. I won\u2019t be supporting it tonight, but as we know across the floor, there\u2019s been very different opinions and views on this piece of legislation. We\u2019ve got this far, to the third reading. I\u2019ll be interested to see where we go this evening. I assume I know where it\u2019ll go, but that\u2019s OK; I\u2019m here to vote as I believe.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000433\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EWe need to have serious and hard conversations as a nation around alcohol. We need to be, I believe, in our clubrooms, on our sports fields, at our racecourses, in our businesses, in our schools, in our churches, on our marae, talking about a way forward when it comes to consumption of alcohol, looking at ways\u2014for example, with smoking, 30 years ago that was just normal. My first job was in an office and smoking was still normal, and I remember walking in and being completely covered in smoke. I always thought, \u201COh, this will never change.\u201D, and then, of course, in the early 2000s, it was taking smoking out of bars and clubs. I thought that would never work; it wouldn\u2019t change, but we have, and the culture has changed and people have leaned in and moved forward with the times.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000434\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EI look forward to a day when we don\u2019t spend time debating issues of alcohol or where it can be used or it can\u2019t be used, because we\u2019ve come to a place where we\u2019ve found a path forward that supports our young people, that supports our vulnerable people, a place where we can ensure that, yes, we may have alcohol in New Zealand, but it\u2019s drunk\u2014if there is even a way\u2014safely, that we don\u2019t have addiction, we don\u2019t have loss of life, we don\u2019t have health issues. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the time and I won\u2019t be supporting this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a97e1705-20b1-4844-8140-1090426c1397\u0022 data-id=\u0022388d3cc3c1564211a27456b2c1310599\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000435\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a97e1705-20b1-4844-8140-1090426c1397\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022388d3cc3c1564211a27456b2c1310599\u0022\u003EDAMIEN SMITH (ACT):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise on behalf of the ACT Party as the spokesman for sport and racing. I see this is a momentous day for Mr McKelvie\u2014I hope\u2014and the small racing clubs in New Zealand. He\u2019s like a thoroughbred jockey: he\u2019s dropped the reins and he\u2019s coasting home, and, hopefully, tonight we will get there.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000436\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229567dd054d2e4728bce795a2a17c069b\u0022\u003EHon Michael Woodhouse\u003C/span\u003E: He doesn\u2019t look that confident; he\u2019s still got the bit between his teeth!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000437\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a97e1705-20b1-4844-8140-1090426c1397\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b94b406113e54465b65ccb902210b9e3\u0022\u003EDAMIEN SMITH\u003C/span\u003E: Yes. I\u2019ve heard the comments from the previous speaker, Glen Bennett. This bill is really quite simple. It does try to manage and put a sensible framework around the consumption of what really is taking a chilly bin to the races, for small racing clubs who have less than three meetings a year. They just don\u2019t have the big facilities that the big racecourses do; you have to drive up there and open your boot up and be social. I think this exemption will encourage more families to attend smaller race meetings across the country and give our rural communities a shot in the arm to carry out the traditions of what has gone before for them, their parents, and their grandparents.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000438\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a97e1705-20b1-4844-8140-1090426c1397\u0022\u003EI think it\u2019s a very sensible bill and the committee\u2019s put it together in great shape. The facilities of New Zealand racecourses do vary greatly, and it\u2019s important that we recognise that this is an essential part of looking at the fabric of rural New Zealand and supporting it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000439\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a97e1705-20b1-4844-8140-1090426c1397\u0022\u003EThe restrictions that have been ordered around the small racing clubs in the Racing Industry Act have now been defined, and we can move forward. We\u2019d like to really empathise with the previous speaker\u2019s comments about alcohol management, but we\u2019d like to also make sure that a fun and atmospheric place for small racing still exists in New Zealand. We will be voting in favour of the bill and in favour of the committee\u2019s work.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022 data-id=\u0022a53ab1ffad8a458fbda1f39b3afa73bc\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000440\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a53ab1ffad8a458fbda1f39b3afa73bc\u0022\u003ETANGI UTIKERE (Labour\u2014Palmerston North):\u003C/span\u003E T\u0113n\u0101 koe, Madam Speaker. It\u2019s a pleasure to rise and take a call on the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Exemption for Race Meetings) Amendment Bill. I think it\u2019s a great use of the House\u2019s time to spend talking about what is a pretty important industry to Aotearoa New Zealand. Can I acknowledge my colleague Ian McKelvie, who has brought this bill in its current form to the House. I\u2019m in the position where Mr McKelvie is the member of Parliament for an electorate that completely encircles my own electorate. I cannot leave the borders of Palmerston North without encroaching upon his electorate of Rangit\u012Bkei. But I do know that many other members from all around the House will, I\u2019m sure, agree with me that Mr McKelvie is one of those gentlemen of the House, despite political differences from time to time, and I know that that certainly occurs at a local level as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000441\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003EI want to acknowledge that he seems to have some success with members\u2019 bills. I\u2019ve had a look back over time and I see that he had a livestock rustling bill that was taken up by this Government\u2014is now a piece of legislation. He also had a Dog Control Act amendment bill that meant that people like judicial justices of the peace (JP) could deal with dog control matters as category 1 offences\u2014something that, as a judicial JP, I was very familiar with presiding over as well. Obviously, this bill as well. I thought maybe there\u2019s a theme here that what he has in the biscuit tin also is something related to animal welfare or something alike\u2014no, I see that it\u2019s something to do with allowing a little bit more flexibility with the sale and supply of alcohol in a different sense for restaurants and the like.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000442\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003EI also know that this is something that the member is not only passionate about but is an industry that he knows a lot about. Previous contributions that he has made in this House\u2014I know that he has commended members who have successfully shepherded through bills, particularly in situations where they know something about it. Given that I see Mr McKelvie probably as frequently on racecourses as I do in the House, that is a testament to his involvement in that particular sector.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000443\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003EI listened to the comments of my colleague, the member for New Plymouth, Glen Bennett\u2014an excellent member\u2014who identified that the position of the Labour Party is to treat this as a conscience vote. I think it\u2019s really important that members should be able to freely express their views around why they wish to vote the way they do, and that is exactly what I intend to do this evening. I have taken the position of supporting this bill through all stages, and it is my intention to continue to support it at third reading this evening.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000444\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003EThis is something that I think will assist those smaller clubs that are largely in rural communities. I remember when I was young, I saw a photo of my great-grandmother, who was dressed up to the nines and was in front of a semaphore. I didn\u2019t know what a semaphore was back then but it\u2019s basically the tote board where they used to change the odds. She was clearly dressed up, ready to go somewhere and have a good time. Sadly, when it comes to racing in the current context, those times have changed, as we move to more of an online offering\u2014and I know that, as a Government, we\u2019ve made some huge steps in that particular space as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000445\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003EBut I do come to this bill with some experience in two areas. One, prior to Parliament, having served as a deputy chair of a district licensing committee (DLC) for my community, considering things like special licences, considering the reports by statutory officials, whether they be a medical officer of health, whether they be the police, or whether they be the local authority\u2019s liquor licensing inspector. And yes\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000446\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022046963125c3e47d2a787acb0a466f9f1\u0022\u003EGlen Bennett\u003C/span\u003E: You\u2019re a jockey!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000447\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f7c30f45fc67427fbc4a79a79bb1248d\u0022\u003ETANGI UTIKERE\u003C/span\u003E: I wasn\u2019t a jockey, Mr Bennett. My sister will tell you that I used to ride my bicycle with a whip, pretending I was a jockey, but the common theme used to be around weight at the moment. But the issue there is that there is obviously an awareness of DLCs and the responsibilities that they have.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000448\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003EBut I also come to this House with more than a decade dealing with judicial matters within New Zealand\u2019s racing industry. So I spent more than 10 years as a member of the judicial control authority, which was an authority that was responsible for dealing with discipline matters, whether they be alcohol-related, drugs-related, conduct-related, protests, all of those sorts of things. So I have had my fair share of visits to racecourses around Aotearoa New Zealand. I sat down and I tried to tally up exactly how many racecourses I had been to. I got to 42\u201442. The majority of those racecourses I have managed to\u2014in an official capacity\u2014deal with in terms of my role as a member of the judicial control authority.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000449\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003EBut I do know even places like Taranaki - King Country, where you leave Palmerston North and then the first racecourse you hit is Whanganui, and then you go to Waverley and then H\u0101wera and then Stratford and then Pukekura Park and then you get in the car and come back. Likewise, if you were to head up the East Coast, it would be a similar experience. But I reflect on the occasions where I have spent times on racecourses like those, but also racecourse in Cromwell, Gore, Winton, Wairoa, Waipukurau, Ruak\u0101k\u0101. They all have a very different feel in terms of how they function. Yes, there are rules; there are regulations that govern the racing and the way in which things are conducted, but there are diligent, hard-working community members who go about their duties supporting those meetings. They really are huge community events. Why? Because people are passionate about the work they do in their community, but also because they know that this is an opportunity for communities to come together. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000450\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003EIn my own electorate of Palmerston North, I know we have Awapuni, supported by the Government\u2019s investment for an all-weather track of more than $10 million. But that is a commercial operation; it is a multipurpose operation\u2014quite different to the nearby Manawat\u016B Harness Racing Club, which I note was one of the submitters that submitted to the Governance and Administration Committee. They will be disappointed with the change, because as it stood prior to committee they were one of the clubs that would be permitted to function under this legislation, but, with the move to three or fewer, they will miss out. But I\u2019m sure that they will still be, none the less, pleased with the recommendations that the select committee has made and what that means for other communities and clubs around New Zealand. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000451\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003EI want to just very briefly touch on some of the changes that the select committee has made that have led to the bill in its current form today. One is obviously we now have a bill in front of the House that changes the reference to racing legislation so that it is accurate\u2014that\u2019s a small change but an important one. But the key one is that it creates a distinction that captures some clubs and not others. That is by inserting the word \u201Csmall\u201D, which is defined in racing legislation as those clubs that hold three or fewer betting licences a year. For those who might be tuning in, thinking, \u201CWell, what is a betting licence?\u201D Well, the reality is we have clubs all around the country that conduct racing all year round. Not all of them, actually, have a betting licence where people can place wagers. So this would only apply to those clubs around New Zealand where the club held a licence and it was a club that held a number of meetings that sat at three or fewer per year.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000452\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003EI think this change that the committee had recommended and the House has clearly adopted is a good one because it targets where this law will lie. It is for clubs that don\u2019t run meetings every month, it is for clubs like those in Gore who hold two or three a year, or in Kaik\u014Dura who I think, strangely, is the only club that holds two meetings a year that are back to back on a Sunday and a Monday. Well attended but also will ensure that it\u2019s able to support those diligent workers who are fastidious about the duties that they undertake from the moment you set foot on the racecourse, from the car parking attendants right through to those who are committee members who go about supporting the work of the day.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000453\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003EClubs still have a responsibility\u2014that is clear\u2014but I have full confidence in small clubs. I have confidence in their ability to manage things, to mitigate things, but also to ensure that they are continuing to do the work that does a couple of things. It will ensure that we have a strong racing industry here in Aotearoa New Zealand, but also that communities are able to continue to gather around a hamper or a picnic from the car boot, continue to enjoy a day out at the races, and something that I think will be a huge benefit rather than a barrier to local clubs. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022 data-id=\u0022db491ebe898943b0800b81bdd53ebaec\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000454\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022db491ebe898943b0800b81bdd53ebaec\u0022\u003ECHL\u00D6E SWARBRICK (Green\u2014Auckland Central):\u003C/span\u003E E te M\u0101ngai, t\u0113n\u0101 koe. T\u0113n\u0101 koutou e te Whare. Firstly, I just wanted to acknowledge Ian McKelvie for bringing this bill to the House. That is, obviously, a momentous day for any member when you manage to get a member\u2019s bill to third reading, so I wanted to acknowledge him in that and the work that, obviously, is necessary to get to this place.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000455\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EThere\u2019s been a broad-ranging debate about this bill, about the impact of racing, about our communities, about culture, and about the intertwining and\u2014particularly from the member Glen Bennett from Labour just before\u2014the kind of interconnection between sports and alcohol. So I wanted my contribution, on behalf of the Greens, this afternoon to reflect on a number of those things.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000456\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EBut, first and foremost, I think, perhaps it would be useful to zoom out a little bit and to think about alcohol in the context of how we regulate drugs in this country. The reality is that drugs of all flavours exist\u2014those drugs being alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and otherwise. It happens that alcohol is the most widely consumed drug in this country\u2014of both the legal and illegal kind. It is our favourite drug, in that 80 percent of New Zealanders consume it\u2014and, as Glen Bennett said before, a quarter of New Zealanders to incredibly harmful ends.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000457\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EBut when we are looking at substances like alcohol, like tobacco, like cannabis, or otherwise, we have a range of regulatory options in front of us. If we firstly accept the premise that those substances exist, then that those substances can potentially cause harm, it prompts the question of: how do we go about regulating those substances so as to best go about reducing that potential for harm? That spectrum, at one end of the extreme, looks like criminal prohibition\u2014the kind of approach that we\u2019ve taken, for example, under the Frankenstein Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, which has simply seen greater proliferation of substances. It hasn\u2019t wiped substances out; in fact, they\u2019ve got far more dangerous. At the other end of the extreme, you have a complete legal free market, and many would say that that\u2019s the end of the spectrum which alcohol tends to lean on.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000458\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EAt both ends of those extremes of the spectrum, you have the maximisation of harm. That is because, in the criminal prohibition end, you have criminal organisations, and at the other end of the spectrum, with regard to a complete legal free market, you have commercial or corporate organisations. At both ends of those extremes, those criminal organisations or those commercial organisations are incentivised to exploit vulnerable communities in order to make a quick buck; to sell as much of their product as is possible.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000459\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003ESo the question or the, kind of, challenge for this House is: how do we go about pulling back from those extremes? The answer is through sensible regulation. Of course, as has been debated many times in this Chamber\u2014not the least throughout this term\u2014the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 fails in a lot of ways when it comes to regulating alcohol harm. And there\u2019s been a number of proposals\u2014not the least, members\u2019 bills\u2014that have sought to address parts of that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000460\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003ESome of those interventions or policy tools might look like availability\u2014as has been recommended as one of the most, kind of, best buys by the likes of the World Health Organization, in terms of an intervention that can reduce harm\u2014pricing and marketing. Another intervention for potentially problematic use is the utilisation of what is known as a safe consumption space, where you have a duty of care on those who are supplying\u2014or, at the very least, looking after those who are consuming that substance. In the context of alcohol, that looks like hospitality venues; it looks like our bars and our clubs and our venues.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000461\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EWhat this bill seeks to do, the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Exemption for Race Meetings) Amendment Bill, is to remove, for sake of these small race meets, the offence of offering of one\u2019s premises as a \u201Cplace of resort\u201D for a BYO, a bring your own alcohol. This is currently used\u2014as submissions to the Governance and Administration Committee showed\u2014for police to negotiate with organisers of those BYO events to try and minimise alcohol harm. But, as I understand it\u2014and looking at the history of this bill\u2014the issue emerged in around 2016-17, with race meets complaining that those meets were being restricted by police, and, as such, we ended up with this member\u2019s bill from the honourable Ian McKelvie. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000462\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003ETo that effect, in thinking about how we can go about exempting racing in particular, I\u2019d like to say, first and foremost, why is this only applying to that one section of our society, given that we tend to see criminalisation of substances occurring for other types of communities? There is an imputed sense of responsibility, as well, that we\u2019re hearing and many speakers have also spoken to with regard to the kinds of environments that a race meet provides\u2014that is: a sense of community and that we\u2019re looking after each other in other ways. To that effect, I\u2019d say: why can\u2019t we apply that same logical consistency to other substances\u2014for example, when we\u2019re looking at cannabis legalisation and control?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000463\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EThere is the opportunity for these special licences to already be provided and through this, kind of, BYO negotiation with the police, under the current \u201Cplace of resort\u201D potential offence. So, again, it kind of does just feel like it is potentially a solution looking for a problem, to a certain extent.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000464\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EOthers have spoken to the deeply intertwined sense between sports and alcohol. As I spoke in another bill just last night, it was actually the former National Government that commissioned the 2014 Ministerial Forum on Alcohol Advertising and Sponsorship to especially address that deeply entrenched cultural problem, which was acknowledged came from legal structures which enable tens of millions of dollars to be poured into advertising, which, in turn, helps to create an environment where alcohol is consumed to excess. And we\u2019ve seen consistent reports, commissioned by successive Governments, which have said precisely the same thing, all just to be ignored because, once again, I think, it\u2019s put in the too hard basket.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000465\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003ESo, in closing, on those points around how these race meets and this kind of negotiation with police about BYO is already possible, on the basis of the evidence around drug harm reduction, and in asking Parliament for a sense of consistency, the Greens are voting down this legislation today. But I understand from speakers who\u2019ve come before me that it\u2019s still likely to get through.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000466\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EBut just reflecting, finally, on those principles of basic harm reduction and, actually, some of the comments as made by previous speakers. I was listening quite intently to the Hon Todd McClay, who was speaking about how New Zealanders at these small race meets are just using alcohol, just using the substance, respectfully and responsibly\u2014they\u2019re doing something without causing harm to anybody else. I\u2019d ask members across this House to think about that same logical consistency when considering the likes of other substances\u2014for example, cannabis, which is used by 635,000 New Zealanders annually, 15 percent of this country. If we\u2019re to talk about consistency, what we\u2019re talking about there is a situation where, just last year alone, 180 New Zealanders were sentenced to prison for cannabis possession alone\u2014for something which many were using, in the words of the Hon\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000467\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224a25943b-cb3b-49c3-bd10-74316fae17f1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220ee4f3fd6d384b14836373ed5ad1868d\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean)\u003C/span\u003E: Order! Order! Can I ask the member to come back. I appreciate her references going wider, and I understand that the member is broadly within other parameters of the third reading, but she\u2019s in danger of straying just a little far out of that lane.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000468\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c7c2c6463442400c995a29f6bc88f0d6\u0022\u003ECHL\u00D6E SWARBRICK\u003C/span\u003E: Appreciate that, Madam Speaker. So reflecting on those principles of drug harm reduction\u2014that drugs exist regardless of wherever in the world they\u2019ve tried to wipe them out\u2014with the next question of \u201CHow do we go about reducing that harm?\u201D, the answer is: evidence-based regulation. The Greens are opposing this legislation today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022db7fcb82-2c50-44e1-9f32-d9138c14006e\u0022 data-id=\u002240c0b53450a84574b42352431258e90f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000469\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db7fcb82-2c50-44e1-9f32-d9138c14006e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002240c0b53450a84574b42352431258e90f\u0022\u003ELEMAUGA LYDIA SOSENE (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E I\u2019m very pleased to rise and take a call in this bill, and to have the opportunity to provide a contribution on the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Exemption for Race Meetings) Amendment Bill. I do want to acknowledge the member Ian McKelvie for putting this forward as a hard-working member, and thank you to the members across the House for providing useful contributions. However, it is my perspective that in my contribution I will oppose this bill. There are a number of reasons as to why I will not be supporting this bill in the conscience vote.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000470\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db7fcb82-2c50-44e1-9f32-d9138c14006e\u0022\u003ESo this amendment bill targets a small group of community individuals, that they would have the ability to consume alcohol, that under this bill they would not be required to apply for an actual liquor licence for the operators and owners due to their activity of small racing meets, because they will be able to purchase alcohol from an off-licence operator, transport that alcohol to the small race meet, and drink to their heart\u2019s content, so without having to be monitored or checked. Even if the local police receive a complaint, it would not be followed up because it would be classed as legal activity.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000471\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db7fcb82-2c50-44e1-9f32-d9138c14006e\u0022\u003EThere is no ability for the police to monitor the drinking levels of these individuals and, in my view, it is a waste of police resource. The bill is a conscience vote for democracy reform, and the definition is that the inner sense is to do what is right or wrong in one\u2019s conduct or motives, impelling one towards the right action. So I have taken the opportunity to speak out, because I need to highlight to the House\u2014and appreciate the views that have been put across\u2014that there is far too much alcohol poisoning for the ability or availability for alcohol consumption.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000472\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db7fcb82-2c50-44e1-9f32-d9138c14006e\u0022\u003ESo I want to highlight just a couple of things in my contribution, because in the area that I come from, under-age youth illegally drinking alcohol is a real problem that Aotearoa or New Zealand, in some parts of Aotearoa, across the motu, ignore. In my local area, I just quickly want to highlight\u2014because in a former role that I had with Auckland Council, the area that I come from in M\u0101ngere, South Auckland, there are far too many off-licence outlets that provide a real problem, because we have under-age youth who access alcohol illegally by asking older members of the community to go into that nearby shop and to purchase their alcohol. This is a regular, real-life incident, and an ongoing problem, because our hard-working police members, our hard-working health officials in our community continue to work with families that our young people\u2014specifically, I probably would refer to urban centres and some rural areas. There are far too many off-licence operators and shops that do this, and I want to just quickly acknowledge Communities Against Alcohol Harm and those who continue to work on the ground.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000473\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db7fcb82-2c50-44e1-9f32-d9138c14006e\u0022\u003EBack to the bill. What I read was Te Whatu Ora\u2019s report. They provided a public health perspective to the Governance and Administration Committee, and I thank them for their work and their contribution on 12 September 2022. That specific report had a number of points, and stated that Te Whatu Ora has a role of public health and alcohol licensing. In\u00A0their report, it stated how drinking levels would be monitored to protect under-age drinking levels, and then the fact that excessive drinking levels lead always to alcohol poisoning.