"\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=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00226344171cea1d43bb87112c3bc4c992e8\u0022\u003EWEDNESDAY, 31 JANUARY 2024\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000003\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022480955cfafeb449ab3be2dd04b05c8a8\u0022\u003EWEDNESDAY, 31 JANUARY 2024\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000002\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=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000004\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00225246732f2c6d4a02a04666ce68f16657\u0022\u003E\tKarakia/Prayers\t\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000006\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002229b18d3acc5b40698eeef8c880aa21d1\u0022\u003E\tKarakia/Prayers\t\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022 data-id=\u0022a3a4c8ad4c444d2f82706fbda638db38\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000005\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a3a4c8ad4c444d2f82706fbda638db38\u0022\u003EBARBARA KURIGER (Deputy 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, noting the mark of respect that some members have put in place for the rural community today. Amen. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000007\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022e3187f0634364e7ebf582b0041549654\u0022\u003EPetitions, Papers, Select Committee Reports, and Introduction of Bills\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000009\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00224de3da5675e64b878cc70c0023eefba0\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=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u0022f94f445eebca413b8388ab77ac3eb7e2\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000008\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022f94f445eebca413b8388ab77ac3eb7e2\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Papers have been reported.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022\u0022 data-id=\u00221edc7dccd22f4ba391882c285272337e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000010\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221edc7dccd22f4ba391882c285272337e\u0022\u003ECLERK\u003C/span\u003E:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000011\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E2022-23 annual reports of the:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003EQueen Elizabeth II National Trust, and\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003ECadastral Surveyors Licensing Board of New Zealand\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000012\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E2024-26 statement of intent for Animal Control Products Ltd.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u0022e8d04b88a68f49ddb0dd2dbf97d35966\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000013\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e8d04b88a68f49ddb0dd2dbf97d35966\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: There are select committee reports?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022\u0022 data-id=\u002216e5e1f4bfb14248be5b28e69f9fddca\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000014\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002216e5e1f4bfb14248be5b28e69f9fddca\u0022\u003ECLERK\u003C/span\u003E: No.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u0022099c498eab2143dbb7aefe8ec539cb77\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000015\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022099c498eab2143dbb7aefe8ec539cb77\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: None today. Introduction of bills\u2014none today. We come now to\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000016\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bee1b20bc583489c89bbcab4a508e071\u0022\u003EHon James Shaw\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order, Mr Speaker\u2014Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000017\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226ed281ab3e03491b8450a4ac194623b8\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000018\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002265e5e2097d4043289168719df634b740\u0022\u003EHon James Shaw\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry, just both when the prayer was being read out and then with the Clerk\u2019s notes\u2014I\u2019m not sure that the sound system is operating because we didn\u2019t pick up any of that through your mikes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000019\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bda171ce227640e0ba99f36b648da174\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: OK, can our techs please just check on that? And just for clarity, can those papers be read again?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022\u0022 data-id=\u0022e9217e9c380f4f8e80c9099a1e06dc9e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000020\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e9217e9c380f4f8e80c9099a1e06dc9e\u0022\u003ECLERK\u003C/span\u003E:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000021\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E2022-23 annual reports of the:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003EQueen Elizabeth II National Trust, and\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBItemSL1\u0022\u003ECadastral Surveyors Licensing Board of New Zealand\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E2024-26 statement of intent for Animal Control Products Ltd.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000023\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022dbfeaad66d75475eb8778aae8a197723\u0022\u003EOral Questions\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000024\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00222d1cfe19fc4448e3ad6066852b520c44\u0022\u003EQuestions to Ministers\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000025\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022ac052b0e1814467ea23fb47e8538b443\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 1\u2014Justice (Firearms)\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022cfc7092e-b202-4acf-aa9c-8aebd551cc39\u0022 data-id=\u0022694b581832294263ba8730e1efb7919d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000026\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cfc7092e-b202-4acf-aa9c-8aebd551cc39\u0022\u003E1. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022694b581832294263ba8730e1efb7919d\u0022\u003ECAMERON LUXTON (ACT)\u003C/span\u003E to the Associate Minister of Justice (Firearms): What information, if any, has she seen concerning firearms seizures?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002258baa209-edaf-42a5-92d6-b2613c144bfb\u0022 data-id=\u00220b86be990e43413799d4a71f943fd2ec\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000027\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258baa209-edaf-42a5-92d6-b2613c144bfb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00220b86be990e43413799d4a71f943fd2ec\u0022\u003EHon NICOLE McKEE (Associate Minister of Justice (Firearms)):\u003C/span\u003E Data released by Police under the Official Information Act has revealed that only 123 of the 6,571 firearms seized by police between January 2020 to November 2023 could be traced back to permits recorded on the police National Intelligence Application. The fact that the vast majority of seized firearms cannot be matched with a permit is deeply concerning and raises questions about the effectiveness of the firearms registry. These firearms that are legally held by gangs and criminals will not be captured by the firearms registry, yet law-abiding, licensed firearm owners still have to bear the burden of additional regulation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000028\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002211af616d3268444faecd128e50a0a467\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Excuse me. Actually, that was a very long answer, so I\u2019ll ask the Minister in future just to contain them slightly. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000029\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cfc7092e-b202-4acf-aa9c-8aebd551cc39\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ce73697c7c7e4a2594f5d0604088088e\u0022\u003ECameron Luxton\u003C/span\u003E: Was any other data released that calls into question the effectiveness of the firearms registry?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000030\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258baa209-edaf-42a5-92d6-b2613c144bfb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022850a6822fd594461b7ed1b2a8243af31\u0022\u003EHon NICOLE McKEE\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, 65 percent of firearms seized by police in 2023, and 62 percent of firearms seized in 2022 had no recorded serial number. This suggests that criminals are using firearms that are either illegally imported, manufactured, or intentionally stripped of serial numbers, making them untraceable. The firearms registry would be unable to capture these illegally held or manufactured firearms.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000031\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cfc7092e-b202-4acf-aa9c-8aebd551cc39\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002237f4e14f226d4718866cc84bc42b7f84\u0022\u003ECameron Luxton\u003C/span\u003E: What other data has she seen?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000032\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258baa209-edaf-42a5-92d6-b2613c144bfb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002212aac11568864806ac88d6dfc553a4bb\u0022\u003EHon NICOLE McKEE\u003C/span\u003E: Ninety-four percent of people who were present at or subject to a search by police in which firearms were seized last year did not possess a firearms licence. The gangs and criminals are carrying and using firearms illegally, and they\u2019re circumventing the firearms registry. Licensed firearms owners are not the problem. That\u2019s why the Government is committed to targeting firearms illegally held by the gangs.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000033\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002223064302bd8b476d80513f7b2880d807\u0022\u003EHon Dr Duncan Webb\u003C/span\u003E: Will the Minister bring an open mind to her review of the firearms registry, or has she an utterly predetermined approach to the usefulness of it?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000034\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258baa209-edaf-42a5-92d6-b2613c144bfb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e6e9766fcf9f4ca6a90852a60d4031ef\u0022\u003EHon NICOLE McKEE\u003C/span\u003E: The intention of the review is to be able to look at all data that is presented to those that are reviewing it. That would be an open mind.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000035\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cfc7092e-b202-4acf-aa9c-8aebd551cc39\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bb6fb25d9e234800b4c7e89715d61b68\u0022\u003ECameron Luxton\u003C/span\u003E: Why has this Government committed to reviewing the firearms registry?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000036\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258baa209-edaf-42a5-92d6-b2613c144bfb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f6302080d44c481e8f0abaea8637e570\u0022\u003EHon NICOLE McKEE\u003C/span\u003E: This Government has\u2014in the ACT and National coalition agreement\u2014committed to reviewing the firearms registry, starting before June 2024. The registry needs to be evaluated to determine whether it is improving public safety, in comparison to other options such as targeting illegally manufactured or imported firearms. We also need to determine if any changes to the registry could make it more effective in preventing firearms from falling into the hands of criminals. A comprehensive review will improve insights into the effectiveness of the current registry.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000037\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ee85240dc4a94624a565f5d653fcd8c0\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I appreciate that was a primary question to the Minister, but a little more concise approach in the future would be very helpful to the House\u2019s fluid operation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000038\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002240cbd6fbc07a44c0af2c7951848fd697\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 2\u2014Health\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b21beb09-9d9b-4414-9bb1-ddba249459d5\u0022 data-id=\u002283961b6d479e4418af817577ef0d27e7\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000039\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b21beb09-9d9b-4414-9bb1-ddba249459d5\u0022\u003E2. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002283961b6d479e4418af817577ef0d27e7\u0022\u003ETANYA UNKOVICH (NZ First)\u003C/span\u003E to the Associate Minister of Health: What are the Government\u2019s plans in relation to Smokefree 2025?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022 data-id=\u002209366bb398264ad4bc2989e660665db1\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000040\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002209366bb398264ad4bc2989e660665db1\u0022\u003EHon CASEY COSTELLO (Associate Minister of Health):\u003C/span\u003E The Government is committed to the smoke-free target of less than 5 percent of people smoking daily by 2025. Our plan is to repeal the 2022 smoke-free amendments that have not yet taken effect, namely reduced retailers, denicotisation, and prohibition to those born from 2009. We will also build on what currently works and is behind the recent dramatic decrease in smoking, and continue to work to prevent young people from starting smoking and vaping. In particular, we will work at education and cessation programmes, access to alternative products to aid quitting, and regulating access to related products. What\u2019s also important is that measures are targeted to individuals and communities that will benefit the most.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000041\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b21beb09-9d9b-4414-9bb1-ddba249459d5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022159a934173104a359f959217ce34cd52\u0022\u003ETanya Unkovich\u003C/span\u003E: What particular challenges does the Government need to address to achieve this smoke-free target?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000042\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222c61ac9ded614236adc20348523bcd68\u0022\u003EHon CASEY COSTELLO\u003C/span\u003E: New Zealand has done very well in reducing smoking. As of mid - last year, we were down to 284,000 daily smokers from 573,000 ten years ago. Smoking is nowhere as prevalent as it was and we\u2019re dealing with a much smaller group, which is great news. The problem is we are dealing with a remaining group of long-term smokers who are addicted to nicotine, so we need an approach that focuses on them and understands their needs and helps them to quit. The progress we have made means there are clearly some current measures, such as vaping, that work, and I want to build on this and any other practical steps such as other products used around the world and targeted programmes that will help people stop smoking.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000043\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b21beb09-9d9b-4414-9bb1-ddba249459d5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022241439c234de4d8e8b9087d69b6a3426\u0022\u003ETanya Unkovich\u003C/span\u003E: Are there considerations other than health outcomes that the Minister needs to consider?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000044\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bc9891df622e4d51b2bb14c58f698106\u0022\u003EHon CASEY COSTELLO\u003C/span\u003E: Improving health outcomes is extremely important. However, all Government policies need to be able to work and they need to consider real-world impacts. We can\u2019t just wish for good outcomes. That means we need to address the real problem we face, which is that current smokers are addicted to nicotine and we need to help them to quit rather than moving to a prohibitionist regime. Cutting supply doesn\u2019t equate to reducing demand, and the last Government\u2019s planned approach was also going to have consequences for retailers, crime, and the growth of the black market.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000045\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002206471a2f63f8406d9d19c5ec9a861e83\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Supplementary question, the Hon Mark Mitchell\u2014sorry, you don\u2019t sit down until I\u2019ve called you. Do you want a supp or not?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000046\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b01a706810e5425b80a12a80dc9e5f81\u0022\u003EHon Mark Mitchell\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order. I thought the question was over, but I can wait until\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000047\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022dc2e888dce414b10abac9eaf6465a7c8\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I can\u2019t hear you. Your mike\u2019s not on.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000048\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002273d87d08107244278a228aee9f75a452\u0022\u003EHon Mark Mitchell\u003C/span\u003E: I thought the question was over. But if there\u2019s a supp, I can wait till after the supp.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000049\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223aaabc61f6354f3a87c39cc0e88e9878\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, thank you, thank you\u2014appreciate that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000050\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b0dfb063125b44759249368887652b2c\u0022\u003EHon Dr Ayesha Verrall\u003C/span\u003E: With respect to the member\u2019s proposals for other regulated products, are there any of those that would not increase the availability of tobacco and the profits of tobacco companies among her proposals?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000051\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022eedb72a04bf74fc3b62719b81760761a\u0022\u003EHon CASEY COSTELLO\u003C/span\u003E: At this stage, there are no proposals, and I\u2019m seeking advice broadly on a range of issues.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000052\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002256295840-7a18-46fb-bbb3-164ac3edf716\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e70a7435ed85459993ae2e052f20837e\u0022\u003ETakutai Tarsh Kemp\u003C/span\u003E: Does she accept the Government\u2019s modelling that suggests M\u0101ori will not reach the 5 percent national target of smoking prevalence until 2061?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000053\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d46ba482816c4f6da2d9f5ae512a28f8\u0022\u003EHon CASEY COSTELLO\u003C/span\u003E: No, we don\u2019t accept that modelling, and it was based on numbers that are not currently reflected.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000054\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220ef5a38c-0ef7-4d68-8621-dcbb47077e6e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ac7f0007cedb45acae9db64fb35f689f\u0022\u003EHana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke\u003C/span\u003E: Given that smoking is the leading cause of premature death in Aotearoa, what is her Government\u2019s strategy to rapidly address the inequity and accelerate smoking cessation among M\u0101ori to achieve nationwide targets?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000055\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b94d0a3f2c644eecae2576ad5cc08689\u0022\u003EHon CASEY COSTELLO\u003C/span\u003E: We\u2019re completely committed to targeted programmes rather than the blanket approach of the previous Government and will focus on those groups with the greatest need.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000056\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b4d38153db6d488aaff03b25d3a9ed5a\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: Is it the Minister\u2019s position that behind this policy is the wisdom of not imposing $8.6 billion of taxation upon M\u0101ori since 2011 when it comes to cigarette smoking or having people beaten up at supermarkets on a daily basis in ram raids, all sorts of illegalities, or the black market, but by following this policy we have taken ourselves to number one in the world?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000057\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222e90f28f69754bf5a10253c091d0f49f\u0022\u003EHon CASEY COSTELLO\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, I completely agree with the Deputy Prime Minister.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000058\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002275d3d845ce7b4922ad026c4ea9fac05d\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 11 to Minister, 30 January\u2014Amended Answer\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022 data-id=\u00227f4fe6e83da74fdeab2a49f6e003dbe4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000059\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227f4fe6e83da74fdeab2a49f6e003dbe4\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL (Minister of Police):\u003C/span\u003E Point of order, Mr Speaker. I seek leave to make a personal statement to correct answers given during question time yesterday.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000060\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a7f0445fcd51448894a21f7461b807a0\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Is there any objection to that? Please go ahead.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000061\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b6913c91a5d9433685e3a8180bb45281\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: In answer to supplementary questions on question No. 11, I stated that the Government\u2019s policy was for the 500 additional police to be delivered over the course of the term, which is three years. I should have been clearer: the Government\u2019s policy is to deliver 500 new police in the first two years of the term. I was reflecting the significant challenges that Police face to drive that recruitment, but the Government is firmly committed to delivering on this target.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022 data-id=\u0022ab9eb0511f724fa781b0d3836cd25da3\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000062\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ab9eb0511f724fa781b0d3836cd25da3\u0022\u003EHon DAVID PARKER (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Point of order. Mr Speaker, I would ask you to reflect on whether corrections of answers are to correct misinformation that is given to the House or to reflect a change of position taken by a Minister. That was not an appropriate use of a correction of an answer.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000063\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229666d7359fa342aaac0a455afe953490\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s quite right, but it was a correction of an answer. I was here for those questions and heard the answers given yesterday, and that\u2019s quite a different position; that\u2019s a different answer that\u2019s given. I don\u2019t think it\u2019s the right place, right now, to discuss the concept the member\u2019s talking about, but the Standing Orders Committee might be.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000064\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022fa11d756ad3a45c4ac190f2ff05b1a1f\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 3\u2014Prime Minister\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022 data-id=\u002291b42ed7c9bd492289c4c713fb27effc\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000065\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E3. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002291b42ed7c9bd492289c4c713fb27effc\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the Opposition)\u003C/span\u003E to the Prime Minister: 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=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022 data-id=\u0022d7f9b6f129a74c7cb8daea4e4e884178\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000066\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d7f9b6f129a74c7cb8daea4e4e884178\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON (Prime Minister):\u003C/span\u003E Yes, and particularly given it\u2019s back-to-school week, we actually stand by all of our actions, as I said yesterday, on education. Sadly, this has been a former Government that left us with 55 percent of our kids not going to school regularly. We want to call on all parents to make sure they get their kids to school this week so we can teach them the basics\u2014an hour of maths, reading, and writing starting this year; a mobile phones ban; and an expert panel reviewing primary and intermediate school curriculum.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000067\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022287287\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ab65e8fb7d194e85b576da79b74fac6c\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: How can Mark Mitchell have been confused yesterday\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000068\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223a3d56b90ab4471ba5a4816fc31dfc27\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: We\u2019ll give him an hour\u2019s maths too.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000069\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221414\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e771ab5b66e94000a0eba4c21e36ad20\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry, don\u2019t speak while someone\u2019s asking a question. So, please, start again, the Rt Hon Chris Hipkins.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000070\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022287287\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e2c8610a0ea64aa097eedd4717ae2bd4\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: How can Mark Mitchell have been confused yesterday, when he said on Monday: \u201CRealistically, 500 new staff over the next three years is what we\u2019re aiming for.\u201D; he said on Tuesday, \u201CThe Government\u2019s policy is to deliver 500 additional officers over the term of this Government, which is three years.\u201D; and claimed previously that there had been a meeting in December of the three governing parties where they agreed to change the target from two years to three years?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000071\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f47ebc6260e14a269749480bcd03775d\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: There is no ambiguity around the target. We\u2019re going to have 500 additional police in two years, and the Minister clarified that in his statement just before. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000072\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fd0949a549344a5c83a0aad4a0ec8b6b\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: So was there a meeting in December amongst the three governing parties in which changing the target from two years to three years was discussed?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000073\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022aaa16bd6cca54b1b9c3d733350770747\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: No.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000074\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229b2a852bf0134b098f710bc201dd89af\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: Does he stand by his answer yesterday that he\u2019s not aware of the Government requesting advice on freezing tobacco excise, given Casey Costello\u2019s answer to question No. 9 yesterday that she had requested that advice? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000075\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fa8bfad1313342c1bfcd971c330ee33d\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order. That is deliberate misinformation by Mr Hipkins. That was clarified in points of order yesterday and he\u2019s back today, having ignored that, seeking to assert a falsity the second time around.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000076\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022794df2600d064fc5a4d08d1890f514b8\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order, Mr Speaker. I\u2019d encourage you to go and review the Hansard of the answer that was given yesterday where the Minister did answer to the question: \u201CYes.\u201D The word \u201Cyes\u201D was the very first part of her answer to the question that was asked by my colleague Dr Verrall.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000077\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f601ebb6818b4da68f2585bdc29eaca0\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I will review it, and so we\u2019ll set it aside now. You have another supplementary?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000078\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f0f64c21500045c39801702c97ea3651\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: No, no\u2014I haven\u2019t had an answer to that one yet.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000079\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229c62b759487a4eafa8e9ec6eb8705910\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, we\u2019re setting it aside because I\u2019m reviewing it. You can\u2019t have it both ways. [Interruption] Ask the question again.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000080\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221be57fa514554ae5ae5e924edcd96b31\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019ll ask the question again. Does he stand by his answer yesterday that he was not aware of the Government requesting advice on freezing tobacco excise, given Casey Costello\u2019s answer to question No. 9 yesterday that she had requested the advice?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000081\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002277c49be64c1e4d878504aa44e06de530\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: I was asked if the Minister had sought advice, I answered that I was not aware that she had, which was the case. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000082\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228aae4441b5904a2fb67ec15eaf8b6c18\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: Does he stand by his statement that Casey Costello \u201Cwould have given a bunch of different party policy documents to her officials.\u201D?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000083\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221908fe325b5c46dfb15c000ffc52b4d8\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: That is what I subsequently have understood since question time yesterday. Her office has clarified her approach, and that\u2019s what I articulated this morning in media.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002292252aa2f080459396583fbb41ba7e7b\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: Can he assure this House that no person affiliated with the tobacco industry was involved in developing or writing those party policy documents that were given to officials?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000085\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e85c0e797eee40f3b05ea5b0f40bdd17\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: He has no responsibility\u2014sorry, Prime Minister?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000086\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022da50808551fb4a32b5bac21b43fc17ff\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m not responsible for other parties.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000087\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022eed12d14cf92415ebd5b71f08663791b\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: A point of order, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221d33abe848884266943dc745eaf87550\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: You haven\u2019t heard from me yet. Just to be clear, the Prime Minister does not have responsibility in this House for party policy documents.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000089\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002221a9a8cac08a450496d0af23f637a0c9\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order, Mr Speaker. If a Minister gives party policy documents to officials, then the Prime Minister is absolutely responsible to that. Documents given by Ministers to officials, they are, effectively, instructions from Ministers to their officials. The Prime Minister and Ministers are absolutely responsible for that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000090\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229f575c0d8c2f4cfbb400ff9eed76c90e\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: In that context, the member is right. Point of order, the Rt Hon Winston Peters.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000091\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f713505e374648b68dcdd6f0db9aa89d\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: No, it\u2019s a supplementary question.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000092\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022839a7face8384f90affad5da4e4bd24a\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, it\u2019s a supplementary question? [Interruption] Wait on, wait on. Sorry. Please resume your seat. So we\u2019re just getting a little bit mixed up here. There has been a question answered. It\u2019s clarified that there is some aspect for the Prime Minister to answer, and that question should be answered before we have a further supplementary.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000093\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022568d9f8e786b4c8aba9ed475bb3929d1\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry, can he repeat the question?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000094\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022aefd5a68741c482ba716e36e5ebbf77b\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Yep\u2014third time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000095\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022885d0cbdf2f44d24919041ff5ff8a46b\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: Can he assure this House that no person affiliated with the tobacco industry was involved in developing or writing those party policy documents?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000096\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222e478424047948fd8cbc68e52eec2d00\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: I don\u2019t have responsibility for other party manifestos.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000097\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002266ec064bffb7469aaff3c93ab3ed1ede\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000098\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002235f09d9d5a3e4105bf2ab54e3ff6ce38\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019ve got your point of order. I think the difficulty here is that if the party documents have been provided to officials to help formulate policy from this point, then there is a ministerial responsibility.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000099\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002267fee7fcaded4ba9ab12afa48ef9c4fb\u0022\u003EHon Chris Bishop\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order, Mr Speaker. We\u2019re into some difficulty here. We are getting into difficulty here, because although Mr Hipkins is of course completely correct that documents that are given to officials on behalf of the Government are the responsibility of Ministers, the creation of documents in a political party sense is not the responsibility of the Prime Minister. In particular, even in his capacity of leader of the National Party, he is not responsible for those if it\u2019s related to a three-party Government. So we are getting into difficulty here, and there\u2019s also the issue of awareness of all of that as well\u2014so how on earth would the Prime Minister be able to comment with any degree of veracity around that? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000100\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002262f3efe3537d46269c02e96e324fb3d2\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000101\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c986373d023a4eb5bba3cebb35d5eba9\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: Speaking to that point of order, Mr Speaker\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227fa119185a5f4c3da543bb41b7229800\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Look, I just wanted to make a comment here. Firstly, I don\u2019t think we are getting into difficulty. So the question is: if a party document is provided to officials, is it part of the official record, effectively? The answer is yes. If there is a question about a Minister\u2019s knowledge of how that document got formulated\u2014and that is the basis of the question today\u2014that is a question that could be relatively easily answered. The member, actually, in his own point of order, made that point. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000103\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220736707242b2442280fe890431d48e9c\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order, Mr Speaker. What\u2019s going on here\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000104\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229dc7c5ffc7914e258628b023d74ac454\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: No, hang on a minute. Just a minute, I haven\u2019t dealt with this\u2014finished here. Is he still going? OK. Point of order\u2014sorry. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000105\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b087d61ff6974fcd9e643a24df8a995e\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: Well, this is to be helpful, Mr Speaker. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000106\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bd81efc985ad46049130e7605a8c041a\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Yes. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000107\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fedb6e1741da4f91a008c6a25c1ae748\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: The reality is there\u2019s an element of information being made here with no evidence whatsoever. The Electoral Act requires\u2014as we all know\u2014parties to submit a full record, open and in front of the public and under the law, of where they got their party funding. That information is available to that member over there\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000108\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237a99b65-4919-4800-830d-3dd7c920d5cd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022332c96c3ca744c16a19b3d28e447852a\u0022\u003EHon Dr Megan Woods\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s not about funding. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000109\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002215f5be3226ae4b3f8c43219ddb0a4ab2\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014yes, he does\u2014but, no, he prefers to make these insinuations without a bare fact to back them up. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000110\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224afb2e98b65c489aacf2d60a08399352\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: No, the point, though, is that the Prime Minister is being asked if he knows the full source of a policy document that was provided by another party. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000111\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d1c725139d5046b68a66c9d5a92d7562\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: No, he didn\u2019t say that; it went further than that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000112\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ca1f69038af444349061fe28325177e9\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: It is the question, and that\u2019s a relatively easy answer\u2014yep. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000113\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002278ef04556b804beab79e1f6eff05e093\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: As Prime Minister, I\u2019m unaware of what Ministers are actually asking their officials for advice. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000114\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c7a5c4b6c816478989195eac4503e57b\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: Is it his position as Prime Minister that Ministers should be presenting to officials party policy documents and giving them those documents as instructions for further advice to be prepared? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000115\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227ac1d26679a345abb5666ef3a30a864e\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: What I think is fantastic is we have an Associate Minister with delegation for reducing smoking. She\u2019s incredibly focused on that goal, and she\u2019s asked her officials for a range of advice to actually lower smoking in New Zealand. That\u2019s a good thing. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000116\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228fe1b2572cf44a2598b1ce361129f1b5\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order, Mr Speaker. The Prime Minister hasn\u2019t addressed what is actually a very significant question. Generally, when Ministers give party policy documents to officials, it is an instruction for the officials to therefore implement that. I\u2019ve asked him whether Ministers in his Government are giving party policy documents to officials and whether he is comfortable with that approach. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000117\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ce930281a3f3499cab89d8719244ad5f\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, there is a coalition agreement which is publicly available for people to see what the transfer of policy is. But the Prime Minister may like to answer. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000118\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224743047a686542ecb54919c4752dcf5a\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: We campaigned on a set of policies; it\u2019s right that officials would have those manifestos. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000119\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228efd3442d97c4803ab85d748052c0e61\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: Is New Zealand First\u2019s policy on tobacco now the Government\u2019s policy? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000120\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a6ab73360fbd47af921512f1fd7fc019\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: No. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000121\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229acaf9c3e4ac49608c23e09b540056a4\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: So why would New Zealand First\u2019s party policy document have been presented to officials as Government instruction? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000122\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229fb2992ecb6e46949546d90a5e087983\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s not what I said. It\u2019s not unreasonable that officials should actually see party political manifestos in consideration as they think about dreaming up policy advice that actually lowers smoking. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000123\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cf39108fc1454259862c4d0ce0252503\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: Does the Prime Minister not find it extraordinary that the Opposition that\u2019s raising in the House today this issue nevertheless supported the very same party writing sound policy in 2018-19 which led to the biggest drop in the whole world of cigarette smoking? That\u2019s the fact, isn\u2019t it? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000124\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227d597ce8257d43da87042c99f41b4f4d\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: I think we\u2019re incredibly proud of the lowering of smoking rates. It\u2019s gone from 16.7 percent down to 8.6 percent and to 6.8 percent in the space of the last decade. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000125\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227b1a922a46154eac957bed3da0ad392a\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Right, well, we\u2019ll just let the smoke clear, and we\u2019ll have the Hon James Shaw. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000126\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002234c0e51ea65b4d81b2b06a8b5d326f2b\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 4\u2014Prime Minister\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022 data-id=\u002222cd482213704f25ba5607e7fa5d4b10\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000127\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E4. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002222cd482213704f25ba5607e7fa5d4b10\u0022\u003EHon JAMES SHAW (Co-Leader\u2014Green)\u003C/span\u003E to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government\u2019s statements and actions?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022 data-id=\u00221b8a36c179884d7fa085a82cce449f77\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000128\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221b8a36c179884d7fa085a82cce449f77\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON (Prime Minister):\u003C/span\u003E Yes, in the context they were given.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000129\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d5f9e93690e74d0aa072aec1dc9dc407\u0022\u003EHon James Shaw\u003C/span\u003E: Does he stand by his joint statement with the Prime Ministers of Australia and Canada in relation to Gaza made on 13 December 2023 that he supports \u201Curgent international efforts towards a sustainable ceasefire.\u201D, and, if so, what specific actions has his Government taken since that date to secure a sustainable ceasefire?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000130\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fc3d8b33f0e74e618c570cc99fb6f89e\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: We have joined with many companies calling for a sustainable ceasefire and we\u2019ll continue to do so.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000131\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223bfa94df51e740bebde2b6ff7a0ddb20\u0022\u003EHon James Shaw\u003C/span\u003E: Is he aware that under article 1 of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, New Zealand has an obligation to take action to prevent genocide before it occurs?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000132\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d297fde056f54b15aace0463b349e2d9\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m not sure the point of the question that the member is trying to ask or get to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000133\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022383543e7927742ed97f787abbd05e468\u0022\u003EHon James Shaw\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order, Mr Speaker. To assist the Prime Minister, the point of the question was to ask if he was aware of article 1 of the convention.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000134\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223ca63eeb84594b54bf17d254a728f492\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: Personally not aware, but if he\u2019d like to direct a specific question to the relevant Minister, I\u2019m sure we could help.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000135\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a7178bab751b4892aea7b5cc1dada318\u0022\u003EHon James Shaw\u003C/span\u003E: What actions is the Government taking to meet its obligations under article 1 of the genocide convention in light of the recent ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that found a plausible risk of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000136\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002226f2ff3cd793472fbee594ac58ba2206\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: It was a provisional finding, and it wasn\u2019t a plausible risk.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222d7d2bf7774142dfbba56a88ee440267\u0022\u003EHon James Shaw\u003C/span\u003E: Is the Prime Minister aware that the ICJ did find that there was a plausible risk of genocide, which would\u2014[Interruption]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000138\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002203150735bfc7403ca89a8d6b7efe5338\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Excuse me; when a question is being asked, the House is silent. Start again.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000139\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c82a11163bbc4887a0047deab857e188\u0022\u003EHon James Shaw\u003C/span\u003E: Is he aware that the ICJ did find that there is a plausible risk of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000140\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226fbae29874b84a7498a98de2074b5d8c\u0022\u003EHon Chris Bishop\u003C/span\u003E: And not a genocide.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000141\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c00ee1849f79488397e0d49341d75ed8\u0022\u003EHon James Shaw\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014and that\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000142\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022873e3889e4e54cfda806fe8f68d194a8\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Mr Bishop.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000143\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bbc2d7a777374725a1b2047199463d96\u0022\u003EHon James Shaw\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014and that that would trigger New Zealand\u2019s obligations under article 1 of the convention to take action to prevent genocide before it occurs?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000144\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ead1407b841c4736be34bd0c374ac1a5\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: The court did not make any findings that Israel has actually engaged in genocidal conduct.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000145\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a89235ed18464c4388895db6bab50a8a\u0022\u003EHon James Shaw\u003C/span\u003E: Is the Prime Minister aware that there is a difference between having found whether genocide has taken place or whether there is a plausible risk of genocide taking place, and that article 1 of the convention requires New Zealand to take action to prevent genocide before it occurs\u2014i.e., when there is a plausible risk?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000146\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e54d91beba324e17b13e3cb469c3ac5c\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: As I said earlier, the court did not make any findings that Israel has actually engaged in genocidal conduct. That is part of a full and substantive hearing that will take place in subsequent months and years.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000147\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002231f8ee9edbfa43d08533413997026470\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Does the Prime Minister believe that the casual, lazy misuse of a word as important as \u201Cgenocide\u201D\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000148\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f68a9929f6e34888a5b6b792ea46f4fb\u0022\u003EHon Member\u003C/span\u003E: 30,000 people.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000149\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223ae4d5e64e5a48479c4ae2db602bfd39\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014is not only incorrect but offensive to those victims of actual genocide?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000150\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c2efcec19be84a73a12a40913abdb888\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Just a minute. The next person who speaks while someone is asking a question will be in a little bit of trouble.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000151\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002236b25e915e1f40539b9b49750ffd4c16\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Does the Prime Minister believe that the casual, lazy misuse of the word \u201Cgenocide\u201D is not only incorrect but highly offensive to those many people who, tragically, throughout history were victims of actual genocide?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000152\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002235f6dc77b4d24536a331dd47f3061a07\u0022\u003EHon Grant Robertson\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order. Mr Speaker, I know you\u2019ve adopted the flow approach for questions and answers, but that was a good example, I think, of the Standing Order that purports to prevent members from using epithets and words in their questions that are likely to lead to disorder. I think, you know, there must be a line somewhere around where those words are going to fuel disorder, because if any words can be used in a question, then there will be regular bouts of disorder in the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000153\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e6aec6907d8d44c0af785a35d5fa0480\u0022\u003EHon Chris Bishop\u003C/span\u003E: Speaking to the point of order. Questions are required to be factual, and that was.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000154\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002244448afd14d1476d8519fd11306c1859\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s true, except that the lead-in to that question, I\u2019m sure, is what the Hon Grant Robertson was talking about. So what we might do is have the question again without all the epithets on the front of it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000155\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002258a55054f459487294080f3bba8cadd6\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Does the Prime Minister believe it is important to use a word as heavy as \u201Cgenocide\u201D accurately and only when fully justified by the facts, in order to respect those many victims throughout history who, tragically, have suffered from actual genocide?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000156\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e29c400e-467a-4398-818d-270ef48b80cf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227e88fb4fbdc6408883f8ef256f10d592\u0022\u003ESteve Abel\u003C/span\u003E: Including the Palestinians right now, who are suffering from genocide.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000157\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002273a70e5e3f254dbb96c9096a0b0bed93\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: That is not helpful. Who was calling out there? I didn\u2019t see who it was. [Interruption] Well, can I ask you, Mr Abel, to please just contain yourself while people are asking a question. Sometimes we don\u2019t like the questions\u2014quite often, we don\u2019t like the questions. Just about every day so far, I haven\u2019t liked a lot of questions, but you\u2019ve got to just let people have their say.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000158\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c4f298d94ca8486c95069fccf0329256\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m not sure which question I\u2019m actually answering.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000159\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cd9a448a6bc54f25ad6003268dce1fed\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s the David Seymour question which we\u2019ve had twice and we really don\u2019t want a third time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000160\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228137536d7cdc4597ab7f8ff18ea47c83\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: No, no; OK. Look, the issue here is there have been provisional measures that have been announced in the provisional ruling of the ICJ, and there is a further case that is continuing on, and I\u2019m only going to respond to the provisional measures.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000161\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c100d33451764726b1099b325d3e1eff\u0022\u003EHon Marama Davidson\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order, Mr Speaker. Just checking, with that question, the claim from South Africa is specifically related to preventing the crime of genocide, so putting it clear that that is not a casual misuse of language. The claim is to prevent the crime of genocide; that can be taken before the threshold is met. It\u2019s about saying, \u201CDon\u2019t do genocide.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000162\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022aabf1a9262aa4aeb8a931c7d9615fb1d\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Yeah, look, a point of order shouldn\u2019t be a place for a debate on issues like that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000163\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022a4c0aa1e827245c2b1a65250250818a2\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 5\u2014Finance\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022094b0ff4-e404-451b-b4a9-ad12bd4dee56\u0022 data-id=\u0022ac5c5716e61a4207bcfc780c67f11899\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000164\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022094b0ff4-e404-451b-b4a9-ad12bd4dee56\u0022\u003E5. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ac5c5716e61a4207bcfc780c67f11899\u0022\u003ESTUART SMITH (National\u2014Kaik\u014Dura)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has she seen on business confidence?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022 data-id=\u0022df7fe0599d6240c0a1a345a4fff97ed3\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000165\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022df7fe0599d6240c0a1a345a4fff97ed3\u0022\u003EHon NICOLA WILLIS (Minister of Finance):\u003C/span\u003E Earlier this month, the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) released its latest quarterly survey of business opinion. This survey showed a sharp pick-up in business confidence in the final quarter of 2023. NZIER says that while a net 10 percent of firms are expecting a worsening in general economic conditions over the coming months, this is a significant decrease from a net 49 percent in the previous quarter and a net 79 percent a year ago.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000166\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022094b0ff4-e404-451b-b4a9-ad12bd4dee56\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c72e5cdf637d42ca947e51e0f4330a9f\u0022\u003EStuart Smith\u003C/span\u003E: What sorts of areas are firms feeling more confident in?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000167\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e04acad9439d4d24b23d50824d9e0207\u0022\u003EHon NICOLA WILLIS\u003C/span\u003E: The survey shows that firms are feeling positive about hiring and positive about investing in plant and machinery. The report says that \u201CWith a new Government formed in late November 2023, it appears that firms are now looking to invest.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000168\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022094b0ff4-e404-451b-b4a9-ad12bd4dee56\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222820dccb4c58431c82c679e219746173\u0022\u003EStuart Smith\u003C/span\u003E: What is Treasury\u2019s outlook for the economy?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000169\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bfd2f10e981e44f88ff71aa418282150\u0022\u003EHon NICOLA WILLIS\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m advised that the economy is at or near the bottom of the economic cycle, and the outlook is for a slow and relatively subdued recovery, at least initially. In the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update, Treasury forecast real GDP growth of 1.5 percent in the year to June\u00A02024 and again in the year to June 2025. However, that is lower than expected population growth, so Treasury expects per person per capita GDP to decline in each of these years. The unemployment rate is also expected to rise to around 5 percent before beginning to fall again. Inflation will continue to fall and, as the NZIER survey shows, business confidence is increasing off a very low base.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000170\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022094b0ff4-e404-451b-b4a9-ad12bd4dee56\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225313b9d05f87473abea5dc5089cc767a\u0022\u003EStuart Smith\u003C/span\u003E: What is the Government doing to help build and improve the business environment?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000171\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002211d90b2327614973a6f83a2d6cb9f5be\u0022\u003EHon NICOLA WILLIS\u003C/span\u003E: The Government\u2019s 100-day plan contains a number of measures to improve the business environment. For example, the Government introduced legislation last year, which the House passed, to restore 90-day trial periods for all businesses. This provides much-needed flexibility in the workplace that benefits both workers and employers. The Government also introduced legislation, again which this House passed, to end Labour\u2019s workplace bargaining regime that would have forced the views of some union workers on to all workers and all businesses in an industry. No wonder business confidence has risen.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000172\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022cf714468886a473fa701ec536ba0bba1\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 6\u2014Social Development and Employment\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022 data-id=\u002223a3684d6ed545f2803eb22a28c8a435\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000173\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E6. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002223a3684d6ed545f2803eb22a28c8a435\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI (Labour\u2014Kelston)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does she stand by her decision to index benefits to inflation?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022 data-id=\u0022c0595377cfea43e2983764244cd2dc37\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000174\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c0595377cfea43e2983764244cd2dc37\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON (Minister for Social Development and Employment):\u003C/span\u003E Yes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000175\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f2aa73ba5a684202ba05bae27f5086f8\u0022\u003EHon Carmel Sepuloni\u003C/span\u003E: Does she agree with her statement, \u201Cmain benefits will be higher next year than they would have been if we had retained the current index to wage growth.\u201D, and will she make the commitment to beneficiaries that they will be better off under her decision to index main benefits to inflation?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000176\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f878300434644a658948f5d9d1f58151\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON\u003C/span\u003E: Beneficiaries will be better off under our Government because we will be dealing with the cost of living crisis. We will be growing the economy to support more job opportunities as well as improving health and education. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000177\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221b321b208ae44ca68c7ef8b1b2d1a648\u0022\u003EHon Carmel Sepuloni\u003C/span\u003E: How can she say beneficiaries will be better off, when Treasury is forecasting annual wage growth to be 5.1 percent in June 2025 compared with the forecasted 2.5\u00A0percent rate of inflation in June 2025, where wage growth clearly outstrips inflation?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000178\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221d3ee77bf6094642bf30e2449ffda7e6\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON\u003C/span\u003E: Forecasts are exactly that. We\u2019ll make decisions based on good data, and we made a commitment ahead of the election that we will index increases to benefits to inflation. That protects the real purchasing power of those on welfare. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000179\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a106f6c8b7414a53927e2a18d70d5135\u0022\u003EHon Carmel Sepuloni\u003C/span\u003E: What advice has she received on the child poverty implications for reversing the indexation of benefits from wages to inflation, and what is that advice?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000180\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fc2e3de314724c758817ebc69ab3fe24\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019ve received a large amount of advice around child poverty reduction, including the need to reduce the number of children in benefit-dependent households and how we make sure that they are better off.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000181\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b1c5dc53569a46ac874b718e9574356d\u0022\u003EHon Carmel Sepuloni\u003C/span\u003E: Does she think snatching money away from the most vulnerable New Zealanders to pay for tax cuts is morally acceptable?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000182\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e715924261fd414693b4f19bdf356ba9\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON\u003C/span\u003E: That member is incorrect. What this Government is doing is providing certainty for all of those on welfare that benefit increases to inflation\u2014which is the same way it\u2019s been done for 31 out of the last 35 years\u2014will protect their purchasing power, which is absolutely critical in a cost of living crisis that that member contributed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000183\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022eb4c112c5a1f4849819074ff1a22094e\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 7\u2014Social Development and Employment\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00222837c142-c937-468e-9984-bc646d066687\u0022 data-id=\u0022e97e1ce29528447880b62ab314e7b9bc\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000184\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222837c142-c937-468e-9984-bc646d066687\u0022\u003E7. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e97e1ce29528447880b62ab314e7b9bc\u0022\u003EDr HAMISH CAMPBELL (National\u2014Ilam)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What reports and forecasts, if any, has she seen on the number of people receiving the jobseeker support benefit?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022 data-id=\u002254304019446d4010ab97d87d4909e63f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000185\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002254304019446d4010ab97d87d4909e63f\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON (Minister for Social Development and Employment):\u003C/span\u003E There are now nearly 190,000 New Zealanders on the jobseeker benefit, meaning almost 90,000 more compared to September 2017. This includes an increase of 20,000 in the last year alone. The fact that jobseeker benefit numbers consistently increased during prolonged periods of widespread labour shortages means the welfare system has not done enough to shift people into work. Benefit dependency is a major challenge our Government must and will tackle, as these figures show. We will help people move from welfare into work, so people have more opportunities.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000186\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222837c142-c937-468e-9984-bc646d066687\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c97e6181e58d4db091b22c2712b14c10\u0022\u003EDr Hamish Campbell\u003C/span\u003E: What reports has the Minister seen on the number of 18- to 24-year-olds on the jobseeker benefit, and why is the coalition Government strongly focused on supporting young people into work?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000187\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002225690198878a47c1ab4c6aa0d6c0094c\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON\u003C/span\u003E: There are now 40,000 people aged 18 to 24 on the jobseeker benefit. This represents an increase of 16,000 people, or a 66 percent increase, compared to six years ago. This is important, because the earlier someone moves on to benefit, the greater the risk they become dependent on welfare. Young people under the age of 25 on welfare are estimated, on average, to spend 21.3 years on benefit. By acting sooner to help at-risk young adults, we will break vicious benefit-dependency cycles. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000188\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222837c142-c937-468e-9984-bc646d066687\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f83ec37e9d72451e8afa18bde0689882\u0022\u003EDr Hamish Campbell\u003C/span\u003E: What reports has the Minister seen on the number of children growing up in benefit households, and what\u2019s the implications of this data?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000189\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002296a6d664a7ff41488053dac4d8cc0d76\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON\u003C/span\u003E: There are now 222,000 children growing up in benefit-dependent households, an increase of 44,000 compared to six years ago. Benefit dependency affects not only those trapped on benefits but also their children, whose outcomes are worse when they grow up in benefit-dependent households. We owe it to both adults and children to do more to improve their prospects. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000190\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222837c142-c937-468e-9984-bc646d066687\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228eb8b0b56ceb44bda746b8a583c54478\u0022\u003EDr Hamish Campbell\u003C/span\u003E: What forecasts has the Minister seen about the number of people on the jobseeker benefit if we continue the same welfare approach?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000191\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002277794b3d92f74e7ca57653fa37d27392\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON\u003C/span\u003E: Concerningly, forecasts predict that by January 2025, there will be 198,500 people on the jobseeker benefit. The current welfare system settings are not helping New Zealanders to reap the opportunities and rewards that work provides. Even though we have a challenging economic environment, we are not content to stand by and allow New Zealanders to languish on welfare, and watch their potential be wasted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000192\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222837c142-c937-468e-9984-bc646d066687\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002232ee3b6dd5e248d797db10354706c82f\u0022\u003EDr Hamish Campbell\u003C/span\u003E: Will the coalition Government aim to reduce the number of people on the jobseeker benefit, and, if so, why?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000193\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222ca6b3a4ade84704bfe27f9f63ef70ee\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON\u003C/span\u003E: Of course, yes. The coalition Government believes a job is the best way out of dependence, best path to independence, and greater opportunities. We will be working hard to help people into work. We will be making changes to the welfare system to enable New Zealanders to reap the opportunities and rewards that work brings.