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000474\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db7fcb82-2c50-44e1-9f32-d9138c14006e\u0022\u003EAs I said earlier, what this bill promotes is unregulated drinking environments, which is a real problem for some of our youth across Aotearoa. This bill sends the wrong message to our community and specifically to our young people. As the authorities who are responsible to monitor and assist in minimisation of alcohol harm - related issues, you could say that our young people are going to us if this bill is passed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000475\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db7fcb82-2c50-44e1-9f32-d9138c14006e\u0022\u003ESo what is it? How do you distinguish what we can and what we can\u2019t do? Because specifically it states in this bill that small racing meets will be exempt\u2014they will be exempt\u2014that they are able to have alcohol with these events of small racing meets, because they have purchased, and then they are within their legal right to have that alcohol from that specific alcohol activity, and who knows how much capacity will not be monitored. So this amendment bill, it normalises alcohol as an ordinary commodity. It is normalised behaviour in that communities across the motu will have different variations or different perspectives of what they\u2019re able to do and not to do.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000476\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db7fcb82-2c50-44e1-9f32-d9138c14006e\u0022\u003EI specifically want to point out that in the legislation and in the reports that I read, the difficulty for police when they rock up\u2014if they receive a complaint, they will be unable to assess who is at fault for allowing alcohol to be consumed at these small race meets and that they don\u2019t have to worry about that. But given the role of police, given that they protect our community across Aotearoa, this replacement section 235A, inserted by clause 4 of the amendment bill, allows that very activity to proceed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000477\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db7fcb82-2c50-44e1-9f32-d9138c14006e\u0022\u003EJust as I wrap up, what I also read in this bill was that a number of racing clubs did not support this amendment bill, because they do not want people to come with their own alcohol and consume it at their premises. In fact, I saw that six submitters supported this amendment bill, but there were those 10 submitters who opposed this bill, because this bill does not send a clear message across the motu. The legislation states that under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012, the definition for consumption is clear, that if you have an on-licence, there are certain hours during the day that a club licence would be in force. This amendment bill, replacement section 235A, inserted by clause 4, has been drafted. Many submitters have provided wide views.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000478\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db7fcb82-2c50-44e1-9f32-d9138c14006e\u0022\u003EAlso, I just want to mention the clubs who oppose this amendment bill: Alcohol Healthwatch, H\u0101pai te Hauora, the New Zealand Institute of Liquor Licensing Inspectors, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, Te H\u0101 Oranga, the Salvation Army, Transforming Attitudes Towards Alcohol, Waikato Racing Club, and the Whanganui District Council\u2014they opposed this bill because they are concerned about the increasing alcohol harm, and, specifically, the inconsistency of the purpose of the Act and the necessity.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000479\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db7fcb82-2c50-44e1-9f32-d9138c14006e\u0022\u003EWhy will horse racing be treated differently than other events? Loud and clear, a contribution from New Zealand Police. Loud and clear, Te Whatu Ora \u2013 Health New Zealand, both who are big authorities in Aotearoa New Zealand. They have advised their perspective, professional opinion based on evidence, based on legislative policies, based on the suggested proposal.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000480\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db7fcb82-2c50-44e1-9f32-d9138c14006e\u0022\u003EThe Ministry of Justice\u2014just as I wind up\u2014have advised that this bill undermines the current licensing regime and, additionally, would prevent police from providing a very clear perspective, being not clear as to have the police powers to hold someone accountable if activity gets out of hand. According to all those reasons I have stipulated, I remain opposed to this amendment bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00224a25943b-cb3b-49c3-bd10-74316fae17f1\u0022 data-id=\u00221977efa526f84da791c25abb61554102\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000481\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224a25943b-cb3b-49c3-bd10-74316fae17f1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221977efa526f84da791c25abb61554102\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean)\u003C/span\u003E: With apologies, before I take next speaker, can I please remind the member who has just concluded her speech of Speaker\u2019s ruling 49/5, which describes the convention of this House that speeches are not to be read. The member is still a relatively new member, although not the newest member, and it is time that the member transitioned and to comply with that convention. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022 data-id=\u0022db5582b9e0254a98b95e3d796e90d04a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000482\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022db5582b9e0254a98b95e3d796e90d04a\u0022\u003EHon DAVID BENNETT (National):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. First of all, I want to congratulate my colleague Ian McKelvie. Not only has he had a stunning run of success in ballots, but he also has a real passion for the racing industry. This bill is a practical thing that he can actually do to help racing in New Zealand. So, well done, Ian. Ian McKelvie has been a strong member for Rangit\u012Bkei for a number of years now and he, obviously\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000483\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e347deff5bdd4c02aa07d795f2ac010b\u0022\u003ETama Potaka\u003C/span\u003E: Second-best place to grow up.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000484\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e14cb58667cf4e758535219f7b791408\u0022\u003EHon DAVID BENNETT\u003C/span\u003E: \u201CSecond-best\u201D, Tama says. But your contribution to that electorate and also the racing industry is very much welcomed and appreciated and acknowledged here today. So, well done, Ian.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000485\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003EThis bill probably doesn\u2019t even need to come to Parliament. We shouldn\u2019t be having to debate these things, in reality. There are some things in life that just could carry on and if we put too many regulations on in our community, we get to the stage where we have to legislate to do something that is part of New Zealand\u2019s history and culture. The traditional Boxing Day races or small event races that happen throughout the country are there for enjoyment, for people to come along, for communities to come together, for families to come together, and just enjoy time together\u2014and often they\u2019re in a holiday sort of mode, and having a drink is part of that and shouldn\u2019t be a problem in our society. We have made that so difficult.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000486\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003EWe have, basically, said that you can\u2019t do that, and taken that enjoyment out of people\u2019s lives. There\u2019s no real reason we should have gone that far down the track. The reality is that these things should have been able to happen anyway. I just am a bit disappointed that New Zealand has got to this stage where we have to pass legislation like this to actually enable New Zealanders to have some fun, effectively, and to enjoy themselves. So it gets to this point where we have to do this. Well done, the honourable Ian McKelvie, for working that out and getting that through. But the point is: do we really need to get to a stage in our country where we have to pass bills like this so that people can just live a normal life?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000487\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003ENext up, racing is part of the fabric of New Zealand and it has really had some tough times in recent years. We had the Minister for Racing in front of the Governance and Administration Committee, in fact, this morning\u2014the same committee\u2014and he talked about the racing arrangements that had come into place with the Entain deal, what they\u2019re doing around betting, what they\u2019re doing around the transformation of the TAB and the role it\u2019s going to play in the future. So there\u2019s a lot of attention in the racing industry around what is happening in Parliament these days, because they are an industry that\u2019s struggling, TAB is struggling, and the Government has an effective role in setting legislation that dictates a lot of their future. So they are taking a very active interest now, as they have done in the past as well, around what is happening in this room, because it can actually have a huge influence on the future ambitions of the industry and where it wants to go.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000488\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003EThe industry itself doesn\u2019t want to lose events like this bill deals with. It doesn\u2019t want to lose some of that community feel from race meetings that people might attend on a one-off basis or on a very basis in the community. That\u2019s part of the excitement of the industry and it\u2019s also part of the encouragement of people to continue to pursue the industry at other levels as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000489\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eaf79431-1033-44f1-a633-22633da52c0d\u0022\u003ESo when we look at what is happening in racing at the moment, it\u2019s really important to take the perspective that this is part of the equation, and it\u2019s actually something that, if we constrain the industry at all different parts of the equation, you can actually lose an industry very quickly. To take away that enjoyment, the fun, the ability to run these kind of meetings, to have people go along, to have horses go along, to have communities engaged can really be detrimental long term for a community.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022 data-id=\u0022112e79d1fea2447ea8f937ab94842360\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000490\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022112e79d1fea2447ea8f937ab94842360\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. I understand nobody wanted to take the second five-minute call, so if I drift into a 10-minute call, I\u2019m sure I can trust you\u2019ll indulge me. Is that all right?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000491\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224a25943b-cb3b-49c3-bd10-74316fae17f1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222ba3cf5158d242c99044f4ab1b0fdcba\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean)\u003C/span\u003E: You\u2019re going to have to put that again, I\u2019m sorry. Point of order?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000492\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b33d9327a04f4b60b91344f8e52af484\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE\u003C/span\u003E: I am not seeking to take the second five-minute call of that slot, so I will trust you\u2019ll indulge me if my contribution takes longer than five minutes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000493\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224a25943b-cb3b-49c3-bd10-74316fae17f1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ada2ba6cf75344a8ad3d9bab19acfae0\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000494\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229f48c0f7fa9748da98ea8921b898ede5\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you. It probably won\u2019t be much, but there\u2019s a few acknowledgments. I think Damien Smith, in his contribution, described Ian McKelvie as \u201Cheading down the home straight\u201D, \u201Chands off the reins\u201D, and \u201Cdoing something of a victory pose\u201D. I don\u2019t get that; that\u2019s not my perception: in fact, I think Ian McKelvie is holding on tight to the reins as he rounds the bend, seeing one last hurdle. In fact, I\u2019m beside him, stride for stride, supporting him in the one-one as we get to the end of this process that I know, if it is passed, if it achieves the support of this House, will clarify an element of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act and won\u2019t increase harm.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000495\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003EIs it the third or fourth member\u2019s bill Mr McKelvie has had? I must confess, and this isn\u2019t going to be a valedictory, but this is one of the many things\u2014for Mr McKelvie, that is! I\u2019m not announcing anything today by any means; in fact, quite the opposite. I am so jealous of the fact that in my 15 years in this place I\u2019ve never had a bill pulled out of the tin that I\u2019m going to stay here until I blimmin well do. Now, given that I expect that I\u2019ll be a Minister again in 4\u00BD months\u2019 time and then that for nine long years, I predict now that I might be here till about 2033 or 2034\u2014by which time I\u2019ll still be younger than Mr Ian McKelvie, so there\u2019s plenty of time to get that member\u2019s bill out of the ballot. So I\u2019ll send him a telegram when I do!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000496\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003EBut this is a really good day, and I think this is an example of a couple of things: a good idea by member and a select committee that worked very cooperatively and, I think, were sensitive to the concerns that a number of the submitters had.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000497\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003EI want to acknowledge Ms Sosene for a passionate but I think slightly misguided contribution on this bill, because one thing we will agree is that there is harm in our communities from alcohol. But the reality is: it is not happening at these small summer race carnivals.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000498\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003EI was actually privileged to move, on Mr Ian McKelvie\u2019s behalf, the second reading of this bill on 7 December. Then we headed off for our summer breaks, and, as is the ritual in my family, Madam Speaker, it was to, among other things, two racing carnivals in places, parts of the country that are well known to you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000499\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003EFirstly, I think it was about 2 or 3 January, at Central Otago Trotting Club in \u014Cm\u0101kau, a beautiful day and the largest crowd the \u014Cm\u0101kau races has had probably for about 20 years. I spent probably more money on coffee than alcohol. But the large crowd was incredibly well behaved. It was the first time probably in the last two decades that there was no checkpoint at the gate because\u2014and again, Lydia Sosene\u2019s comments about police resources being diverted\u2014they manage risk where it occurs. There were a couple of police who I think chose to be there because it\u2019s a great day out, but there was absolutely no trouble. Hasn\u2019t been for the\u2014well, I\u2019ve probably been going there for 40 years, since I was a child\u2014certainly for the last 20 years, regularly.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000500\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003EThen a few days later at the Wyndham Harness Racing Club in Cromwell, which is another area I know Madam Speaker knows well. The weather wasn\u2019t so good; in fact, a massive thunderstorm hit at about race eight or nine, and headed said people scurrying. But again, absolutely no behavioural difficulties whatsoever.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000501\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003ENow, in fact, over the years, I probably spent more money on the tombola than I have on bottles of wine or beer because you know\u2014or some obscure cuddly toy or game that my daughters insisted that they had to have. That\u2019s run by the Omakau Volunteer Fire Brigade. That\u2019s the sort of event we\u2019re talking about, and it\u2019s been great to hear from other members right around the House about their experiences of that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000502\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003EI want to actually acknowledge Graham Sinnamon, the president of the Central Otago Trotting Club, because he brought a reality to what we are doing with his submission. I touched on it briefly at our second reading, but he had data and he had photographs and he had police reports and doctors\u2019 reports going back over a very long period of time. And this is one of the largest small carnivals in the South Island at \u014Cm\u0101kau. So to Mr Sinnamon and the members of the Central Otago Trotting Club, we listened, we empathised, we understood, and it brought, I think, a reality to the two things that we wanted: to make sure that there was a benefit but not an increased risk. I think that submission very much satisfied those two elements.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000503\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003EI think I\u2019ll leave it there. I know there were a number of members who were concerned but prepared to support it at first reading, probably less concerned at second reading when there was a significant support of this House, and I hope that we will continue to have this support because our summer carnivals, the Kiwi traditions that Mr David Bennett talked about, will be better for its passage.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00224a25943b-cb3b-49c3-bd10-74316fae17f1\u0022 data-id=\u0022d5285687896f4f6a974117bd18653b63\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000504\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224a25943b-cb3b-49c3-bd10-74316fae17f1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d5285687896f4f6a974117bd18653b63\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean)\u003C/span\u003E: Members, I have determined that the subject of this vote will be treated as a conscience issue. In this case, I know there are members who want a personal vote, and I am prepared to accept one. This is the process that we\u2019re going to follow: I\u2019m going to put the question, I\u2019m going to announce the result. At that stage, any member can ask for a personal vote.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u0022a5a560371654465687f2aa209f3893df\u0022 name=\u0022division\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA personal vote was called for on the question, That the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Exemption for Race Meetings) Amendment Bill be now read a third time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 74\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\n        \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022\u003E\n          \u003Ctable\u003E\n            \u003Ctr\u003E\n              \u003Ctd\u003EAllan (P)\u003C/td\u003E\n              \u003Ctd\u003EHalbert (P)\u003C/td\u003E\n              \u003Ctd\u003ENash (P)\u003C/td\u003E\n              \u003Ctd\u003ESio (P)\u003C/td\u003E\n            \u003C/tr\u003E\n     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class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022\u003EBills\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000507\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022242118fb92cd440c97c0ea4eb01b8577\u0022\u003ECompanies (Directors Duties) Amendment Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000508\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00228ac30c4931bf47d3a882cc768a600b95\u0022\u003ESecond Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022 data-id=\u002227b3decb37b54e98bb4bc9552bd0a274\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000509\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002227b3decb37b54e98bb4bc9552bd0a274\u0022\u003ECAMILLA BELICH (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E I move, That the Companies (Directors Duties) Amendment Bill be now read a second time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000510\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003EIt is a pleasure to stand and speak on the second reading of the Companies (Directors Duties) Amendment Bill. I\u2019ve only recently become the member in charge of the bill, and I appreciate that there are many members in the House tonight who have had a longer history than myself on this particular bill. I particularly want to acknowledge the Hon Duncan Webb, who became a Minister and so was unable to progress this bill through the House, and then passed this bill on to my other colleague who I do want to acknowledge, the Hon Rachel Brooking, who also became a Minister and so was unable to progress this bill through the House. I intend to look after this bill through its passage through the House, but I want to thank both those members for their time and stewardship of this bill, especially Duncan Webb, Minister Webb, who put this bill in the biscuit tin the first time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000511\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003EThe purpose of this bill, as stated in the general policy statement, is that a director, acting as the mind and will of a company, can take actions which take into account wider matters other than the financial bottom line. It\u2019s a simple addition to the Companies Act. I\u2019ve just got a copy of the bill here, and it\u2019s so short that I\u2019ll just go through its primary provisions. It does amend the Companies Act, and clause 4 puts in a section after section 131(4) of the principal Act, which is section 131(5), which just adds in that the company, when determining the best interests, must take into account\u2014and it lists a whole range of matters which we would usually term as environmental or social matters that are not necessarily to do with the profits that a company makes. The ones that Dr Webb has put in his first draft of the bill, which were examined by the Economic Development, Science and Innovation (EDSI) Committee, are: the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, environmental impacts, ethical behaviour, fair and equitable employment practices, and interests of the wider community. So quite a wide-ranging list of considerations that people may take into account, if this amendment to the Companies Act 1993, which is the principal Act, was to be made into law. So a very simple bill, really.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000512\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003EIf you look back to the first reading of this bill, where Minister Webb was discussing his rationale for the bill, it came across because of a very common misconception within our law, which is that the directors of companies must look to the shareholders of the company and must only look to profit in terms of the best interests of the company. And that, as people who have sat on the select committee and looked through this bill, is not quite a correct interpretation of the law as it stands, but it is none the less a widely held view that has, in fact, been reported regularly in this House and, also\u2014I\u2019m under no illusions\u2014throughout boardrooms throughout the country as well. So this is an important matter to clarify.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000513\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003ESince the first reading of the bill, which I referred to\u2014it was referred to the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee, and I want to acknowledge the members of the committee for the time and attention that they gave to this bill, no matter their personal view as to whether it should progress or not. I want to assure that select committee that I\u2019ve taken their report seriously and it will be informing the Supplementary Order Paper that I intend to introduce prior to the committee stage of this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000514\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003EI now, briefly, want to turn my attention to the submissions that were made to the select committee. I was not, as I\u2019ve stated, the member in charge of the bill when the EDSI committee was considering it, so I was not there, as is sometimes usual for member\u2019s bills, to sit alongside that committee and to hear the submissions in person. However, I have made sure, now that I have stewardship of this bill, I have read and looked through the written submissions that were made to the committee. There were 51 submissions, 34 in support, which included making improvements to the bill, and also 15 opposed and two that did not express a position. Some, as is the case in many instances, considered that this bill went too far, and some others thought that it was not necessary at all. And so some would say that that means that this bill strikes the right balance. But others may also say that you need to actually examine the bill and its purpose to see if it is achieving it, and so that\u2019s what I have done.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000515\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003EI want to be clear: I do not agree with the submissions that say that there needs to be further compliance mechanisms included with this bill. There were some people that thought that that should be the case, that there should be further duties placed on directors. I don\u2019t see that as consistent with the purpose of this bill, and that is not something that I will be looking into introducing in any Supplementary Order Paper.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000516\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003EThe select committee report was very short and it made one recommendation. The overall recommendation\u2014as people aware at the EDSI committee may know, that committee is made up, I think, of an equal number of members from the Government parties and the Opposition parties. And so their report is a little bit different from some select committee reports that we do have. But they did recommend a change, if this bill was to pass\u2014and I just will look at that briefly\u2014which was, essentially, to cross out the majority of the bill and add in a new provision that would say, \u201CTo avoid doubt, in considering the best interests of a company or holding company for the purposes of this section, a director may consider matters other than the maximisation of profit\u201D. I just want to let members of the committee know that I am seriously considering the reasoning for that recommendation, the simplicity of their recommendation, and will be looking into that in terms of drafting the changes to this bill, because I do think that it is important to get these things right.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000517\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003EThere\u2019s a lot of commentary, which is available and now published on the website, which goes through the official advice on the bill\u2014and I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll hear from other members of the House that it was a position held by many respectable organisations, including the advisers to the bill, that they did not agree that this bill should proceed. In their view\u2014and I summarise\u2014it would not add to the existing law. I disagree. I think the codification of law, as of the common law, which a lot of their advice relies on, often adds clarity and certainty. And, in my view, that is a matter of utmost importance in relation to clarity. The common law is case law, which is made by the courts, and so when we codify that, that does add a certainty to the law and clarity for people who often, probably, won\u2019t be reading the judgments of the Supreme Court and other very important matters that they do consider.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000518\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003EI also have looked at quite a few of the submitters to this bill, and one of the overriding changes that I will be taking forward is the issue of clarity. I think there are some significant improvements which can be made to the bill. The matters that I wanted to note in this speech were: taking the point that it\u2019s important that people know that the list is not exhaustive, if indeed the list is carried through; taking into account the wording change\u2014there was a suggestion of removing that \u201Ctake into account\u201D to \u201Cmay regard\u201D, and I know Dr Webb also suggested that that would be a valuable change to the bill; and then also removal of the word \u201Crecognised\u201D in \u201Cenvironmental factors\u201D, which has been confusing for some people. So I do take those into account as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000519\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003EWe do know that a similar provision to this bill has been adopted in the UK\u2014not exactly the same, but a similar provision. We do know that in Australia, they decided not to introduce a bill similar to this, for various reasons. I say New Zealand can make its own decision.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000520\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003EI think that there\u2019s also been a bit of commentary about what a member\u2019s bill should do, and some submitters to this bill said that it\u2019s not appropriate for a member\u2019s bill to look at something so substantive as company law and the duties that affect directors. Some have said that we should go further within the member\u2019s bill. And I think it\u2019s important to this House to recognise that members\u2019 bills do have a purpose. This is a bill that adds one new section of \u201Ccommunicative intent\u201D, which is a phrase used legally, which is referenced in many journals, which is seen as a positive thing in relation to the purpose of the law. It doesn\u2019t substantially change the law. It doesn\u2019t require cost or compliance. It doesn\u2019t require any additional spending. But it does set out the purpose of how we would like directors to do business, which is not to only consider the maximisation of profit but to truly and freely decide what is best for them and their business. I think that Parliament should enable them to do that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000521\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003ESo my intention is to proceed with the bill and to introduce a Supplementary Order Paper, in good time, prior to the committee stage, in order to address the issues raised through the select committee and to allay any concerns around compliance. I commend it to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022 data-id=\u002291ea42387b264757959f9cf4d58ad843\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000522\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002291ea42387b264757959f9cf4d58ad843\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa)\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=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022 data-id=\u0022c8d271edbe4b441782e1af86eb14609c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000523\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c8d271edbe4b441782e1af86eb14609c\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National):\u003C/span\u003E Oh, we were doing so well today. We had the local bill\u2014the New Plymouth District Council (Perpetual Investment Fund) Bill\u2014then we had unanimity on the Employment Relations (Extended Time for Personal Grievance for Sexual Harassment) Amendment Bill, then Mr McKelvie successfully negotiated and passed a conscience issue bill, and there was a real sense of fraternity breaking out across the House. Then we had this: what I have added to the long list of both Government and member\u2019s bills that are coming to this House that are a well-meaning waste of time. And we are going to waste the House\u2019s time doing something that, frankly, is not needed to be done.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000524\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003EI note that the bill as it came out of the select committee is a shadow of its former self. And let\u2019s just say that there wasn\u2019t much of a shadow when it went in. It\u2019s a very smaller shadow coming back out. Mr Webb\u2019s bill\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000525\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022302b513355944f1c88b9c4b04cef207d\u0022\u003ESimon Court\u003C/span\u003E: Dr Webb.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000526\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224310dc3f3d70469798f00ddfe76c9b61\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014Dr Webb, I apologise; the Hon Dr Webb, these days\u2014had a list, an avoidance of doubt list, that talks about the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, reducing adverse environmental impacts, upholding high standards of ethical behaviour, following fair and equitable employment practices, and recognising the interests of the wider community\u2014all of which is either in other law or something that companies routinely do. And we came out of the select committee with a single sentence, again, \u201CTo avoid doubt, in considering the best interests of a company or holding company for the purposes of this section, a director may consider matters other than the maximisation of profit.\u201D Well, who knew that those rapacious directors had to be guided by legislation to consider things other than the maximisation of profit? Because, of course, that presumes that that is the goal of every single entity covered by the Companies Act.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000527\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003ENow, I used to be the chief executive of a surgical hospital. A limited liability company was the entity that ran the hospital and was my employer. It was a registered not-for-profit. It did other things. And there are thousands of companies just like that up and down the country who exist to do other things other than profit and will continue to do so if this bill is passed. And even those profit-making companies don\u2019t, most of them, exist to make a profit; they exist to provide a product or a service.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000528\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003EDid Peter Beck wake up one day and say, \u201CI know what I want to do. I want to make a profit.\u201D? No. He woke up one day and said, \u201CI want to change the world, because I want to change the way we communicate through small, loaf-of-bread-sized satellites that we can launch here in New Zealand.\u201D Did Rod Drury wake up one day and say, \u201CI want to make a profit.\u201D? No. He probably woke up and said, \u201CI want to disrupt the way in which accounting software is deployed globally.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000529\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223824ad544d884670853fd3997c771377\u0022\u003ESimon Court\u003C/span\u003E: Did Graeme Hart say he wanted to make a profit?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000530\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022480f4530362f49f9ae72d511d3afe3b7\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE\u003C/span\u003E: Exactly. We could go through a long list of companies that are for profit, and we shouldn\u2019t turn profit into a dirty word, because it\u2019s the profit from those companies and the taxes paid on those profits that pay for our health, education, and social services. So the very case for this even being necessary has not been made.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000531\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003ENow I was going to say congratulate\u2014that\u2019s not quite the right word; maybe it was a poisoned chalice that she picked up from her now ministerial colleague. And she has done her very best to put lipstick on this, because I don\u2019t think that it deserves any other epithet. And it wasn\u2019t just me on the select committee who had that kind of derision for the bill. The member talks about the number of people who opposed this bill as if they were part of that rapacious, profit-focused business community. Well, let me go through who actually opposed the bill. Let\u2019s start with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)\u2014the very advisers to the member and the select committee. Their big, bold statement in Part 2 of the departmental report: \u201CWe recommend that the bill not proceed.\u201D And they did so not because they were rapacious profit-makers, but they were the sensible arbiters of whether or not this was even necessary. No less than the Legislation Design and Advisory Committee, whom I think every single member and Minister and select committee should listen very carefully to, said in their view that the bill should not proceed on the basis that it is unnecessary legislation with an unclear purpose and uncertain interaction with other legislation. Indeed, the Law Society and MBIE actually worried that this would make things worse, not better.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000532\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003ESo why are we putting forward a bill that risks making things more confusing, which was a theme of those submissions, and actually makes things worse? As an accountant for over 25 years, I have been advising small businesses about the way in which they extend their social licence. When I was a student, they used to talk about triple bottom line reporting. We now talk about reporting for outcomes\u2014the actual things that people want to deliver, and it isn\u2019t a profit. Those things exist already. Our obligations to the Treaty of Waitangi, our employment obligations to be a good employer are already set out in other legislation. Directors have their specific obligations in law to be good at these things, and, if they\u2019re not, there are consequences, not the least of which in our social media world, where there is a quite appropriate but very risky cancel culture for an organisation that gets itself offside with the sorts of stakeholders that they have: customers, staff, and so on.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000533\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003ESo there are already significant risks on directors and boards that do not act in the manner in which Dr Webb and now Camilla Belich believe we have to put into black letter law. It\u2019s as simple as that. This is a waste of time. I think it\u2019s well-meaning, albeit that this focus on those rapacious profit-makers is perhaps emblematic of this Government. But it is a waste of time. It shouldn\u2019t be here.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000534\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224b53c8fa-5ba4-4150-98be-dd23e49cf0bb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022109fca3f0f12418db3cd58496699304f\u0022\u003EAnna Lorck\u003C/span\u003E: We love business.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000535\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227630edcb9b0e414fa74e879432854c30\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m sorry, Ms Lorck?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000536\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224b53c8fa-5ba4-4150-98be-dd23e49cf0bb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225831ae2dbe1241a2af18f3f44280d9be\u0022\u003EAnna Lorck\u003C/span\u003E: We love business.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000537\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c83012b4-3939-4753-80fc-1956a3e2bd1e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221c2294887e5c46159e3b393e0b4feb3f\u0022\u003EHon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE\u003C/span\u003E: I like it when you\u2019re in the House after dinner\u2014always get a very interesting interjection from across that side when the member for Tukituki is participating in these debates. I\u2019ll say no more, except this: this should not go through.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022cc477162-e622-4c94-add7-36a586729e51\u0022 data-id=\u00220407e405991443b7a9c026f4dfc0fed3\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000538\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc477162-e622-4c94-add7-36a586729e51\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00220407e405991443b7a9c026f4dfc0fed3\u0022\u003ENAISI CHEN (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. When the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee\u2014that great select committee\u2014was presented with this bill, we had to deal with a couple of issues.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000539\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc477162-e622-4c94-add7-36a586729e51\u0022\u003EFirstly, we recognised that, in the 21st century, in the year 2023, there are companies that might have other reasons for existing, such as social enterprise. We wanted to make sure that those companies who weren\u2019t there purely to pursue the bottom line had the means through legislation to protect themselves when the decisions that they were making were not only just for profit or when they had a set of decisions to make for their companies that their directors wouldn\u2019t be at risk or jeopardy of being sued because the decision they had made was one of principle. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc477162-e622-4c94-add7-36a586729e51\u0022\u003EWe were presented, firstly, with legislation from the Hon Dr Duncan Webb that had, what we call, an exhaustive list. As the select committee examined the bill, we were looking at different alternatives to see whether or not we could give the same reassurance to these companies who were not only pursuing profit as their only goal in existing. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000541\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc477162-e622-4c94-add7-36a586729e51\u0022\u003EBut also, at the same time, I recognise the submissions\u2014especially the one that the Law Society had given\u2014that you don\u2019t want to make this bill a back door to acting recklessly for your directors. You don\u2019t want this to be an excuse for why they\u2019re actually harming the company and using it just as an excuse. I can imagine some instances when the directors of a company are not acting in good faith; they could try and find some sort of far-fetched excuse to say that they\u2019ve acted for this reason so as to justify their perverse behaviour. So I also got that point from the submitters as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000542\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc477162-e622-4c94-add7-36a586729e51\u0022\u003ESo we were looking at this whole concept of whether or not we wanted an exhaustive list or whether or not we wanted just an open statement or whether or not we wanted a very succinct short statement\u2014and that\u2019s obviously, ultimately, where we have landed, just to make sure that we could use this line as, what I would say, a defence in legal proceedings, and saying that they may consider matters other than the maximisation of profit.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000543\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc477162-e622-4c94-add7-36a586729e51\u0022\u003ESo while we will not give the exhaustive\u2014and the select committee didn\u2019t recommend\u2014list of things, such as Te Tiriti, the environment impacts, high standards of ethical behaviour, fair and equitable employment practices, and recognising the interests of the wider community, while we had chosen to cross that out, we think that giving a non-exhaustive list of just being able to say that they may consider other matters other than maximisation of profit was the best way to respond to the submissions that we had heard.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000544\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc477162-e622-4c94-add7-36a586729e51\u0022\u003EDuring the select committee process, I had asked specifically of some of the advice around whether or not there have been cases brought to the courts to see whether or not people could be liable when they\u2019re not acing to maximise profits. So we were given the case\u2014and my computer\u2019s now not playing; well, it shows that a millennial doesn\u2019t always have a way with tech; I shouldn\u2019t have touched that, but OK\u2014of a Supreme Court judgment on section 131 of the Companies Act, which is Debut Homes v Copper. So the judgment, basically, is just saying that the shareholders can consider other issues apart from just the maximisation of profit. I think that goes back to my colleague who is the sponsor of this bill, Camilla Belich, in her opening speech, and making sure that we codify what is already there in common law. I think this is what we seek to do to make sure that those people who sit on boards, who are directors of companies, who might be in a state where they exist for different reasons as well\u2014and it\u2019s not just for profit but also they might want to be a responsible company, they might want to be a good corporate citizen in dealing with some of those things in our world. We know that this world today is very different to that of 20 years ago; we want our corporate citizens to behave better, to have responsibility for looking after our environment, fulfilling their Treaty obligations, and making sure that we are able to look after all of their employees as well. So being able to codify the case law that we already have\u2014I think that\u2019s really good. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000545\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc477162-e622-4c94-add7-36a586729e51\u0022\u003EBut also just noting that it is not uncommon for a case brought against a director to allege a breach of section 131, as well as section 135 as \u201CReckless trading\u201D, or section 137, the duty of care and skill. So this is the advice that we had given.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000546\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc477162-e622-4c94-add7-36a586729e51\u0022\u003ESo if we turn it around and say that if we don\u2019t pass this bill, there will still be directors who are liable to lawsuits under this, even though the case law has now so far been proven\u2014and this is the Supreme Court; so one of the most authoritative case laws has already been produced, but that is not necessarily known by everyone. So there will still be shareholders out there who don\u2019t think that their board of directors or any of their other directors are acting to maximise profits\u2014they might still actually have that chance to bring a law suit against their directors, and that is, frankly, saying it\u2019s absolutely a waste of our legal resources. It\u2019s a waste of our courts\u2019 time. It\u2019s a waste of lawyers fees. So by being able to amend one small member\u2019s bill, we\u2019re able to actually save a lot of that court time, a lot of that dead weight lost in our economy as well\u2014so making sure that companies no longer have that friction and that understanding between their shareholders and their directors.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000547\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc477162-e622-4c94-add7-36a586729e51\u0022\u003ESo it was really nice to be able to hear from a lot of the NGOs, especially, who came to us and said, \u201CWell, we actually do hope that our companies actually really need to up their game as well.\u201D So during the select committee process, we were able to hear some of the submitters who think that, actually, this bill didn\u2019t go far enough, that this bill needed to actually put that onus on to companies to say, \u201CWell, as a company, not only do you have to consider your own bottom line, your own profitisation, but also you need to be able to consider the environment or have that active consideration of environmental issues but also have that active consideration of, for instance, your employment issues, have that active consideration of other social issues such as Te Tiriti as well.\u201D While the select committee didn\u2019t, in the end, follow that line of reason and we didn\u2019t completely agree with them, I can see where they\u2019re going.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000548\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc477162-e622-4c94-add7-36a586729e51\u0022\u003ESo, I think, for the benefit of the House and to put that as a balanced debate, in the end, the select committee was trying really hard to find a balance somewhere. We weren\u2019t going to go down that you have to actively consider these issues and nor were we saying that\u2014and the status quo right now is that all you can consider and all you have to consider is profit.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000549\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc477162-e622-4c94-add7-36a586729e51\u0022\u003EI absolutely agree with my colleague who has just resumed his seat, saying that, right now, companies are in this environment where they can\u2019t just consider their profits, whether it\u2019s social media, whether it\u2019s the awakening of the biggest groups of consumers, the citizens that they\u2019re trying to serve and the market that they\u2019re trying to play to, we know that consumers are now demanding different things. When we buy products, we know that we want to see sustainability. Obviously, \u201Cgreenwashing\u201D is a whole different topic we need to talk about, but at least we know that consumers have that expectation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000550\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc477162-e622-4c94-add7-36a586729e51\u0022\u003ESo this bill is one where we have to make sure that there is that freedom and availability for them to be able to consider that, even though, maybe sometimes, it is not the most, for instance, cost-saving. So the example we hear all the time is if you had two products\u2014and I think elections are about to come up, so members of this House would know that, for instance, if we have an organic printing material versus one that is not, then, obviously, the organic printing material\u2014I think it\u2019s soy ink, if I remember correctly\u2014is going to cost us a lot more than that which isn\u2019t. So being able to choose something that we know is actually better for the environment, even though it might not be the best for our pockets or our campaign accounts, we know we\u2019ve done the right thing for the environment. So using that analogy on to companies, we know that not everything that we choose for the environment is necessarily always the right economic decision, but we know in the grand scheme of things it\u2019s going to better for our lives, it\u2019s going to be greater for the planet, it\u2019s going to contribute to our wellbeing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000551\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cc477162-e622-4c94-add7-36a586729e51\u0022\u003ESo to save the courts from having to deal with cases that are already settled law, in terms of making sure that our corporate citizens play their part in our community, I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022 data-id=\u0022bd5c25f294544d1988d103b80e98de55\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000552\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022bd5c25f294544d1988d103b80e98de55\u0022\u003ETAMA POTAKA (National\u2014Hamilton West):\u003C/span\u003E I\u2019m extremely enthusiastic\u2014in fact, pumped\u2014today to speak to this bill. Nothing stokes the fire of a former corporate lawyer more than talking about corporate law. It\u2019s like that famous bar room line in Hood Street in Hamilton: \u201CThat\u2019s enough about me, what do you think of me?\u201D It\u2019s great to see all the lawyers out there\u2014some of whom are leaving\u2014opining on companies legislation. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000553\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EThe purpose of this bill, which is to make it clear that a company director can consider matters other than profit maximisation\u2014what those matters are we don\u2019t know yet\u2014is one that really provokes me. Actually, I don\u2019t know any credible director worth their position that does not do this already. What those matters are remain the purview of those directors in place at the time, and they need to contend with those. In fact, in some instances there\u2019s more C and E than S and G\u2014there\u2019s more culture and environment than social and governance\u2014at other times there\u2019s more culture and governance and less environment and social, and, of course, there are a few other things like language that can play into the heart of decision making: is it going to be a reo M\u0101ori one, a reo P\u0101keh\u0101 one, or a reo W\u012Bw\u012B one? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000554\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EOn inquiry and looking more closely into the proposed legislation, I\u2019m profoundly cautious\u2014cautious that I don\u2019t have a slip and fall accidentally on the side here, too; I\u2019ll move this way. Section 131 of the Companies Act states that when directors exercise powers or perform duties, she or he \u201Cmust act in good faith and in what the director believes to be in the best interests of the company.\u201D, and common law\u2014fiduciary law\u2014also dictates and implores these similar expectations. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000555\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003ECurrent legislation provides that a director of a company commits an offence if he or she acts in bad faith towards the company while believing his or her conduct is not in the best interests of the company and will cause serious loss. The proposed provisions add nothing but text: \u201CTo avoid doubt, in considering the best interests of a company or holding company for the purposes of this section, a director may consider matters other than the maximisation of profit.\u201D So you can consider anything, and that\u2019s about as good as saying you consider nothing. As my former form teacher Fred Jackson, brother of Syd and Moana, would say, \u201CToo vague, boy, too vague.\u201D \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000556\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EThe wording in this bill is a mishap, e hoa m\u0101. It\u2019s really unclear what the p\u0101tai is that this whakautu is trying to answer. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000557\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EDirectors\u2019 duties\u2014they\u2019re sourced in common law, fiduciary law, and sometimes statute. They\u2019re codified. They include acting in good faith, acting in the best interests of the company, acting for proper purpose, exercising independent judgment, avoiding conflicts of interest\u2014very topical today\u2014maintaining and keeping records, and complying with the Companies Act and related legislation, and these are fundamental to the credible corporate governance of companies. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000558\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EB corporations are already set up to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, transparency. In my various roles and responsibilities, I\u2019ve had the great privilege to sit along and to listen to various sages, diverse warriors of corporate governance practice in New Zealand, people like Rob McLeod and Joanna Perry, who have demonstrated a professionalism and diligence in their daily decision-making for Tainui Group Holdings. They had the temerity and the audaciousness to drive Tainui Group Holdings forward with The Base retail centre in Hamilton West\u2014if you haven\u2019t been there\u2014residential developments at Rotokauri and Five Crossroads, various hotel developments like the Pullman Te Arikinui, the Novotel Auckland Airport, and the Novotel Tainui in Hamilton West, and the mother of all logistics developments, known as the Ruakura Superhub. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000559\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EThose people made decisions monthly to move the economic dials, and they considered financial and non-financial implications during option analysis and, ultimately, resolutions. They did not need a statutory provision to tell them what they needed to do; they just did it. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000560\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EMy life as a board secretary would never be the same after one board meeting with either of those two people and others that I got to know. Backed up then as the first trainee CEO of Ng\u0101i Tai ki T\u0101maki, the Ng\u0101i Tai nation, iwi karoro inu tai [the governor from Maraetai], with James Brown, or Hemi Paraone\u2014not the dancer, but the governor from Maraetai\u2014John Robertson, a former colleague of y\u2019all in this House, and Anita Killeen and the indomitable Billy Brown, who instilled a genuine sense of practical intuition into decision making by governors. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000561\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EGovernance ambitions were inevitably disproportionate to their financial capacity, but this did not phase them. It was, in fact, the very fearlessness that drove the decision making through the history and herstory of Ng\u0101i Tai ki T\u0101maki to do quite unusual things, like buying Macleans College, worth $120 million, in Bucklands Beach\u2014a great place\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000562\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002246109ef25a78426791cba12f06964f88\u0022\u003EDavid Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Macleans? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000563\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b61660d1ce2c41358837d4b86e5f4c8a\u0022\u003ETAMA POTAKA\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014great place\u2014when they only had a $25 million asset base. Their notion of cultural and E, S, and G decision-making was hard-wired. They did not need a statute to tell them what to do. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000564\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EWhat they and others showed me was that excellent governance practice is not driven out of amorphous statutory provisioning that jumps on the road to nowhere, but, rather, from a credible decision-making framework, an awareness of statutory and common law duties required for company decision-making, and a careful balancing of the various factors that enable a genuine and accurate assessment of risk and reward over time. Masters Woodhouse, McKelvie, Ms Kuriger, and others know this, and, deep down, I\u2019m confident that Ms Belich and my former academic colleague Minister Webb know this too. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000565\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EThe legislation design and advisory committee of the New Zealand Law Society and others have all said that this is unnecessary. It could have unintended consequences, and it could give rise to more judicial activism, and that\u2019s all we need! Imagine all the legal beagles barking around the legislative dishes today as we get a real doozy, a game-changer, for directors to completely adjust their behaviour. The bill continues to reinforce this Government\u2019s modus operandi. It knows everything and knows best\u2014omniscience\u2014it wields power to achieve its own objectives, however wayward\u2014omnipotence\u2014and it will make up solutions and see things that just don\u2019t exist\u2014hallucinatory. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000566\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve said this before in the House and elsewhere: the best people to run businesses are business, not govt.nz, whether or not that\u2019s from Tukituki or Northcote, and certainly not one ideologically driven agenda. Our view is that many governors already consider these matters in their decision making\u2014that is, all matters, profit maximisation and others. It\u2019s already in their best interests as organisations to do so, and therefore this bill is not necessary. Our learned colleagues, much more so than others\u2014much more learned than ourselves on these matters\u2014from auspicious organisations such as the Law Society oppose this bill, and so do we. Their guidance has been received and it will take some boldness\u2014some boldness\u2014by the Government to say, \u201CNo, we know best. We know what directors should do in making decisions. In fact, we might even make their decisions for them.\u201D, because that\u2019s the next stage of this slippery slope. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000567\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EA likely theme for this Government that does nothing to fortify corporate governance practices and does everything to make things more squishy, squashy, and foggy: why not use guidance or training materials from the Government to help educate directors, and give some of those 1,400 bureaucrats something to do? The Institute of Directors and others are already training people in this space. The NZX listing rules have given guidance. Most importantly, the best interests of the company are just that\u2014best interests. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000568\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EFolks, we\u2019re on a slippery slope. Yesterday, I got the ACC reporting function past the opposition goalie; today, it\u2019s an unusual and uninteresting obligation on directors; and tomorrow, ko wai ka hua, ko wai ka tohu [and tomorrow, who can say]? A well-meaning waste of time. It\u2019s like having me, a guy who\u2019s flat on \u0101mine, trying to sing in the wh\u0101nau band\u2014a nice idea, but not a good one. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000569\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003ELike Linda Ronstadt, I don\u2019t know much, but I know I love law, and as a former corporate lawyer with a trifle of experience, I feel as though this provision creates wide space for judicial activism or misinterpretation. As such, it\u2019s an uncertainty that I\u2019m unwilling to concur with, and tonight, on this dark Wednesday night, I oppose the bill. Kia ora t\u0101tou. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022 data-id=\u002264841b9f16614fb794f12a97a11dc517\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000570\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002264841b9f16614fb794f12a97a11dc517\u0022\u003EGLEN BENNETT (Labour\u2014New Plymouth):\u003C/span\u003E Tonight, Madam Speaker, \u201CI\u2019m going to be\u201D\u2014I\u2019m not sure, actually, but it felt like a sort of a game show that was just going on across the other side of floor there. I feel like it was a bit of a game show where obviously there was a dessert challenge, or something; you\u2019d get so many different names or words or who knows? Anyway, tonight I am going to be Glen Bennett, and I\u2019m going to speak in favour of this simple and small piece of legislation which\u2014the fear seems to be shaking across the other side of the floor as the previous speaker, Tama Potaka, talked about things like the \u201Cslippery slope\u201D. I\u2019m not sure where the slippery slope\u2019s going, but it does confuse me. Or the \u201Cslushy and foggy\u201D\u2014the \u201Challucinogenics of this legislation\u201D, which I\u2019m thinking maybe it\u2019s something he had for dinner. But the hallucinogenics across the other side of the floor is something to consider; I won\u2019t be having dessert with him any time soon. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000571\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EWe support this member\u2019s bill. It\u2019s simple, it\u2019s something to not be afraid of because, yes, it\u2019s abundantly clear that companies are to be good corporate citizens. Companies are required to act in the best interests of their shareholders, and many of them do, and I totally agree when we\u2019re looking at this legislation I really agree that companies need to make sure they\u2019re doing right by their shareholders, by their people, by the environment. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000572\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EI am here because I want to see this nation better than it was when I first arrived in this place. And so I am really grateful to be here speaking on this because this is only words, as I said from across the other side of the room; only words, but words matter\u2014words matter. And so, yes, we need to get things right when it comes to corporate responsibility, and that is why we support this member\u2019s bill. The Hon Dr Duncan Webb, the Hon Rachel Brooking, and\u2014I\u2019m guessing, shortly, because obviously whoever touches this bill turns to an Honourable\u2014the soon to be Hon Camilla Belich, but who knows. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000573\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EBut this year I was on the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee and we did explore, and we did, I think, as a committee, we disagreed. I agree that we had disagreements on this, but I think we made changes, we did things that we thought were right in terms of bringing it back to the House in better order than we first found it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000574\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003ESection 131 sets out the duty of a director or of a company when exercising powers or performing duties to act in good faith and in what the director believes to be the best interests of the company. And that\u2019s why, you know, we talked about it and we explored it and the legislation came as it was. Because 20 years ago, 30 years ago, 40 years ago, this was something that often wasn\u2019t thought through. All it was was around the bottom line of making money. We didn\u2019t care what effects or impacts our business had on people, had on the environment. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000575\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022af8aa33c62ae4df4b6fc6aec208ced43\u0022\u003EDavid Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Looks at the clock: oh, six more minutes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000576\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bd966d87160f44958d5fba04fc709b0b\u0022\u003EGLEN BENNETT\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m not even looking at the clock so I\u2019m looking forward to checking it shortly to see how far I\u2019ve got through. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000577\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EBut it was a different time. And I do remember growing up in the wonderful 1970s and 1980s and the difference that business had in that time. Earlier this evening we discussed alcohol reform and I mentioned around our tobacco industry and the difference it was\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000578\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ad031761c1364eb2a8d944ac7444aef9\u0022\u003ESimon Court\u003C/span\u003E: Future Minister.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000579\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221dc83c189240437588e4ee8aa91c0f58\u0022\u003EGLEN BENNETT\u003C/span\u003E: I mean, a future Minister, that\u2019s something that, you know, I\u2019d be considering in my third or fourth or fifth term as an MP. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000580\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EBut we change, we move, and we manoeuvre as a society. And words matter, that\u2019s why the previous speaker, he had lots of words\u2014words, words. And some of them made sense, some of them\u2014like, for example, when he spoke about how this legislation \u201Cprovokes him\u201D. It provoked him to respond and to react in such a way that I\u2019m unsure why, because it\u2019s some simple words that can encourage and remind business, that can remind industry, that can remind board members of what is important. And yes, as I\u2019ve said, there\u2019s bottom lines, but we need to consider the environmental and the social governance\u2014the ESG, should I say.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000581\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003ENow, I look at some of the examples around the world that have been implemented, and I looked at this, and obviously the United Kingdom back in 2006, and then there was the Anderson Lloyd on overseas regimes and what they looked at in terms of this piece of legislation. New Zealand wouldn\u2019t be the first country to endorse the stakeholder approach at law. As I said, the United Kingdom required it for directors to have regard to ESG factors. Back in 2006, they passed that law. And section 172 of that Act proposed a mandatory duty on directors to promote the success of the company\u2014to promote the success of the company\u2014by taking into account similar considerations as those listed in the bill. The consideration\u2014as in the United Kingdom\u2019s case is mandatory\u2014of the weight that directors must give to the factors is subjective. And so that\u2019s where we need to look and to explore what this legislation would mean when it comes to companies and the director\u2019s duties. And that\u2019s why I think it is good for us to have a conversation, as a member\u2019s bill, and to find a way forward where this can be something that is in legislation moving New Zealand forward. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000582\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EWe have things to do, we\u2019ve got work to do on this, and I look forward to the committee of the whole House. I\u2019ve already started writing notes and preparing my contributions for that. I look forward to it. I hope that everyone will be there for that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000583\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EBut we\u2019re moving as a society and a nation. We\u2019re leaning into things like Te Tiriti like we\u2019ve never leaned in before. We\u2019re leaning into things like looking at our environmental footprint. We\u2019re leaning into things around future generations, which so often, as companies, we didn\u2019t. So often, we looked at the bottom dollar for today and for this year\u2019s shareholder meeting, this year\u2019s, you know, checking our bank account to see how we\u2019ve done. But I\u2019m glad that we\u2019re now looking and saying, \u201CYou know, what is it in 2050?\u201D If we look back on the impact that my company had not only on today but in years to come. That\u2019s why I think as a community, as a society, this legislation is simple and important because it moves us forward. You know, very much around\u2014we had stakeholders, we moved from the short-term to the long-term aims. We look at the winning it for me right now whereas we look at the \u201Cus\u201D and how do we move forward together. And I know that the other side of the House rolls their eyes when we talk about community, when we talk about connection, when we talk about taking people with us. And I can hear that, obviously, I\u2019m taking the room with me this evening as I can see that people are flipping their votes as I speak! \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000584\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EBut I feel confident that we can we can take this and make it into the right form. And as I get shouted at from across the room from the National Party and the ACT Party, shouts of applause and excitement from this side of the House\u2014come on, please, that was a cue\u2014it didn\u2019t work! They make silly comments around how this isn\u2019t going to do anything or make an impact, and then they do make comments around my leadership in New Plymouth. And it\u2019s interesting because in the newspaper yesterday, and today on Seven Sharp, there\u2019s comments around the ACT Party and around the National Party for their illegal use of electioneering, which has to be removed. So that side of the House obviously is discussing things and think that maybe this bill doesn\u2019t actually do much but they need to look at their own backyard first before they make us make a decision.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003ESo it was good to be part of the committee to hear the submissions and to explore what this could look like. Again, I want to thank the Hon Dr Duncan Webb, the Hon Rachel Brooking, and I also want to thank Camilla Belich for bringing this to the House. I look forward to it going into the committee stage.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000586\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EThe Companies (Directors Duties) Amendment is something that we will be supporting, that I personally will be supporting. Words matter and the words that we have created and we will continue to create are important. Therefore, I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022 data-id=\u0022a2fc88c765384b69a42ea4bcdaa9eb22\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000587\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a2fc88c765384b69a42ea4bcdaa9eb22\u0022\u003EDAVID SEYMOUR (Leader\u2014ACT):\u003C/span\u003E Let me begin by putting in a human rights complaint. Whoever is the Labour whip who forced that member to speak for the full 10 minutes after it was obvious he was drowning after the first 30 seconds, with nothing to say whatsoever that would not embarrass him in ways that would be played back again and again and again, if anyone cared, should be subject to a human rights complaint.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000588\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EWhile I\u2019m concerned about people\u2019s rights, I also want to give my commiserations and condolences to Camilla Belich, who has taken the ultimate hospital pass. You know, one of the better souls and brighter stars of the Labour Party, who has had a successful legal career\u2014why on earth she is championing this bill can only be put down to the strange machinations of the Labour Party that explain the Mt Albert selection.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000589\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EOf course, this bill has its genesis in something that I was amused to find in the Parliamentary Library\u2019s debate pack\u2014and we have to thank the Parliamentary Library for putting together these debate packs. It starts with a very haunting paragraph which is headed \u201CThe trigger\u201D\u2014ha, ha; Madam Speaker, you\u2019ll have to forgive me. It says, \u201CChristchurch Central MP Duncan Webb, sponsor of the bill\u201D\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000590\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b76c1d4cdea4491fa38e7f57d133905c\u0022\u003EHon Dr Duncan Webb\u003C/span\u003E: Great MP\u2014great MP.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000591\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c42a8905803e4fe1a40d37d6e56319e7\u0022\u003EDAVID SEYMOUR\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014\u201Csays the crystallising\u201D\u2014we\u2019ll come to that member\u2014\u201Cfactor that led him to draft the bill was a view expressed in Parliament about Air New Zealand by ACT Party leader David Seymour.\u201D, and he goes on to describe how I explained in a speech to this House that the duty of directors is to maximise the returns to their shareholders within the framework of laws that are made by this House to govern New Zealand. If the Parliament has made the laws well, and the laws that we have ensure that people can\u2019t take advantage of each other by force or fraud, can\u2019t undermine the commons by environmental pollution, and can\u2019t abuse human rights, which this Parliament has done, then what is left is for those who find themselves as directors to make sure that they act in the best interests of their shareholders within that framework that this Parliament has set apart.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000592\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EThe difficulty for people who support bills like this is that if it is true that Parliament has done its job\u2014and this Government\u2019s been in power for almost six years now\u2014and ensured that the regulatory environment in which firms operate is adequate, then it shouldn\u2019t be necessary for firms to follow other rules and objectives than doing the best for their shareholders. If, on the other hand, it is necessary for directors of firms to fulfil a whole lot of other objectives, then maybe that tells us that, actually, the Parliament has failed in its attempts to get its regulatory settings correct, which would be a strange admission for a party that\u2019s been in power for six years.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000593\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003ENow, of course, the hospital pass received by Camilla Belich was passed on by none other than Dr Duncan Webb, and Duncan goes on to protest too much. He goes on to talk about, in his submission, his experience as a lawyer\u2014his experience. All I can say is lots of people have experiences, but I don\u2019t think Duncan Webb\u2019s have been very good, and anyone who spends a bit of time in Christchurch will say that when he left his law firm there was quite a lot of tidying up to be done by the other\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000594\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227c9ba664338f48dba53aa10257ce3987\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa)\u003C/span\u003E: Order! [Interruption] Order! The member will come back to this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000595\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224d2a9b658a4d4ff48688f30b4bc89c85\u0022\u003EDAVID SEYMOUR\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014partners. Thank you, Madam Speaker. In fact, that can be seen in this particular bill\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000596\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f4c4b887ed91474eb3263d36cc9264d2\u0022\u003EHon Dr Duncan Webb\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000597\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227e128941e1824d31a9434bb68ea5db7d\u0022\u003EDAVID SEYMOUR\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014because the select committee\u2014oh, here we go.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000598\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ccabd9a630724bb88e77ad3b7bccbac6\u0022\u003EHon Dr Duncan Webb\u003C/span\u003E: That was a slur, and I would request that Mr Seymour apologise.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000599\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228939a87b27f64b95b3c4c1044a0af6c1\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa)\u003C/span\u003E: The member will withdraw and apologise.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000600\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022568e728d9ed64f998fe9758ce551ba21\u0022\u003EDAVID SEYMOUR\u003C/span\u003E: I withdraw and apologise, but they don\u2019t like it up \u2019em, and it can be seen\u2014the sloppiness that led to those problems can also be found in the drafting of this bill, because the bill, you know, is not a very lengthy one. It\u2019s not a very lengthy one at all. It\u2019s a total of five sections. It is, in total, if you count the white space at the top, less than one page, and yet the substantive part of the bill, when it went to a select committee, all of the substance had to be crossed out and replaced with a new section that was one paragraph. So this guy makes himself out to be some sort of legal genius, and his drafting, inspired by my speech, was, as it turns out, completely hopeless and had to be entirely replaced by the select committee. Some people thought the previous speech from Labour was embarrassing, but what is truly embarrassing is the lawyer, or so-called lawyer, who was responsible for the drafting of this bill and what has subsequently happened to it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000601\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EBut there are more important and substantial reasons to oppose this legislation than the frankly embarrassing presentations by the members tonight and the member originally responsible for it. You see, they have misunderstood the developments of human rights in a free society that has grown up over hundreds of years. Let me spell it out. There was a time when a person, in order to exercise their rights and duties as a member of society, had to fit a very narrow window. Usually, it would be helpful to have a certain religious view, to be a man, to be a landowner, to be born a certain way, to have a certain sexuality. If you weren\u2019t the right type of person, the rights you had were very limited, and they were limited in large part because there were prejudices about who could perform what role in society.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000602\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EThe limited liability company, the idea that a person has a right to transact, that they are only valued based on whether they follow the law that applies equally to everyone and whether their investors and their customers and their employees agree to transact with them, was a miracle of enlightenment. It was a central plank of the Enlightenment that each person could act and be judged upon the value they provided rather than the prejudices which had excluded people from participating in society for so long. The limited liability company was a revolution in human rights. It allowed people to come along to the table and share their ideas and trade value for value regardless of who they were. It made possible the idea that adults would come together voluntarily to provide through cooperation what could not be provided alone. Entrepreneurs with ideas, investors with savings as capital, workers with time to give, and customers with needs could all come together voluntarily and trade value for value regardless of who they were.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000603\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EWhat we see today is a reversal of that breakthrough in human rights and advancement of human welfare and prosperity in what is known as stakeholder capitalism: the idea that you only have a right to participate in commerce if the new-age priests tick you off as having met the right precepts. Perhaps you have to be the right identity to fill a quota. Perhaps you have to have the right views on certain issues. Perhaps you have to have the right commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi. Perhaps you have to be the person that is approved by the prevailing views of the time. It\u2019s no longer the value that you offer to those three other types of people, whether you be entrepreneur, customer, investor, or worker. It comes down to other people\u2019s judgment of you, and that is why this bill is most retrograde\u2014to use some Shakespeare, there\u2019s been a lot tonight\u2014to the desire of New Zealanders to be a free people who trade value for value and get stronger together without bigotry or prejudice.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000604\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EThat\u2019s why this bill is not just a little bit wrong; it is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of what has made New Zealand and countries like it successful, a misunderstanding of free markets and capitalism, and a misunderstanding of human rights by a failed lawyer who doesn\u2019t like it up him, but failed he has. That\u2019s why we oppose this bill. Thank you, Madam Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022 data-id=\u0022831a515f60a14832adb3afae4591e45d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000605\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022831a515f60a14832adb3afae4591e45d\u0022\u003EDr EMILY HENDERSON (Labour\u2014Whang\u0101rei):\u003C/span\u003E Always great to get a human rights lecture from people who want to disestablish the Human Rights Commission.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000606\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003EI\u2019m not a company lawyer; I was put off company law by precisely the sort of discussion that we\u2019ve had tonight. I was put off because I grew up in the 80s, when it was \u201CGreed is Good\u201D and Gordon Gekko was king. As a result, I ended up in the highly profitable business of the Family Court.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000607\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003EBut what we are talking about tonight\u2014for those of us who aren\u2019t corporate lawyers, like me\u2014is a bit of a recap. We\u2019re talking about putting a section into the Companies Act that would include in the directors duties that directors have to take into account when they\u2019re making decisions about their company, a provision that says, essentially, \u201CIt\u2019s not just about the obvious short-term interests of maximising profit for your shareholders; directors have the right and it is appropriate for them to consider longer-term interests.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000608\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003EThe original form of this bill\u2014as it was presented first by the excellent and very learned Dr Duncan Webb, and then taken up, I believe, by the also excellent and very learned Rachel Brooking, and now by my friend, colleague, and also very learned lawyer Camilla Belich\u2014specified what those additional interests might be. So it talks about society, about economy, about the environment.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000609\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003EThe version that\u2019s come back from the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee is a bit more limited. It just says, very simply, \u201Ca director may consider matters other than the maximisation of profit.\u201D What this is setting out, though\u2014despite Mr Seymour\u2019s rather limited view of history\u2014is part of quite a longstanding argument about how companies best do business and what their function is.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000610\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003EIt is a conflict that goes between the profiteer shareholder model that talks about the maximisation of profit, and another model that is gaining traction that is sometimes referred to as the enlightened shareholder or stakeholder model. In the one, you\u2019re looking for sheer profit maximisation; in the other, you\u2019re looking for a company that might want to take into consideration longer-term issues.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000611\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003EIt might see, as part of its company\u2019s value, things that, while they do not immediately create profit, do\u2014in the longer term\u2014safeguard the company. That\u2019s what this is fundamentally about. It\u2019s about whether there is a way, and is it appropriate for, Government to try to incentivise and encourage the enlightened shareholder stakeholder model over the \u201CGreed is good\u201D Gordon Gekko profiteering alone motive. Had I known, when I was a young law student, about this, I might have been more encouraged to take corporate law. Because the fact is we have some fantastic companies who already follow the enlightened shareholder model.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000612\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003EFor example, Patagonia recently made waves\u2014they are one of the world\u2019s largest outdoor apparel brands and they make a heck of a lot of money. But they reflected\u2014and I think one of the slogans that turns up in Patagonia\u2019s stores is \u201CThere are no profits to be made on a dead planet.\u201D This company, which is family-owned, divested themselves\u2014the family divested itself of all but 2 percent of the shares\u2014and it put 98 percent of the shares into not-for-profit environmental organisations.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000613\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003ENow, on the face of it, that is not maximising profit for shareholders. On the enlightened stakeholder model that holds that companies have an interest in wider relationships with the rest of society\u2014and, looking around, says a dead planet ain\u2019t good for profits, particularly when you\u2019re an outdoor apparel company\u2014this is a longer-term view which does make sense in terms of their profit.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000614\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003EBut what interests me is this isn\u2019t a modern thing. We\u2019ve had this conflict since the beginning. So it was the famous Milton Friedman who said, \u201CThe social responsibility of a business is to increase its profits.\u201D But who\u2019s the greatest capitalist? We all know the beginning of the model. What about Henry Ford, if you look to that sheer, big company model that we now know? In 1915, Henry Ford was sued by his own shareholders. What he had tried to do was to take fewer shareholder profits and put some of those profits into increasing the pay and the living conditions of his workers, and reducing the price of the cars he was producing for the consumer.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000615\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003EHe was sued by his own shareholders, and the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court declared for those shareholders. They said it was not part of a director\u2019s responsibility to consider the wider stakeholders in society; their duty was simply\u2014as Milton Friedman put it\u2014to increase its profit. But other courts, over the years, have taken a different view and this is where we see the sort of thing that we\u2019re talking about with this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000616\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003EIn 1989, Time magazine was considering two competing bids: one was from Warner, one was from Paramount. Paramount was offering more money, but Time felt that Warner would actually protect its key value, which was journalistic integrity. They went with Warner; they were sued by their shareholders, who said, \u201CYou should have taken the deal that gave us more immediate profit.\u201D The court said, \u201CNo, it was entirely appropriate for the directors to consider the wider stakeholders.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000617\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003EIt is possible for both views to coexist. But while there are these great companies, the problem is they\u2019re not all doing the things that we would want them to do; they are not all being good corporate citizens. So we have Bhopal\u2014the world\u2019s worst industrial disaster\u2014where a chemical spill on a badly maintained plant resulted in 3,787 immediate deaths and around 574,000 longer-term deaths. We have the British and American tobacco companies who buried evidence of cancer as a result of smoking. We have the oil and gas industry, who, it appears, have known about global warming and their part in it since the 60s, but buried the information so they could go on making profit.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000618\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003ERight down to things like the companies like Gap or Primark or Next and H\u0026amp;M, who were discovered to be using garment factories in Bangladesh and Pakistan over the last 10 or so years where there had been appalling factory fires with factory owners who were maximising profit. They were producing the clothes cheaply, and Primark and Gap and these other companies chose profit over this enlightened stakeholder model.