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000194\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022551d3c0cc8194614b447e44c07b25922\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 8\u2014Health\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022 data-id=\u002280001a4d03d34f5aba2b72737d7e442b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000195\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E8. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002280001a4d03d34f5aba2b72737d7e442b\u0022\u003EHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL (Labour)\u003C/span\u003E to the Associate Minister of Health: 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=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022 data-id=\u0022e9d34b5239a04e53a563b5bd0e640943\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000196\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e9d34b5239a04e53a563b5bd0e640943\u0022\u003EHon CASEY COSTELLO (Associate Minister of Health):\u003C/span\u003E Yes, in particular those that relate to my absolute commitment to the Smokefree 2025 targets and to providing practical, targeted help so that smokers who are addicted to nicotine can stop.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000197\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221b9b2e3b2b56413da5ada313447ac223\u0022\u003EHon Dr Ayesha Verrall\u003C/span\u003E: Why did she say in the House yesterday that her comments to media were \u201Ctruthful at the time\u201D because \u201CBeing offered something and asking for something are two separate matters.\u201D when the document she signed on 20 December shows that she both initiated the advice and accepted the offer to provide that advice by circling an option for further advice on freezing tobacco excise tax?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000198\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223497f99d4f2145ee9344c397e04a9977\u0022\u003EHon CASEY COSTELLO\u003C/span\u003E: Mr Speaker, I apologise if this answer is a long-worded answer, but it is an answer around process so I think it\u2019s important to clarify what actually happened. When I received this delegation, I provided a range of information to officials, including things like Hansard records and previous policy positions around smoke-free and vaping to help guide conversations. The health paper came back setting out a number of areas on which I could be provided advice, and I marked that I wanted advice on all of them as I consider it is important to be broadly informed before making decisions. That health briefing referred to proposals and notes. They were not my proposals, to be clear. They were not things that I had written. This was general information I had provided to officials, and I\u2019m sure they can verify this. I haven\u2019t yet received any of that advice, and I certainly did not specifically request a proposal on excise freeze.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000199\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220db093bca57a45b9ab5e3d6350b8be64\u0022\u003EHon Dr Ayesha Verrall\u003C/span\u003E: Why did the Minister say yesterday that the truthfulness of her statement rested on a distinction between being offered and asking for advice, when the evidence shows she did both?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000200\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022be75267fa9684685aabde3eff29d179e\u0022\u003EHon CASEY COSTELLO\u003C/span\u003E: I think I\u2019ve answered the question.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000201\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ac14b149c14e4ae680896d273d3b7c72\u0022\u003EHon Dr Ayesha Verrall\u003C/span\u003E: Does she agree with the Prime Minister, who Radio New Zealand reported as having said yesterday that the Government will not be pausing increases to tobacco excise tax?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000202\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022813811819eb842e183d3a5c855f0940f\u0022\u003EHon CASEY COSTELLO\u003C/span\u003E: Of course I agree with the Prime Minister, and it is advice that we are considering, and when we receive that advice we will make informed decisions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000203\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022aed260be-c954-464b-bb75-85579e53d05a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220e3a882e31a54341a3617c69ec33fb36\u0022\u003EHon Dr Ayesha Verrall\u003C/span\u003E: Can the Minister clarify: is the Prime Minister correct that the Government will not be pausing increases to tobacco excise tax, or is she still considering advice on that matter the Prime Minister has ruled out?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000204\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c9cbe871271d43569222f42fefb44898\u0022\u003EHon CASEY COSTELLO\u003C/span\u003E: I think I\u2019ve answered the question, but I am committed to receiving broad advice, and we will make recommendations on the best options to enable people to quit smoking.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002287c850cf-18f6-4be0-935a-0e24e0a352ae\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223942af24b02944b196e19ed03875ab4b\u0022\u003ET\u0101kuta Ferris\u003C/span\u003E: Does she agree that dropping cancer screening for M\u0101ori by 10 years is an equitable approach to address the inequity that exists for M\u0101ori with cancer; if not, what is her Government proposing to address this inequity that M\u0101ori have faced for decades?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000206\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d2e8cad32eef437e91222f9603d7df78\u0022\u003EHon CASEY COSTELLO\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m absolutely committed, which is the reason we do not want a broad-brush approach; we want targeted campaigns that will enable the most marginalised and most vulnerable to quit smoking.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000207\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b4207ea4af584fb0bdb215127ce137aa\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: [Interruption] We\u2019re now quiet\u2014we\u2019re now quiet. We\u2019re now quiet\u2014there\u2019s a question being asked.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000208\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022755e7206f2e943c2897afb63e0944cc9\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 9\u2014Police\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00228ba11b3f-65ea-4f86-92e4-fe78ea522647\u0022 data-id=\u002289dae5205f624c87b54a0d8d4a494d71\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000209\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228ba11b3f-65ea-4f86-92e4-fe78ea522647\u0022\u003E9. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002289dae5205f624c87b54a0d8d4a494d71\u0022\u003EDANA KIRKPATRICK (National\u2014East Coast)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Police: What recent reports has he seen on gang convoys?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022 data-id=\u0022187d42c27fb74d40ba6bca01523be915\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000210\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022187d42c27fb74d40ba6bca01523be915\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL (Minister of Police):\u003C/span\u003E I was pleased to see police\u2019s proactive enforcement response to a gang convoy through Whakat\u0101ne last year, which included a response by the Eagle helicopter, to ensure that the rights of law-abiding citizens to move about their towns freely are protected over and above the rights of gang members who choose to block roads, intimidate people, and break the law. Police arrested 15 people, of which 14 were associates or patched gang members. I\u2019m proud of the great work that our police do every day to clamp down on activity that puts the public at risk, and, while there is more work to be done, the public can expect to see more of this proactive and positive enforcement action.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000211\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228ba11b3f-65ea-4f86-92e4-fe78ea522647\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022912af161f60546e6845a4113ed5d3bdf\u0022\u003EDana Kirkpatrick\u003C/span\u003E: How did the reports that he\u2019s seen contrast with earlier reports of gang convoys?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000212\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222f3eca1d9f604e698a53f758d3453b1a\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: The people of the eastern bay do not need long memories to remember the appalling scenes in \u014Cp\u014Dtiki earlier last year. The town of \u014Cp\u014Dtiki was taken over for several days, during which images of patched gang members rolling through the town, flagrantly breaking laws, closing down roads, and preventing law-abiding members of the public going about their daily business were broadcast across the country. At that time, schools were closed and the public felt extremely unsafe. Having visited shortly afterward, that was reflected very clear to me by the locals there, and I\u2019m proud that, already, these people who did feel unsafe have been able to see such a marked change in response from police in terms of an increased gang presence in Whakat\u0101ne.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000213\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228ba11b3f-65ea-4f86-92e4-fe78ea522647\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022271e63c9b9a24a18b1433ab72f94c1c3\u0022\u003EDana Kirkpatrick\u003C/span\u003E: What feedback has he had from locals about police\u2019s approach to the gang convoys?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000214\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022153c8cae21f94ce6a4ea49034c4e3a58\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: Well, the outstanding local MP has been very proactive in reflecting to me the positive feedback that she has had from her community when it comes to the recent convoy in Whakat\u0101ne. In addition, I\u2019ve continued to receive positive feedback in relation to the change in approach that started with the convoy through to Foxton late last year. I\u2019m proud to be the Minister of Police in a Government that takes public safety seriously and that the public can already see is making a difference\u2014that is, after six years of gang members operating with a sense of impunity.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000215\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228ba11b3f-65ea-4f86-92e4-fe78ea522647\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223c0e31b9b6444130bea1a15f2b858561\u0022\u003EDana Kirkpatrick\u003C/span\u003E: What further work is under way to ensure that law-abiding citizens have their right to freedom of movement protected over gangs?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000216\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002287e75490e5d4454f840256aa1a670163\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: As part of the Government\u2019s hundred-day plan, work is under way on banning gang patches and insignia in public, as well as dispersal notices and consorting prohibition notices. These new tools will enhance police\u2019s ability to break up large gang gatherings and convoys, and will go a long way to sending the very clear message that our police are in control, not the gangs. This is a Government that takes public safety seriously, and we\u2019ll work hard to continue to improve that. After six years of chaos, we know this is a big task but we are determined to do it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000217\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022ea931bcfa95d41e6af429c5bc635f835\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 10\u2014Police\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022 data-id=\u002260da5fd111ab4da193604aa989457ca5\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000218\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E10. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002260da5fd111ab4da193604aa989457ca5\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN (Labour)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister of Police: 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=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022 data-id=\u0022b7bea967118040468394fa83e0310c8e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000219\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b7bea967118040468394fa83e0310c8e\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL (Minister of Police):\u003C/span\u003E Yes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000220\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e170a252da5248f28085d71fdbfc586c\u0022\u003EHon Ginny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree with the Prime Minister: \u201C[And so] there were conversations last night as you\u2019d expect after Mark\u2019s remarks. And we spoke with Mark last night, but that\u2019s our commitment.\u201D; if so, who spoke with him?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000221\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002237d447a37b24433e95663831362cbc36\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: Yes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000222\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229f18551bccdd4b0eb4b6edf40f828cd9\u0022\u003EHon Ginny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: Is it correct that, as reported by Newsroom, a meeting was held between coalition parties in December last year and it was agreed to change the delivery of 500 more police over two years to three years?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000223\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226a9f7412d90648649e7fd7ac8ce18a09\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: No.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000224\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e7cff4a095da4c26bef0c369c7231e56\u0022\u003EHon Ginny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: Is the Deputy Prime Minister correct that a meeting was held last night between the National Party\u2019s chief of staff and New Zealand First\u2019s chief of staff, and at that meeting it was agreed that the Government would return to delivering 500 more police in two years?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000225\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b5af16ff6dc74afaba1ce583d4029f19\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order. I know where this question is going. It\u2019s based on an interview I just did on the way over, and that\u2019s not what I said. I said I wasn\u2019t at the meeting. [Interruption]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000226\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227f6bbe408689425d8c1ae5503a4f8a4b\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Just one at a time. So is that the end of that? Thank you. I\u2019m sure that the member has taken that statement to the House, effectively, on board.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000227\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221397d88716b6467ab91c1334340cc4c9\u0022\u003EHon James Shaw\u003C/span\u003E: To the point of order. That was one of a series of points of order that have been raised by the Deputy Prime Minister that have nothing to do with points of order or Standing Orders. I would ask if we could constrain points of order to points of order as relates to the Standing Orders, as opposed to debating points.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000228\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022df63926e108f486a97d557dab1e425e2\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I thank you very much for the advice to the Chair. I\u2019ll take it on board.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000229\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226114b09b3bec41ae8fff78e020fad260\u0022\u003EHon Ginny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: Can I ask the question again?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000230\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f1eded14ea7446368608f928d2ac8a98\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I beg your pardon?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000231\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224ac53f3a0cfa4a018bf9a8dcb1c68647\u0022\u003EHon Ginny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I didn\u2019t get an answer to the question.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000232\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e43e03c3539640d7b4dd8365edf57a6f\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Start the question again because it was interrupted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000233\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d7855e81041741109f7f839e3655bd04\u0022\u003EHon Ginny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: Just speaking to the point of order. That\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000234\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226906da974ed84e8f9c98a882db8fc586\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, are you speaking to the point of order or not?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000235\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bddfc6eed00042659c1ffab3ccd1fc69\u0022\u003EHon Ginny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019ll just say the question again. Is the Deputy Prime Minister correct that a meeting was held last night between the National Party\u2019s chief of staff and New Zealand First\u2019s chief of staff, and at that meeting it was agreed that the Government would return to delivering 500 more police within two years?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000236\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f9e7985c343b405b80f41c2ba6784641\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019ve got no knowledge. You\u2019d have to ask the Deputy Prime Minister.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000237\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226aa88fbfc46242c286d7966bd3b00baa\u0022\u003EHon Ginny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree with the Prime Minister that \u201CMark could have expressed himself better\u201D, and, if so, is the reason he\u2019s struggling to express himself because a 6.5 percent cut to the police front line is unexplainable?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000238\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022222a84f3b7ef45dc98658e5ef083ac43\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I agree with what the Prime Minister said, so yes to the first part; no to the second.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000239\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225fab3699d7de473298d4d02586c5752f\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: No, that\u2019s it. The allocation is all over. [Interruption] Excuse me. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000240\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002251cad47f021443d08ce3734bd125f523\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: Like taking candy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000241\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229fd1198e9ba949eda7a4cca05a282b8c\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: No, don\u2019t push it. It\u2019s very difficult when a senior member like that puts me in a terrible position.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000242\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022787be1b1ecd442d7844ead74304dad60\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 11\u2014Environment\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002246269786-ecb4-40e2-972a-e287c495bdec\u0022 data-id=\u0022de7d46a45c7241eda3a8f3d90ac1d8a9\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000243\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002246269786-ecb4-40e2-972a-e287c495bdec\u0022\u003E11. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022de7d46a45c7241eda3a8f3d90ac1d8a9\u0022\u003ELAN PHAM (Green)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister for the Environment: Is she concerned about how many rivers, lakes, and beaches across the country were too polluted to swim in or gather food from over the summer?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d2995873-613f-4202-a773-5ea2d57cc953\u0022 data-id=\u002291c6ded47ae64d37bce89816ff3eb305\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000244\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d2995873-613f-4202-a773-5ea2d57cc953\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002291c6ded47ae64d37bce89816ff3eb305\u0022\u003EHon PENNY SIMMONDS (Minister for the Environment):\u003C/span\u003E Yes, I am concerned, including with the fact that more than 20 beaches in Auckland in December were unswimmable because of human sewage, which reinforces that polluted rivers, lakes, and beaches are an issue to be addressed by all New Zealanders, both rural and urban. There are, of course, different causes of pollution that range from land use, wild animals, and human waste from infrastructure failures. Pollution occurs in both urban and rural areas, but the evidence does show that urban water bodies are in the poorest state. It is deeply disappointing that six years of the previous Government, Labour-Greens, did not address this, but we are determined to get this right. This Government is committed to improving freshwater quality for the benefit of all, and to do this we need sensible and pragmatic environmental rules. I\u2019m also very pleased to tell you that the beach in Riverton, Southland\u2014the \u201Criviera of the south\u201D\u2014was outstanding all summer.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000245\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022435032bc54ac480ea97b3c5a60b060b2\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, can we just keep those primary answers just a little more concise in the future?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000246\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002246269786-ecb4-40e2-972a-e287c495bdec\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220944accf5b104bd395efefe2a7d58384\u0022\u003ELan Pham\u003C/span\u003E: Has she read the open letter last month from 51 freshwater experts and leaders that states: \u201CNew Zealand\u2019s rivers, lakes and aquifers are in a dire state.\u201D, and, \u201CIf you proceed with your proposals to undo the country\u2019s freshwater policy, they will only get worse.\u201D?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000247\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d2995873-613f-4202-a773-5ea2d57cc953\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a0fe82d5c045436a8af3b740aa3e3c0f\u0022\u003EHon PENNY SIMMONDS\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, indeed I have read that letter from 50-plus freshwater scientists and experts, and I acknowledge the member\u2019s own expertise in this area. There will always be a range of interests and views from academics, from scientists, from commercial and recreation users, and from iwi.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000248\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002246269786-ecb4-40e2-972a-e287c495bdec\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a021fd1b5fc04abc8de534a908469e89\u0022\u003ELan Pham\u003C/span\u003E: Why, then, did the Government delay freshwater improvements already in progress by pushing out the deadline for regional council plans to 2027?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000249\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d2995873-613f-4202-a773-5ea2d57cc953\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002222d272d8a9a640a1bca6d0b2afa04089\u0022\u003EHon PENNY SIMMONDS\u003C/span\u003E: The Government considers that there needs to be a rebalance of Te Mana o te Wai and a rewriting of the National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management to ensure that it is fit for purpose and that it achieves genuine outcomes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000250\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002246269786-ecb4-40e2-972a-e287c495bdec\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002289b57323817b4e789812821f8ec20b6e\u0022\u003ELan Pham\u003C/span\u003E: Does the Minister agree that progressing and upholding of Te Mana o te Wai would help achieve those outcomes?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000251\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d2995873-613f-4202-a773-5ea2d57cc953\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002272108e53504441adb254c7a1e3ffc616\u0022\u003EHon PENNY SIMMONDS\u003C/span\u003E: Te Mana o te Wai is not in consideration. It is the hierarchy of the obligations that we consider needs to be relooked at and rebalanced.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000252\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002246269786-ecb4-40e2-972a-e287c495bdec\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e3c8708ac38a4e2eac7ca6f122cc5fd1\u0022\u003ELan Pham\u003C/span\u003E: What assurances, if any, can she provide to Kiwis\u2014[Interruption]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000253\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002266066337648d45588b1ca8266d9a6e3b\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: No, sorry, just wait a minute. Both sides\u2014a lot of talking while someone\u2019s trying to answer a question. It\u2019s the one thing that I will be quite strict on, so today is the most liberal day we\u2019re going to have in this regard. Please, Lan Pham, if you would ask your question again.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000254\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002246269786-ecb4-40e2-972a-e287c495bdec\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226ae606e9581c45979fcae065a937d091\u0022\u003ELan Pham\u003C/span\u003E: What assurances, if any, can she provide to Kiwis that their local waterway will be safe to swim in, when 45 percent of the total river length in Aotearoa is currently unswimmable according to the Ministry for the Environment?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000255\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d2995873-613f-4202-a773-5ea2d57cc953\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002285d656f478db48ac82f57211c2315558\u0022\u003EHon PENNY SIMMONDS\u003C/span\u003E: We agree that the past six years have not addressed this sufficiently. The Government is committed to replacing the national policy statement for fresh water. We are committed to improving the quality of fresh water.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000256\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002246269786-ecb4-40e2-972a-e287c495bdec\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227269f727c05641458bf923de16a37992\u0022\u003ELan Pham\u003C/span\u003E: Will she commit to ensuring that any changes to freshwater regulations are informed by scientific evidence on the health of New Zealand\u2019s waterways?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000257\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d2995873-613f-4202-a773-5ea2d57cc953\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e78d9bab3f1945cf8d61e0194d37a4c6\u0022\u003EHon PENNY SIMMONDS\u003C/span\u003E: I can assure the member that we will be consulting widely. We will be consulting with academics, with scientists, with iwi, and with commercial and recreational users. So we will consult widely and take a balanced approach to ensure that we come up with workable solutions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000258\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022b9708e349b044fb58d54b683eee7dbe7\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 12\u2014Trade\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022 data-id=\u002296b9f8f1328d4dddbf54569a532bc15d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000259\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003E12. \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002296b9f8f1328d4dddbf54569a532bc15d\u0022\u003ETIM VAN DE MOLEN (National\u2014Waikato)\u003C/span\u003E to the Minister for Trade: What steps is he undertaking to progress the New Zealand-European Union Free Trade Agreement?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022 data-id=\u00226afa5fdc40184f3fa82448ab9b7a6429\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000260\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226afa5fdc40184f3fa82448ab9b7a6429\u0022\u003EHon TODD McCLAY (Minister for Trade):\u003C/span\u003E Today, the coalition Government will have with the House the first reading of the implementation legislation to start the process to quickly implement the New Zealand - EU free-trade agreement (FTA). We will progress quickly with the implementation of this bill so that New Zealand exporters can take advantage of its benefits as soon as possible. You see, the European Union has already completed its part of the ratification process before New Zealand. New Zealand exporters are waiting on the New Zealand Parliament to complete the process so that the agreement can enter into force. This coalition Government is moving quickly so that exporters, particularly in provincial New Zealand, can benefit from tariff reductions of up to $100 million, something that could have been done last year if the last Government had introduced the bill and got it through before the election.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000261\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002271064572ac5e47b8b3774795b0b15e45\u0022\u003ETim van de Molen\u003C/span\u003E: Why is this deal so important to New Zealand exporters?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000262\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229baa1da6c3e648798e07db1d7dd60968\u0022\u003EHon TODD McCLAY\u003C/span\u003E: Well, until now, many New Zealand products have been, effectively, locked out of the EU market due to high tariffs and restrictive quotas. For instance, duties on m\u0101nuka honey production will reduce by 17.3 percent to 0; the kiwifruit growers benefit from tariff savings of $37 million on entry into force. The FTA finally levels the playing field for Kiwi businesses exporting to the EU, where many of their key competitors already have competitive access. These savings would\u2019ve benefited New Zealand exporters had the last Government introduced legislation and got it through before the last election.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000263\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e1f05f7d77f244229c154d6fb8abfde5\u0022\u003ETim van de Molen\u003C/span\u003E: What else does the FTA deliver for New Zealand exporters?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000264\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223bfd1a3d20254977b212690f3f719f92\u0022\u003EHon TODD McCLAY\u003C/span\u003E: Well, when fully implemented, the FTA is set to provide an annual boost to our GDP of up to $1.4 billion and to our exports to the EU by up to $1.8 billion each year. For the first day of entry into force, 91 percent of New Zealand\u2019s current goods trade into the EU are duty-free, increasing to 97 percent. Unfortunately, the commercially meaningful gains that the dairy and red meat sector expected by our farmers were not delivered in this deal. Access will not be fully liberalised for these products, but quotas do create some additional market access on improvement of status quo. Overall, the FTA creates jobs and grows wealth for all New Zealanders, which is why we want to get it into force as quickly as possible.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000265\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022471dee54-f59e-4497-b3d3-c39044ce7169\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220dd03857e7cb47bab6fc7a42b018af8b\u0022\u003EHon Damien O\u2019Connor\u003C/span\u003E: When does the Minister expect to sign the free-trade agreement with India?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000266\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002277a508cccfb643ddab63a08bb68cdf4a\u0022\u003EHon TODD McCLAY\u003C/span\u003E: Well, long before that Minister would\u2019ve when he was in Government, because the Labour Party said it wasn\u2019t a priority, a deal wasn\u2019t being done. I would say, however, there is great interest across New Zealand, of all New Zealanders, in a Government looking out on the world stage, and I know that that member is very keen to join the rest of his colleagues who have left the Parliament on the world stage soon.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000267\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022491c060b3333448ea12478198f9a42af\u0022\u003ETim van de Molen\u003C/span\u003E: What are some of the specific benefits of this deal for the agricultural sector?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000268\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fec58082f00b4d19926686cc460ba2e6\u0022\u003EHon TODD McCLAY\u003C/span\u003E: Well, a number of key agricultural products will benefit from significant tariff savings from day one of the agreement: 99.9 percent of New Zealand\u2019s current horticultural trade will enter the EU tariff-free at the entry into force\u2014a tariff saving of $46 million for our growers. Tariffs will be eliminated immediately on kiwifruit, onions, apples, and other hort products; 99.5 percent of New Zealand\u2019s current fish and seafood trade will enter the EU tariff-free from day one, which is why the coalition Government wants to so urgently get this agreement into force. This is a Government of action, not talk.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000269\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00225ccc7b1d658747cfbdd83760a53e2e68\u0022\u003EBusiness of the House\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000270\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022a2a875c7746d4abfa1804e53652870ed\u0022\u003EGovernment Orders of the Day, Variation to\u2014Leave Declined\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022 data-id=\u00220253db09fb664f9c82b691b65e9fc8b5\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000271\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00220253db09fb664f9c82b691b65e9fc8b5\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the Opposition):\u003C/span\u003E I seek leave for Government orders of the day Nos 1 and 2 to proceed immediately to a vote on the third reading, with no debate, immediately following question time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u00227edb92110d6442b98e691e89b80d0906\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000272\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227edb92110d6442b98e691e89b80d0906\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Leave is sought. Is there any objection to that? There is objection.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000273\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022fa60974e4b084898950a09917512e0e9\u0022\u003EAddress in Reply\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000275\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022f564e21f9b6a45f8b5d8227ae7c94ade\u0022\u003EAddress in Reply\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000274\u0022\u003EDebate resumed from 30 January.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u0022d3883a7b68574ba8a30d6d1e13639f04\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000276\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d3883a7b68574ba8a30d6d1e13639f04\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Members and the gallery will leave as silently as possible. Can we check that the mikes are on for all those who call.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022 data-id=\u0022ecd06dd985694106a02cb87c4b429943\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000277\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ecd06dd985694106a02cb87c4b429943\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN (Minister of Transport):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker, and thank you for the opportunity to speak in this Address in Reply debate. Can I take this opportunity, because I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve taken this opportunity yet, Mr Speaker, to congratulate you on your ascension to the role of the Speaker of this House and thank you for your very wise and judicious oversight so far and, no doubt, for the coming years.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000278\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003EI want to also thank the voters of the Pakuranga electorate who re-elected me and put their trust in me as their local member of Parliament at the last year\u2019s election, but, more importantly, for putting their trust and confidence in this coalition Government to get our country back on track. As I went across the electorate and across the country during last year\u2019s election, it was very clear to voters not only in Pakuranga but across New Zealand that the issues that had been put on them by the last Government\u2014the cost of living, the law and order crisis, the infrastructure deficit that this country was facing\u2014were significant issues facing them. And they voted for change. Overwhelmingly they voted for change in Pakuranga and in East Auckland\u2014actually, across New Zealand. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000279\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003EWe have been voted into Government to get things done for this country, to get things back on track, to address the cost of living crisis, to ensure that we restore law and order, and to deliver the infrastructure that this country needs. What a big mess we have had left behind by the last Government\u2014what a big mess left behind by the last Government. The last Government has left behind not only a cost of living crisis but in my portfolios an infrastructure crisis that we are going to have to deal with and grapple with. It\u2019s not just the potholes peppering our highways\u2014which there are tens of thousands of, which needed to be repaired last year, and which this last Government did not focus on\u2014but the fact that in Auckland they didn\u2019t even start building Auckland light rail. They spent $228 million on Auckland light rail but didn\u2019t even deliver one single metre of light rail.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000280\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003EI want to congratulate my new colleague for Mt Roskill, Carlos Cheung. What a great man Dr Carlos is. What a great man, and what a wonderful maiden statement he gave yesterday. And he beat\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000281\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022861a1798-a396-4a6c-b9e2-7d2f15d4a001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002296215fe4e58849c7b626c11b548c16dd\u0022\u003EHon Dr Shane Reti\u003C/span\u003E: Who did he beat?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000282\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226e70d8ea9cdd449d865cc93aca59f7d8\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, who did he beat? Good question. He beat Michael Wood, who said that Auckland light rail would be built by 2021. Well, after $228 million of wasted money, the last Government couldn\u2019t even deliver a single metre for their ghost train. But not just for that; in Auckland they wasted six years when it comes to infrastructure in Auckland, six years of spinning the wheels and paying consultants but not actually getting on and delivering the infrastructure. But it\u2019s not just in Auckland. Here in Wellington, over $82 million spent on \u201CLet\u2019s Get Wellington Consulting\u201D\u2014sorry, Moving. They said \u201CMoving\u201D but, actually, it meant \u201Cconsulting\u201D. They built a set of traffic lights, the most expensive set of traffic lights in Wellington, maybe New Zealand. But the reality is they didn\u2019t deliver for this city, as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000283\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003EThey wanted to waste $16 billion on Lake Onslow\u2014$16 billion on Lake Onslow instead of trying to strengthen renewable energy across New Zealand and making sure we have secure energy supply. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000284\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003EAnd, last but not least, three waters\u2014a billion dollars, but no delivery on that, either. We have a huge mess that we need to clean up on this side of the House. The coalition Government has hit the ground running and we are focused on delivering our 100-day plan commitments to New Zealanders.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000285\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003EI just want to give the House some highlights of some of the areas I\u2019m focused on from the Speech from the Throne that are in the 100-day plan. We have already begun work on rewriting the Government policy statement on transport so we can get on with the important work of making sure that people who use our roads have the potholes fixed and that we get on with delivering the roads of national significance, which this country needs.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000286\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003ETo the last Government, the word \u201Croads\u201D was a dirty word. Well, under this Government, we know New Zealanders need safe, high-quality, fast connections between our regions and in our cities, and we are going to get on and build the roads of national significance that this country needs. We\u2019ll also get on and build the major public transport infrastructure this country needs. The last Government talked about public transport; we\u2019re actually the Government which delivers. The last National Government electrified the rail network in Auckland. The last National Government started the City Rail Link; it\u2019s going to be completed by this National Government in this term. We\u2019re going to get the public transport infrastructure delivered which this country needs.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000287\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve already cancelled Auckland light rail; the ghost train has stopped. We\u2019ve put an end to this wasteful project, which could have cost taxpayers up to $29.2 billion. There are so many other projects across this country which need to be delivered, and we\u2019re going to deliver those rather than wasting money on a ghost train that the last Government only spent money on consultants for. We\u2019ve withdrawn central government from Let\u2019s Get Wellington Moving, and, by the way, we\u2019ve withdrawn with the other parties also agreeing to that withdrawal, and I want to acknowledge the councils for agreeing to that withdrawal. The reality is even they saw that it wasn\u2019t delivering for Wellington, and that means they can get on with actually focusing on their core infrastructure, like fixing the pipes that they need to be doing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000288\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve axed the ute tax; we\u2019ve axed the tax which was punishing our farmers and tradies to purchase the vehicles that they needed to be able to do their job. And not only was it punishing those hard-working farmers and tradies or families who needed to buy a larger vehicle but it also relied on hundreds of millions of dollars from taxpayers to subsidise the choices of people buying electric vehicles, people who could already afford to purchase those vehicles.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000289\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve stopped the blanket speed limits that the last Government imposed on New Zealand. They wanted to slow every single State highway down to 80 kilometres per hour and they wanted every suburban street to be 30 kilometres per hour. Their vision would have been, if they could have got away with it, to have people walking in front of our cars with a little red flag. That\u2019s what their vision would have been if they could have got away with it. We think New Zealanders need to get where they need to go quickly and safely, and we\u2019re going to rebalance the approach to setting speed limits in New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000290\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve committed to removing the unfair Auckland regional fuel tax\u2014legislation will be coming to the House shortly. We\u2019ve scrapped Lake Onslow, that boondoggle of a project\u2014$16 billion it would have cost\u2014and we\u2019re focusing our efforts on strengthening New Zealand\u2019s energy security by doubling renewable energy by 2050, with a national policy statement on renewable electricity generation soon to come, and many other actions which are going to be needed to ensure that we have a strong and secure supply of energy for New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000291\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve started work on repealing Labour\u2019s divisive three waters plans and replacing it with Local Water Done Well. The last Government, they thought that co-governance was the answer to our water problems; we actually think it\u2019s about ensuring local councils have the tools to be able to make long-term infrastructure investments and be able to have sustainable funding and financing for that investment. The last Government thought it was a one-size-fits-all solution for local government; we actually think we should be working alongside local government and giving them the tools that they need to address these challenges.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000292\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003EWe\u2019re just getting started as a Government and we will continue to deliver for New Zealanders. As part of our 100-day plan, we are fixing the mess left behind by the last Government, but we have so much more that needs to be done. I\u2019m looking forward to getting on and doing that in my role as Minister of Transport, Minister of Local Government, Minister for Energy, and Minister for Auckland. There is so much to do for our country, so much to do for Auckland. I\u2019m looking forward to being part of the team led by the Rt Hon Christopher Luxon, who has brought such a positive spirit to leading this Government and delivering for New Zealanders. Let\u2019s get our country back on track.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000293\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002255d0b7a4-a2c9-4c38-9b77-475311a48a89\u0022\u003EDebate interrupted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000294\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022a052176a06b341209ebccaa821e71524\u0022\u003EAmended Answers to Oral Questions\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000295\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022ed45389be82142d28404ee12b5f351e3\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 7 to Minister\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022 data-id=\u0022b82c99e5d52f477481e99677c5842ea2\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000296\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b82c99e5d52f477481e99677c5842ea2\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON (Minister for Social Development and Employment):\u003C/span\u003E Point of order, Mr Speaker. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I seek leave to correct an answer in oral question time today. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000297\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d95bcf0cabf54dcd872d36be4059f956\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I think you can just do that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000298\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b159823a74b841eab373547d1c0ee938\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you. So in question No. 7 today\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000299\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022644dbde4717346f6b3c2d794d22ab71a\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: No, sorry\u2014just a minute. OK, you need to seek leave to make a personal explanation to correct it. I thought you were able to correct answers, but, however. Leave is sought. Is there any objection to that course of action? There appears to be none. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000300\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b10bb7cc9c8441a690dc04a584e83afc\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I wish to correct the answer to question No. 7 today. I referred to a nearly 90,000 increase on the number on jobseeker benefit. That is the increase in the number of people on main benefit. The number on the jobseeker increase is 66,753. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fd9e80eb46434d29ba5f23cb0896c133\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000302\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002229bd7f2d6d7041128b3d600059875ed3\u0022\u003EAddress in Reply\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000304\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002293a7532e5ec54152af891698720e7a9a\u0022\u003EAddress in Reply\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000303\u0022\u003EDebate resumed.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002296f5f6b7-c116-477e-88a9-ea17aa616886\u0022 data-id=\u00229e5bb58cccb8401988933782b6f117fc\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000305\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002296f5f6b7-c116-477e-88a9-ea17aa616886\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00229e5bb58cccb8401988933782b6f117fc\u0022\u003EINGRID LEARY (Labour\u2014Taieri):\u003C/span\u003E I\u2019d like to thank the Minister for sharing his CV with us today and also reminding us who the Prime Minister currently is, because if anyone had been sitting in this House this week, they may have been under the mistaken impression that it was David Seymour. So I\u2019d like to thank Simeon Brown for reminding us.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000306\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002296f5f6b7-c116-477e-88a9-ea17aa616886\u0022\u003EWhen I go to events around my electorate and we have our local issues board, what is coming up time and time again is a sense of buyer\u2019s remorse from my constituents. Now, look, we\u2019ve all done it. We\u2019ve all gone to a shop. We\u2019ve seen a little gadget, maybe advertised on TV and on billboards and on social media\u2014because there\u2019s lots of investment money in that\u2014and we\u2019ve got home, opened the box, and tried to put this gadget together. It\u2019s got three different bits to it, they don\u2019t fit, three different sets of instructions that don\u2019t really fit, and it\u2019s all quite bizarre. And we think why did we get this gadget, and we have a bit of remorse. Well, that\u2019s what I\u2019m talking about here today, with this Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000307\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002296f5f6b7-c116-477e-88a9-ea17aa616886\u0022\u003EThis Government has got old thinking. It\u2019s taking us back into the 1980s. When you ring up with this gadget, you can ring\u2014sorry, not you, Mr Speaker. When one rings up and says, \u201CLook, I don\u2019t know how these instructions work.\u201D, goes to the company, to the main part of the thing, and says, \u201CCan you tell us what\u2019s going on?\u201D\u2014oh no, \u201CWe\u2019ve got to send you off to the manufacturer of the other two small parts.\u201D That\u2019s exactly what we see happening here with this so-called Speech from the Throne, where there is supposed to be collective responsibility. But every time we try to hold this Government to account, the responsibility is aggregated to the leaders or the Ministers in the smaller parties. That is absolutely no way to run a country.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000308\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002296f5f6b7-c116-477e-88a9-ea17aa616886\u0022\u003EMatt Doocey was actually right, yesterday, when he said that voters voted for change, but they did not vote for this change. And what\u2019s worse is that people are telling us it seems as if this Government is not in it for all New Zealanders. It seems they\u2019re in it for their mates. I mean, how else do we reconcile the repeal of the smoke-free legislation? How else do we reconcile the fact that the health Minister takes this incredibly important health issue and delegates it to a Minister in a minor party? How embarrassing is it for her that she has denied seeking advice on tax cuts for tobacco companies, and then today we hear different accounts from the Minister? We hear defensiveness from the Deputy Prime Minister and strange points of order and a whole lot of, may I say it, smoke and mirrors around this particular issue. I really question what is going on and I would urge the public to watch this space, because I think we\u2019re seeing a very big story brewing here.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000309\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002296f5f6b7-c116-477e-88a9-ea17aa616886\u0022\u003EWhat about Mark Mitchell, the Minister of Police? Was he caught out making broken promises or did he make a mistake? We\u2019ve heard various explanations today, and viewers will need to look at question time to work out what is going on. He either broke a promise or he is clearly not on top of the numbers in his portfolio. Or perhaps there\u2019s a third option, which is that he doesn\u2019t know what\u2019s going on, because he clearly wasn\u2019t aware of the meeting that was alluded to by my colleague Ginny Andersen. Whatever is going on, it is shambolic, it is chaotic, and it does not create a sense of surety or confidence for people. This is why my constituents are saying they have buyer\u2019s remorse.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000310\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002296f5f6b7-c116-477e-88a9-ea17aa616886\u0022\u003ENow, what about the tax cuts? We were told the tax cuts for the rich would be neutral, that they would be cost-neutral. We were told that they wouldn\u2019t mean cuts to public services, that there would be no cuts to health or education, and that the tax cuts would be limited to Government departments and not arm\u2019s-length public-funded organisations. This was all based on spurious claims about fiscal cliffs and about poor financial management. Well, let\u2019s look at the facts. There was no detail pre-election on how these tax cuts would be costed. There was no detail in the pre-Christmas mini-Budget. Instead, we got a 10-page press release full of slogans but no answers to those questions, those really important questions of how we are going to fund tax cuts.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000311\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002296f5f6b7-c116-477e-88a9-ea17aa616886\u0022\u003EThen we heard an announcement in recent days that inflation has dropped from 7.2 percent to 4.7 percent. That is absolutely in line with the projections that we saw when I was a chair of the Finance and Expenditure Committee last year, thanks to the great work of our then finance Minister Grant Robertson and the trajectory down to stable and low inflation. It is disingenuous for this finance Minister, this new one, to claim that it is their work that\u2019s doing it. But more importantly, the drop in inflation has been made without significant public cuts. Therefore, there was no need to do that, despite the claims from the right wing and their rhetoric that inflation was a result of big public spending by the previous Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000312\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002296f5f6b7-c116-477e-88a9-ea17aa616886\u0022\u003ELet\u2019s look at the gambling funds that were supposed to pay for these tax cuts. They, basically, didn\u2019t really exist. What about the overseas buyers tax? Well, that was going to be in contravention of really important international treaties that New Zealand has signed up to. Surely, the Government would have looked at that information prior to making those promises? Or did they know that they couldn\u2019t deliver it? Did they plan to deliver public cuts all along?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000313\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002296f5f6b7-c116-477e-88a9-ea17aa616886\u0022\u003EWell, Nicola Willis is desperately now trying to find ways to get money for her tax cuts because she put her ministerial job on the line for it. She sold it as annual reductions in back-office expenditure of 6.5 percent, and there were only going to be 24 agencies, 24 specific agencies listed on a Treasury website. What do we have now? Suddenly all departments, including arm\u2019s-length departments, dozens and dozens of agencies. And the 6.5 percent\u2014oops! It\u2019s suddenly grown to 7.5 percent for some of them. Now, that translates to millions and millions of dollars more of cuts.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000314\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002296f5f6b7-c116-477e-88a9-ea17aa616886\u0022\u003EBut what\u2019s worse is it\u2019s not just about the money. It is about the sneaky, insidious way that the goal posts have been changed, and no doubt we will see a lot of that in this term of Government. You can be assured, Mr Speaker, that the Opposition is very aware of this and we will have our eyes on the goal posts, because it\u2019s one thing to measure, but it\u2019s another thing to make sure that the goal posts don\u2019t move. It is deeply concerning to see the hallmarks of this type of behaviour already coming through when there is just a sneaky, insidious change to these really important cuts to public spending. Government departments are already looking at slashing numbers. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000315\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002296f5f6b7-c116-477e-88a9-ea17aa616886\u0022\u003ENow, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has introduced a voluntary redundancy programme. I\u2019m not sure that\u2019s a good idea. In my experience at the British Council, voluntary redundancy often results in some of the most experienced people leaving the organisation and lots and lots of money in redundancy payments. So I\u2019m not sure that\u2019s the answer. But at the end of the day, if you don\u2019t have staff and if you don\u2019t have services, what are you left with? Basically, privatisation. It is my view that this is an insidious and sneaky Government agenda to privatise some of our most important services.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000316\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002296f5f6b7-c116-477e-88a9-ea17aa616886\u0022\u003ELet\u2019s look at the evidence. When it comes to infrastructure projects like the $1.6 billion Dunedin Hospital, the media has been asking Shane Reti about whether he is planning to fund that publicly. He will not give an assurance. The same goes for Whang\u0101rei. The same goes for Nelson. My message to Dr Reti is\u2014he knows it ends up more expensive for the users. But my message to him is: we do not want to be tenants in our own hospitals. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000317\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002296f5f6b7-c116-477e-88a9-ea17aa616886\u0022\u003EAnd by the way, is he going to pay for the constituents in my electorate who have now found out that National has no plans\u2014no immediate plans and no future plans at this point\u2014to introduce a PET scanner to the hospital? Labour had a plan. Currently, my constituents pay about $4,500 to go up to Christchurch, plus accommodation, plus transport, to be able to access the same services that people in Christchurch get for free. Now, that\u2019s just not fair, and it is not fair to use my constituents as collateral for his inability to be able to deliver on the things he promised in a press release from the National Party on 7 July and gave assurances for to my constituents, along with the Prime Minister.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000318\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002296f5f6b7-c116-477e-88a9-ea17aa616886\u0022\u003E\u201CWhat else is the Treasury looking to slash?\u201D, one might ask. What\u2019s going to happen to fees-free? Perhaps they\u2019ll get slashed. I don\u2019t know. Perhaps we should be asking some questions about that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000319\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002296f5f6b7-c116-477e-88a9-ea17aa616886\u0022\u003EThis buyer\u2019s remorse also goes to the different messaging, the different instructions we\u2019re getting. We\u2019ve seen that today at question time. We have seen political narratives this year hijacked by ACT, hijacked by the Treaty principles bill\u2014why don\u2019t we just call them the \u201CHijacked Party\u201D, because they are 8 percent of the vote and they are hijacking 80 percent of the Government\u2019s airtime.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000320\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002296f5f6b7-c116-477e-88a9-ea17aa616886\u0022\u003ESo, once again, I\u2019d just like thank Simeon Brown for giving us his bio earlier. That\u2019s very helpful. Also for reminding us that Christopher Luxon is in fact the Prime Minister, not David Seymour. At the end of the day, as Grant Robertson said, it is his responsibility, it\u2019s his Government, it\u2019s his circus, and they are his clowns.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000321\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002296f5f6b7-c116-477e-88a9-ea17aa616886\u0022\u003EDebate interrupted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000322\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022385a91156d89412abb5c24be9fb7e2d7\u0022\u003EAmended Answers to Oral Questions\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000323\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022f95d8fdb2eed4561a45a82fccd2b5083\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 4 to Minister\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022 data-id=\u0022ba847d99bb44494da401c9c254eb9332\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000324\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ba847d99bb44494da401c9c254eb9332\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON (Prime Minister):\u003C/span\u003E I seek leave to correct an answer I gave to a supplementary question during oral question No. 4 today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000325\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002224cc55647adb4ae0a0b722822f729e1e\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s to give a personal explanation?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000326\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226bec9c93fa0f44b294cb8b4debc79b0c\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: Yes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000327\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229a738896996d484295f1dd4e3f3c4788\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Leave is sought. Is there any objection to that? There appears to be none.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000328\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002254e580ce64b1458888879fd5f3b89ec0\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: I said that there wasn\u2019t a plausible risk. What I should have said is that the court was not required to determine whether Israel had actually breached its obligations under the genocide convention. Therefore, the court did not make any findings that Israel has actually engaged in genocidal conduct. However, the court found that there is a plausible case that Israel\u2019s conduct in Gaza may breach its obligations under the genocide convention. That will be the subject of a full and substantive hearing in the International Court of Justice.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000329\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002202d14c5ab9b24a5abf274c813b6eba11\u0022\u003EAddress in Reply\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000331\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00227da1c622d0404702a22ee8f6640fb727\u0022\u003EAddress in Reply\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000330\u0022\u003EDebate resumed.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022 data-id=\u00228625250d2aba4d99a7eab033043049d4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000332\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00228625250d2aba4d99a7eab033043049d4\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD (Labour\u2014Te Atat\u016B):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Government\u2019s programme is a lot of stopping things, cutting things, repealing things, reversing progress, and taking the country backwards. And one of the areas where there is concern about the direction of this Government is what\u2019s looking increasingly like the abandonment of our independent foreign policy. What we\u2019re seeing is a 21st century version of the old saying, \u201CWhere Britain goes, we go.\u201D Except, under this Government, it\u2019s now, \u201CWhen Washington calls and says, \u2018Will you jump?\u2019, we say, \u2018How high?\u2019 \u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000333\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003EWe saw this in the hasty decision to send six New Zealand military personnel to take part in the bombing of Yemen to punish Houthi rebels there for their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. Never mind that there was no UN mandate for this. Never mind that no one in Government can explain how the bombing will make any difference at all. Never mind that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been bombing the Houthis for much of the past decade with no apparent effect. Never mind that none of the Ministers who announced this deployment could tell a press conference whether they\u2019d had any advice on whether New Zealand\u2019s participation in the bombing campaign would put New Zealanders at risk. Never mind. You see, the US asked us, and that, under this Government, is apparently enough.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000334\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003EToday, the foreign affairs Minister and defence Minister head off to Canberra for talks with their counterparts, and, given their enthusiasm for joining AUKUS, no doubt that issue will be on the agenda. They\u2019re apparently keen to join pillar two of AUKUS\u2014the technology transfer part of the AUKUS military pact of the US, the UK, and Australia. But, as David Parker, Labour\u2019s foreign affairs spokesman, has said, Labour is unconvinced by the arguments that New Zealand should join AUKUS.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000335\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003ENew Zealand, of course, cooperates with our friends the US, the UK, and Australia through a wide range of mechanisms. But we in Labour are unconvinced that joining AUKUS would deliver anything more. It does come with some real potential downsides. What is AUKUS? It is a military pact designed to contain the influence of China in the Asia-Pacific region. Its purpose is to protect US hegemony by projecting US war-fighting capability in our region. Do we really want New Zealand to be part of that? This is the same China that is our largest trading partner. It\u2019s the same China\u2014a relationship for which successive New Zealand Governments have invested huge amounts of political and diplomatic capital in the relationship. As David Parker has said, we don\u2019t need to cast China as our enemy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000336\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003EIs there any evidence that China poses a military threat to New Zealand, that they have some kind of plan to invade us? There isn\u2019t a skerrick of evidence to suggest that. Yes, China is becoming more assertive internationally, but is that a surprise? They\u2019re now close to rivalling the US as the world\u2019s largest economy. Surely it shouldn\u2019t surprise that they don\u2019t want the US 7th fleet patrolling just off their coastline. We might not appreciate the way that China uses loans and diplomacy to gain influence in the Pacific, we are highly critical of their record on human rights and the treatment of minorities, but is that a reason to join a military pact against them?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000337\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003ENew Zealand doesn\u2019t want to see the Pacific militarised. But since when do we try to reduce militarisation by increasing militarisation? Instead of throwing our lot in with one superpower against another, there is a positive agenda that is an alternative. We should work to demilitarise the Pacific. We should strengthen the Pacific Islands Forum and urge our friends from outside the region to respect it and take its lead. We should do more for regional economic development in the Pacific\u2014help Pacific nations to protect their exclusive economic zones and ramp up our efforts and commitments on climate mitigation and adaptation, including by giving resettlement opportunities for people whose islands are made uninhabitable by climate change.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000338\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003ELabour is not isolationist\u2014we never have been. We are internationalists, as I think most Kiwis are. We believe in a strong military that can be deployed in the service of New Zealand\u2019s values and to protect our interests. The last Labour Government\u2019s investments in updating military hardware speaks for itself, as does the strong support that we gave the people of Ukraine in their defence of their homeland against the Russian invasion. But much of New Zealand\u2019s foreign policy over decades has been built on soft power: our relationships in the Pacific; our willingness to be an honest broker; our willingness to advocate for small island States, international law, for peace, for climate, for and multilateralism. That credibility\u2014the standing that we have built up over decades\u2014could be put at risk if we sign up to a military alliance that most of the rest of the world sees as a bid to hold on to 20th century US military dominance in the Asia-Pacific region.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000339\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003EThe world is in transition. The US is no longer the only superpower. We\u2019re in a period when the US and China are competing technologically, commercially, and militarily. New Zealand\u2019s interests lie in supporting peace, trade, international cooperation, the United Nations; not throwing our weight behind one superpower in its struggle against another. If, instead, this Government wants to join an offensive, war-fighting alliance against China, it needs to tell New Zealanders this: if there\u2019s a war in the South China Sea between the US and China\u2014which many international analysts consider to be a possibility in the next two decades, if not a prospect\u2014is it this Government\u2019s intention to be dragged into that conflict on the side of the US? And I think that the Ministers who are so keenly advocating that New Zealand signs up to AUKUS, they need to answer that question for the people of New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000340\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003EThe question of AUKUS goes to the heart of the debate about our independent foreign policy. To say that our foreign policy is independent just because we make our own decisions misses the point\u2014it\u2019s a truism. The \u201Cindependent\u201D in independent foreign policy has come to mean, over decades, the way that we independently and carefully navigate a careful path between the superpowers, not simply throwing our lot in with one in its competition with another.