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000619\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003EHow do we grapple with this? As we look around us and we see climate change overtaking us and we are starting to see people suing those oil and gas companies\u2014particularly in the EU\u2014suing those companies for failures in corporate citizenship, do we leave this situation to play out? Other countries have chosen to encourage companies to take that wider perspective. In the UK in 2006\u2014has been said. Strangely, the UK economy does remain and I haven\u2019t heard anyone suggest that their companies are less than free. Even Singapore\u2014it\u2019s being discussed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000620\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003EIf we bring in this law\u2014and if it makes it morally easier for one director in one company faced with one decision that will either create profit or maximise the wider interests of stakeholders around the community, protect our awa, protect our moana, protect the health of our children and the future of this planet, then I say this law is worth doing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000621\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002217bfa49a-da49-4001-9466-0b4bfd70b3f3\u0022\u003ESometimes, Parliament\u2019s job is not to put in regulatory systems; sometimes, our job is to lead by encouragement. When we live in a world where we have all grown up under the \u201Cgreed is good\u201D mantra, when directors are going to be told and they are told, \u201CYour duty to your stakeholders is profit; you cannot take that wider perspective as to the way in which a company should operate.\u201D, when we live in that world and we need it to shift\u2014we need it to shift\u2014that is where a bill like this can really offer us hope. It can offer us example, and I personally commend it to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022 data-id=\u002286916430cc744aeb9e125f9eac5cf5ab\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000622\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002286916430cc744aeb9e125f9eac5cf5ab\u0022\u003ERICARDO MEN\u00C9NDEZ MARCH (Green):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. I want to acknowledge the talent that many people have in filling those 10 minutes with a speech, but I do want to commend the previous speaker, Dr Emily Henderson, who I think has been the one that has managed to fill the whole slot with actually speaking to the values of the bill. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000623\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003EHearing, though, Mr Seymour, I wanted to reflect on some of his comments because it feels to me that one of the ACT Party\u2019s arguments for opposing this bill is that we have now got a world where anyone\u2014queer or no matter your gender or your ethnic background\u2014can become a company director and therefore capitalism is working just as intended. Therefore, we do not need to make legislation to actually ensure\u2014or, actually, this bill is not even ensuring\u2014the possibility that directors may consider, for the avoidance of doubt, other things other than maximising profit. I mean, we support this bill but I do not think this is some radical idea, and by no means by reforming capitalism we are going to get out of a climate crisis, but it just goes to show where each party\u2019s priorities lie in that some people just seem to be OK with this status quo and kind of almost pink-washing capitalism by suggesting that because previously people of specific sexualities could not have become company directors and now they can, that everything is fine, and this is not needed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000624\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003EAs the select committee process went through for this bill\u2014and I acknowledge that we don\u2019t have a Green member in this select committee, but I looked at the submissions\u2014I was none the less disappointed to see that in the select committee report there was a recommendation to take out some of the suggestions, actually, of the things that should be considered because they were great suggestions, and I do think\u2014to echo what the previous Labour member was speaking about in terms of leading the way, the encouragement\u2014actually by having a list of items that could have been considered, including environmental wellbeing, you are actually encouraging it in the right direction.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000625\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003ESeveral submitters, actually, including The Environmental Law Initiative, NZEI Te Riu Roa, Lawyers for Climate Action New Zealand, the New Zealand Public Service Association, Unite Union spoke at length of the need to perhaps not just say that they \u201Cmay\u201D want to consider other things other than maximising profit, but that perhaps company directors \u201Cmust\u201D consider other things beyond maximising profit. I want to sort of echo those, because unless we start genuinely forcing companies to look at other things other than maximising profits, those other things may just be \u201Cgood to haves\u201D. Looking after our environment, looking after workers, looking after our communities, and honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi are not just \u201Cnice to haves\u201D. They are things that should be happening and therefore company directors should be doing, and so we support the submitters who were calling for a strengthening of this bill rather than a removal of these considerations. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000626\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003EWhile we, of course, support the intent of the bill, which is to add clarity that company directors may be able to consider these other things, we could have gone way further in not just encouraging capitalism, but to actually twist capitalism\u2019s arm into doing things that are good for the planet and the people to, I guess, expose those tensions that exist\u2014inherent tensions that exist in our economic system\u2014that actually may finally bring to light the fact that\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000627\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022700bbfa8589847e18a91cd91b7d5e1d2\u0022\u003ESimon Court\u003C/span\u003E: Is this what you meant, Dr Webb\u2014twisting capitalism\u2019s arm?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000628\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f4ef5277218e41f48a3b322b7f8c9fa7\u0022\u003ERICARDO MEN\u00C9NDEZ MARCH\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014a sustainable planet and the wellbeing of our workers is just simply not compatible with the current economic system that we have. And yes, actually twisting capitalism\u2019s arm because we\u2019ve got to. To imagine\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000629\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222f2d83550b7f4c179ca22a2f81790d30\u0022\u003ESimon Court\u003C/span\u003E: Each Minister will be turning up with a little green book, waving it in your face. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000630\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002273af87a726e64287b4ff3f298343646c\u0022\u003ERICARDO MEN\u00C9NDEZ MARCH\u003C/span\u003E: I kind of love the red-baiting from the right hand side of the House, because they always make our political party sound way cooler than sometimes we are. Like, you know, I kind of love it when they call Labour members \u201Csocialists\u201D, and I sometimes go \u201CDamn, like, I really wish they were actually were socialists.\u201D But by all means, by all means.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000631\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223216771fc0b34440b44858856514dbac\u0022\u003ESimon Court\u003C/span\u003E: Turns out they\u2019re teenage capitalists, Riccardo, and we\u2019re proud of them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000632\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002295915fcbe6d047edb1a9477872feef22\u0022\u003ERICARDO MEN\u00C9NDEZ MARCH\u003C/span\u003E: By all means, continue making us look cool\u2014 \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000633\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221952fefe30014776bc44c66cb7d0432f\u0022\u003ESimon Court\u003C/span\u003E: And shareholders in capitalist companies; that\u2019s what we\u2019ve learnt this week. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000634\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bf1146d8535e4b86ade7bd5195451a00\u0022\u003ERICARDO MEN\u00C9NDEZ MARCH\u003C/span\u003E: Yeah, and indeed, I do think recent events may want to help us all consider where our interests lie and whether it is to simply\u2014thank you for giving me all these talking points, too\u2014just encourage company directors to do the right things or to force them to do the right things. I heard the concerns around, you know, this bill potentially encouraging more court actions, and that creating more barriers and problems. But actually, if it means that civil society can hold corporates to account for not doing the right thing, I don\u2019t think that\u2019s inherently a bad thing because we should be testing these things out in court. I don\u2019t resonate with those concerns because we do need to start forcing the people who hold the power to make the right choices and to expose what is driving them to be in those places in the first place. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000635\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003ESo the Green Party will be supporting the bill. We don\u2019t support the what I would consider watering down of the bill in the select committee stage, and would encourage Labour to hear those submissions out, to strengthen it, to actually not just say \u201Cmay\u201D but \u201Cmust\u201D consider other things beyond maximising profits. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022 data-id=\u002217dae80572094622b713c94e5443424c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000636\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002217dae80572094622b713c94e5443424c\u0022\u003EHon Dr DUNCAN WEBB (Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, honourable Madam Speaker. Can I just say, first of all, I had no idea that Ricardo Men\u00E9ndez March was a comic genius, but there you go. You learn something every day. And also thank you to my colleagues Rachel Brooking and Camilla Belich, who have been shepherding this bill through the process after I introduced it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000637\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003EIt comes as quite a surprise to see the amount of agitation on the other side of the House in respect of this gentle little bill, this small nudge towards social responsibility that the bill requests\u2014doesn\u2019t even request, just, perhaps, asks, just gently suggests of corporations. And in fact, the fascinating thing is that what this bill asks, what this bill says is permitted, or would be permitted, by corporate entities, is what every self-respecting, decent, forward looking and modern corporate entity is doing already.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000638\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003EThe vitriol that came from the leader of the ACT Party seemed to miss entirely one word in this piece of legislation. He derided it for being short, but missed three letters in the bill: m-a-y\u2014may\u2014that a company \u201Cmay take into account\u201D. This is not even a compulsory piece of legislation, but, simply, a clarification that it is open to company directors, when looking at what is in the best interests of the company, to take into account wider matters, whether it be Te Tiriti or whether it be environmental matters, whether it be social or employee relations. And here we have the full power of the ACT Party, railing against social responsibility, calling it\u2014Damien Smith, in the first reading\u2014Marxism. Well, not only does he need a lesson in history and economics but he also needs to read the bill. Because all this does is to say that company directors, when looking to what is in the interests of the company, may look not just at dividends, not just at what happens today, but to take a long-term view.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000639\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003EAnd we know today\u2014well, only recently, we\u2019ve issued standards for the External Reporting Board to say that we need to take into account climate matters\u2014how climate adaptation is going on, what are the climate risks of a company? Any company that does not take that into account is not doing right by its shareholders.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000640\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003ESo what is wrong? Why are they so fearful\u2014why are they so fearful\u2014of recognising that a company doesn\u2019t sit in some economic vacuum but sits within a community, that what it does impacts\u2014impacts\u2014its shareholders, its employees, its creditors, and the community in which it sits. And so when directors turn their mind to the question of \u201CWhat should we do next?\u201D, what\u2019s so very wrong with asking the question, \u201CHow will this affect others?\u201D The days of radical individualism are gone; the days of connectedness and community are ahead of us. And so that is the corporate governance we expect.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000641\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003EWhilst there are some who are stuck in the past\u2014I can\u2019t deny it, I saw them at the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee, I read their submissions and listened to them, the legalistic type who think that only what is in black and white and letters on a page counts; certainly, they were there. But people that I spoke to who recognised that companies have impact and purpose, that directors have impact and purpose, saw that this bill was a small step, and many of them said not a large enough step in the direction of recognising that companies have responsibilities and are corporate citizens and citizens as well. And as citizens, we can rightly expect them to act properly\u2014with ethics.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000642\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003ENow, we are not asking them to live up to some super rocketry standard, something more than we expect of an ordinary citizen. All we are saying is, \u201CTurn your mind to this.\u201D Ask yourself this question: if you embark on this course of action, will it degrade our environment? Will it degrade our society? Will it undermine our families? Will it make us poorer?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000643\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e77494a0-1be1-432f-b492-fd160f4c119d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b5f0f39eecdd4d5da0965a892057b732\u0022\u003EHon Peeni Henare\u003C/span\u003E: And what is the cost?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000644\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bb37119908294075a4d04e3cb076b7ea\u0022\u003EHon Dr DUNCAN WEBB\u003C/span\u003E: What are the costs, Minister Henare? That\u2019s exactly right. Because a company is in a symbiotic relationship with our community and society. A strong society leads to a strong economy, and a strong economy leads to strong businesses and companies. But we seem to have forgotten, on the other side of the House, that we are connected. We are not radically individualistic. We are not islands unto ourselves. We rely on each other\u2014we are a community. And I embrace those companies who recognise that. I embrace those businesses that recognise that we rely on them as they rely on us. That is all that this legislation does.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000645\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003ESo I find I struggle\u2014I struggle\u2014with the argument that, in some way, this is a radical departure. In fact, there was a moment in time in the 1970s and early 1980s when neo-liberalism was in the ascendant, when we thought that all that mattered was the rights of the individual and the maximisation of profits, and some people in this House, some parties in this House, are stuck in a time warp. They are stuck in the past and we have moved on. The 1990s have arrived, Brooke van Velden. The 1990s have arrived and we\u2019ve woken up from our slumber. And so all we are saying is that, in this situation, in the modern era, a good company director doesn\u2019t simply look at the balance sheet, doesn\u2019t simply look at the numbers; they look at all of the other bottom lines: the environmental bottom line, the social bottom line, and the community bottom line. We run our Budget in this way. We look at the wellbeing of the whole of New Zealand. And any company should look at the wellbeing not just of what\u2019s going on in the office and on the balance sheet but in the community that serves them and that they serve.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000646\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003ESo I was surprised, I must admit I was\u2014and I do thank the select committee for their deliberations. I appeared in front of the select committee, but I was very surprised that\u2014and I\u2019m not sure if it\u2019s unprecedented, but very unusual\u2014the committee gave no report of substance. It was unable to agree. So even though the committee turned its mind to listen to a number of submission and took considerable advice, they didn\u2019t actually come back to the House with any substantive recommendations. I\u2019m a little disappointed that that was the case. And it has fallen to my friend and colleague Camilla Belich to pick this up. And I know that she will be looking very carefully at what the select committee said, but also what a number of submitters said about how the bill should proceed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000647\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003ECan I just say that I\u2019m very pleased that I brought this to the House, but, equally, I\u2019m very happy to hand it over to the custodianship of Camilla Belich, who will have her own views and her own improvements of this bill. I\u2019m very happy to do that because this is an important step forward. It may not go as far as the UK has in its own reforms\u2014and other jurisdictions\u2014but I\u2019m surprised that on the other side of the House, who say that they\u2019re the friends of business, they are laggards in equipping businesses in moving into the modern world. So I look forward to seeing this bill progress. I know that there\u2019ll be improvements as it meets the committee of the whole House. I look forward to being in that debate. But for my friends from the ACT Party: I\u2019m simply perplexed that stuck they are in 1982.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022 data-id=\u0022c5f9a375bd8046a78de029f715151136\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000648\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d14b1afe-2069-41e4-96fa-c8dc81a991a4\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c5f9a375bd8046a78de029f715151136\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa)\u003C/span\u003E: The next call is a split call. I call on Sam Uffindell for five minutes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022 data-id=\u002200b4bf68811045e8bfef6a8d1615ee1c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000649\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002200b4bf68811045e8bfef6a8d1615ee1c\u0022\u003ESAM UFFINDELL (National\u2014Tauranga):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. It\u2019s an honour to rise and speak on this little gem, the Companies (Directors Duties) Amendment Bill at the second reading. I\u2019m sure it will do a lot better under the stewardship of Camilla Belich.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000650\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve listened to the debates, I\u2019ve been in this House since the dinner break finished, I was summoned by whip to be here, and I\u2019m very thankful that I endured the last hour and a half of debate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000651\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022\u003EWhat I\u2019ve been able to ascertain so far from this is that we have a Government that doesn\u2019t actually trust companies to do the right thing. We have heard these examples about how companies have done bad things out there, and of course there are companies out there who have lost their social licence, but the reality is that in the 21st century, we live in an age where, if you do that\u2014guess what? Investors, clients, customers, super funds, everyone else walks away from you and they don\u2019t invest in you and they pull their money and they don\u2019t buy your products or your goods or your services and\u2014guess what? You generally start going out the back door. And shareholders and all of the social media culture that we have at the moment will pinpoint these companies.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000652\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022\u003EI\u2019m very sad to see Anna Lorck leaving, she\u2019s always one of my favourite crowd moments, but there she goes. Thank you, Anna\u2014farewell. And Duncan\u2019s back, so I guess it\u2019s a balance.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000653\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022\u003EAs I was saying, you don\u2019t need legislation to tell companies what to do, because companies will act in their own interests and their own interests are in making sure that customers keep coming back to them so that they can maintain their profit margins. If they lose their social licence, the money and the customers walk away, and that\u2019s how this thing works.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000654\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022\u003EI think this is a fairly well-intentioned bill, to give a bit of credit to it, but I think it misguided and I think it is a solution looking for a problem, in a lot of ways. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment did note that there were other ways that this could be dealt with and it didn\u2019t need legislation to achieve that. The Legislative Design and Advisory Committee also recommended that the bill was not necessary.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000655\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022\u003EAs I\u2019ve sat here, I\u2019ve thought about a few companies that have been some of the most profitable companies in my lifetime. I go to Apple. Steve Jobs\u2019 vision for Apple wasn\u2019t to be the most profitable company in the world; it was to put a dent in the universe. He went out there and build products that changed people\u2019s lives and he built them in a manner that improved people\u2019s lives. And guess what? As a result of that, Apple thrived.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000656\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022\u003EAs you will see in a lot of companies these days, people expect their directors, shareholders expect their directors, customers expect their directors to take into consideration the wellbeing of people, the wellbeing of the environment, the wellbeing of society, and the wellbeing of communities.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000657\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022\u003EI think that is largely already happening. Yes, there will always be outliers, but I don\u2019t think this legislation is going to achieve its intention. I think there are already natural measures in place to ensure that we get to where we need to get to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000658\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022\u003EMy main concern with this bill is that it is risky for directors, because they are now in a situation where they may be taken to court because someone may have determined that they may not have acted accordingly\u2014[Interruption] They can do that, but they already take into account fiduciary duties, Arena Williams. They already do, and I\u2019m glad I got you in Hansard, as well. It\u2019s my little goal for the day.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000659\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022\u003EI don\u2019t think this is necessary in that regard, and I think the drafting of this bill creates more questions that solutions. It doesn\u2019t incentivise companies to be more socially responsible, but it creates uncertainty around what the directors can do and what they\u2019ve committed to and whether they\u2019ve committed an offence.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000660\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022\u003EAs a result of this bill, you are going to have situations where directors wind up in court, and it will be for the courts to determine whether the directors have acted accordingly. That is a dangerous situation for directors. I\u2019m not sure that we are in the right space. I appreciate the intent behind it, but I fundamentally don\u2019t think it\u2019s the right way to go about it, and, as I mentioned already, companies are already taking steps to ensure that they are looking after the environment, looking after their communities, looking after society because, guess what? If they don\u2019t, the money walks away.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00229c069cdb-968c-4f11-b126-92f9c655148b\u0022 data-id=\u0022eed32d7594f84cc9afb3bf18503e2225\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000661\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229c069cdb-968c-4f11-b126-92f9c655148b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022eed32d7594f84cc9afb3bf18503e2225\u0022\u003ESHANAN HALBERT (Labour\u2014Northcote):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. It\u2019s been interesting to sit in the House since the end of dinner and listen to the robust debate on this particular bill, the Companies (Directors Duties) Amendment Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000662\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229c069cdb-968c-4f11-b126-92f9c655148b\u0022\u003EI had the privilege to travel to Christchurch this morning with other members in the House to the Building Nations conference\u2014one of Aotearoa New Zealand\u2019s largest infrastructure conferences that takes place. And I met a number of people, consultants, of course, people that are working on infrastructure projects, and many of them would be company directors as well. They will have governance roles, they have leadership roles, many of them CEOs. One of the things I was quite proud of in the discussion point there was around the fact that it came out that $70 billion has been invested in infrastructure under this Government in projects under way\u2014$70 billion\u2014whether that be in hospitals, whether that be in education and schools, whether that be in community facilities. But my part was around transport infrastructure. But I come back to the people that I spoke to today at the conference. They are good people. They are passionate about the things that matter in Aotearoa New Zealand. They\u2019re passionate about our environment. They\u2019re passionate about the social wellbeing of our communities. They\u2019re passionate about our economy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000663\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229c069cdb-968c-4f11-b126-92f9c655148b\u0022\u003EI guess as I reflect on this particular bill this evening\u2014and I do want to acknowledge a good Northcote Point resident in Camilla Belich for the work that she has done on this, bringing this to the House, and those people before her: Rachel Brooking, and we heard from Duncan Webb. The work that has been done on this particular bill makes it clear that a company director acting as a mind and will of the company can take actions that take into account wider matters other than the financial bottom line. These are the things that I do believe and agree with many from across the House that people may be doing it already, that they may be interested and passionate about certain areas. I guess where some of the Opposition is coming forward on this bill this evening is that they may see it as a slippery slope or they may see it as a negative thing, where, actually, it\u2019s about recognising the progress that different companies have made in these areas. That we\u2019re not just focused on the profit margin that our organisation or business makes, that we\u2019re actually passionate about the environmental advantages that the work we do brings to our country and to our climate, or to our local wellbeing and communities and the wellbeing\u2014most of all the wellbeing of our communities.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000664\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229c069cdb-968c-4f11-b126-92f9c655148b\u0022\u003EI wanted just to acknowledge one of the readings that I was doing from Selwyn Gordon Coles from the University of Oxford. And some of his conclusions in this particular argument\u2014and it references Dr Webb, of course. And he talks about this bill as \u201CIt packs a surprisingly large punch for a little bill.\u201D And I think that\u2019s the point this evening, everyone: it\u2019s that this is a little bill on a significant, big members\u2019 day. And I think it\u2019s important that we don\u2019t overrate, I guess, some of the incremental change that members\u2019 bills can achieve. But he says, \u201CI have argued, however, that the bill exhibits a communicative intent. And while changing nothing about what the law allows for directors, it communicates a deeper message about how directors really ought to act. The message I suggested is to some extent symbolic, and that symbolism carries obvious political advantages in tapping into powerful cultural currents around the proper role of business and society.\u201D \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000665\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229c069cdb-968c-4f11-b126-92f9c655148b\u0022\u003EI do believe in supporting business. I do believe that they have a significant role to play in our day-to-day economy, but I also genuinely believe that businesses make a severe and positive impact on the wellbeing of people and the communities that they live in. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002218f9e3ea-81c5-4414-af48-d6bb843a9227\u0022 data-id=\u0022c5ff54c0b7774fd6a9ad810e44862795\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000666\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002218f9e3ea-81c5-4414-af48-d6bb843a9227\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c5ff54c0b7774fd6a9ad810e44862795\u0022\u003EMELISSA LEE (National):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. As the last speaker from this side of the House, I\u2019d like to signal that I concur with my colleagues in opposing this bill. I\u2019d like to commend the speeches that were actually made\u2014particularly my colleague the Hon Michael Woodhouse, who did almost a dissertation on this bill and the reasons why he has actually come to the conclusion of why we don\u2019t submit this. I don\u2019t intend to actually repeat some of the words that he said. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000667\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002218f9e3ea-81c5-4414-af48-d6bb843a9227\u0022\u003EI\u2019d like to also congratulate Government members opposite who have actually dutifully done their full calls. I think it takes a lot of effort for a very tiny member\u2019s bill that literally says, \u201CTo avoid doubt, in considering the best interests of a company or holding company for the purposes of this section, a director may consider matters other than the maximisation of profit.\u201D That\u2019s literally it. I think the rule for members\u2019 bills, often, is that it has to be a small bill, that it doesn\u2019t actually have\u2014particularly for Government members\u2014fiscal impact to the Government coffers, and I think that\u2019s often the rule, and we understand how members can be really passionate about this.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000668\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002218f9e3ea-81c5-4414-af48-d6bb843a9227\u0022\u003EBut I just wanted to bring attention to what the Hon Duncan Webb, who was the original sponsor of this bill, said\u2014that in this day and age, forward-looking companies are already doing this; meaning that what he is actually wanting this bill to do is already doing this and what the bill asks for.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000669\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002218f9e3ea-81c5-4414-af48-d6bb843a9227\u0022\u003EOne of the things that I just want to actually quote is from a stakeholder, Chapman Tripp. It says, \u201CBut we hope that the select committee will recommend Dr Webb\u2019s bill not proceed, as it will achieve nothing useful.\u201D That was one of the comments. I can also quote other submissions, but literally what they\u2019re all saying\u2014not all, but what they actually say is that the bill adds nothing to the existing law of directors\u2019 duties, and is a virtue signal to the stakeholder theory of corporate governance.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000670\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002218f9e3ea-81c5-4414-af48-d6bb843a9227\u0022\u003EEven the Supreme Court has confirmed in a judgment that acting in the best-interest test is a subjective one, that the director must act in what the director believes to be in the best interest of the company. Therefore, there is no doubt that a director can, under the current section, take into account factors such as those in the bill that they believe is also in the best interest of the company.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000671\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002218f9e3ea-81c5-4414-af48-d6bb843a9227\u0022\u003EOne of the things that Dr Duncan Webb has actually talked about was the bottom line; that people should think about the bottom line in context of things like social responsibility. I guess some of the things that he actually wanted to put in his bill were struck out by the select committee and, actually, we ended up with that last sentence that I quoted from the bill. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000672\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002218f9e3ea-81c5-4414-af48-d6bb843a9227\u0022\u003EBut I wish this Government would think about the bottom line for this country when they are doing this, because Labour has wasted so much money, I wish they could\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000673\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002296f5f6b7-c116-477e-88a9-ea17aa616886\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e945aa136af84fca9ddaa8ff9ccc799c\u0022\u003EIngrid Leary\u003C/span\u003E: Stick to the bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000674\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002218f9e3ea-81c5-4414-af48-d6bb843a9227\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002292f6ed31f92d4d1b919139bd31bf362d\u0022\u003EMELISSA LEE\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014actually think about the bottom line. Yes, I am sticking to the bill, because I\u2019m quoting what Dr Duncan Webb has actually talked about: bottom lines. Apparently, businesses only think about bottom lines; I wish the Government would think about the bottom line too, that we create a country that is wealthier, better, kinder\u2014think about our wellbeing, for example, is one of the things that he was talking about.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000675\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002218f9e3ea-81c5-4414-af48-d6bb843a9227\u0022\u003EOne of the things that I am really concerned about is the fact that this bill is a pretty inoffensive bill, it\u2019s a tiny bill, and a lot of people have already said that it\u2019s a waste of Parliament\u2019s time. So I wish not to waste Parliament\u2019s time, and I do not support this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022 data-id=\u00221cad62dc171e4954a8e3bc3fe1f94cf0\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000676\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221cad62dc171e4954a8e3bc3fe1f94cf0\u0022\u003EHELEN WHITE (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E It\u2019s a pleasure to take a call and the last call on this bill. I\u2019d like to congratulate my friends Dr Duncan Webb and Camilla Belich for continuing to bring this bill, because for me, this bill is going to bust the myth that you have to maximise the profit of a company. That\u2019s a myth that has been around my entire life. In 1970, there was a paper published in The Times, and that was the paper which was called A Friedman Doctrine: The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase Its Profits. What it said was it said that there was no social responsibility that a company had other than to maximise its profits. That must be done; that\u2019s what its sole purpose must be. That myth shaped the economy. That myth shaped the way that businesses worked.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000677\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003EI looked up the fallacy of maximising a profit, and when I did, I saw that Thomson Reuters had a very good statement of why this fallacy continues, and yes, it does continue today. It continues to shape our businesses and the responses of our directors. What it said was that there are several reasons for this. The first is that there is pressure from heavyweight shareholders for short-term bonuses and profit. That\u2019s what this does. This myth encourages those shareholders to push directors into producing profit at all cost\u2014that\u2019s what it does.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000678\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003EIt said that another reason was bonuses and rewards. That is one of the reasons why this fallacy persists. It says that it is an easy metric and it is a simple metric, and it says that a fear of competitors actually making more profit in the short term keeps this alive. It does us damage, because it erodes our environment and it erodes our social responsibility, and it puts directors in a really hard position quite often, because they\u2019ve got to justify to their shareholders why they are not going for the shortest and maximised profit. This is the environment that we have lived in.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000679\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003ENow, I read a book that maybe some of you have read. It\u2019s a book by Yuval Noah Harari called Sapiens, and it was an interesting read. It talked about the development of limited liability companies. What it said was that these were actually part of the evolution of our economy, and they did good for quite some time, because they separated us from our responsibilities, from our moral and social responsibilities\u2014we were separate from them. And they separated the risk in those businesses, because the risk was separated by the limited liability nature. But what he says in the end of that book is that the time has come for us to re-examine that, because it got out of hand. We actually got to the point where we no longer had it in balance any more.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000680\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003EMy example for that, and it is a dramatic one, was Pike River, because I remember when Pike River happened and I was an employment lawyer, and I had several friends and relations, in fact, who actually put up\u2014they put up\u2014the argument that it was OK what happened at Pike River, because what actually those company people were doing was they were looking after the shareholders\u2019 interests. That was actually put up as an argument. That was the fallacy in action. That\u2019s where it can lead us, people. That is not where we want to be in modern New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000681\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003EThe reason why we had the ACT Party slur Dr Duncan Webb, the reason why we had Mr Woodhouse talk about profit and how important that was in terms of its social contribution, was because that fallacy is still around and alive and well, and we have to fight it by nudging. We have to actually make sure that people feel secure when they are directors of companies, and they can actually stand up and say, \u201CThese are clearly things that matter. These are things that matter. The environment matters. Social responsibility, the way we treat our staff matters.\u201D These are all things that are legitimate to care about in a company structure, and that\u2019s a very, very good thing. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000682\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003EThat is something that is happening in our society, and we should be there as a legislature. And we\u2019re not there with an iron fist; we\u2019re there with a nudge. We are there to support businesses to do that. This particular little change does that. So why is Mr Seymour so frightened of it that he has to slur, that he has to suggest terrible things about people who have happened to be brave enough and creative enough to come and actually reinforce the capacity of our companies to do something that they desperately need to do, as we face an environmental crisis, as we face a need for social growth, because we actually do need those things? It shows to me that I am in the right party, because I am not in a party that is stuck in the 1970s, where several other parties in this House do seem to be stuck. I urge those people to read a little more, to get a little less religious about these beliefs, think through a little more what, in fact, they are saying, because it is very, very important. We stand by our companies when they are innovative and they are brave and they want to do something real and good that isn\u2019t just about maximising short-term profit, because maximising short-term profit is going to actually rip our children off. It\u2019s going to hurt us, it\u2019s going to hurt our environment, and it\u2019s going to make this place a darker place to live, and that is not what we are about.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000683\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003ENow, I wanted just to finish by talking for a minute about other nudges that we\u2019ve had which have worked, because this is a \u201Cnudge\u201D piece of legislation. I come from the background of an employment lawyer, and in the employment space, this is what happened with good faith. I\u2019m pretty sure that when good faith was introduced as a principle, there would have been people from the other side of the House saying, \u201CBut employers always act with good faith.\u201D Yes, lots of employers do. But isn\u2019t it nice that we introduced a concept like that into legislation and it became the foundation of good employment relations in New Zealand? So I hope that this law, by introducing this concept in this very simple way gives people a foundation in company law to actually do the right thing and to grow and evolve. So I don\u2019t agree with the idea that this does nothing. I think that this does a lot. It is simple. It is elegant. It is supportive of our businesses. That is a very, very important thing at this time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000684\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003EI hope that we have a law here that will actually stand the test of time, and that in a few years there will be no more fallacy of maximising profit. There will be no more religious adherence to that, even from the right, because the status quo will be, of course, all businesses\u2014all businesses\u2014are perfectly entitled to care about the environment or feeding their children or looking after their workers. That\u2019s the New Zealand I want to live in. And the only way we\u2019re going to live in that New Zealand is if we move on from the 1970s. Thank you. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u0022c1ead665c9b7456c8a291f9290647d5b\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 Companies (Directors Duties) Amendment Bill be read a second time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 74\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 62; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 9; Te Paati M\u0101ori 2; Kerekere.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 44\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 34; ACT New Zealand 10.\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=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000685\u0022\u003EBill read a second time.\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=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000686\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022229286d8908846b0b6d83ac210e34181\u0022\u003EHousing Infrastructure (GST-sharing) Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000687\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00228ea1e4bee3ac448f90a84663b017a574\u0022\u003EFirst Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000688\u0022\u003EDebate resumed from 5 April.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226590faa0-f76b-4386-84f3-9b06296cc772\u0022 data-id=\u0022071aa8a6ac5045f78fbc32dbfd7d49ce\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000689\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226590faa0-f76b-4386-84f3-9b06296cc772\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022071aa8a6ac5045f78fbc32dbfd7d49ce\u0022\u003ET\u0100MATI COFFEY (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. Very happy to be taking a call on this, the Housing Infrastructure (GST-sharing) Bill, and can I acknowledge the member that brought it to the House, Brooke van Velden.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000690\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226590faa0-f76b-4386-84f3-9b06296cc772\u0022\u003EThe last time we chatted about housing so intensely was when we were tracking through the changes to housing intensification, talking about medium-density residential standards. It was a very important conversation. It was something that we tried to tackle as a cross-party solution, to try to get more houses in across New Zealand. It lately hasn\u2019t\u2014the Opposition have decided to back away from it. The ACT Party, at the time, also didn\u2019t support it. But at the time, the member for the Opposition, Nicola Willis\u2014she brought it to the Environment Committee as something that she believed wholeheartedly in, a way that we could grow more houses in our country and do a better job. The ACT Party didn\u2019t support it at the time, and I would say that it was potentially a mistake, because we still have a real need around our country to be able to build more houses.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000691\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226590faa0-f76b-4386-84f3-9b06296cc772\u0022\u003EOne thing that this side of the House have done is that we have introduced the Infrastructure Acceleration Fund, which is all about trying to build more houses, because that\u2019s what we\u2019ve got to keep focused on. That\u2019s what this bill does\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000692\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227c942067f19f4d9db7a6c38ca6b6066c\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, in the meantime, we need a bit of focus on the bill before us too, Mr Coffey.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000693\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226590faa0-f76b-4386-84f3-9b06296cc772\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ffaa682cea944cd485d4f7215e408fae\u0022\u003ET\u0100MATI COFFEY\u003C/span\u003E: It is all connected, Mr Speaker, but I\u2019ll come back to it\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000694\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227c6271921d30457a85b725c56299d3bd\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, connect them up for me.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000695\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226590faa0-f76b-4386-84f3-9b06296cc772\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022eb28c0dee8e144408ac864597d630f7c\u0022\u003ET\u0100MATI COFFEY\u003C/span\u003E: I will, I will. Because whether it\u2019s this bill\u2014the Housing Infrastructure (GST-sharing) Bill\u2014or the initiatives that the current Government are already facing, what we\u2019re all trying to do is get more houses built all around the country in our various communities. So I acknowledge the member for bringing this to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000696\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226590faa0-f76b-4386-84f3-9b06296cc772\u0022\u003EBut as far as this side of the House are concerned, we won\u2019t be supporting this bill. We do believe that there are mechanisms within any future Government to be able to do it without changes to legislation. We believe that it has got a very hefty price tag on it. We don\u2019t believe that councils would necessarily be able to triage the GST portion in the way that it\u2019s supposed to be, and intended to be, directed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000697\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226590faa0-f76b-4386-84f3-9b06296cc772\u0022\u003EThis is a well-meaning, well-intentioned piece of legislation, but it falls short on a lot of fronts. I do want to say that I think that\u2014I definitely acknowledge the fact that the member has brought this to the House in an attempt to try and get more houses built. I don\u2019t believe that this is the way that we should be doing it. I do believe that the policy has the potential to cost about $1.3 billion a year. It\u2019s a lot of money.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000698\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226590faa0-f76b-4386-84f3-9b06296cc772\u0022\u003EOn this side of the House, we prefer things like the Infrastructure Acceleration Fund. I know that in Rotorua we were privy to $85 million of that. I know that our local council and our local developers are very happy about that. I know that it\u2019s a way that developers and councils can help with the costs of building these developments. Investment into stormwater upgrades, investments into things like detention dams: these are all things that are currently being done with the systems that we already have, and, therefore, I don\u2019t believe that this bill is needed. For that reason, members on this side, we\u2019ve gotten together, we\u2019ve put our heads together, and thought, \u201CIs there any merit in trying to support this?\u201D We don\u2019t believe that there is. We believe that there\u2019s already mechanisms in place. We\u2019d like to think that the Opposition parties would continue to support the current initiatives that are in place.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000699\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226590faa0-f76b-4386-84f3-9b06296cc772\u0022\u003EWith the $85 million that\u2019s going into the Rotorua Lakes Council to be able to help with that infrastructure cost, we\u2019re looking at an additional 3,000 houses in Rotorua. We are desperate for houses. We are desperate for housing. Unfortunately, the member\u2019s part of a party that was part of a regime that ensured that we got rid of our State houses in Rotorua. They\u2019re actually partly responsible for making sure that we were 44 short, after the decade that they were in charge.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000700\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226590faa0-f76b-4386-84f3-9b06296cc772\u0022\u003ESo we just need to make sure that we\u2019re following good practice and things that are currently succeeding in our communities to be able to develop good houses. This bill doesn\u2019t do it. This bill falls short. The current initiatives that are in place\u2014and I can tell, from my own experience back home in the geothermal paradise of Aotearoa, that we are currently making moves in that right direction. It\u2019s because of good Government, good solid policy that\u2019s already in place. For that reason, I don\u2019t support this bill. I think it needs a whole lot more work.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022 data-id=\u00228a924d1f38d2473aab944fd193f7f1a8\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000701\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00228a924d1f38d2473aab944fd193f7f1a8\u0022\u003EANGIE WARREN-CLARK (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Well, it\u2019s a bit of a surprise to be standing and taking a call right at this moment, however I do want to acknowledge\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000702\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229c069cdb-968c-4f11-b126-92f9c655148b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221490e97abfa8465ebf68f4c37aef7f12\u0022\u003EShanan Halbert\u003C/span\u003E: Back in the 1970s.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000703\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220356e07e068a43f3985853bc23e2a4af\u0022\u003EANGIE WARREN-CLARK\u003C/span\u003E: Back in the 1970s, obviously. I do want to acknowledge the member Brooke van Velden for having her bill drawn from the ballot and also for bringing the bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000704\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003EI am pleased to be talking on the Housing Infrastructure (GST-sharing) Bill, and, I must say, I missed the beginning speeches last members\u2019 day so I went back over and read the Hansard record of the member\u2019s speech, and I still couldn\u2019t understand that concept or how the member had got to this. So I just want to go through the bill in a little bit more detail. Now, I am a barrister and solicitor, and I do understand legislation and the legislative process, but I can\u2019t for the life of me understand how you have created a system that is so complex for a matter that perhaps could be so simply clarified.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000705\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003EOne of the matters in clause 8, the \u201CHousing infrastructure development payments\u201D: \u201CAfter each financial year, K\u0101inga Ora\u2013Homes and Communities must pay each territorial authority an amount calculated in accordance with the following formula: a = b \u00D7 c \u00D7 0.5\u201D. OK, so we get that. However, that is 67 territorial authorities\u2014[Interruption]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000706\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002207f791571d2443a584b6a9f8da1621bf\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Carry on speaking, Ms Warren-Clark.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000707\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022831c9d59cd034141981bbf11b1bfc4ea\u0022\u003EANGIE WARREN-CLARK\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you. If you could direct me as to how much time I have at some point, sir. I could go for a long time around this.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000708\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003ESo we\u2019re talking about 67 local authorities that a statistician needs to calculate for. So we\u2019re talking about the difference between one of those authorities, which has 1.44 million people in it, and we\u2019re talking about another which has got 600 people in it. So I can\u2019t, for the life of me, work out that is equitable when we know that, for example, the local authority of the Chatham Islands, with 600 rateable houses, needs to have infrastructure that costs a tremendous amount, just like other places in the country. So I cannot work out how the member thinks that that is a fair process or fair analysis. Nevertheless, I do understand that it has been a simple tool that the member has approached this with.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000709\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003EI\u2019m also unsure why each financial year the Minister of Housing then must, on behalf of the Crown and without further appropriation, pay K\u0101inga Ora the money that K\u0101inga Ora has paid the local authorities\u2014really complex. Now, this is from a party that keeps talking about cutting red tape; this is from a party that keeps saying to us that they think that there are too many bureaucrats as well\u2014or is that the National Party? I can\u2019t recall. So it is quite interesting that we have this process happening which is slow and cumbersome and needs to be paid in a way that is perhaps difficult; a statistician needs to be involved.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000710\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003EThe second thing is that the calculations we talk about is $1.3 billion roughly per year. Now, the Infrastructure Acceleration Fund is looking at over $3 billion currently per annum. It certainly doesn\u2019t add up.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000711\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003EWe\u2019re also doing a whole pile of things to support housing. Everyone agrees that housing is a massive issue. Now, I\u2019m going to do it, because it\u2019s actually my birthday today [Cheering]\u2014thank you. It\u2019s my birthday today, everybody. I was born in 1971, so that makes me 52. Do you know, Mr Speaker, that we have undertaken the biggest build of social housing since the 1970s? I\u2019m 52 years old and we\u2019re looking at having the most social housing\u2014one in seven houses have been built in the last six years, social houses built, by this Government. We don\u2019t actually need to have this level right now. What we do need to have is a series of consistent processes that happen. We\u2019ve got a lot of different things going on, and one of the things is this complexity we don\u2019t need; we just need more houses. I commend the bill\u2014I do not commend the bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000712\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e3fe82ec823c4e57b91c1158008f1487\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The Speaker apologises to Ms Warren-Clark for the muck up around the time, and happy birthday.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022 data-id=\u002243928a9ec57140a095eeb1277348e507\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000713\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002243928a9ec57140a095eeb1277348e507\u0022\u003ESAM UFFINDELL (National\u2014Tauranga):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. Happy birthday, Angie, good on you; that\u2019s very exciting, and I\u2019m very proud to hear that you support the bill as well! Thank you for that! We also support the bill on this side of the House. It\u2019s good to see National and ACT, in this case, bringing sensible solutions to the infrastructure crisis to this House\u2014in this case, GST sharing. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000714\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c5cc8226630a45dc962e7dae82dd01e4\u0022\u003EDavid Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Smartest thing a King\u2019s boy\u2019s ever said!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000715\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e71a484c00984332b21fd6683f8dbdaf\u0022\u003ESAM UFFINDELL\u003C/span\u003E: We recognise that councils do not have enough money\u2014I missed the quip; I don\u2019t know who it was directed at\u2014so this bill is a good step in that direction to allow more revenue sharing, focused very strongly, in this case, on K\u0101inga Ora (KO).\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000716\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e60c1237-5e2d-4d0a-9678-ab10db67d1b7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c4891d8de9f143fda9c70c0ed4d68b0c\u0022\u003EAngie Warren-Clark\u003C/span\u003E: Tell us how it\u2019s going to work.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000717\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227cfc8411d2544af086c7218ee5834799\u0022\u003ESAM UFFINDELL\u003C/span\u003E: As we look at that\u2014how it\u2019s going to work, well, councils don\u2019t have the money at the moment, Angie, and it\u2019s a real shame because this Government expects them to do all of the heavy lifting without giving them the necessary funding. The National Party did have mechanisms in place when we were last in power; it\u2019s a shame a lot of those haven\u2019t been continued through. It\u2019s a real shame, as well, that this Government has embarked on a bit of a war against landlords, and we\u2019ve seen that with interest deductibility being removed and the brightline test. The recommendations to the Minister was that it was going to increase rents. Have they increased rents? Yes, they have indeed\u2014up $175 a week under this Government; the largest contributor to the cost of living crisis.