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000341\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve taken a values-based approach, based on an assessment of New Zealand\u2019s national interests, rather than just meekly following behind bigger and more powerful friends. It\u2019s certainly been that way since New Zealand became nuclear-free under Helen Clark, and it\u2019s taken on extra meaning under successive Governments with the growing importance of our relationship with China. If this Government wants to join the AUKUS military alliance on the side of the US, the UK, and Australia, and against our biggest trading partner, it needs to explain to New Zealanders how that is consistent with New Zealand\u2019s values and in line with our interests, and what the costs and benefits will be for our country.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u0022b774b85e154a4b6494b64996eaf5026c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000342\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b774b85e154a4b6494b64996eaf5026c\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: To make a maiden speech to the House, I call on Mike Butterick.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00225665380b-62fd-4d75-85e0-0ed801a402e0\u0022 data-id=\u0022a2f19b433c394e2bbfc11ccd1fc653d8\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000343\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225665380b-62fd-4d75-85e0-0ed801a402e0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a2f19b433c394e2bbfc11ccd1fc653d8\u0022\u003EMIKE BUTTERICK (National\u2014Wairarapa):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would like to start by formally congratulating you on your role. I assure you I will do my utmost to be a model MP.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000344\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225665380b-62fd-4d75-85e0-0ed801a402e0\u0022\u003EYou might ask what brought me, a sheep and beef farmer from the hills of the Wairarapa, to politics and to this House. It was a deep despair at the direction we were heading in as a country, and the need for our provincial communities to be heard. You\u2019re either at the table or you\u2019re on it, and it\u2019s never much fun being part of the menu. Provincial New Zealand needs to be listened to and trusted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000345\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225665380b-62fd-4d75-85e0-0ed801a402e0\u0022\u003EI would acknowledge Cushla Tangaere-Manuel, MP for Ikaroa-R\u0101whiti, and the list MPs who reside in the Wairarapa: the Hon Kieran McAnulty and the newly minted Celia Wade-Brown. I look forward to working with you all on behalf of the Wairarapa electorate. I would also acknowledge and thank those that have previously represented our electorate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000346\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225665380b-62fd-4d75-85e0-0ed801a402e0\u0022\u003EThe Wairarapa electorate\u2014all 11,860 square kilometres\u2014is three regions: the Wairarapa, Tararua, and Central Hawke\u2019s Bay. All three are fantastic places full of very special people, and it\u2019s one of the privileges of this role that I now have that I get to listen to their stories and witness their deeds, and it makes me proud to be allowed to be a part of who they are.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000347\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225665380b-62fd-4d75-85e0-0ed801a402e0\u0022\u003EThese regions are home to super-smart family businesses, both rural and urban, that are intertwined, as well as being a destination, hosting many special events such as the Golden Shears, that celebrates those with a passion for our shearing industry; Wings Over Wairarapa, which has the largest collection of working World War I planes in the world; Pu\u0304kaha National Wildlife Centre at Mount Bruce; Wheels with Attitude in Dannevirke; the Spring Fling in beautiful Central Hawke\u2019s Bay; the Castlepoint Beach Races; the Tukituki Trail; the Norsewood Viking Festival; the Woodville New Zealand Motocross GP; the Martinborough Fair; and many, many more. In an electorate of beaches, baches, and bulldozers, a land of milk and honey, cropping and vineyards, sheep and cattle, rivers and trees, mountain ranges and plains, I can\u2019t cover all the places to see and all the events to attend, but it really is a place that all New Zealanders should explore. The best part: it\u2019s full of great people.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000348\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225665380b-62fd-4d75-85e0-0ed801a402e0\u0022\u003EProvincial New Zealand is an amazing place to grow up. I grew up on a farm in mid-Canterbury in a family of seven, where I developed my love of farming. After attending school, I left to pursue a career in the farming sector. My first job was in the Wairarapa at Wairere, one of New Zealand\u2019s premiere sheep studs. I\u2019m pleased to have Derek and Chris Daniels here today. At Wairere, I learnt how to be challenged and to challenge myself in the pursuit of excellence, and this is something I\u2019ve never forgotten.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000349\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225665380b-62fd-4d75-85e0-0ed801a402e0\u0022\u003EThis is where I first met my wife, Rachel. We\u2019ve been together for 33 years and married for almost 29 of them. It\u2019s very difficult to fully describe how big a part Rachel has played in my life. What I will say is that I\u2019m incredibly fortunate to have you in it, and it\u2019s been quite some journey. We have four children that I am also incredibly proud of: Jack, Annabel, Emma, and Charlotte. They have great values, they work hard, they will give anything a go, and they know how to have fun. As a parent, I couldn\u2019t ask for more. I would also acknowledge both my family and Rachel\u2019s family, some of whom are here this afternoon. Thank you for all your help and support over the years.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000350\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225665380b-62fd-4d75-85e0-0ed801a402e0\u0022\u003EI\u2019m fortunate to have lived my dream, lived my passion\u2014not everyone can say that. I\u2019ve got an opportunity to give back to the community I\u2019ve spent my life in. I\u2019m a product of it. I\u2019ve been shaped by those that are in it. Our provincial communities aren\u2019t complicated. They have strong values, they work hard, they have a strong sense of community, and they know how to have fun and enjoy each other\u2019s company. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000351\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225665380b-62fd-4d75-85e0-0ed801a402e0\u0022\u003EThings are not right when I talk to a local dairy farmer about how they don\u2019t want to say what they do for a living when they go out, about their kids getting bullied at school because their parents are farming\u2014it\u2019s not OK. When I talk to local sheep and beef farmers about their despair when contemplating their legislative fatigue, it\u2019s not OK. Why don\u2019t we talk about the 25,000 kilometres of waterways fenced off, the over 36,000 culverts or bridges over waterway crossings by the dairy industry alone, the hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on effluent systems per family farm, this country\u2019s 5,000th Queen Elizabeth the Second National Trust covenant that was registered in the Wairarapa in 2022, the community catchment groups, the millions of trees planted, or the 2.8 million hectares of woody vegetation that\u2019s already on our farmland? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000352\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225665380b-62fd-4d75-85e0-0ed801a402e0\u0022\u003EUnderstand that the rural community, despite all the rhetoric, are environmentalists. The relationship between the farming business, the family, and the environment is a reciprocal one. I acknowledge those efforts being made to protect and enhance the environment. The rural community has likely spent more on the environment than those that criticise them, those that flush the dunny without a thought about where it goes, in their plastic clothes, standing on their plastic carpet, that ignore their own impacts on the environment, and would rather point the finger. As Benjamin Franklin said, \u201CDon\u2019t throw stones at your neighbours, if your own windows are made of glass\u201D. We as primary producers may not always get it right, but we are certainly trying. My message is simple: if individually we don\u2019t all make the choices that will inevitably come with a price tag, collectively nothing will change. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000353\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225665380b-62fd-4d75-85e0-0ed801a402e0\u0022\u003EOur rural people are unique. They\u2019re the only sector that I know of that live in their business. They look out the window or walk out the door and it\u2019s there. Passion is what motivates the rural sector to do what they do, and it\u2019s the avalanche of previous rushed legislation that\u2019s eroding away the passion. That\u2019s not a great outcome. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000354\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225665380b-62fd-4d75-85e0-0ed801a402e0\u0022\u003EUnderstand that provincial New Zealand is interconnected. The rural or farming community is greater than what is traditionally articulated in the statistics. The mechanics, the stock agents, the accountants, the freezing workers, the truck drivers, the shearers, the loggers, and others are all part of the sector and contribute to the local economy. The rural-urban divide in provincial New Zealand is a myth. We know each other and we respect each other.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000355\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225665380b-62fd-4d75-85e0-0ed801a402e0\u0022\u003EThe message to the farming community and all those that contribute to it is that this Government supports you, this Government has your back, and you should be proud to be a part of the food and fibre sectors that earn 82 percent of this country\u2019s export income\u2014export income that pays the wages of our teachers, our nurses, and our policemen. Be proud of what you do and what you contribute to your communities, to your environment, and to the economy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000356\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225665380b-62fd-4d75-85e0-0ed801a402e0\u0022\u003EIn the opening speeches of this 54th Parliament, I listened to the other side of the House and heard about inequality and injustice, but, much to my dismay, not once did I hear anything\u2014not one word\u2014about education. Inequality needs to be addressed in our classrooms. Surely, education is the pathway out of poverty, a pathway to employment, to being independent rather than dependent, yet not one word\u2014not one. Our statistics are an indictment. Our most challenged communities have been failed; we can\u2019t even get our kids to school. Every day, every week, every month, is a day, a week, and a month that they\u2019re behind their peers and behind the rest of the world, and that\u2019s not OK.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000357\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225665380b-62fd-4d75-85e0-0ed801a402e0\u0022\u003EIn my community, one of our most challenged schools has initiated a programme on their own back that\u2019s had fantastic results. The improvement in attendance can only be described as stunningly successful. This is a local solution for a nationwide problem. That\u2019s what works: action, not rhetoric. We have students across New Zealand\u2019s most vulnerable communities where the pass rates for the most basic requirements are a national embarrassment. How can that be? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000358\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225665380b-62fd-4d75-85e0-0ed801a402e0\u0022\u003EAs Dame Joy Cowley said, \u201Cmy heart remains with young children who are struggling readers, the children for whom a book is a closed secret\u201D. I might add, and there\u2019s no pun intended, that the same applies for those children for whom numbers are also a mystery. What chance have we given them to compete not only in the workforce but also on the world stage? It\u2019s not their fault. I\u2019m not here to make a judgment; we have some amazing people in our education sector, but the facts are the facts, and they won\u2019t go away just because we choose to ignore them. This House has a collective responsibility to lift our ambitions and our aspirations for our children, to set the bar way higher than it is. They are our future, and we have been failing them. I would urge all of you across the House to stop rolling your eyes and gnashing your teeth and get in behind this Government\u2019s plan to reset the destination for our children. We need to get our kids to school, and we need to teach the basics, and we need to teach them brilliantly. That\u2019s the responsibility of our parents, our communities, and this place; otherwise, we\u2019re heading for failure.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000359\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225665380b-62fd-4d75-85e0-0ed801a402e0\u0022\u003EInequality also isn\u2019t fixed by penalising someone that\u2019s worked incredibly hard, taken numerous risks, lived on the smell of an oily rag, and then finally become successful. Hard work should always be recognised and, ultimately, rewarded. The dichotomy is that we are very good at celebrating sporting success; yet anyone that\u2019s even remotely successful, we want to chop off at the knees. We need to have a quantum shift in our attitudes and learn how to celebrate success. That success is our inspiration for us and our children.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000360\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225665380b-62fd-4d75-85e0-0ed801a402e0\u0022\u003EI would acknowledge our leader and Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Christopher Luxon, for your unwavering dedication to getting this country back on track. I would also thank all of my National Party colleagues and members for the support and help they have given me. I\u2019m thankful for the opportunity to be a part of the National Party family. The values are strong, and they\u2019re the values I embrace.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000361\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225665380b-62fd-4d75-85e0-0ed801a402e0\u0022\u003ELess government, not more. Our role is to solve problems, not create them; get the settings right, back up the bus, and leave people to get on with their lives. Personal responsibility: everyone has rights, but they also come with responsibility. Celebrating success, rewarding hard work: this country\u2019s been built on the backs off those that have sold, made, fixed, and grown stuff, and we need to remember that and to encourage ambition and celebrate success. I think about those past and present that have and do contribute, and I\u2019d make the point that we have a responsibility to be extremely focused on outcomes and fiscal discipline, as they have been and are in their own lives. We spend their money\u2014it\u2019s not Government money; it\u2019s theirs, and it needs to be respected. Success isn\u2019t defined by how much you spend; it\u2019s defined by the outcome you achieve. How could we have spent 80 percent more to achieve worse outcomes? If it ain\u2019t broke, don\u2019t fix it. Stop looking for a solution to a problem that doesn\u2019t exist or hasn\u2019t even been clearly defined. This Government will have goalposts, will have outcomes, so we can measure our progress. This Government\u2019s focus on these key fundamentals is welcomed and long overdue.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000362\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225665380b-62fd-4d75-85e0-0ed801a402e0\u0022\u003EStrong families and caring communities: in this electorate, I\u2019m astounded at the number of people that voluntarily contribute. A recent example of this was Shear4u, held in the Wairarapa. Four shearers put themselves through immense physical and mental stress over 32 hours, all for charity, with an army of volunteers and sponsors from our community. That collective effort defines, for me, everything that\u2019s special about provincial New Zealand and the Wairarapa electorate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000363\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225665380b-62fd-4d75-85e0-0ed801a402e0\u0022\u003EI acknowledge the army of people that helped with my campaigns, that share the same values as me. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Some of you are here in the gallery or watching online, and my pledge to you is to represent those values that you and the party have as best as I possibly can. I will also represent those values for all in my electorate, regardless of whether you voted for me or not. I look up at the gallery and I don\u2019t only see family and friends; I see a community\u2014a community of people that contribute, and I thank you for that; you, and all those others that also give are the foundation that our communities are built on. Without you, without all of you, we don\u2019t have a community.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000364\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225665380b-62fd-4d75-85e0-0ed801a402e0\u0022\u003EWhen my auntie told my late father, Gilby\u2014who was terminally ill, who was a people person, who would give his shirt off his back to others\u2014that I was standing for the Wairarapa seat, he cried. I think about that, about what that meant for him and to me, and that\u2019s the standard that I impose on myself. It\u2019s not about me; it\u2019s about people, about all of those in our community. That\u2019s what motivates me, and the minute it becomes about me, I\u2019m in the wrong job. It\u2019s a privilege and an honour to represent the Wairarapa electorate, and I do not take it lightly. Judge me by my intent, my compassion, and my deeds. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u0022a6d4fcba26794fc6beb43f197e055227\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000365\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a6d4fcba26794fc6beb43f197e055227\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: To make her maiden speech to Parliament, I call on Catherine Wedd. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022 data-id=\u0022718874f3d2624815905a95a29608e040\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000366\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022718874f3d2624815905a95a29608e040\u0022\u003ECATHERINE WEDD (National\u2014Tukituki):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker, and congratulations on your role. We first officially met when you visited Hawke\u2019s Bay just after Cyclone Gabrielle devastated our region, and your experience, compassion, and guidance was greatly appreciated.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000367\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229014b0de01e143ce9710eec32cbd9bd5\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you very much. It\u2019s kind of you to say.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000368\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022be18c4e39a184f47be130a5d30b50a19\u0022\u003ECATHERINE WEDD\u003C/span\u003E: We all know how hard it is to get a seat in this House. It\u2019s a privilege and honour to represent the electorate of Tukituki\u2014Hastings, Heretaunga, the fruit bowl of New Zealand, the heart of my electorate. I\u2019m proud to stand here as the first female National Party MP for Tukituki, and, wow, did we turn Tukituki blue\u2014a record majority of over 10,000; the biggest majority the seat has ever had. Thank you, Tukituki, and provincial New Zealand. You spoke for positive change and a Government which will reward success and be aspirational for all New Zealanders.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000369\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003EI want to congratulate our inspirational Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Christopher Luxon, and our amazing deputy leader, Nicola Willis, who I am proud to stand behind as they lead our team to get New Zealand back on track. To our party president, Sylvia Wood: thank you for your trust and confidence in me. I won\u2019t let you down. Thank you to my Tukituki campaign team: Jo Harvey, Bel, Ben, Kadin, Andrew, Dennis, Lisa, Ian, Trevor, and Rosie. It takes a team, and your commitment has been incredible. I would like to acknowledge our former Tukituki National MPs: Craig Foss, for his guidance, and Lawrence Yule, for backing and mentoring me all the way. We come to this House because we want to make a positive difference. I respect the privilege of being here, and I will make every moment count.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000370\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003EAs a former broadcast journalist, I\u2019ve always been a storyteller, telling others\u2019 stories. Now, this, my maiden speech, is a chance for me to tell you my story, outlining the chapters that have already been written and the chapters I am yet to write. I am Catherine Wedd; I was Catherine Loft. My father is Simon Loft, a farmer from \u014Chura, near Taumarunui, in the King Country. My mother was Joanna Tolhurst from Whanganui. My grandfather Bill Tolhurst was the National MP for Whanganui in 1969, and my grandmother Jeni Tolhurst also ran for Parliament in 1981. Grandma never got a seat in this House, but she was a woman before her time, when it wasn\u2019t common for women to be MPs, with just eight female MPs being elected that year. I know she would be so proud to see her granddaughter standing here now among 57 other female MPs in this 54th Parliament.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000371\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003EI share a simple quote from my grandfather\u2019s maiden speech: \u201CAction is better than words.\u201D I joined the National Party because I respect the value of rewarding hard work and getting things done. Enough of the ideology and the bureaucracy and the talk; it\u2019s time for more action. With politics in my blood, I\u2019ve wanted to be an MP since I was a little girl. When I was 10 years old, I buried a time capsule at our primary school and I wrote a letter to myself that I opened 10 years later. In that letter, I wrote that I wanted to be a lawyer, a broadcast radio journalist, and a politician\u2014perhaps the three most unpopular professions of this century! I\u2019m no crystal ball gazer, but that\u2019s what I did. I did law, I became a TV reporter for One News, and then the BBC in London, and now the political chapter begins. Personal responsibility, creating your own destiny, and limited government are the National Party values and why I\u2019m here\u2014having a goal and making it happen.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000372\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003EI am one of five children, and I want to acknowledge my siblings and their wives and husbands\u2014Jeremy, Matt and Julia, Rachel and Murray, and Georgie\u2014who have all supported my journey. My older brother, Jeremy, is intellectually disabled and has never been able to talk. We learnt sign language as kids and were always taught that we can overcome adversity. All my life, I have been protective of my brother, standing up for him when he was challenged at school, standing up for his rights to a normal life. I understand the challenges faced by families who also have loved ones challenged by a disability. But my brother is an absolute inspiration for our family. He\u2019s had successful jobs at trucking companies and is now working on a dairy farm. This is someone who has never been able to talk in his life, but he has never been held back by his disability, because we focus on his ability, self-responsibility, and independence. To my brother Jeremy, you make our family proud every day. Thank you to the amazing work of IHC and all the carers for the past 46 years. You have such an impact on the lives of so many families across New Zealand, including ours, and I will always be a strong advocate for those with disabilities.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000373\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003ETo my mother, Joanna, who trained as a teacher but never finished her training; instead, at 19, she had three children under three and put all her efforts into teaching us. My mother knows the power of education to create equality. Mum has been behind me all the way, never accepting mediocrity, encouraging me to go higher and higher. Living nearly an hour out of town along the Forgotten World Highway, down 10 kilometres of gravel road, education often isn\u2019t easy, but a parent\u2019s commitment can make a good education possible. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000374\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003ETo my farmer dad, I thank you for my softer side, my sense of humour, and my relentless optimism, and for teaching me that we should always treat others as we wish to be treated. I\u2019ve walked alongside you in my gumboots across the King Country hills. I know how hard Kiwi farmers work to make a living. Growing up a farmer\u2019s daughter, I was taught to work hard, spending my school holidays rouseying in the shearing sheds, docking lambs, and chipping thistles. I had a wonderful rural upbringing and never wanted for much. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000375\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003EBut life hasn\u2019t always been easy. I\u2019ve seen those closest to me struggle with alcohol and addiction. So many families in New Zealand struggle with addiction. It\u2019s destructive and dangerous, but admitting my mother to rehab was positively life changing for her and our family. I want to acknowledge the amazing work of the Salvation Army rehabilitation programmes, which have helped turn the lives of so many New Zealanders around. I\u2019m a strong supporter of community rehabilitation and programmes where we can support victims and offer more opportunity for people to make positive choices. Our communities get the best outcomes, not centralised bureaucracy. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000376\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003EThis is not the first time that I\u2019ve stood in this House. In 1997, I stood here as a Youth MP in my final year at school; and, after completing a law degree at Canterbury University and then becoming a TV reporter, I\u2019ve also stood up there, as a journalist. In front of the camera, I was telling the stories, holding the politicians to account. Now, on the other side, I want to acknowledge the media and the work you do to ensure the New Zealand public have transparency and accountability. Fair, balanced reporting is so important, and upholding the integrity and independence of our fourth estate must be a priority, and I will stand up always to ensure the lines of balance aren\u2019t blurred. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000377\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003EDuring my time as a journalist, I connected with thousands of people, whether it was the mum with a brain tumour who was appealing for funding for cancer drugs to give her more time with her little girl, the parents who lost their son in a drink-driving accident and who wanted more education to save lives, or the rape victim who wanted tougher sentencing and more support for victims. As a journalist, I had the power to influence as a storyteller. It inspired me to now become a story-maker, being part of a team creating the action for a positive narrative. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000378\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003EAs a strong debater at university and school, I\u2019m a big believer in free speech. If we aren\u2019t delivering strong arguments for the policies we believe in, we aren\u2019t doing our job. I respect that across this House we want the best outcomes, but we just have a different way of achieving them. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000379\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003EGrowing up in an extremely competitive family, I\u2019ve played competitive sports. Sports teams have shaped me and continue to play a large role in our family\u2019s life, but I believe that politics is the supreme team sport, where we must work as a team to achieve positive outcomes. I would like to congratulate my Hawke\u2019s Bay team-mate, Katie Nimon for Napier. We turned the Bay blue, and, as a team, I know we are going to do great things for Hawke\u2019s Bay. Across the House, I\u2019d also like to acknowledge Cushla Tangaere-Manuel, MP for Ikaroa-R\u0101whiti. I also look forward to our working together. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000380\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003EI arrived in Hawke\u2019s Bay 13 years ago. Living in London and working for the BBC, I met my Kiwi husband, Henry. We were Kiwis travelling the world before we moved back to the best place in the world\u2014Hawke\u2019s Bay\u2014where we settled down and had our four children. It\u2019s here I became heavily involved in the horticulture sector, head of marketing for one of our largest exporters, and sitting on the board of New Zealand Apples and Pears. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000381\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003ETukituki is the engine of horticulture in this country, and, in my roles, I\u2019ve been responsible for promoting our premium produce, adding value to the amazing produce we grow, and helping diversify the overseas markets we send our products to. Spending time in China\u2019s high-end supermarkets and walking the bustling wholesale markets of Vietnam, I\u2019ve seen firsthand the potential and opportunity for our New Zealand exports, seeing how an ordinary apple grown in the orchards of Hawke\u2019s Bay can be brought to life on the red carpets in Asia. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000382\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003EAs a small food-producing country, we need to be aspirational for our primary industries. At the bottom of the globe, we\u2019re never going to feed the world. We need to play to our competitive advantage, and that\u2019s growing the most premium produce in the world. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000383\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003EI\u2019m proud to be part of a National Government which will drive more productivity in this country by stopping the war inflicted on our farmers and growers. It\u2019s time to reduce the red tape, regulation, and compliance and get our economy going once again. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000384\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s time to make it easier for our farmers to farm, our growers to grow, and our exporters to export. This is the way to get ahead. But we can\u2019t grow our economy at the expense of the environment. After working for an organic grower and exporter, I know we can run profitable businesses while also enhancing our environment for future generations. We must protect \u201CNew Zealand Inc.\u201D and harness our pure green image so we maintain our competitive advantage on the global stage. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000385\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003EAfter Cyclone Gabrielle, we saw the powerful destruction of mother Nature and the importance of having resilient infrastructure. Our cyclone victims are still hurting, and I will continue to stand up for you as we work hard to build back better. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000386\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003EThere are several projects for Hawke\u2019s Bay that I support and will fight for and want to put on record in this House. The four-lane expressway between Hastings and Napier has to happen, a new Hawke\u2019s Bay hospital must be a priority, and water storage in Hawke\u2019s Bay is an absolute must. If we\u2019re going to continue to grow as a region, these three infrastructure projects are critical to Hawke\u2019s Bay\u2019s future. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000387\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003EAs a mother of four children, education is also an area I\u2019m really passionate about. It\u2019s the pathway to a job and a lifetime of success, but, currently, we are failing our vulnerable children. We need to move away from the bureaucracy and focus on what matters inside the classroom. I\u2019ve had a diverse education, going to both the lowest- and highest-decile schools, but, at the core of it all, I had amazing teachers who focused on literacy and maths and on teaching the basics brilliantly. We need to lift education in this country and get back to basics. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000388\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003ETukituki\u2014Hawke\u2019s Bay\u2014is the best place on earth to live, and we are so proud to call it our home. Although we have some rebuilding to do after the cyclone, Tukituki\u2019s best days are ahead. It\u2019s an honour to serve the people of Hastings, Flaxmere, Havelock North, Clive, Maraek\u0101kaho, Te Awhanga, Haumoana, Waim\u0101rama, Ongaonga, \u014Ct\u0101ne, and Tikokino. We have a diverse electorate, representing a diverse range of people. Ki a koutou ng\u0101 hap\u016B me ng\u0101 marae o Te Matau-a-M\u0101ui, kia ora, kia kaha, t\u0101tou. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000389\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003E[To you the hap\u016B and marae of Hawke\u2019s Bay, thanks, be strong.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000390\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003EI\u2019d like to acknowledge Ng\u0101ti Kahungunu. I look forward to working together and standing together to ensure our region, Te Matau-a-M\u0101ui, grows together. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000391\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003EI support a multicultural New Zealand. Our country is enriched by migration. With growing Hawke\u2019s Bay industries, immigration is so important, and I\u2019ve been a relentless supporter of the Recognised Seasonal Employment (RSE) scheme, which sees thousands of RSE workers from the Pacific Islands coming to our Hawke\u2019s Bay orchards every year\u2014labour shortages are filled, our economy grows, more jobs are created, and our Pacific neighbours are enriched as they return with money for their families and communities. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000392\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003EI\u2019d also like to acknowledge our Hawke\u2019s Bay - Hastings Sikh community for welcoming my family into yours. New Zealand is your home, and your dreams for a better life here should be supported and fulfilled. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000393\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003EAs I make my closing statement, I turn to my family. To my darling children\u2014Sophie, 13; Hugo, 11; Hannah, nine; and Charlie, six\u2014I apologise in advance for Mum not always being there, but I promise to be there when I can and to make sure that New Zealand is a country where all children can pursue their dreams. I love you all so much, and I am determined to make you proud. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000394\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003EBeing a working mum isn\u2019t always easy\u2014the time sacrifices we make can hurt\u2014but the positive difference we can make can also be great. Finding the balance is the art we must master as mums. I\u2019m proud to be representing the working mums of young children in this House. It is time to stand up for Kiwi parents, respect hard work, and help families to get ahead. I believe that families should be at the core of our policy decision-making. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000395\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003EFinally, my biggest thanks and my acknowledgment goes to my husband, Henry, who is my absolute rock. You are the reason I am here. Your commitment to our community is just as large as mine. Although you don\u2019t like the limelight, the work you do behind the scenes is immense. We are a strong team, and I wouldn\u2019t be standing here today without the sacrifices you have made. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000396\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003EWe love Tukituki. It\u2019s the best place on this earth to raise our family, and we are so proud to represent all families. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000397\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a00bf4f5-c63a-49a0-b0e1-d3b37311377b\u0022\u003EI will ensure I always back provincial New Zealand. I won\u2019t accept mediocrity. I\u2019m aspirational for our country of New Zealand, so now is the time to serve and get to work. Thank you. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u0022d2cf5ed0c32a4bc39fe1b1785f309aa1\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000398\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d2cf5ed0c32a4bc39fe1b1785f309aa1\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: To make a maiden speech to the House, I call on Tom Rutherford. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022 data-id=\u0022c8fac4ebab06436c8f9c513987d8c879\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000399\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c8fac4ebab06436c8f9c513987d8c879\u0022\u003ETOM RUTHERFORD (National\u2014Bay of Plenty):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I\u2014[Clears throat] Wow, what a way to start! As I stand to deliver my maiden speech, I\u2019m aware of the privilege that comes with serving in this House of Representatives as a new member of Parliament\u2014it won\u2019t last 15 minutes, I promise. I firstly want to acknowledge Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and the work he has done, and will continue to do, on behalf of all New Zealanders. On our first day here, as brand new National Party MPs, the Prime Minister reiterated to us that there have been more All Blacks than members of Parliament. Unlike many others, my dreams never revolved around becoming an All Black, despite currently being a rugby referee. Instead of aspiring to don the black jersey, my dreams were focused on serving my community and bringing about change. Standing here now, it appears that dream has become a reality.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000400\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003EThis place can often resemble a sports field, where various members compete, shout, and disagree\u2014with you, Mr. Speaker, serving as the referee. Yet it can also be a venue for common sense, teamwork, and positive change. Serving on this sports field, I am committed to working to secure significant victories for the Bay of Plenty and New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000401\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003EThere are two MPs in the House I would like to acknowledge. Firstly, Cameron Luxton, who ran as the ACT Party candidate in the Bay of Plenty and is now also an MP. Cam, I\u2019m looking forward to working alongside you so that our home can be the best place for people to live, work, and play. Secondly, my friend and colleague the MP for Tauranga, Sam Uffindell. Our wider Tauranga and Bay of Plenty community needs us, as the two local MPs, to have a strong working relationship. Thank you, Sam, for your ongoing support and friendship.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000402\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003EIn the process of crafting my maiden speech, I delved into the speeches of various current and previous members. I even went into the archives and found yours, Mr Speaker, which, in fact, was delivered one month after I was born. [Bell rings; laughter] Pause the clock\u2014pause the clock! I learnt that this speech needs to genuinely reflect who I am: what propels me, the journey that has brought me to this place, and my aspirations during my time here.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000403\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003EFirstly, I must thank the wonderful people of the Bay of Plenty electorate. Our electorate wraps round the city of Tauranga and is made up of the communities of Te Puna in the west; the Kaimai Ranges, \u014Cropi, and \u014Chauiti to the south; Welcome Bay, Maungatapu, Arataki, \u014Cmanu, Matapihi, Mount Maunganui; and, in the east, P\u0101p\u0101moa. I\u2019m proud to say I\u2019m Bay of Plenty born and raised. I have seen our region grow exponentially over the last 20 years. Gone are the days of the Bay of Plenty only being for newlyweds and nearly-deads, today we are a vibrant and diverse community. I am aware of my responsibility to represent the views and values of my constituents. The bay embodies the values that have contributed to making New Zealand the great nation that it is: equal citizenship and opportunity, individual freedom and choice, strong families and caring communities, personal responsibility, and recognition of the Treaty of Waitangi as the founding document of New Zealand. Thank you, Bay of Plenty, for taking a chance on a 26-year-old local who simply wants to serve the community he is immensely proud to call home. In the coming three years, and beyond, I\u2019m committed to working tirelessly for you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000404\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003EThe campaign trail was undeniably a journey, and one from which I gleaned invaluable insights. I was fortunate to have the support of an energetic and resilient team who worked tirelessly, contributing significantly to the successful outcome we achieved. Many of them are here today, and I want to acknowledge Mike Chapman, Mary Webster, Jim Miles, Sheryl and Bill Lauchlan, Sandie Ferguson, Bonnie Roger, Helen Allan, Robbie Hodgkinson, and our incredible campaign team and outstanding electorate executive. These people are not volunteers; they are family, and I would not be here without their unwavering commitment\u2014to me, as their local candidate, and to the National Party.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000405\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003EI\u2019d also like to acknowledge my predecessors, Todd Muller and Tony Ryall. There seems to be a commonality between the three most recent Bay of Plenty MPs, with our names being Tony, Todd, and now Tom. Thank you, both, for your commitment and service to our community. Tony Ryall played a pivotal role in my local campaign, serving as my unofficial mentor. Throughout the campaign, Tony would call me a couple of times a week, offering sage advice, which I knew I was so fortunate to receive. Thank you, Tony, your optimism and belief in me means a lot.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000406\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003EMy parents instilled in me the importance of working hard and ensuring that I always took responsibility for my actions. As a child, I struggled with anger and self-control issues, where I would often let my emotions get the better of me. Today, I can recognise the challenges and pressures that must have placed on my family, and I thank them for supporting me through that period of my life and helping me to grow into the caring, calm, and reflective person I am today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000407\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003EAt age 12, my parents separated. While that\u2019s not an experience I would wish on anyone, I look back and reflect on the learnings I took from that time in my life. I know what it\u2019s like to live on a week-about schedule, and I know what it\u2019s like to seek counselling to help relay how things have made you feel. This experience made me grow up. It showed me that whilst life can bring about so many challenges, it\u2019s your reaction to adversity, not adversity itself, that determines how your life\u2019s story will develop. At 18, on my first day as a new student here at Victoria University, I was punched and knocked out by an intoxicated stranger when I stood up for an older gentleman who was just trying to get his groceries home safely. This is my drive to serve in this place: to stand up for those who can\u2019t stand up for themselves, and to risk taking a few punches, if you will, to ensure those in my community can have a better life.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000408\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003EI would like to express my gratitude to my parents: my mum, Sharon, who has always put family first and given me my tenacity and strength; and my dad, Chris, whose calm and reflective characteristics I have acquired. I feel fortunate to also have two caring stepparents, and I extend my thanks to my stepdad, Glenn, and stepmum, Kathie, for accepting me as their son, thank you\u2014I promised I wouldn\u2019t cry, Ha, ha! My sister, Jade, who is here today, and my brother, Ben\u2014thank you both for putting up with me as the annoying younger brother.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000409\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003ETo my partner, Hannah, I want to thank you for always being in my corner. I distinctly recall mentioning on our first date together my goal to one day serve in this place, and now here we are\u2014probably a bit sooner than we both thought. Hannah, allowing a partner to enter the realm of Parliament is a selfless act, and I am fully aware of the challenges that lie ahead for us. I take comfort in the knowledge that our relationship is founded on trust, communication, and compassion. The most important vote I can ever win is yours, and I hope to earn it every single day. You\u2019re my best friend, and I love you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000410\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003EI graduated from Victoria University, where I studied public policy and political science. Following this, I spent four years working for the National Party, which gave me an incredible insight into the operations of the party and what characteristics are needed for someone to be a successful MP. I then spent 2\u00BD years working for the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, and then most recently I worked for Tania Tapsell, the Mayor of Rotorua. My local government experience has helped shape my perspective on local issues and the belief of local communities having a say on local decisions. Outside of work, I\u2019m proud to have been a volunteer firefighter with the Mount Maunganui Fire Station and to have firsthand experience in attempting to keep people alive. In New Zealand, we have around 1,700 career firefighters and nearly 12,000 volunteers. Volunteer firefighters represent 86 percent of the front-line workforce and they respond to 70 percent of all vehicle accidents, 71 percent of medical call outs and 85 percent of vegetation fires. I want to put on record my thanks to all those firefighters who each day make a personal sacrifice to help keep their communities safe.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000411\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003EI\u2019m also a proud member of the Greerton Cricket Club, a New Zealand hockey umpire, and Bay of Plenty rugby referee. My refereeing has taught me a lot about dealing with conflict, remaining calm under pressure, and having a thick skin. I\u2019m often the smallest person on the field, but that doesn\u2019t stop me from stepping in when I am needed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000412\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003EI am one of three new MPs from Generation Z\u2014the first time this generation has ever had representation in Parliament\u2014and I am proud to be the youngest MP in the National Party. The messages and conversations I\u2019ve had with people, especially in the aftermath of the election, where they\u2019ve expressed sentiments like, \u201CWe knew this would happen.\u201D or \u201CWe\u2019re delighted to see you representing our community.\u201D have been remarkably humbling. While I always maintained a belief in myself that I could bring about change, I never anticipated that this opportunity would materialise at 26 years old. I acknowledge that, unlike many of my colleagues in this place, I don\u2019t have the working career experience of someone who is 36, 56, or 76 years old, but I have done my best to build my experience to ensure I can function as the best MP possible.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000413\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003EHaving been born in the late 1990s means I have lived predominantly most of my life in the social media era. I have, in my early time here, been assisting some of my more technologically challenged colleagues with helping them understand what their Apple ID is and how to turn off the keyboard haptics so I don\u2019t have to listen to every word they are typing in their messages. It also means that, having grown up in the social media era, I have learnt the challenges that come with today\u2019s technology. Mistakes and errors of judgment today are far more permanent, and I, for one, have certainly experienced this. I\u2019m not perfect, but I am learning.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000414\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003EThroughout the election campaign, I spoke on the four big local issues that most of the community had been raising with me. I called them the four Cs: cost of living, crime, congestion, and council. I gave my word then and I give my word now that every day I serve in this place I will turn my mind to helping to resolve our local Bay of Plenty issues. Our local community is presently facing some significant challenges. From the year 2000, our population has surged by 72 percent, far surpassing the nationwide average of 38 percent. In the same period, our GDP saw a remarkable increase of 142 percent, compared to the national average of 82 percent. Despite this large influx in growth, our community has not been adequately prepared or planned. For example, our infrastructure lags 25 years behind where it should be and to meet housing demand, it is estimated that over the next 30 years, our Western Bay of Plenty subregion will require 40,000 new homes. On top of this, we have the least affordable rental market in New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000415\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003EI also cannot stress enough how important the upgrade of State Highway 29 over the Kaimai Ranges is for our community. This transformation of a current bottleneck into a road of national significance has the potential to unlock opportunities for building 20,000 new homes. It will also create a more efficient and resilient freight route connecting Tauranga with the Waikato and Auckland. I am proud to be a part of a National-led Government that wants to see a transport system that boosts productivity and economic growth and allows New Zealanders to get to where they want to go, safer and faster.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000416\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003EI am also excited about the prospect of a regional deal that will significantly benefit the Bay of Plenty. The transformation of the relationship between central and local government, facilitated by a long-term partnership agreement known as a regional deal, opens the door to establishing enduring pipelines of regional projects. Such a deal would foster shared strategic objectives collaboratively developed to reflect the unique characteristics of our region. Importantly, it would secure long-term funding commitments and provide the certainty needed for an effective planning approach. The Bay of Plenty is the gateway for trade from New Zealand to the world, with the country\u2019s largest seaport, horticulture production, and links to the primary production heartland. We are one of the fastest-growing regions, with a vibrant developing culture.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000417\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003EA regional deal holds the potential to drive economic growth. It would establish a well-defined programme of infrastructure and offer opportunities to leverage outcomes for increased funding. Our community is ideally positioned to execute a regional deal, and I am committed to working diligently to get one across the line.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000418\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003EI believe successful politicians actively listen, engage in reflective thinking, and delve into extensive reading. They should also\u2014always\u2014be prepared and willing to change their minds. My dad regularly tells me that none of us have a mortgage on being right, and having an occasional serving of humble pie isn\u2019t necessarily a bad thing. I plan to always listen, engage, and reflect during my time in Parliament. Public service is about serving all the people, including those who may not have voted for you. I will work tirelessly to repay the confidence that has been shown in me by my party, by my leader, and by my local community.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000419\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003EWhen the time comes to deliver my valedictory statement, my aspiration is to reflect on a legacy where I contributed more than I criticised. I aim to affirm that I consistently chose courage over comfort, remaining steadfast in my commitment to serve. My intention is to build on the efforts of my predecessors and ensure I play my part in creating an even better New Zealand. The great use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it, and I intend to do just that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u0022c164ff1b68ae4a778af1d4f96caa5bf2\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000420\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c164ff1b68ae4a778af1d4f96caa5bf2\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: To make a maiden statement to the House, I call on Grant McCallum. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022 data-id=\u002208df81be91a64f13aa1276dbf4f80cf3\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000421\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002208df81be91a64f13aa1276dbf4f80cf3\u0022\u003EGRANT McCALLUM (National\u2014Northland):\u003C/span\u003E E ng\u0101 mana, e ng\u0101 reo, e rau rangatira m\u0101, t\u0113nei te mihi mahana ki a koutou katoa. I wh\u0101nau mai au ki Kaipara. Ko Mangat\u016Broto t\u014Dku w\u0101 k\u0101inga. I ng\u0101 p\u016Bkete whenua e p\u0101mu noa ana ahau. Ko \u201CGrant McNational\u201D ahau. Tino h\u016Bm\u0101rie ko ahau te mema P\u0101remata m\u014D te Tai Tokerau. N\u014D reira t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 t\u0101tou katoa. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000422\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003E[To the esteemed ones, the representatives, the many leaders, this is my warmest greeting to all of you. I was born in Kaipara. Mangat\u016Broto is my home. In the land records, I was farming. I am \u201CGrant McNational\u201D. I am very humbled to be the member of Parliament for Northland. And so my thanks and greetings to all of you.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000423\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EMr Speaker, congratulations on your election as Speaker. While I know you will do an outstanding job, I have one concern\u2014namely, given your deep Canterbury roots, you are known to have one red eye and one black eye. I hope you won\u2019t hold the fact I have two blue eyes against me. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000424\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EIt is an honour and a privilege to have been selected by the members of the Northland electorate of the National Party to be their representative, and then to have been elected by the people of Northland to represent them in Parliament. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000425\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EIt has been quite a journey to get here. While it is always fraught to thank people for fear of missing some out, I feel it is important to acknowledge those who have helped: my electorate chair, Iain Huddlestone, and his wife, Janet; my campaign chair, Colin Rowse; my campaign consultants, Michael Little and Dylan Parshotam; my long-serving secretary, Lynn Pooley; my treasurer, Nigel Wooding; the amazing Sally Macauley; and, in the Hon John Carter, I could not have a better mentor, although I will leave the joke-telling to him.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000426\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EI\u2019d like to acknowledge the great work of our leader, and now Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Christopher Luxon, and the campaign team headed up by president Sylvia Wood. Finally, a big thankyou to all the volunteers across Northland who have helped. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000427\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EI\u2019d like to recognise all the other MPs in Northland: the Hon Shane Jones from New Zealand First; the Hon Willow-Jean Prime from Labour; Act MP and fellow dairy farmer Mark Cameron; H\u016Bhana Lyndon of the Green Party; Mariameno Kapa-Kingi from Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori; and the Hon Kelvin Davis, who has served Te Tai Tokerau for many years and will shortly be delivering his valedictory speech. A special recognition to former MP for Northland the Rt Hon Winston Peters, who first campaigned for the seat of Northern Maori in 1975. Finally, I would like to thank New Zealand\u2019s first female Prime Minister, Dame Jenny Shipley, and her husband, Burton, for their advice and support.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000428\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EI am a farmer\u2014a farmer who is proud of the contribution our sector has made to New Zealand. Farming is in the blood on both sides of my family. My mum\u2019s family, the Whites, arrived in the early 1900s, first settling in Hawke\u2019s Bay. After experiencing a few droughts, they put in for a ballot farm near Tokirima, west of Taumarunui in the King Country, and were successful. So Richard and Mary White moved there in 1906, and Te Moata Station was born.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000429\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EThis steep, unforgiving country was a real challenge to break in, and it is a real testament to the pioneering families that they stuck at it. My grandfather Lewis White married Aileen Wells, a journalist from New Plymouth who had secured a scholarship to Canterbury University where she graduated with a Master of Arts\u2014quite an achievement for a woman in the early 1930s. Lewis and Aileen had three daughters: Pam, Elizabeth, and Lois. Pam is my mum. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000430\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EMum loved growing up on the family farm. Unfortunately, at the age of six, she had to go and live with her auntie Jessie Grant in Turakina so she could attend primary school. She did this for two years as there was no school bus. This changed after Aileen negotiated with the education department in New Plymouth to have a school bus service provided. Clearly, sub-standard services in rural communities were as much a challenge then as now. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000431\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EIn 1960, tragedy stuck. Grandfather Lewis White was killed by a falling tree. So I never had the chance to meet him, but I do carry Lewis as my middle name with pride. Sadly, tragedy in farming families was not unusual, and it highlights the sacrifices some families made in trying to build their businesses and contribute to the prosperity of New Zealand. I would like to acknowledge all the descendants of the White family who have come today, some wearing kilts.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000432\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EMy dad, Ron McCallum, and his family hailed from Goodwood, Otago: a settlement halfway between Palmerston and Waikouaiti\u2014or \u201CWhack-a-wight\u201D, as the locals refer to it\u2014where the local primary school was called Flag Swamp. Dad often brags of attending Flag Swamp primary and tells great stories of his teacher, Mr Brown\u2014an out and out Labour supporter who used to enjoy nothing more than strapping those Tory farming kids. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000433\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EIt is the McCallum family that carries the strong National Party connection. Great-grandfather Frank was involved when the party was created in 1936, and grandfather Duncan and his brother Charlie were also heavily involved. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000434\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EThen there was Dad. Many of us have political heroes like Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Maggie Thatcher, and Barack Obama. Well, I have a political hero: my dad. You see, Dad was a well-respected activist in the northern region. When Dr the Rt Hon Sir Lockwood Smith became the National Party candidate for Kaipara in 1983, Dad took over as electorate chair\u2014a role he held until 1996, when he became chair of the Whang\u0101rei seat, held by the Hon John Banks. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000435\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EThe Kaipara electorate in 1983 had 36 branches, and Dad and Lockwood went to all the AGMs. Dad would often joke that if Lockwood lost his voice during a meeting, he could stand up and carry on giving his speech. Thirty-six makes my 10 branches in the much larger electorate of Northland seem a part-time job. That symbolised the level of commitment Dad gave to the National Party and democracy in New Zealand. I salute all the volunteers who, like Dad, work hard for the cause they believe in. I thank you all.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000436\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003ESo, to my own political journey and my strong desire to serve my local community, not surprisingly it started when I joined as a Young Nat at 18 years old. In 1985, I attended Lincoln College to study a Bachelor of Commerce in Agriculture. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000437\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EOne of the dominant issues of 1985 was the Homosexual Law Reform Bill. During this debate, I was door-knocking one evening in the Selwyn electorate for the Hon Ruth Richardson. One door was opened by a youngish guy who invited me in. He introduced me to his flatmate. It was immediately obvious to me that they were a same-sex couple. They encouraged me to ask Ruth to support the law change. As I was listening to them, I was thinking that under the law of the day, they could be in jail. Why? Why should two adults who clearly loved each other and weren\u2019t harming anyone else be punished for it? The lesson for me out of this experience was that it is up to leaders to see through the current noise and do what is best for the country\u2014and, in particular, minority communities\u2014in the long term. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000438\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003ESaying these things is easy; doing it when you are swimming against the tide of popular opinion is more difficult. Not long after that visit, I attended the Selwyn electorate AGM, where I helped to move a motion supporting the Homosexual Law Reform Bill. Disappointingly, it lost. In 2005, after many years of activism, I was elected to the board of the National Party; a position I held until 2015, when I retired. In Northland, my main role was chairing every campaign since 2002, with the win in 2017 being a real highlight.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000439\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EThe 2017 election was a tough time to be a farmer. Farmers became the punching bags of the campaign. We were threatened with a water tax, blamed for all the water-quality issues in New Zealand, and were continuously used as a pincushion by the left. Farmers\u2019 concerns were so strong that it led to me organising a protest in Morrinsville with the help of Lloyd Downing, who did a great job of fronting it. I know you\u2019re here somewhere. The stress and worry that flowed through the rural community at that time reminded me of the mid 1980s, when Rogernomics was in full swing, the share market was booming, and agriculture was being called a sunset industry.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000440\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EAll of these experiences have taught me that while change is inevitable, it is the job of leaders to take people with them during periods of change and to help cushion the effects on society. The other aspect that was highlighted by these experiences was the need to reach cross-parliamentary consensus on long-term issues like water quality. As farmers, all we ask for is a clear direction of travel that is achievable while maintaining a profitable business. Having the pendulum swing wildly every time there is a change of Government is not good for anyone, and it is certainly not good for the environment.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000441\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EIn 1998, the Hon Simon Upton and the Hon Nick Smith formed the Bluegreens. I joined in 1999 and have been an executive member ever since. The Bluegreens is an excellent forum for debating some very challenging environmental issues. It is a forum where all sides of the political and environmental spectrum can meet. Organisations as diverse as Greenpeace, Federated Farmers, Environmental Defence Society, DairyNZ, Forest and Bird, and Beef \u002B Lamb are regular attendees at our annual forum. It was there that I met long time Greenpeace campaigner Steve Abel, who now sits opposite me in the House as a first-term Green MP. We have had many discussions about the way forward for farming and the environment, and I look forward, between jousting in the House, to having many more. It is respectful relationships like this that need to chart a way forward as we work through long-term environmental issues. One final point on the environment: solutions to environmental challenges lie with Parliament and New Zealand as a whole. No single political party or organisation owns the environment; we all do.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000442\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003ESo what is my vision for the primary sector, a sector that has consistently been the mainstay of the New Zealand economy? As I\u2019ve highlighted, we are used to challenges. We are innovative and collaborative. Farmers love sharing their knowledge; we all know how tough and lonely it can be. Right now, we have another challenge: climate change. Some see this as too tough and as a pointless battle; I see it as an opportunity\u2014an opportunity to help the world reduce global emissions and increase the value of our exports. Let\u2019s back ourselves and our amazing scientists to find solutions. Then, we can add real value to our produce and help secure a future for the next generations, both financially and environmentally.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000443\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EAnd so, to the amazing electorate of Northland, the electorate that is miles above the rest, and my 2040 vision for it: if ever there is a region that has untapped potential, it is Northland. We are located next to the biggest city in the country, and we have a great coastline and beaches. We are blessed with quality soils that can grow a large range of crops. We have one of the highest percentages of young people under 15 in the country, yet we are struggling economically and socially, and have done for a long time. The single biggest factor holding us back is connectivity and, in particular, the quality of our roading infrastructure. It is best summed up by the state of the Brynderwyns and the Mangamukas.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000444\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EThe Mangamukas have been closed since August 2022 and are expected to be closed for the rest of 2024. The Brynderwyns were shut for 58 days after the wet weather last summer and are going to be shut for at least another nine weeks to do some urgent repairs, just to try and stop a catastrophic failure this winter. That is two parts of State Highway 1 shut at the same time. Northlanders have had enough. It is time to stop politicising Northland\u2019s roads. It is time all the members of this House release the handbrake on Northland\u2019s prosperity and back the four-lane highway. It is a vital part of lifting families out of poverty, by enabling businesses to invest, creating jobs and opportunities across a range of sectors, and breathing new life into Northland. Northland will not prosper by increasing the size of the welfare cheque.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000445\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EThe next part of my 2040 vision is highlighted by two towns. Northland is a community of small communities\u2014towns like Kait\u0101ia, Mangonui, Kawakawa, Dargaville, Maungaturoto, and Mangawhai to name a few. The two towns I wish to focus on are Kerikeri and Kaikohe. They are 30 minutes apart but, in some cases, a world apart. They symbolise the challenges and opportunities in Northland. They need each other. This is not an \u201Ceither/or\u201D story; it\u2019s an \u201Cand/and\u201D one. In 1953, Kaikohe was the hub of the North, where Queen Elizabeth stayed during her tour of New Zealand. Kerikeri was a smaller village to the east. So what changed? Water. That\u2019s what changed. In the 1970s and 1980s, two dams were built to irrigate the fertile land around Kerikeri. The results are obvious: economic growth, resulting in jobs, in a town that now has a population of 8,500 and is still growing. It has become a significant economic driver for Northland. I am pleased to see that, in the Kaikohe area, we now have one dam that has been built and another being built at Waimate North. There is also the Ng\u0101wh\u0101 Geothermal Power Station, the first carbon-neutral plant in New Zealand, and the Ng\u0101wh\u0101 Innovation and Enterprise Park.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000446\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EThe other aspect of these two towns is the cultural difference. This is best summed up by the rolls of the two high schools. Northland College, in Kaikohe, has a roll that is 98 percent M\u0101ori, whereas Kerikeri High School is 38 percent M\u0101ori. So how do we help create a greater understanding and connection between these two communities? The answer is education. Through education, we can teach the history of our cultures and what all our ancestors have contributed to New Zealand. For example, the settlers developed world-leading pastoral farming practices and were encouraged to do so by Chief Hongi Hika, who, after visiting England, asked the settlers to teach the farming techniques to M\u0101ori. This led to what was, effectively, New Zealand\u2019s first demonstration farm at the Waimate North mission station.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000447\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EWe also need to celebrate our M\u0101ori culture, which is uniquely New Zealand. Central to M\u0101ori culture is te reo. Wouldn\u2019t it be great if, in 2040, we are starting to be seen as a bilingual society, as our younger generations embrace te reo? Through language and leadership, we help create understanding. In Northland, the other significant contributor towards creating a united and thriving community would be a Ng\u0101puhi settlement. I stand ready to help and engage however I can to help achieve this. So my vision is clear: by 2040, a four-lane highway to Northland; a society where we celebrate and respect all our cultures; and a Treaty settlement for Ng\u0101puhi. And then we can celebrate together the 200th anniversary of the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi as a united region and a united country.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000448\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EFinally, to Mum and Dad, who are watching at home: thank you for being great parents and for your love and support. To my sister, Sandra, and my brother, Murray, I want to say thank you also for your love and support on this never-ending journey. To my children, Eve and Jeremy: I am incredibly proud of you, as is your amazing mother, Kate, who has done an outstanding job of being your mum. I love you both dearly and could not have become the Northland MP without your support. The family hug we had in the Kaikohe hall when the results of the nomination contest were announced is a memory I will always cherish. N\u014D reira, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 t\u0101tou katoa.