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000718\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022\u003EWhen I go around and talk to people in the fine electorate of Tauranga, they tell me that they are suffering under this Government, they don\u2019t have enough money to make ends meet, and accommodation costs are the number one contributor to that. So what we need to do\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000719\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002272b36d95a8c74d80a5229689d5ad18fe\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: But they\u2019ll be wanting to hear about the bill, though. So let\u2019s talk about the bill, shall we?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000720\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d0a33fe5b48f42f3b0eebd24e5694698\u0022\u003ESAM UFFINDELL\u003C/span\u003E: I know they are tuning in, wanting to hear about this bill, and I acknowledge the member Brooke van Velden, who has brought this very sensible bill forward.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000721\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve got a few questions to ask around how councils actually get encouraged to develop more infrastructure, because, at the moment, I think they see it as a bit of a burden. So this bill, through the GST sharing arrangement from KO, will help to deliver that. I mean, we would have wanted to see it if they\u2019d built over and above what their target was\u2014which was what National took to the last election. We don\u2019t have that here but we are very open to suggesting those generous amendments in the select committee stage. I see the wise members of the ACT Party looking up for wisdom from the member of Tauranga, which I am happy to continue to deliver! A few smiles in the Labour Party as well as they realise that if only the rest of the speakers had also supported the bill like the previous speaker, then this House would be in a better position.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000722\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022\u003EWe do note that there are a lot of families doing it tough, so it is important that we do develop more housing infrastructure. It\u2019s the number one cost that families face. We have seen a significant rise in the number of families homeless under this Government, or living in motels or emergency accommodation, and I think that\u2019s a real blight on our society. We\u2019re currently spending a lot of money in this space and we really need to make sure that we are delivering the infrastructure, because that\u2019s important. Because if we don\u2019t have houses, then people aren\u2019t going to move to where the jobs are, and if they don\u2019t have houses, they\u2019re not going to have dignity. So it\u2019s really important that we address this.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000723\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022\u003EWe do think the bill could be better targeted. We have noted how it would be better for just paying above the target builds. We do raise serious concerns with K\u0101inga Ora and the way they\u2019ve gone about doing stuff. We note that their debt obligations are going to be absolutely\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000724\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229c069cdb-968c-4f11-b126-92f9c655148b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c01d6026d49a4f988e4113dabb2a2f85\u0022\u003EShanan Halbert\u003C/span\u003E: Only because they\u2019ve built more houses than you ever did.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000725\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022549752cdb5e2491d8491a4cf7f5d3d9e\u0022\u003ESAM UFFINDELL\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014significant. I hear the member from Northcote barking at me from the other side of the Chamber. I did note in the Budget that KO had been allocated $3 billion to build\u2014what was it?\u20143,000 houses on land they already owned. It doesn\u2019t take a mathematician to work out that that\u2019s about a million dollars for a house where they already hold the land.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000726\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022\u003ESo the current system of this Labour Government empowering KO to go out there, buy the land well above market rates, take all of the people from the local councils to do the approvals, drive up the price of consents, and ultimately drive up the price of houses certainly is not delivering for New Zealanders. We would be much better off giving local councils, through a member\u2019s bill such as this one, more money to fund the infrastructure, and then letting the parties who actually build houses\u2014such as the many property developers out there\u2014the opportunity to come into a market that hasn\u2019t been ruined by KO being able to overbid any time they want, and then they could deliver quality, affordable houses for New Zealanders. I support this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022 data-id=\u0022548d4ef0d35b4541ab55f19abc20d3e6\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000727\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022548d4ef0d35b4541ab55f19abc20d3e6\u0022\u003EHELEN WHITE (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E It\u2019s a pleasure to rise and take a call on this bill. I congratulate Brooke van Velden for getting her bill out of the ballot.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000728\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002255fc61ad8a11438b9928e8b2a93d36ed\u0022\u003EDavid Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: It was just luck.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000729\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fe5eeac4492d4c2fb1c8f22d0ae41eb1\u0022\u003EHELEN WHITE\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, that\u2019s unfortunately where I have to stop because I can\u2019t support the bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000730\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003EWhen I look at what this bill does\u2014which is provide 50 percent of the GST from the construction costs or value of a new home to the local council\u2014it doesn\u2019t target spending in the way that we need to target it in a situation where we have a housing crisis. We need to build houses in the right places, and we need to fund the infrastructure in those places. So this would be a scheme where the amount of money that was produced went back to the local council, regardless of the infrastructure needs of that community. So in a place like Hastings the cost may be much more expensive than that, or in another place it may be less, and the GST would come back at the same rate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000731\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003EWhat actually is happening at the present time is that there is big, good, supportive infrastructure funding going on. So we have an accelerated housing fund, and that is $3.8 billion\u2014it\u2019s a lot of money, and it\u2019s going to be targeted and it is going into places where we need to build houses and where they make sense to build. That is how we\u2019re supporting the local councils. That is the right way to do it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000732\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003ENow, obviously, there is a need to have more than one thing going on at the same time, and so we have done some other really good things. I just want to go through them. One is, unfortunately, we came to an agreement with our\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000733\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224910e2f588734c45a98e763b4a360e47\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Just relating them to the bill as we do so, Ms White.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000734\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a5397e5f48d0431ebd02405be7b8b175\u0022\u003EHELEN WHITE\u003C/span\u003E: Yes. Of course, this is actually relating to the bill because it is why we aren\u2019t supporting the bill, because, in fact, we are doing other things that are a better use of the money. So the money that actually is gathered up in that way\u2014the GST, etc.\u2014goes into those funds. It goes into the accelerated housing fund\u2014the $3.8 billion\u2014it goes into the affordable housing fund, it produces money for those things.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000735\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003EIt is actually with a little bit of sadness that I see that ACT is now joined by the National Party, moving away from the accord that we had that was actually releasing the capacity to build in our cities, where we need it. It is such a pity, because that gave a lot of certainty to private developers, etc. It meant that they knew that they could invest in that housing. Now, the carpet has been pulled out from under their feet. Unfortunately, New Zealanders are going to pay the price for that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000736\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003ESo this is not a bill that would actually target funding where it is needed, but rest assured that the reason the Government is not supporting it is it wants to target that money where it\u2019s needed and it is doing so. That is what it will do. It will continue to make sure we build in the right places for our environment, for our building better cities. It is going to do that because that is what is necessary at this time. Unfortunately, this bill is one of those bills which is probably very well meaning, but it is not targeted in that way\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000737\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003ESo it cannot be supported by this Government because, let\u2019s face it, this money\u2019s actually taxpayers\u2019 money. The GST collected, etc.\u2014that\u2019s taxpayers\u2019 money. And guess what? We care what happens to taxpayers\u2019 money. It shouldn\u2019t just be spread; it\u2019s got to be targeted. So in this situation, we have to be respectful of our taxpayers and make sure that the money goes into the right places. That is one of the great fallacies, isn\u2019t it? That, in fact, people who want to do these kinds of things do need to be respectful. Actually, the fallacy is that ACT and National care about the taxpayer, when in fact it\u2019s the Labour Party that\u2019s sitting here, guarding the money that the taxpayer needs and making sure that it is used in the right places. That is what it\u2019s all about, people. Thanks. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022 data-id=\u002253c5b57d3c904d4880a9b14f44c8e6d8\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000738\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002253c5b57d3c904d4880a9b14f44c8e6d8\u0022\u003ETAMA POTAKA (National\u2014Hamilton West):\u003C/span\u003E We support this bill from the noble Greenlane resident of the ACT Party. We\u2019ve heard a lot of fuzzy math and foggy recollection today, respect for the taxpayer, a bit of candle-seeking for a birthday, and overstatements\u2014happy birthday\u2014from one member mentioning the geothermal paradise of New Zealand, where apparently 3,000 extra houses will go\u2014who knows where?\u2014but the folks at Tikitapu and Okataina will be very uncomfortable with that statement. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000739\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s a good idea to incentivise local councils to allow more homes to be sustainably built by recycling money out of the GST proceeds to help fund that new infrastructure. I know, as I had the great misfortune\u2014as my Chiefs brother Jamie Strange knows\u2014to try and interrogate the Hamilton City development contributions model many years ago. It was The Krypton Factor all over again. The idea of central government partnering with local government to fund infrastructure is nothing new. We had the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) and then our colleagues over here had the HAF\u2014Housing Acceleration Fund\u2014and maybe we\u2019ll have to have the \u201CHUFF Fund\u201D one day, but that might be for the vaping discussion.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000740\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EThis bill facilitates, after GST payable on a residential development, to be paid by K\u0101inga Ora to the territorial authority where the development took place. Prima facie, this is an idea worth considering and exploring. We\u2019ll support it, albeit with some observations. Tuatahi, first, some houses would be built in some places were affordability might be less problematic. Councils in those situations could get a windfall gain. That\u2019s all we need in Hamilton, Jamie.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000741\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002296f5f6b7-c116-477e-88a9-ea17aa616886\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002294a7556229d04a99b090642b9b752df4\u0022\u003EIngrid Leary\u003C/span\u003E: You\u2019re reading your speech.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000742\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022372e337a92184c3993c75eab15b89f3e\u0022\u003ETAMA POTAKA\u003C/span\u003E: Second, target the change where houses are built above affordability for that place\u2014and at least I\u2019ve got a speech that ain\u2019t about birthdays. Fund areas that are unaffordable. Thirdly, as many people who can count, and have taken a look at K\u0101inga Ora, the most important basket case of taxpayer wastage we\u2019ve seen since the last one, which operates prima facie probably regularly on a Ponzi debt-funded scheme that\u2019s going to have to fund itself for the next 60 years out of what taxpayers\u2019 money\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000743\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221c2e78876c0d4aa08d3b38a03faaf1a8\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Mr Potaka, we\u2019ll just\u2014on the bill, please. Relate to what you\u2019re talking about.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000744\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a84785512efb430ba330abb3bbb8844f\u0022\u003ETAMA POTAKA\u003C/span\u003E: Wh\u0101nau, we need to get the country back on track, and infrastructure is the key to make that happen in a smooth and credible manner. This GST-sharing bill will help support that, help incentivise councils to enable and permit developments in various areas. The country needs a more relevant and appropriate funding system, not one that\u2019s funded out of the Government using your money every day to fund its wild and vain projects. Don\u2019t get me started on light rail\u2014don\u2019t get me started on light rail\u2014or the million dollars a day this Government spends on emergency housing because they can\u2019t actually build it fast enough. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000745\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EDo you know why? A million dollars a day\u2014do you know why? Because K\u0101inga Ora starts driving up the value of land throughout the city, including Borman Road\u2014where Jamie Strange is the MP\u201427 houses for $20 million. Couldn\u2019t do it themselves, so it went to a private developer, surreptitiously, to buy it. No contribution to GST. So I say K\u0101inga Ora is the vehicle to fund this or to channel the payments\u2014very worrisome indeed, Ms van Velden. KiwiBuild, need I say more\u20142 percent. This GST-sharing arrangement will not help it meet the target, because it was a failure. Gone, gone, gone by lunchtime. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000746\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003ESharing the GST might be one step forward\u2014it might be one step forward. It could operate and act with other dials, though. Getting away from these vanity projects and egotistical announcements\u2014cutting ribbons means nothing if we can\u2019t cut through on infrastructure. I\u2019ll cut the ribbon to anyone\u2019s birthday, but on infrastructure we need funds, and it\u2019s not going to be funds that people are spending on vain projects.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000747\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EExpanding the role of Crown Infrastructure Partners to establish a national infrastructure agency is something that we will be committed to. We won\u2019t be committed to spending $30 billion on a light rail project road to nowhere; we\u2019ll actually fund infrastructure that is needed for our communities. What we have right now is a Government with an agency called K\u0101inga Ora that just represents the development aspirations of some of the Ministers who couldn\u2019t do it in their private lives. So instead, they said, \u201CLet\u2019s put our money in the taxpayers\u2019 pocket to fund our ideas and our aspirations because we\u2019ve never been able to do it ourselves.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000748\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226bb5242a7b8b4e5a8a1d8dcb59aa8308\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: In your last 30 seconds, back to the bill, please, Mr Potaka.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000749\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e04baaa2354c4400aec42006c43c8025\u0022\u003ETAMA POTAKA\u003C/span\u003E: A more innovative suite of investment opportunities, particularly revenues to incentivise payments, to incentivise investment from private sector capital is useful. Right now, that\u2019s what we need. We need private sector capital to invest in New Zealand. Do you know why? Because the private sector is scared of the Labour Government. It doesn\u2019t matter if it\u2019s an offshore sovereign fund, it doesn\u2019t matter if it\u2019s a super fund or ACC, the private sector capital is concerned that this Government wastes a whole bunch of money, cannot deliver anything on time, and cannot deliver for the future of New Zealand. Back on track! Kia ora t\u0101tou.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022 data-id=\u0022a9bccd21dbde4bd6887f2586ca53af32\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000750\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a9bccd21dbde4bd6887f2586ca53af32\u0022\u003EBROOKE VAN VELDEN (Deputy Leader\u2014ACT):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. It\u2019s a pleasure to take this final call on my bill, the Housing Infrastructure (GST-sharing) Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000751\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003EEverybody deserves the feeling of stability and security of having a home, and everybody should feel that they could one day own their own home. Too often, when I\u2019m out in the community, I hear people say, \u201CI\u2019m not sure I will ever have the opportunity to own my own home.\u201D\u2014or even if they do have their own home, hearing from people say, \u201CI can afford it, but I\u2019m afraid of what the future looks like for my children and for my grandchildren.\u201D and young people in their 20s and 30s saying, \u201CMaybe it would be better to move to Australia because I just cannot see a future for myself in this country.\u201D That is not good enough.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000752\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003EThere aren\u2019t enough homes for the people who want to live in them, and that\u2019s why we have a housing crisis. This bill fixes that problem. It provides an incentive to councils to provide an environment for more housing development so that more people can have access to a home. It doesn\u2019t promise 100,000 Government-built homes; it doesn\u2019t promise three three-storey homes on any section throughout all of our large cities. It actually asks the question, \u201CWhy do we have a housing crisis?\u201D and finds the solution.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000753\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003EWe have a housing crisis because we have an infrastructure crisis. Councils don\u2019t have the funds that they need to provide the vital infrastructure to connect new homes to the community. Currently, councils have very poor incentives to allow for more building. Every new home that goes in involves cost to the existing ratepayers for water, for sewerage, for everything that\u2019s needed to connect that new home to the community. This bill will change that incentive.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000754\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003EIt works by allowing for 50 percent of the GST revenue on a new house to be shared with the local council that issues the consent. That provides a very good environment for approving more homes, allowing for more consents and enabling builders to build without more delay. Our estimate is that it would be around $1 billion a year going back into the hands of local councils, but a local council that issues more consents gets more money; it gets more funds. That\u2019s the beauty of this policy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000755\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003EThe only time that you get a prompt service from a council is when they\u2019re issuing you a parking ticket. That\u2019s because they know that they get funds every time one of those tickets is issued. Imagine what we could do, and imagine how much faster homes could get built, if councils knew that there was an incentive in it for them, that they got funding every time a new home got in. Builders that I talked to say that it takes longer sometimes to get the consent to build than just to build the home. We need to change those incentives.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000756\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003EThe other great part about this policy is that this transfer of funds will be a long-lasting solution to the infrastructure problem and the imbalance of costs and benefits with council. We\u2019ve heard from Labour members today about the Housing Acceleration Fund. That\u2019s a slush fund that the Government gives for projects it likes, where it gets councils to approach the Government cap in hand and beg for money. Imagine if councils actually had the ability to put infrastructure in their own communities where they knew it was needed, rather than begging the Government for projects that the Government likes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000757\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003EWe know that we need better infrastructure. We\u2019ve seen this with the floods and with the cyclones, we\u2019ve seen it with the sewage on the beaches in T\u0101maki. We know that councils don\u2019t have the funds, so let\u2019s change that. Let\u2019s vote for this bill to go through Parliament, and I urge my parliamentary colleagues to support this through the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000758\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003EI think it\u2019s great that the National Party has come to the table with ACT to support this bill. It shows that we can work together on a good idea whose time has come. But I\u2019m proud to belong to a party that has the guts to put forward good ideas. We actually look at defining the problem before standing up on a podium to make big grand announcements. This is a policy that will work. It identifies the real problem with the housing crisis, which is an infrastructure crisis.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000759\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003ESo if we want young Kiwis to feel like they have a future in this country, if we want more homes to be accessible and to be built in New Zealand, and if we want our homes not to flood because we actually have good infrastructure, we need a long-lasting, enduring policy\u2014and this bill provides that. Thank you, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u002277823eb56b244156ab343c7b01e00e53\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 Housing Infrastructure (GST-sharing) Bill be now read a first time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 57\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 34; ACT New Zealand 10; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 9; Te Paati M\u0101ori 2; Kerekere; Whaitiri.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 62\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 62.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000760\u0022\u003EMotion not agreed to.\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=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000761\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002224e06d9c255d47bba43b6380a645dfff\u0022\u003ECrown Minerals (Prohibition of Mining) Amendment Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000762\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00223e21d178cb89418d933c49e2843e3fdb\u0022\u003EFirst Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022 data-id=\u00220995be86e92e4e51ae55c234cee05ac1\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000763\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00220995be86e92e4e51ae55c234cee05ac1\u0022\u003EHon EUGENIE SAGE (Green):\u003C/span\u003E I move, That the Crown Minerals (Prohibition of Mining) Amendment Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Environment Committee to consider the bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000764\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EI am delighted to be speaking on this bill. It\u2019s the only member\u2019s bill that I\u2019ve been lucky enough to have had drawn in nearly 12 years in this House. It\u2019s a bill which seeks to fulfil Labour\u2019s commitment that there be no new mines on conservation land. The 2017 Speech from the Throne set out the Government\u2019s priorities for that term, and it said there will be no new mines on conservation land. Yet, nearly six years later, Tai Tokerau hap\u016B, Forest \u0026amp; Bird, and communities in the north have had to organise to protect Puketi Forest, one of our last remaining unlogged kauri forests, from the prospecting and potentially destructive mining of Mineralogy International, directed by billionaire Clive Palmer.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000765\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EKauri forests are nature\u2019s cathedrals. Individual trees can live for centuries. Why would we contemplate mining them? Last term, New Zealand First was a handbrake on that commitment that there\u2019d be no new mines. That handbrake has gone from this House, and for good, I hope. We can act to change the law\u2014in this case, the Crown Minerals Act\u2014to properly protect our public conservation lands. Those lands and waters comprise nearly a third of Aotearoa New Zealand. We need this bill because only half of the conservation estate is protected from mining, through Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act 1991. Schedule 4 prevents access applications for Crown-owned minerals such as gold and coal from being granted in national parks, nature reserves, scientific reserves, wilderness areas, wildlife sanctuaries, marine reserves, and Ramsar wetlands. Apart from things like ventilation shafts, this bill would extend the protection that Schedule 4 provides to prohibit new exploration, prospecting, and mining activities on a Crown land held under the Conservation Act and other conservation legislation, such as the Reserves Act, not just those categories that are listed in Schedule 4. And the bill would prohibit new coal mines on any land after 1 January 2025.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000766\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EIn 2022, there were more than 516 permits and mining licences, extending over more than 424,000 hectares of conservation land, and, since then, just one company, Mineralogy International, has subsequently had minerals permits approved for thousands of hectares on the West Coast, surrounding K\u014Dtuku Moana / Lake Brunner.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000767\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003ENew Zealanders need the confidence that their public conservation lands will be protected as places where nature can thrive, where they can walk, tramp, climb, fish, and gather kai without the threat of those places being cleared, dug up, for private profit. Hundreds of New Zealanders have written to the Green Party, saying that they believe our conservation lands and waters should be protected, giving the reasons why that protection should exist. As Peter from Marlborough says\u2014and I quote\u2014\u201CI worked for some years on the West Coast and have seen the terrible mess left by gold mines in recent years. Loss of habitat, biodiversity, fouling of streams with huge amounts of sediment and vegetation, as well as oil from machinery. Conservation land must be just that, for conservation, not for production of assets the planet doesn\u2019t need.\u201D Josh from the Bay of Plenty says\u2014and I quote\u2014\u201CBulldozing trees that absorb carbon to dig up carbon and put it into the atmosphere is about the worst thing you can do, never mind the habitat destruction and all of the rest of it.\u201D And as Jane said\u2014and I quote\u2014\u201CThis is the time to make decisions for the long term, to stick to good agreements made when times were easier and never take decisions which only benefit short-term trade and employment. There are other ways to help those things, but there is no way back once destruction is allowed to happen.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000768\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003ENew Zealanders care. They know that we depend absolutely and utterly on nature for our economy, for our wellbeing, for our lives and the health of our communities. Forested uplands protect steep slopes from erosion. The snow fields and glaciers in the mountain lands of the conservation estate feed rivers and streams which provide water for communities and farmers downstream. We protect these areas and we protect our future. Mining causes significant harm to both protected species and landscapes. Digging huge pits for coal and gold, river terraces for alluvial gold mining, can permanently change landforms and landscapes and destroy conservation values and nature in the process. Former Government mining company Solid Energy New Zealand Ltd decapitated Mount Augustus, the habitat for our giant carnivorous land snail Powelliphanta augusta, in its quest for coal. Where do those remaining snails now live? Largely, in ice cream containers in fridges in the Department of Conservation\u2019s offices in Hokitika.