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u002287a750e4918941cb8d9d322c28b66eea\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000449\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002287a750e4918941cb8d9d322c28b66eea\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: All right. I\u2019ll ask members to resume their seats and the gallery to be quiet for the moment. To make her maiden statement to the House, I call on Nancy Lu.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00224d4dae97-e385-42a3-9791-5440c8cc9b3c\u0022 data-id=\u0022619cf817224148f1be9c7cffeed668a4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000450\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d4dae97-e385-42a3-9791-5440c8cc9b3c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022619cf817224148f1be9c7cffeed668a4\u0022\u003ENANCY LU (National):\u003C/span\u003E Mr Speaker, congratulations to you and I thank you for your contribution and your leadership as our Speaker. I stand here before you today with a deep sense of honour and responsibility as a newly elected member of Parliament for New Zealand. Serving our great nation is both a privilege and a solemn duty, and I am committed to making a positive impact during my tenure. Being part of the National-led Government under the leadership of the Rt Hon Christopher Luxon is very significant to me. I am grateful for the trust that voters have placed in our team, and I am dedicated to delivering real changes in New Zealand to bring our country back on track.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000451\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d4dae97-e385-42a3-9791-5440c8cc9b3c\u0022\u003EWhile it is impossible to individually acknowledge everyone, I wish to express my gratitude to the National Party leadership team, board members, MPs, members and volunteers, Young Nats and candidates, regional chairs and special interest groups chairs, and, most importantly, my campaign team for giving me your unwavering support and belief. I ask for your continued guidance and support as I strive to be a true and humble National Party member.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000452\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d4dae97-e385-42a3-9791-5440c8cc9b3c\u0022\u003EI am also deeply thankful to those people who took the time to engage in meaningful conversations with me during the campaign. I extend a warm welcome to all my family, friends, and supporters who have joined us today, both in person and online, from across the country. To all of you sitting in this Chamber today who have travelled from all parts of the country to offer your support and witness this moment, I am deeply appreciative. For most of you, this marks your first visit to your Parliament, and I emphasise the words \u201Cyour Parliament\u201D because discussions in this Chamber shape decisions and these decisions will have a direct impact on your lives. So thank you for voting in our democracy and thank you for entrusting me to represent you in your Parliament. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000453\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d4dae97-e385-42a3-9791-5440c8cc9b3c\u0022\u003EI want to say a big thankyou to all my schools, teachers, and principals who have played a vital role in shaping the person I am today. From Avondale Primary to Pakuranga Intermediate, Macleans College, University of Auckland, and, finally, Harvard University, I have been privileged to receive an education that instilled in me the values of authenticity and compassion.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000454\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d4dae97-e385-42a3-9791-5440c8cc9b3c\u0022\u003EFinally, I take this opportunity to sincerely say thank you\u2014\u8C22\u8C22\u4F60\u4EEC\u2014to all Chinese Kiwis in New Zealand. \u611F\u8C22\u6BCF\u4E00\u4F4D\uFF0C\u611F\u8C22\u6BCF\u4E00\u4F4D\u65B0\u897F\u5170\u534E\u4EBA\u4E3A\u65B0\u897F\u5170\u7684\u6587\u5316\u548C\u5386\u53F2\u6240\u505A\u51FA\u7684\u8D21\u732E\u3002\u591A\u8C22\u5927\u5BB6\u7684\u652F\u6301\u540C\u52AA\u529B\u3002\u6211\u4EEC\u4E00\u5B9A\u4F1A\u8BA9\u65B0\u897F\u5170\u91CD\u56DE\u6B63\u8F68\u3002\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000455\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d4dae97-e385-42a3-9791-5440c8cc9b3c\u0022\u003E[Applause] This is eating into my time! \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000456\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d4dae97-e385-42a3-9791-5440c8cc9b3c\u0022\u003EOur nation\u2019s history is woven in with the contributions of Chinese Kiwis who have and will continue to play a vital role in shaping the modern New Zealand we cherish today. From the Otago gold rush days to when Chinese miners ventured into New Zealand in pursuit of opportunities; to early Chinese migrants contributing to various sectors of our economy, such as vegetable growers and dairy product exporters; to Chinese entrepreneurs who established small, medium, and large businesses that drive innovation and create jobs; to bilateral traders, international students, skilled migrants, investors, families and children, the list goes on. The impact of Chinese Kiwis extends far beyond our numbers. The presence of Chinese Kiwis fosters cross-cultural exchanges, opening minds and broadening horizons for all New Zealanders. The hard work and determination of Chinese Kiwis have contributed to our economy and made New Zealand a more prosperous and dynamic nation. Our society thrives on the rich and beautiful cultures that call this land home. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000457\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d4dae97-e385-42a3-9791-5440c8cc9b3c\u0022\u003EAs I embark on this journey, I take this opportunity to share my personal story, my time capsule, a narrative that has shaped my values, beliefs, and my deep commitment to serve our country. My journey in New Zealand began in 1997 when my family chose this beautiful country as our home. There were very few Chinese migrants in the 1990s. I still vividly recall my first day of school at Avondale Primary, where I was one of only three Asian children. My classmates were very curious about my Chinese look and my very poor English, but I quickly became known as \u201Cthe little magician\u201D for my ability to use little wooden sticks to pick food up\u2014now commonly known as chopsticks. [Applause] \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000458\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f61362b8a7f34e4880d7fa57a9053e6f\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Hang on. Excuse me, Nancy, can I just ask the gallery to hold the applause until the end. We have to work to a time and while you\u2019re applauding, Nancy\u2019s losing time. So if you wouldn\u2019t mind\u2014we all think it\u2019s a wonderful speech, we\u2019re very happy, but we\u2019ll all go mad at the end, OK?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000459\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d4dae97-e385-42a3-9791-5440c8cc9b3c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f837683b415344158b7da4ea47c2d05c\u0022\u003ENANCY LU\u003C/span\u003E: Little did I know then these small moments would lay the foundation for my unique opportunity and skills in connecting two worlds, bridging cultures, and fostering understanding. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000460\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d4dae97-e385-42a3-9791-5440c8cc9b3c\u0022\u003EI take the opportunity now to express my heartfelt gratitude to my parents for making the decision to call New Zealand home. New Zealand, as our Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, aptly put it, is the best country on planet Earth. My parents, former engineers in their rising career in China, consciously chose to migrate to New Zealand to give their only child, me, the opportunity of knowledge to navigate through differences, find similarities, and bring people together to work on common goals. So thank you, Mum and Dad. I wanted to say I am deliberately wearing my blue jacket again because it\u2019s my mum\u2019s jacket.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000461\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d4dae97-e385-42a3-9791-5440c8cc9b3c\u0022\u003EI am also immensely grateful to mentors, managers, colleagues, and staff that I had the privilege to work with in my pre-politics career. Each of you has left a lasting impact on me, collectively making me a better person. My journey through various roles and responsibilities has been a tremendous source of my learning and growth. At the age of 15, I delivered newspapers in Botany as my first ever paid job\u2014rain or shine, I delivered, pun intended\u2014a job that taught me the values of commitment and responsibility. Since then, I worked as a checkout operator at Pak \u2018N Save and McDonald\u2019s\u2014and, by the way, McDonald\u2019s seems to be a good training ground for some of us\u2014where I served customers. Although the work was repetitive and sometimes boring, these roles taught me the importance of teamwork and optimal processes. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000462\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d4dae97-e385-42a3-9791-5440c8cc9b3c\u0022\u003EDuring my university years and my involvement in AIESEC, the world\u2019s largest student-run organisation, I gained useful problem-solving and leadership skills, and a global mind-set. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000463\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d4dae97-e385-42a3-9791-5440c8cc9b3c\u0022\u003EAt 19, I embarked on a journey to travel to Ukraine to teach English for three months\u2014an experience that exposed me to profound culture shock but also highlighted humanity\u2019s innate desire to learn and to give back. While studying my undergrad, my employment at ASB Botany underscored the significance of financial literacy and personal financial responsibility. My experiences at Fonterra in Auckland and also in Beijing when I was 20 showed me the substantial impact that the largest company in New Zealand can have on our nation and its people. It also showcased the immense corporate social responsibility that comes with such a position. Working at Ernst \u0026amp; Young at 22 taught me a comprehensive understanding of New Zealand\u2019s tax system and the IRD\u2019s crucial role and responsibility to all Kiwis. My time at PricewaterhouseCoopers at 24, when I officially became a chartered accountant, delved deep into the world of audit, revealing the profound significance of scrutiny, integrity, teamwork, and organisational skills. Joining COSCO Shipping at 28 as a finance manager provided me insights into New Zealand\u2019s place in international trade and our global positioning.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000464\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d4dae97-e385-42a3-9791-5440c8cc9b3c\u0022\u003EAt the age of 33, however, a significant personal failure shook me to my core. After realising I was unsuccessful to become a MP on election night in 2020, I held my 10-month-old baby girl, Amber, in my arms\u2014I felt I had let her down. My dedication to public service originates from a deep sense of duty to improve New Zealand for both our current generation and the many generations to come, and yet I know I failed badly. I also know that I\u2019d let down volunteers, members, and voters. After some time of self-reflection and going back to my drawing board, I was determined to find opportunities to grow through working and studying and to do better services for our community. So, later, during my time in Auckland Council as a financial strategist, I worked closely and directly on the fundamentals of affordable and sustainable public service.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000465\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d4dae97-e385-42a3-9791-5440c8cc9b3c\u0022\u003EAs I applied for options to study while working, to my joy and to my surprise, I was accepted by the Harvard Kennedy School of Government to study for my Master\u2019s degree in public administration. My time at Harvard, at 35, was particularly transformative. I learnt a deeper understanding of public leadership and gained many useful tools for public service, further solidifying my commitment to the betterment of our society.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000466\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d4dae97-e385-42a3-9791-5440c8cc9b3c\u0022\u003EMy journey at Harvard was full of learning but also of guilt. I had to leave my family and my two young children in New Zealand. Amber was 2\u00BD and Harper was 7 months. I am for ever grateful to my husband, Keven, and my family for their unconditional support and encouragement to go do what\u2019s best for me. So, to my daughters, Amber and Harper, you didn\u2019t choose to have a mum that will be absent from more than half of your daily lives, but I promise you that I will be present in every way that I can and to make sure I contribute to growing life with you and learn from you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000467\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d4dae97-e385-42a3-9791-5440c8cc9b3c\u0022\u003EThe various roles that I had gifted me the invaluable lessons and experiences that shaped who I am today: appreciative, humble, hungry for knowledge, and, above all, recognising that it\u2019s people who make the world go round. So I\u2019m holding humility close to my heart, always striving to be a human above all else. I promise to work collaboratively and ensure that our collective work efforts serve the best interests of New Zealand and its people.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000468\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d4dae97-e385-42a3-9791-5440c8cc9b3c\u0022\u003ENow that you have a glimpse into my life before politics, I hope my personal story is a testament to the power of opportunity, diversity, and the collective wisdom of those who have guided me along the way. I am here to serve, to connect, and to be a bridge between our diverse communities. I am a proud New Zealander. I am one voice of millions of New Zealanders. I am also a voice of millions of Kiwi women and Kiwi mums. I am also a voice of many, many Chinese Kiwis. But to be a voice that can represent in this House, I need to first listen. I have an instinct to connect with people, and I firmly believe in the power of active listening, regardless of their backgrounds or circumstances.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000469\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d4dae97-e385-42a3-9791-5440c8cc9b3c\u0022\u003EDuring my campaign, I knocked on doors in neighbourhoods across New Zealand, meeting hard-working families from diverse backgrounds. I knocked on doors of homes and shops in Auckland suburbs like Panmure-\u014Ct\u0101huhu, Mount Albert, Te Atat\u016B, North Shore, Botany, Pakuranga, and Port Waikato. I also knocked on doors in Hamilton, Cambridge, Rotorua, Remutaka, Wellington City, and Christchurch. I met everyday New Zealanders, and I strongly believe that it is our responsibility altogether to listen to their needs and understand their hopes for New Zealand. Our Parliament should reflect the rich tapestry of our society, and I\u2019m deeply committed to advocating for those who differ from me, ensuring that their voices are not just heard but that their rights are protected and their future is improved. So I promise the debates I will have in this House are not just about today but also about shaping tomorrow for all of us and for our future generations. I am eager to work collaboratively with my fellow MPs, across party lines, to turn these passions into actionable policies that will benefit every New Zealander.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000470\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d4dae97-e385-42a3-9791-5440c8cc9b3c\u0022\u003EI\u2019m deeply passionate about three areas that I believe are crucial for the wellbeing and future prosperity of our nation. First and foremost, I need to emphasise the paramount importance of our economy and finances. Our economic stability forms the very foundation and backbone of the quality of daily lives. It is not merely numbers on spreadsheets but it is the lifeline that sustains our communities, ensures access to healthcare, education, infrastructure, and ultimately shapes the future of our country. So I am determined to champion financial responsibility and accountability, drawing on my background in financial and auditing experiences and making sure that our economic policies benefit every New Zealander.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000471\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d4dae97-e385-42a3-9791-5440c8cc9b3c\u0022\u003EMy second passion is to enhance the quality in education of our tamariki, because my personal journey has shown me the transformative power of a strong educational foundation. I firmly believe that the access to consistent and high-quality education is key to unlocking life-changing opportunities. So, as a result, I am dedicated to ensuring every New Zealand child receives a strong educational foundation that empowers them to compete effectively in the modern world.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000472\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d4dae97-e385-42a3-9791-5440c8cc9b3c\u0022\u003ELastly, I want to underscore the importance of upholding and enhancing New Zealand\u2019s reputation on the global stage. Our nation is renowned for its natural beauty; sustainability efforts; and the incredible energy, intelligence, and creativity of our people. Despite our small population and geographical distance, we stand tall as pioneers, explorers, and market leaders. Our size and unique geography should not be seen as limitations but rather as opportunities to think outside the box. So let us grow our ambition and ask for more for our future.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000473\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d4dae97-e385-42a3-9791-5440c8cc9b3c\u0022\u003EIn closing, I am profoundly grateful for the opportunities and support that have led me to this moment, but this is just the beginning. To all my parliamentary colleagues and parliamentary staff who make this big building work, I look forward to working with you to make our Parliament better. Together, let us shape a better New Zealand\u2014a place where individuals can thrive, diversity is celebrated, and unity prevails. Together, we can build a brighter future for our nation, where economic prosperity, quality education, and our unique identity as New Zealanders are celebrated and safeguarded. In the words of the M\u0101ori proverb, he aha te mea nui o te ao? M\u0101ku e ki atu, he tangata, he tangata, he tangata\u2014what is the most important thing in the world? Well, let me tell you, it is people, it is people, it is people. \u4E16\u95F4\u6700\u91CD\u8981\u7684\uFF0C\u662F\u4EBA\uFF0C\u662F\u4EBA\uFF0C\u662F\u4EBA. When I give my valedictory speech in many years\u2019 time, I aspire to be remembered not as an idealised figure but as a decent human who worked tirelessly to deliver a better New Zealand for all its people. So, thank you, Mr Speaker, and thank you to the people of New Zealand for entrusting me with this important responsibility. So now let\u2019s get our country back on track.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u0022bafe56b9b3344e26b5e2691b0b137609\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000474\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022bafe56b9b3344e26b5e2691b0b137609\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: OK. I think we\u2019re about ready. To make a maiden speech to the House, I call on David MacLeod.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022 data-id=\u00227db63e37a3ad40979d5199aae9dce87c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000475\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227db63e37a3ad40979d5199aae9dce87c\u0022\u003EDAVID MacLEOD (National\u2014New Plymouth):\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000476\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003ETamarau n\u014D runga i te rangi\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000477\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EHeke iho ki raro ki te whakamarimari\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000478\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003ET\u0113 tatari ai, ki te hurahanga\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000479\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003Eo te t\u0101pora o Rongoueroa\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000480\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003ETaku kuia e, Taku kuia e\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000481\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003ETe ara o taku t\u016Bpuna i tohi ai au\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000482\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EKo Te Ati Awa n\u014D runga i te rangi\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000483\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EKo te toki t\u0113 tangatanga i te r\u0101\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000484\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003ETaringa mang\u014D ko te kete ng\u0113\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000485\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EHue H\u0101! Hue H\u0101!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000486\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003ETihei mauri ora. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000487\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003E[Tamarau from the heavens above came down to make love\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000488\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003Eand waited until he could have\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000489\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003ERongo-u-eroa to wife\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000490\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EShe is our grandmother! She is our matriarch!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000491\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EThis therefore is the consecrated pathway of my ancestors\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000492\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003Ee \u0100tiawa from the heavens above\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000493\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EThe adze of Tamarau which can remove the very sun from its axis.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000494\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003ET\u0113nei au e t\u016B nei ki te takahanga waewae o \u014Dku t\u016Bpuna, o \u014Dku m\u0101tua. Ka titiro whakarunga ki Te Waipounamu, ko Aoraki te maunga; ko \u014Ct\u0101kou, ko Waihora ng\u0101 puna karekare; ko \u014Ct\u0101kou, ko Taumutu ng\u0101 marae; ko K\u0101i Tahu te iwi. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000495\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EKa topa ake ki Te Tair\u0101whiti, ki te urunga o te r\u0101. Ko Hikurangi te maunga, ko Waiapu te awa, ko T\u012Bkapa te marae, ko Ng\u0101ti Porou te iwi. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000496\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EKa huri whakateuru ki te t\u014Dnga o te r\u0101. Ko Taranaki te maunga; ko Urenui, ko Waitara, ko Waitotoroa, ko K\u0101puni ng\u0101 awa; ko Urenui, ko \u014Cwaiwhaitara, ko Parihaka, ko Wharepuni ng\u0101 marae; Ko Ng\u0101ti Mutunga, ko Te \u0100tiawa, ko Taranaki, ko Ng\u0101ti Ruanui ng\u0101 iwi. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000497\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EKa tau mai an\u014D ki runga ki Te Upoko-o-te-ika a M\u0101ui-tikitiki-a-Taranga, ki ng\u0101 maunga whakah\u012B, ki Tangi-te-keo, ki Whitireia; ki te hoenga waka o \u014Dku t\u016Bpuna, ki Te Whanganui-a-Tara, ki Pipitea, ki Te Aro, ki Takap\u016Bw\u0101hia. Ko Te \u0100tiawa, ko Ng\u0101ti T\u016Bpaea, ko Ng\u0101ti Haumie ng\u0101 iwi. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000498\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EPuta atu r\u0101 ki \u014Dku hu\u0101nga o Ng\u0101ti Toa Rangatira, e k\u014Dk\u014Dia, e ara e. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000499\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003E[Here I stand on the tramping ground of my ancestors, of my forebears. I look to the South, to the South Island, Aoraki is the mountain; \u014Ct\u0101kou and Waihora are the rippling springs; \u014Ct\u0101kou and Taumutu are the marae; K\u0101i Tahu is the iwi. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000500\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EI soar to the East Coast, to the headrest of the sun. Hikurangi is the mountain, Waiapu is the river, T\u012Bkapa is the marae, Ng\u0101ti Porou is the iwi. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000501\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EI turn towards the West, to the setting of the sun. Taranaki is the mountain; Urenui, Waitara, Waitotoria and K\u0101puni are the rivers; Urenui, \u014Cwaiwhaitara, Parihaka and Wharepuni are the marae; Ng\u0101ti Mutunga, Te \u0100tiawa, Taranaki and Ng\u0101ti Ruanui are the iwi. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000502\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EWe come again to the Wellington region, to the proud mountains, to Mount Victoria and Whitireia; to the place my ancestors paddled their canoes, to the Wellington Harbour, to Pipitea, to Te Aro and to Takap\u016Bw\u0101hia. Te \u0100tiawa, Ng\u0101ti T\u016Bpaea and Ng\u0101ti Haumie are the iwi. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000503\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EI go out to my relations of Ng\u0101ti Toa Rangatira, and the birds sing, they have risen.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000504\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EMr Speaker, may I first start by acknowledging yourself with the important role you have in overseeing the running of Parliament. My family, friends, supporters in the gallery and watching online, and to my new work colleagues: ka mihi ki a koutou katoa. Greetings to you all.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000505\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EI have just started my speech with a Te \u0100tiawa ngeri. It speaks of Tamarau, a son of Ranginui and Papatu\u0101nuku. Tamarau, along with Rongoueroa, consecrated the pathway of my ancestors\u2014the ancestors of this place I stand today. I have also just taken you on a journey of my connections into Ng\u0101i Tahu in the South, on to the East Coast of Ng\u0101ti Porou, and then back to Taranaki where I stand and represent in this House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000506\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EThis is my whakapapa from my mother\u2019s side of my family. She was one of nine children, and her father, Dr Edward Pohau Ellison, I understand, was the fourth M\u0101ori doctor to have qualified in New Zealand, following Sir M\u0101ui P\u014Dmare, Sir Peter Buck, and T\u016Btere W\u012B Repa.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000507\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EMy great-grandfather Raniera Ellison was of Taranaki descent, but born in Eastbourne in Lower Hutt, his mother being one of many Taranaki-based M\u0101ori who joined the migration down to these parts in the 19th century. Raniera\u2019s father was an English whaler. During Raniera\u2019s lifetime, he did well in prospecting for gold. In fact, there\u2019s a place on the Shotover River called M\u0101ori Point named after him. Actually, his dog found the gold. It swam across the fast-flowing Shotover River first, and when Raniera got the animal across, it was covered in gold specks. As they say, a man\u2019s best friend is his dog, especially on that occasion. With this new wealth, Raniera married Nani Weller of the Taiaroa family, and became a farmer based close to our family marae at Otakou, at the Taiaroa Heads near Dunedin.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000508\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EMy grandmother provides my connection to the East Coast and Ng\u0101ti Porou, where our family marae, T\u012Bkapa, is located closest to the ocean of many marae along the Waiapu River. This river begins on the slopes of Hikurangi and travels through Ruat\u014Dria on its way to the ocean.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000509\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EMy father was P\u0101keh\u0101, with his ancestors from his father\u2019s side arriving from a small village called Shawbost on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. His mother was of English descent, with her ancestors arriving here from Adelaide, Australia. It was in the small township of Manaia in South Taranaki that my parents first met. My mother\u2019s family moved there when her father acquired the local medical practice. My father, being born and bred there, was starting his dairy farming career on his family\u2019s farm, halfway between Manaia and K\u0101puni.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000510\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EI\u2019m the seventh of eight children. My parents were sociable and loved meeting and accommodating people from all over the world, including overseas hitchhikers that my dad sometimes brought home, such was the trusting nature of my mother and father. Visitors became lifelong friends, with many being contacted by my parents when the chance arose during their various overseas trips.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000511\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EMy father had some governance experience. One of my most valued treasures was a page of A4 paper where he wrote me several bullet points of advice. I review his words of wisdom often\u2014they keep me grounded. He was a great communicator, and if I\u2019m only half as good as him, I\u2019ll be happy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000512\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EMy mother was a loving, caring person, gently spoken with a warm personality. No guest ever left our house hungry or thirsty. Our family remained well-connected to wider family, with many gatherings and celebrations. I have relations the length of New Zealand, and I\u2019m extremely proud of their many successes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000513\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EI can only imagine how proud my parents would be of me standing here, especially my father. He was true blue. In fact, he was one of former MP and Minister Venn Young\u2019s original nominators. Venn is the father of Jonathan Young, and also the father of a woman who\u2019s been peering down on this House from that press gallery for some 30 years: Audrey Young. In fact, I\u2019m pretty sure I\u2019ve a photo of Audrey holding me in her arms at my christening. I\u2019m guessing she doesn\u2019t want to re-enact that any time soon!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000514\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EApart from New Plymouth City, our constituency includes the township of Waitara at its most northern boundary and continues around the Taranaki coastline to our most southern settlement of \u014Cpunake. In the New Plymouth electorate, I stood against incumbent Labour MP Glen Bennett. I thank Glen for the way in which he campaigned and debated with me and other contenders.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000515\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EI am proud to be New Plymouth\u2019s member of Parliament, but I know I\u2019m only here due to the hard work of many\u2014they all volunteer their time to the cause. Firstly, I want to thank the New Plymouth National Party electorate committee for their studious management over many years. A big thanks goes to my campaign team of Mike Kinnell, Joel Zimmerman, Rachel Donald, Casey Martin, Marie Collins, Kevin Murphy, and Roddy Bennett for helping run such a strong campaign. To the many volunteers who performed all the various tasks required of a solid campaign: thank you. Special thanks to Lloyd and Barb Butler, who contributed more than I could ever have asked, including human hoarding\u2014the last task that they were ever going to perform on my campaign, but they still did it, so thank you to you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000516\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003ECampaigns are fuelled by many people being involved, but you also call on the generosity of those who can help pay for things. I have been blessed by many, on that front. Thank you to all of them. To Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and deputy leader Nicola Willis, our party leadership, you were a big part of my decision to stand. Confidence in leadership is an absolute in a well-functioning entity, and you both provide that in many ways.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000517\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve had an interesting career. After attending H\u0101wera High School, I qualified as an electrician, working for my brother-in-law. When I was 23, a local businessman invited me to become part owner in his company, indicating that I was his succession plan. He mentored me and then he gave me the reins to grow the company to a multi-disciplined operator with about a hundred tradespeople servicing all Taranaki. I sold that company recently. I had a 22-year career on the Taranaki Regional Council, with the last 15 as its chairman. I\u2019ve spent more than two decades as a director of Port Taranaki. Other significant directorships include the large Taranaki M\u0101ori incorporation PKW, or Parininihi ki Waitotara; Fonterra Cooperative Group; Predator Free 2050; and the Biological Heritage National Science Challenge. That experience will assist my contribution to this coalition Government\u2019s various challenges.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000518\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EAs one of Taranaki\u2019s representatives, I want to take particular interest in, monitor, and survey the progress of forthcoming legislation, especially that having particular impact on my home province.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000519\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EMy priorities as an MP, chair of the Environment Committee, and a member of the Finance and Expenditure Committee include local government\u2014such a critical partner in the delivery of quality outcomes for our communities\u2014the upcoming changes to the Resource Management Act, which require a careful balance between protection of our environs and enabling timely progress; and energy. New Zealand exports more than 80 percent of its products to the rest of the world, primarily because we can manufacture goods the world wants, in a reliable, sustainable, and competitive way. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000520\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003ELet\u2019s make sure our country\u2019s energy profile doesn\u2019t disrupt that, as well as making sure we keep our lights on. Let\u2019s allow farmers to get on and do what they do best: farm. Let\u2019s make sure any bureaucracy added to their workplace first fits the context of the operation, it passes cost-benefit analysis, and adds value to their business. Good science is essential to improve our lives and understand the world around us; it helps our competitiveness and teaches us valuable skills. We need to ensure it is delivered in an efficient and an effective way.