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000769\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003ESo mining does create damage. We\u2019ve got acid mine-drainage from big waste-rock stacks. We\u2019ve got a huge pit in the middle of the North Westland wildlife corridor on the West Coast\u2014those forests are supposed to enable wildlife to move from the Paparoa Ranges to the Southern Alps, and, instead, Macrae\u2019s Mining Co. and then OceanaGold Ltd have mined them, there are big tailings reservoirs and big waste-rock stacks which pose a risk to the \u012Anangahua River and the Kawatiri Buller River. That conservation land has been stripped bare of forest\u2014it won\u2019t recover in our lifetimes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000770\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EWe need this bill because mining has got an extremely privileged status compared to almost every other commercial activity on conservation land. If you want to do a guided tourism operation, gather sphagnum moss, those activities have got to be consistent with the purpose for which the land is held. Yet, under our current law, mining on conservation land can be approved even if it is inconsistent with conservation outcomes. Economic benefits can be prioritised over conservation even though the Department of Conservation holds the land and is supposed to manage it for conservation purposes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000771\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EOf the mining which happens on conservation land, 75 percent happens on the West Coast of the South Island, Te Tai Poutini coast. Most of those permits target gold or coal, they don\u2019t target the essential minerals or materials that would help us to shift to a low carbon economy. And the bill would still allow mining, of course, on the two thirds of Aotearoa which is outside the conservation estate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000772\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EWe need this bill to protect the climate. It would ban new coal mines from January 2025 to help prevent emissions leakage when coal is mined and then exported to be burnt offshore.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000773\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EThere have been some concerns raised about the impact of the bill on Ng\u0101i Tahu. It makes absolutely no changes to any Te Tiriti o Waitangi settlement commitments, including the Ngai Tahu (Pounamu Vesting) Act, which gives Ng\u0101i Tahu control of all pounamu; nor does it change the rights of M\u0101ori to access customary materials such as obsidian and red and yellow ochre on conservation land. But I understand that alluvial gold mining on the West Coast can uncover pounamu boulders as the miners dig up the river terraces to find material to put through their gold screens. So by stopping new alluvial mines on conservation land, it would make the excavation of pounamu more expensive for Ng\u0101i Tahu because they would have to have their mining directed just at pounamu, but it wouldn\u2019t stop Ng\u0101i Tahu excavating and mining for pounamu.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000774\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003ENg\u0101i Tahu hapu Makaawhio value aotea. It\u2019s a stone similar to pounamu, it\u2019s found only in the Makaawhio River and beaches in South Westland, including on public conservation land. The Makaawhio have a 40-year mining permit over the river and its headwaters, and if further provision needs to be made in this bill to safeguard access to that stone, then that can happen at select committee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000775\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003ESupporting this bill at first reading would enable the public to have a say on their conversation lands, which the Department of Conservation manages on their behalf, and any changes that need to be made could be made to address those issues.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000776\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e122e0e6-61c6-4d17-9a79-6ad2ac7d127e\u0022\u003EThis bill would protect some of our greatest natural treasures: the climate, our public conservation lands, the habitat and ecosystems of some of the most special species in the world\u2014species that are only found here in Aotearoa. It would prohibit new exploration, prospecting, and mining on the conservation estate. I commend it to the House and would welcome members\u2019 support for it. Kia ora.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022 data-id=\u002292b217d74ef0427ba1952f8efa28992c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000777\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002292b217d74ef0427ba1952f8efa28992c\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=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022 data-id=\u002231454e61c85c4165be8c8314d0d14a23\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000778\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002231454e61c85c4165be8c8314d0d14a23\u0022\u003EANGELA ROBERTS (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. I rise to take a call on the Crown Minerals (Prohibition of Mining) Amendment Bill. I want to start by congratulating the member: if you only get one crack in 12-odd years, it\u2019s good to be something that you really deeply care about. So I\u2019m really pleased that we are spending time\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000779\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002264a5972941324fcc80290266efaecd5b\u0022\u003ESimon Court\u003C/span\u003E: Does Labour care about it, though?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000780\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e61a0dc5f1a5403c988cf1294e80c5cd\u0022\u003EANGELA ROBERTS\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014considering this. It\u2019s really important. We got asked\u2014we\u2019ve just been asked\u2014on 8 May, our Rt Hon Prime Minister, Christopher Hipkins, reconfirmed our commitment to no new mines on conservation land. So we have got a lot to talk about. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000781\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003EThe really interesting thing is we support the intent of the bill. We support everything that encourages us to have a really good debate about how we best protect our conservation land. We appreciate the policy intent. But this bill goes beyond that commitment and it doesn\u2019t actually, I believe, give us a process where we end up in the strongest position for protecting our conservation land.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000782\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003ESo we\u2019ve heard about this amazing nation of ours, where a third of our land area\u20148.5 million hectares of land\u2014is conservation land. Now, for those who would be zoning in from other parts of the planet, that sounds like, \u201CWow, you\u2019ve got all of these national parks; that\u2019s pretty cool.\u201D I\u2019m very privileged, I live in the shadow of Te Papakura o Taranaki\u2014I never get sick of saying that fabulous new name\u2014under that beautiful maunga, and I\u2019m very, very grateful for the forethought that created that national park so long ago. When you fly over Taranaki and you see that ring plane where, at some point, somebody realised they needed to stop clearing trees, and that recognition is really, really significant.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000783\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003EBut of that 8.5 million hectares, we have a whole pile of different classifications and different levels of protection. The intention is to best preserve the natural, historic, and cultural resources that we have within them. So we have our national parks\u2014like our beautiful maunga\u2014and we have our wildlife areas and we have our conservation areas but we also have stewardship land. Most of that stewardship land was transferred across to the Department of Conservation when it was first created in 1987, because it was kind of considered to have some conservation value. But those areas haven\u2019t been assessed since 1987\u2014those areas haven\u2019t been assessed to see if they require additional protection. So there\u2019s this massive piece of stewardship land which we\u2019re not quite sure how we should best be looking after it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000784\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003EIf we think back to 1987\u2014many of us can remember back that far. I wasn\u2019t actually living in New Zealand at the time but I do remember all of the things that we were thinking about in 1987, and we certainly weren\u2019t thinking about our relationship with the whenua in the way that we do today. I think that the maturity that has grown over those decades since 1987, where we have really changed not just our relationship with our land and the way that we think of it\u2014this whole idea of classifying how valuable something is seems, well, a bit 1980s to me; I think that we\u2019ve moved on since then\u2014but our relationship with iwi, and their relationship with the land, and our learning about Te Ao M\u0101ori and m\u0101tauranga M\u0101ori has changed considerably. So the conversations about classification are so different now than they were in 1987.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000785\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003EWhen I think about the latest Treaty settlement with Taranaki iwi, with the seven iwi that live around our maunga, and the latest settlement, with the way that the partnership has been developed between the Crown, with the Department of Conservation (DOC), and with all of the iwi, it\u2019s been a fascinating process to witness, and it is a really, really different relationship than would\u2019ve been formed 20 years ago. So we\u2019ve got huge opportunities with the shift in the way that we relate to iwi when we have these conversations about what these different classes of land are\u2014for want of a better term\u2014and our relationship has changed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000786\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003EThe problem with this legislation, unfortunately: it goes beyond our commitment to no more mines on conservation land, and it goes before. So the problem is it goes before a true engagement in partnership with iwi about the implications for them. There\u2019ve been quite significant assumptions about the four Treaty relationships that may be impacted\u2014there probably are more\u2014and it goes before we have completed the process of reclassification that we have been involved in. We know that the reclassification, that 2.5 million hectares, 9 percent of land area and 30 percent of the DOC estate, which is the stewardship land which needs to be reclassified so that we can actually add greater protections, further protections, to protect that conservation land, should be done before we have this blanket piece of legislation which will in the end be less robust and will not have the longevity that taking our time and our care to really make the most of the relationships that we have with iwi and with the reclassification\u2014there\u2019s a lot of land, and we need to take the care. I appreciate the sense of urgency that has been expressed from the other side of the House\u2014I get that completely\u2014but we need to get it right, because it\u2019s way too important to get it half wrong, or half right, and then have some careless gaps in it and for it to not be robust.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000787\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003EI spend a lot of time in my national park. You know, it\u2019s quite a thing when one of my children gets their first pair of\u2014when they graduate from sneakers to tramping boots, because, you know, their feet grow too quickly to wear out their tramping boots, and finally their feet get big enough that we get their first pair of tramping boots. We absolutely cherish our national parks. This Government is completely committed to protecting our conservation land\u2014that is a given. We know this. So many of us in this House have stories of how precious this land is to us. You know, you drag your kids out of bed at 5 o\u2019clock in the morning and say, \u201CYou\u2019re going to love being on the mountain for the sunrise.\u201D and they don\u2019t think it\u2019s a great idea, and then suddenly, you know, an hour and a half later, you know, you come around a corner on the track and the sun\u2019s just popped over the horizon and you see Ruapehu and you see Tongariro and you actually realise how small our little country is. And the kids go, \u201COh, yeah, I suppose that was all right.\u201D, and they\u2019re just beaming.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000788\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003EYou know, how good is it for us to have access to such amazing places? A third of our nation is under the conservation estate, and we have to make sure that we get it right, because if we don\u2019t, then there will be opportunity for loopholes to be exploited. I think there are challenges around making sure that we get it done in a timely manner, but we also need to make sure we get it right.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000789\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225cf229a9-8722-46b2-a37e-b528e075be7d\u0022\u003EIt is about relationships, and the weird thing is, in 1987, we never talked about our relationship with the national park. You know, at that point we were arguing about, you know, the bumper stickers\u2014you know, who was Egmont anyway? You know, that\u2019s how far we\u2019ve moved since 1987. In 1987, we were arguing about whether or not we should be naming our mountain and our national park after a guy who didn\u2019t even know it existed, and now we have Te Papakura o Taranaki. So our conversation has shifted since then. It\u2019s really, really important that as we reclassify the stewardship land and everything else, we do it properly. Our relationship with the whenua and our relationship with iwi require that of us. It is really, really important that we do it right, and we absolutely respect and endorse the intent of this bill, but it is going not just beyond our commitment but before what we need to do to fulfil our commitment to no new mining on conservation land. And it is because of that that I cannot commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022 data-id=\u002228ec74b6082e456c8d099349ad5c152a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000790\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002228ec74b6082e456c8d099349ad5c152a\u0022\u003EBARBARA KURIGER (National\u2014Taranaki-King Country):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. Look, congratulations to the member, Eugenie Sage, for having the member\u2019s bill drawn. National will not be supporting this member\u2019s bill. Part of the reason is we have just had several cyclones in this country, we need in areas to rebuild bridges, we need to rebuild roads, we are trying to get renewable electricity, and we need to build structures for that\u2014and at the moment, we are still bringing Indonesian coal into the country to generate our electricity.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000791\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003EWhen we look at the conservation estate, we all want to preserve our natural habitat as much as possible; we all want to make sure we get as close to predator-free as we possibly can; we all want to use our land wisely. I want to mention, at this point in time, our colleague Maureen Pugh, who would love to have been here speaking on this bill tonight. She\u2019s from the West Coast of the South Island, and 81 percent of the West Coast of the South Island holds one-third of the country\u2019s total landmass in the conservation estate and 81 percent on the West Coast. So it\u2019s huge.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000792\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003EBut I think the thing that we need to remind people of is that the Department of Conservation holds a lot of this land; the Department of Conservation holds a lot of stewardship land. So when people think about it as national parks, it\u2019s very important to all of us that we preserve our national parks but the stewardship land is in very varying value.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000793\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003EThe member before, Angela Roberts, just mentioned that it\u2019s taking a long time to reclassify it. It\u2019s taking far too long to reclassify it. We suggest that there could be some that could be quickly classified into something else, because we don\u2019t see the value of all of it as it\u2019s not all national park, to be sure. Mining only takes place on 0.04 percent of the conservation estate. Maureen Pugh would describe that as an A4 page on a rugby field. That\u2019s probably a much easier way of describing it, because it\u2019s a very small area for a lot. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000794\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003EWhat I will say is that, historically, there has been damage done with mining, but the mining companies that I talk to\u2014and others in our party talk to these days\u2014are actually building back better. They\u2019re actually replacing some of the biodiversity that\u2019s been lost as part of the process.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000795\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003EAs part of rebuilding our country after the cyclones, we\u2019re going to have an and/and; it\u2019s not an either/or. If we went totally down the conservation path and didn\u2019t think about what we need in terms of resources to rebuild and run our country, we would have no money to do conservation. A lot of the philanthropy and money that goes into rebuilding our conservation estate actually comes from the people who take their resources from the land.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000796\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003EI really would love somebody in this room to tell me\u2014I always say: if you can\u2019t graze it on the land, grow it within the land, or extract it from underneath the land, what is it? There is nothing that we build, nothing in this House, nothing that I see anywhere. The only exception to that is probably a fish\u2014and we haven\u2019t seen any of those in the House for a little while, but it has been known.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000797\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003ESo, look, miners have to apply for access to conservation land. There is no open access. It\u2019s a rigorous process. There is no mining in national parks, but it is a matter of balancing the economic opportunities with our environmental responsibilities.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000798\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003EThe National Party cares deeply about the environment, but would take a different approach towards mining on conservation land. There\u2019s land of variable quality, and in some cases it makes sense; in some cases, we have to mine for these things. I mean, there is no way\u2014we\u2019ve got our energy spokesperson here, Stuart Smith\u2014that we are going to build any new renewable electricity in this country without digging something out of the ground to do that. So many mining projects are there; they\u2019re already acting in good faith with high-quality restoration occurring afterwards. We do not support this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c2e823af-22b7-4411-8b12-14d7b43680ea\u0022 data-id=\u0022e7406169a3644928b19cd51cb136f408\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000799\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c2e823af-22b7-4411-8b12-14d7b43680ea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e7406169a3644928b19cd51cb136f408\u0022\u003EJAMIE STRANGE (Labour\u2014Hamilton East):\u003C/span\u003E Mr Speaker, thanks for the opportunity to take one of the last calls for the evening on the Crown Minerals (Prohibition of Mining) Amendment Bill. I\u2019d also like to acknowledge the member the Hon Eugenie Sage, a very hard-working member, a very conscientious member, and she will be missed from this House when she retires at the election.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000800\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c2e823af-22b7-4411-8b12-14d7b43680ea\u0022\u003EJust to start on a little bit of a response to what the previous member Barbara Kuriger mentioned: in terms of conservation land, the member seemed to allude to the fact that we don\u2019t gain an economic return from conservation land like we do in terms of agriculture, like we do in terms of mining. But I would argue that there is a commercial return on conservation land, and that is in terms of tourism, for one. The second one would be in terms of the sequestration of carbon, which is absolutely important. If we don\u2019t do that, we have to buy carbon credits as a country. So there certainly is some economic benefit to conservation land. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000801\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c2e823af-22b7-4411-8b12-14d7b43680ea\u0022\u003EAs we\u2019ve heard previously, 33 percent of New Zealand is conservation land, and we have some absolutely wonderful conservation land and it is important that we protect it, and that\u2019s what this bill talks about. It talks about protecting the taonga that we have. Just to highlight just one in particular, in an area near where I was born, the Abel Tasman National Park\u2014absolutely beautiful area. Not quite as nice as some areas of Hamilton\u2014Hamilton Gardens, for example\u2014but it\u2019s getting close. Getting close. Look, that\u2019s just a small example of the treasure we have in conservation land, and it\u2019s important. I hear members laughing; I\u2019m not quite sure why, but it is absolutely important that we protect it. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000802\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c2e823af-22b7-4411-8b12-14d7b43680ea\u0022\u003EThe Government does agree with what the member\u2019s espousing here in terms of protecting our conservation land. Back in 2017, when I first came to this House, I remember listening, and others in this House were there, too. We listened to the Speech from the Throne from the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern. As we were sitting there, I accidentally sat on the wrong side. I actually accidentally sat on the National Party side, and I actually heard the Speech from the Throne. The Prime Minister at the time, the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern, what she said in that Speech from the Throne is that her Government will make a commitment to no new mines on conservation land\u2014no new mines on conservation land\u2014and nothing has changed from this Government\u2019s perspective. So we are continuing to work in that area in terms of no new mines on conservation land, and we agree with the member on that wholeheartedly, and we\u2019ve heard that from the previous speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000803\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c2e823af-22b7-4411-8b12-14d7b43680ea\u0022\u003EHowever, the member goes a little bit further than this Government is comfortable with at this point in time, because the member also, in her bill, she prohibits the granting of any permits for coal after 1 January 2025 on any land of any tenure to protect the climate from greenhouse gas emissions generated by burning coal. Now, there are some problems there, particularly in terms of the private land. The previous speaker espoused those, so in terms of repetition, I won\u2019t go into that, but just to highlight the fact that conservation land is one thing\u2014it\u2019s an area owned by the Government; effectively, owned by all of us\u2014but private land is a little bit more challenging. But, you know, we will continue to work in that area, because it is important that we do achieve our Paris targets in terms of climate change.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000804\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c2e823af-22b7-4411-8b12-14d7b43680ea\u0022\u003EI recently visited a gold mine in the Coromandel region\u2014Thames\u2014and I went underground. It was incredibly impressive. There were some huge trucks going down metres underground. I was genuinely impressed with the work that they are doing in terms of the climate and in terms of the way that they remediate the land. I was impressed with the work that they were doing there. But we all know, in terms of coal mines, it is a sunset industry, and we have made that quite clear as a Government, and many Governments around the world have made that clear as well. That\u2019s something that we\u2019re standing to. So, look, in the last few seconds, just to confirm, we agree with the Minister in terms of no new mines on conservation land, but the Minister goes further than we are comfortable, as a Government, in terms of private land. Thank you, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022 data-id=\u0022446ee36ebe2b4de1a6c78cc1a6697387\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000805\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022446ee36ebe2b4de1a6c78cc1a6697387\u0022\u003ESIMON COURT (ACT):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. I agree with the Hon Eugenie Sage that our natural environment is important and that the Department of Conservation (DOC) has an important role in protecting our very special places, but the Department of Conservation are not doing a good job at that, and they\u2019ve been given an impossible task. In the 1980s, the Department of Conservation was allocated a whole lot of public land that came from State-owned enterprises like the railways, like the Department of Lands and Survey, and Government farming businesses, and that was dumped in the DOC bucket and called \u201Cstewardship land\u201D, on the intention that that land be then made available for other economic and social benefits. But it never was. From the 1980s till the 2023s, DOC and successive Governments have done nothing to make that land available for the maximum, the most efficient environmental and economic and social benefits.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000806\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EThat land makes up 30 percent of the DOC estate, or 9 percent of New Zealand\u2019s total land area. That is not the land that I\u2019m concerned about. That is not the land that is in our national parks. That is public land that DOC administers that\u2019s called stewardship land. That land is used for farming on long-term leases, it is quarried and resources are made available, and it is mined by responsible and respectful operators who restore the land in a way that New Zealanders would expect it to be restored\u2014in fact, to a much higher standard if you were to look at mining operations like, say, OceanaGold Globe Progress Mine in Reefton, which saved the tree stumps from the former forest harvesting decades before, saved them, carried out the mining, restored the land, and brought the tree stumps back into the restoration as a habitat for creepy crawlies. I\u2019ve been to that site and I\u2019ve seen how the private sector, how mining companies, can restore nature and restore biodiversity in a way that DOC, with its limited budget, with one or two hands tied behind its back, never could.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000807\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003ESo I agree with the Hon Eugenie Sage that there is a problem where the Department of Conservation is not upholding its responsibilities to New Zealanders and, in fact, to our global effort to maintain and enhance biodiversity. So why do people mine on conservation land? Well, that\u2019s because economically viable deposits occur on some of this land, public land, under the control of DOC, because of plate tectonics, because of magma rising from deep in the Earth\u2019s crust that brings valuable minerals from deep underground and then leaves them as deposits near the surface. Now, DOC, the honourable member, the Government, can\u2019t choose where those deposits of gold and platinum and silver and rare earth elements that go into things like this laptop or everyone\u2019s cellphone or your TV or your Tesla\u2014you can\u2019t choose where these are placed because they have been left there as a result of natural processes. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important in New Zealand we continue to have access to these resources and not restrict them on a philosophical basis or on an ideological basis.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000808\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003EAnd we need to respect the fact that there are businesses which are already carrying out resource development activities and which can put the environment back in a better state than they found it, because that\u2019s what people do. We discover an environment, we discover building materials and natural resources, we utilise them, and we want to make our world a better place. And if that involves recovering resources that we can all benefit from and that create wealth through the resource development, through the jobs that are created\u2014high-paying jobs, particularly in places like the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand; Taranaki; of course, in Northland; and, more recently, around Rotorua and the Taup\u014D volcanic zone, where lithium that\u2019s used in electric vehicle batteries has been discovered. We should be able to recover those resources and be confident that New Zealand engineers and scientists can put the earth back, can restore nature better than they found it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000809\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262828428-6565-42b4-bd4d-fa3b12531f88\u0022\u003ESo ACT won\u2019t be supporting this bill. We support the member\u2019s intent to restore nature; to restore, enhance, and protect biodiversity wherever we find it. Thank you, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022 data-id=\u00228e10465d375b421ba31c65b3ec14e8d2\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000810\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00228e10465d375b421ba31c65b3ec14e8d2\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: This debate is interrupted and set down for resumption next sitting day. The House stands adjourned until 2 p.m. tomorrow. Have a good evening.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000811\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003EDebate interrupted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20230607aa10f03a0a5e4476a4ff92867b961810000812\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003EThe House adjourned at 9.58 p.m.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n  \u003C/body\u003E\n\u003C/html\u003E"