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000521\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EI\u2019m also hoping that hui of recent weeks and the upcoming Waitangi celebrations go some way to reassuring M\u0101ori that the National Party are not here to remove te reo off the landscape of New Zealand, that we do value Te Tiriti as our founding document, that we will uphold and respect all Treaty settlements, and that we want better health and education outcomes for M\u0101ori, along with every other Kiwi. These are just a few matters that are currently prominent with me. There are more, but 15 minutes won\u2019t allow that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000522\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003ENow, for those who think I\u2019ve missed the people closest to me in my life, I haven\u2019t. I\u2019ve left them to the end, because they are the most important part of my speech. I am blessed by the wonderful love and support of my wife, Leasa, and three amazing grown-up children, Reuben, Phoebe, and Isaac. It was with them I had my first conversation about becoming an MP. I was adamant I wouldn\u2019t proceed unless all supported the idea. They said, \u201CNo.\u201D\u2014for all the reasons you may imagine. I accepted their decision, but a couple of days later they said they didn\u2019t feel right standing in the way of the opportunity. They felt that my career had evolved to where I could contribute strongly, and they wanted me to give it a shot. But I can also tell you, if you want to get rid of your children, go into politics. All three of our children are experiencing their OEs and enjoying the big, wide world, and I couldn\u2019t be happier for them. I am proud of the confident young adults that they have become. I\u2019m looking at the camera\u2014kids, although you challenge my temperament at times, I love you and I\u2019m always here for you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000523\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003ETo my wife, Leasa: what can I say? Firstly, I couldn\u2019t ask for a better companion with whom to traverse this crazy thing called \u201Clife\u201D. You are an amazing wife, incredible mother, exceptional friend to many, and a great supporter of my career. You have always been there for me in my most challenging times, and you have always been there beside me when I\u2019ve needed you. I\u2019m a far better person for having you as my life partner, and I can\u2019t thank you enough.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000524\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003ESo, Leasa, Reuben, Phoebe, and Isaac: the meaning of life, for me, is you. I love you and deeply care for you all. If you truly need me, I will always be there, above anything else. That\u2019s absolutely on public record now, isn\u2019t it?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000525\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003EMr Speaker, and my fellow MPs: we in this House are but guardians of this beautiful country of ours. We are in these roles for just a moment in time. It is our daily activities and behaviours that will decide how good a guardian each of us are. Time will measure that. What is in our control is how we work, how we behave, and how we relate to one another. Let us all realise our individual potential and use these privileged positions to the best of our ability. Our country is relying on it. N\u014D reira, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 t\u0101tou katoa.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000526\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002231e14629-7251-4b68-9f90-22b71db0b1c1\u0022\u003E[Applause, hongi, and harir\u016B]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u0022a570c06adf7d4cd4a9b9e4323d678bb3\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000527\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a570c06adf7d4cd4a9b9e4323d678bb3\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Can I ask that members conclude their congratulations as quickly as possible. We\u2019re coming to the end of the Address in Reply debate; there is one speech to come because of some time overruns. But, to make it formal, I seek leave of the House for Camilla Belich to make a four-minute, maybe 3\u00BD minute, speech to conclude our Address in Reply debate. I put that leave. There appears to be no objection. Can we just move that along a bit if we can.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022 data-id=\u0022a8a4ed318389415e95609170cdcea6a2\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000528\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a8a4ed318389415e95609170cdcea6a2\u0022\u003ECAMILLA BELICH (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker, and thank you for the opportunity to contribute to this Address in Reply debate. It\u2019s been a substantive debate, and I want to take the opportunity to congratulate all of the new members of Parliament who have, without exception, made exceptional maiden speeches in this Address in Reply.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000529\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003EI also want to take the opportunity to acknowledge those recent departures from our caucus in the Labour Party: Andrew Little, who did not give a valedictory speech; Rino Tirikatene, also leaving without a valedictory speech; and the Hon Kelvin Davis, who will be shortly giving his valedictory speech, and I will make sure that I finish in a timely manner so he can do that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000530\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003EAll of us here come to Parliament with the best intentions to serve, and it\u2019s never more apparent than listening to the maiden speeches of new members of Parliament. That\u2019s why it has been so disappointing for me to see the direction that the Government has been taking in relation to the policy decisions that they have made.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000531\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003ELast year, the portfolio that I\u2019ve been working in, and the career that I have built, has been working for working people and workers\u2019 rights. It was very, very disheartening to see the rolling back of fair pay agreements, the opportunity for workers to collectively bargain, which I believe would have increased productivity for New Zealand, would have improved workers\u2019 rights, and is common around the world. That was incredibly disappointing. It was also very disappointing to see the 90-day trials being brought back for all workers, without evidence, without anything to back up the allegations made that they would serve employers or working people. So that\u2019s been incredibly disappointing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000532\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003EBut what has been more disappointing has been the rhetoric that we have seen around Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Te Tiriti o Waitangi is a founding document of New Zealand, a contract and partnership entered into between two groups of people: the tangata whenua\u2014the hap\u016B and iwi of New Zealand\u2014and the people who intended to settle in New Zealand. Now, my first ancestor came to New Zealand in 1841, to Nelson, on the Whitby, one of the three first ships to settle in the South Island. I am fully tangata Te Tiriti. I am here because of the Treaty of Waitangi, and many of us born in New Zealand would not be here if it was not for the Treaty of Waitangi.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000533\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003EWe know through successive Governments, through jurists, through former politicians on both sides of this House, through tribunals, through iwi, through hap\u016B, through M\u0101ori leaders, through great thinkers like Moana Jackson\u2014we know that Te Tiriti has never been in this country without debate. It has always been debated; there is always more to say. It is a living document that proves who we are as a country. We cannot stand by on this side of the House and let this Government challenge, through this Treaty principles bill brought about by the ACT Party, the place of the Treaty in New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000534\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a503e324-3a0b-4efd-bf44-ec6740ec9a62\u0022\u003EThe very fact that this bill is in front of this House affects the mana of that document; it affects the mana of New Zealand as a country. It is absolutely shameful that the National Party\u2014who is leading this Government, who has a proud history that they can be proud of, I think, in Treaty settlements\u2014is allowing this absolute shocking move against everything that New Zealand stands for to go through the House. I feel it\u2019s important to say that, Mr Speaker, and I thank you for allowing me to contribute to this debate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u0022da77520cb9ed48aeafd6442f1686f7b6\u0022 name=\u0022division\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, That the amendment in the name of the Rt Hon Chris Hipkins be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 55\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 15; Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori 6.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 68\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 49; ACT New Zealand 11; New Zealand First 8.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAmendment not agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u0022697dc37a2ebd4c5698264aff6a24502c\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 a respectful Address be presented to Her Excellency the Governor-General in reply to Her Excellency\u2019s speech.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 68\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 49; ACT New Zealand 11; New Zealand First 8.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 55\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 15; Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori 6.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAddress in Reply agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000535\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022b9654f26ccdf492b87b21b92cdcca15c\u0022\u003EPresentation to Governor-General\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u0022a5fab7cc61584766ab152020ce99e657\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000536\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a5fab7cc61584766ab152020ce99e657\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The Address from the House of Representatives to Her Excellency The Right Honourable Dame Cindy Kiro, Chancellor and Principal Dame Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, Principal Companion of The Queen\u2019s Service Order, Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Realm of New Zealand, reads:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000537\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003EYOUR EXCELLENCY,\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000538\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003EWE, the House of Representatives, thank you for the speech addressed to us when you opened this Fifty-Fourth Parliament.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000539\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003EWe assure you that the matters referred to in your speech will receive our careful consideration.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003EKo te t\u016Bmanako nei kia mahi tahi t\u0101tou katoa.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000541\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E[Our hope is that we will work together.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000542\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003EAddress agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002298dbeffa-e059-49d5-8bbf-579cbaead9a3\u0022 data-id=\u0022e158cb1174244dc5a0d0e8b0ff7c7241\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000543\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298dbeffa-e059-49d5-8bbf-579cbaead9a3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e158cb1174244dc5a0d0e8b0ff7c7241\u0022\u003EHon SCOTT SIMPSON (Senior Whip\u2014National):\u003C/span\u003E I move that Mr Speaker, accompanied by the mover and seconder and other members of the House, present\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000544\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a550116a68414376a900515d54498179\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Just a moment, one moment. This is a motion that needs to be moved by a Minister, so I\u2019ll call upon the Hon Nicola Willis.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022 data-id=\u0022f4dd9926a7374885a1f538872fb52f5e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000545\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022f4dd9926a7374885a1f538872fb52f5e\u0022\u003EHon NICOLA WILLIS (Minister of Finance):\u003C/span\u003E I move, That Mr Speaker, accompanied by the mover and seconder and other members of the House, present the Address to Her Excellency the Governor-General at a place and time to be appointed by Her Excellency.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000546\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u0022e0d716db795145b98f4188b983191e57\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000547\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e0d716db795145b98f4188b983191e57\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: We come now to a valedictory statement. I\u2019ll just say that the House will suspend for the dinner break at the conclusion of the valedictory speech and resume at 7.30 p.m. So, in accordance with the determination of the Business Committee, I call upon the Hon Kelvin Davis.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000548\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00223a3c692f397b4c5aad164f90fc76e891\u0022\u003EValedictory Statements\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000550\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022e8dd00b3db054886a25a4fa4e78b03c3\u0022\u003EValedictory Statements\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022 data-id=\u00224c3f7ace59cb432c98844c2c353ce117\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000549\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224c3f7ace59cb432c98844c2c353ce117\u0022\u003EHon KELVIN DAVIS (Deputy Leader\u2014Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. T\u0113n\u0101 t\u0101tou katoa. Since the 19th century, Governments have put in place measures to control the influence of M\u0101ori. The original four M\u0101ori seats were established to keep us in our place. Since M\u0101ori in the House have started to grow in numbers and reach, calls to abolish the seven M\u0101ori seats threaten to take us backwards. When we progress the Treaty partnership to a point where it starts to mean something, calls for a referendum on the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi grab the headlines and scare the horses. When we move forward, the status quo always tries to push us back and protect itself. I\u2019ve never been happy with the status quo. I will never cede to anyone that this is as good as it gets for M\u0101ori. So each time you come for us, each time you try and put us back in our box, we will not back down. We never have, and today is no different.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000551\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003EThere will be a time to have a discussion about changing the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and that time will be when Te Tiriti is finally honoured in its entirety. Articles 2 and 3 are yet to be fulfilled. Te Tiriti may not be palatable to some, but what was signed is what was agreed, and there is no way I can be convinced that one group who signs any treaty can unilaterally make decisions that impact on it without first having a proper engagement, conversation, debate\u2014call it what you want\u2014with the other group that signed. And, in the case of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, that group is ng\u0101 Rangatira me ng\u0101 Hapu o Nu Tirani. Those are the actual words of Te Tiriti. If ng\u0101 Rangatira me ng\u0101 Hapu o Nu Tirani do not buy the proposed changes, then the argument hasn\u2019t been convincing enough. Converse with them\u2014the co-signatories\u2014before you converse with anyone else. It was Governor FitzRoy\u2019s arrogant refusal to converse with H\u014Dne Heke about Heke\u2019s concerns about Te Tiriti that led to conflict in 1845. If we don\u2019t remember and learn from past mistakes, we are bound to repeat them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000552\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003EI do suspect taking aim at the principles is a back-door way of undermining Te Tiriti itself. The forum tents at Waitangi this year would be an ideal place for a meaningful first conversation with the co-signatories. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000553\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003EMinisters from the sixth Labour Government spent hours in those tents, debating and justifying our policies. The Prime Minister and Ministers of the last Government didn\u2019t just fly in and fly out but, some years, spent five full days engaging with many groups. Prime Ministers Ardern and Hipkins set the bar high, and could never be accused of being fly in, fly out Prime Ministers at Waitangi. Our Government never looked to control the influence of M\u0101ori; we instead strived to learn from M\u0101ori. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000554\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003EI came into politics to do better for M\u0101ori. Much was achieved, but 15 minutes means it won\u2019t all be included. As Minister of M\u0101ori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti, we started on that journey of making the relationship between M\u0101ori and Crown actually mean something. Translated, Te Arawhiti means the bridge, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi is that bridge that connects the M\u0101ori world with the non-M\u0101ori world here in Aotearoa. There are a number of us who can cross that bridge in either direction, who know the culture, customs, history, and traditions in both of those worlds, who are able to flick in and out of both languages and cultural contexts with relative ease. Unsurprisingly, the vast majority are M\u0101ori.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000555\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003EAnd yet just by striving for equity under article 3 of Te Tiriti, it is M\u0101ori who are accused of separatism and apartheid. It is a fiction that we haven\u2019t had an adult conversation about Te Tiriti. The debate began at the spot named Tou Rangatira in Waitangi on 5 February 1840, and M\u0101ori have never stopped having conversations about Te Tiriti and its every nuance since.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000556\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003EMy t\u016Bpuna Whetoi Pomare was a signatory to Te Tiriti. The rangatira of my hap\u016B, Ng\u0101ti Manu, have never stopped discussing Te Tiriti o Waitangi from day one. No one should attempt to delegitimise 184 years of discussion just because they have belatedly decided to enter the conversation. The invitation stands to join us in our ongoing conversations as co-signatories on our many marae on our side of the bridge.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000557\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003EMy job as Minister for M\u0101ori Crown Relations was to strengthen the relationship between M\u0101ori and the Crown and to get our Public Service to cross that bridge and better understand why M\u0101ori act in the way we act and believe what we believe and what the pillars of our culture are that mean we have the expectations of the Crown that we do. After 184 years, we should not have to constantly justify our world view to the Public Service and ignorant politicians.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000558\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003EM\u0101ori have made progress over the last 184 years, using the systems and mechanisms that this very Whare has established. Now those systems and mechanisms are being attacked by people in this House because the system they are part of doesn\u2019t back their nonsense. It\u2019s the status quo protecting itself again.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000559\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003EAs an article 2 commitment, we worked together with the National Iwi Chairs Forum on a statement of engagement and on their shared aspirations. We developed joint work streams. Ministers, chief executives, and officials constantly met with their iwi counterparts. M\u0101ori had unprecedented access to the Government at all levels for the first time ever. We used Te Tiriti o Waitangi as a basis to bring people together\u2014we didn\u2019t divide.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000560\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003EWe celebrated M\u0101ori heroes. The first, the statue erected in P\u0101nguru of Dame Whina Cooper, and the pou outside Parliament being another example. While we see statues all around the country for P\u0101keh\u0101, such as the Seddon statue, Jean Batten, Colin Meads, Edmund Hillary, Bernard Freyberg, and the like, I could count on one finger the statues dedicated to M\u0101ori heroes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000561\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003EMatariki has been a huge success. And we deliberately used M\u0101ori knowledge and expertise to make it a meaningful and unique New Zealand day. Most New Zealanders have embraced Matariki, including using the simple karakia booklet we produced to bring the day in. Those that haven\u2019t embraced the day are the losers. Their grandchildren won\u2019t have the same hang-ups.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000562\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003EWe implemented Wh\u0101inga Amorangi so that chief executives had to show how their departments and agencies could be more responsive to M\u0101ori aspiration. We established a database of Treaty settlement commitments so that agencies and departments could keep track of their commitments. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000563\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003EPerhaps, though, the best example of how things changed in the positive can be seen in how Waitangi Day is now celebrated. The last Waitangi Day under the Key-English Government in 2017 was a debacle\u2014a national embarrassment instead of a national day. Politicians refused to take responsibility for causing that debacle and instead laid the blame on Ng\u0101puhi and M\u0101ori. Politicians made the day about politicians. Separate p\u014Dwhiri for Government and Opposition meant that each party tried to drag in their own crowd of supporters. The media would fixate on and make like the arrival of politicians was the most important part of the commemoration. It was a mess. Commentators then claimed we should change our national day, that it wasn\u2019t a day of unity, that it should be shifted away from Waitangi, that Ng\u0101puhi can\u2019t organise anything, and that it\u2019s too chaotic and divisive. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000564\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003EWe changed all that. Our top priority was to maintain Ng\u0101puhi\u2019s mana and dignity. We stopped politicians from being the focus of attention. The p\u014Dwhiri is just simply a welcome that under tikanga frees politicians to mix and mingle with the people. It is not the focus of Waitangi. We said all political parties should go on together; no party supporters allowed. We all sing a waiata to tautoko whoever speaks from whichever party. For two hours of the year, we should be able to come together, act like adults, and then mix with the people and enjoy the occasion. And it worked. Waitangi became what it should be, a national day of unity and commemoration. It got to be so pleasant, so enjoyable, so inclusive and devoid of conflict that media complained it was boring. The reformatted Prime Minister\u2019s barbecue breakfast was a stroke of genius from Jacinda Ardern. Everything we did brought people together. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000565\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003ENg\u0101puhi\u2019s dignity and mana was upheld over those six years. That could all change again this year because, on 5 February, the Government wants a separate p\u014Dwhiri to again make themselves the centre of attention. It is a mistake and if it all turns to custard, then the Government alone is to blame. Do not scapegoat M\u0101ori, the Waitangi National Trust, or Ng\u0101puhi. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000566\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s one thing for the Minister of M\u0101ori Crown Relations to make a difference for M\u0101ori, but the responsibility doesn\u2019t lie with that Minister alone; it is up to all Ministers. As Minister for Tourism, we, alongside Te Puni K\u014Dkiri, helped increase funding for M\u0101ori tourism, who were able to support M\u0101ori tourism operators. Can I acknowledge here and congratulate Dame Pania Tyson-Nathan for all her work to support M\u0101ori tourism and for being recognised in this year\u2019s New Year Honours List.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000567\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003EAs Minister for Children, Oranga Tamariki was charged with devolving resources and decision making to communities and community providers. In M\u0101ori education, we implemented Te Ahu o te Reo, helping teachers weave te reo M\u0101ori into their lessons on a daily basis. It is so popular that it is oversubscribed, giving me hope that future generations of New Zealanders will have the confidence to cross the bridge comfortably, flicking in and out of languages as they see fit. We established a new w\u0101nanga framework so that the w\u0101nanga are accountable to the iwi or M\u0101ori organisations that establish them. K\u014Dhanga reo have a new pay scale that moves them closer to pay parity. Some k\u014Dhanga kaiako had their salaries almost double, making k\u014Dhanga reo an attractive, well-paid career option.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000568\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003ETeaching New Zealand histories in schools will help future generations to cross the bridge. The Waitangi Tribunal is a huge repository of M\u0101ori history and stories. Those stories need to be converted into educational resources for future generations to understand our rich M\u0101ori history and how actions or inactions in the past got New Zealand to where we are now. My earlier reference to Governor FitzRoy refusing to engage with H\u014Dne Heke is an example.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000569\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003EAs Minister of Corrections, the H\u014Dkai Rangi strategy and M\u0101ori Pathways have been successful and are laying the foundation for an improved corrections system. The lowlight of my time as Minister of Corrections was of course the Waikeria riot. If not for the heroism of corrections officers, there would have been fatalities. There were some real heroes on the day, and I thank them. Our goal was for the riot to end without serious injury or loss of life; that was achieved. Can I say to members of today\u2019s Opposition, when something similar occurs under this Government, in our prisons or even in our youth justice facilities, the worst thing you can do is head down to the prison, stand at the gates in front of media and posture and grandstand. During the riot, those MPs who did just that actually increased the risk to corrections officers, emergency services, and other prisoners because it encouraged not just those participating in the riot but also prisoners in other prisons who might feel that the way to grab a politician\u2019s attention is to riot elsewhere. Any contagion would have stretched Corrections resources beyond breaking point. There will be a time to criticise the Minister, but during those live and dynamic situations, the most unhelpful thing to a safe and timely resolution is political posturing and grandstanding.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000570\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003EMuch was achieved for M\u0101ori in my portfolios. One favour I asked of the Iwi Chairs Forum was that they develop criteria to rate the contribution of all Ministers towards honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Politicians are only ever rated and judged according to their worth to P\u0101keh\u0101 and according to P\u0101keh\u0101 criteria. That needs to change if we are to bring people together.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000571\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003EYou can\u2019t last in politics without good people to support you. To all the chief executives and officials I worked with: Iona and team from Education; Chappie and the late Sir Wira Gardiner and our team at Oranga Tamariki; Jeremy, Christine, Ray, and staff from Corrections; Carolyn and folk from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment\u2014thank you all. Also, to Bernadette Cavanagh, who I worked with while she was head of Ministry for Culture and Heritage. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000572\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003EThe Tuia 250 commemorations could have been a disaster for race relations. We were handed that hot potato and the job of getting it on track only months out, and it ended up being a really successful and inclusive couple of months commemorating New Zealand\u2019s shared history. We brought people together, we didn\u2019t divide, and can I acknowledge Dame Jenny Shipley there, who was also part of the organisation. But, in particular, I want to acknowledge Lil, Glenn, and everyone at Te Arawhiti; we had a blast, and so much fun and laughter. On behalf of M\u0101oridom: thank you all so much. The value Te Arawhiti generates for race relations in Aotearoa far exceeds the paltry budget you have. If Te Arawhiti is shut down, the Government would lose hundreds of millions of dollars through litigation that you could have prevented. But this is a Government who knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing. If the first few weeks of this Government is anything to go by, Treaty lawyers will be rubbing their hands together in glee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000573\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003ETo all the M\u0101ori public servants who finally felt they could be M\u0101ori in the public service: just keep on doing it. Don\u2019t be subjugated by this regime. To all the officials I worked with: we worked hard and we laughed hard when appropriate. All the best. I hope you still get to laugh.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000574\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003EMy political mates kept me grounded. Willie Jackson: thank you for your support right through to the end of my political career. It\u2019s just a pity it wasn\u2019t there at the start when you actively promoted and supported Hone Harawira.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000575\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003EPeeni Henare: our lives and whakapapa are so convoluted, intertwined, and confusing that on one side of the wh\u0101nau I\u2019m his uncle, and on the other side he\u2019s my auntie. We\u2019re also cousins somehow, and, more importantly, we\u2019re mates. Of course, he likes to age shame me by reminding everyone that I was his form 2 teacher, but I prefer to say that we were at school together\u2014in the same class. But even in form 2, I could see the leadership potential in him\u2014it\u2019s unfortunate that he still has some outstanding homework. On the occasions I asked him for advice, the teacher became the student. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000576\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003EThen there\u2019s my mate Stuart Nash. It\u2019s always good, in politics, to have that one person you can go to when you need to be able to shut the door to his office and vent and rage when things are going against you. Someone who will listen and not judge, who\u2019s there through thick and thin, the ups and downs, when you\u2019ve stuffed up, when you\u2019re in the media for the wrong reasons, when you\u2019re having personal issues, and when you think you\u2019re being hard-done-by. If I can say one thing about my mate Stu, it would be that I did a lot of listening! \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000577\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003ENed Kelly: can I just say thanks to you for your support.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000578\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003ETo all the staff who worked for me in my electorate offices, my executive assistants in Opposition, and to all of you who worked with me in 7.2: thank you so much. My senior private secretaries, advisers, press secretaries, front-desk people, and of course all the private secretaries: we had a great office, some really fun times, but we got things done and you all went the extra mile for me. I\u2019m for ever grateful for your support of me; you made the weekly commute to Wellington so worthwhile. I will name just one person, and that is Deborah Mahuta-Coyle, who helped me to survive as a Minister. Thank you, Deb. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000579\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003ETo the people of Te Tai Tokerau and to everyone who helped on my campaigns: thank you so much. I am so grateful. And finally, to my biggest supporters in Te Tai Tokerau, Kaye Taylor and her late husband, my mate, Rudy Taylor: thank you so much. To Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, congratulations on becoming the next kaitiaki of the seat of Te Tai Tokerau\u2014go well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000580\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022802874a3-deca-48b7-9d33-9087058892f5\u0022\u003EThis is the first time I\u2019ve ever sat in this particular seat in the House, and for a very good reason\u2014the same reason the Hon Christopher Finlayson sat here for his valedictory\u2014I don\u2019t like the fuss that is made over people at the end of their valedictories. There is a decent feed up in the Labour caucus room; everyone is invited. E te Whare, my time here is over. Hei konei r\u0101.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u0022c9968cffe5bd48dcbca2c3d0a1207402\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000581\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c9968cffe5bd48dcbca2c3d0a1207402\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: No encore, the House is suspended until 7.30 p.m.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000582\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003ESitting suspended from 6.07 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022\u003EBills\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000583\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002226791f0e466941e59b603e821518eb3a\u0022\u003EEuropean Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000584\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022db66d9f03f73483ca76b0dd7f31f37b6\u0022\u003EFirst Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002216361e05df84442bb1135f6e465fb65e\u0022\u003EInternational Treaty Examinations\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000586\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022cd7d528b2a894007b54970d0777f572d\u0022\u003EAgreement between the Government of New Zealand and the European Union\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022 data-id=\u00228786c9c665ff43dc82efc6c67ebe2d2b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000587\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00228786c9c665ff43dc82efc6c67ebe2d2b\u0022\u003EHon TODD McCLAY (Minister for Trade):\u003C/span\u003E I present a legislative statement on the European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000588\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c0b426f980664eac82cfea038ec255c3\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The legislative statement is published under the authority of the House and can be found on the Parliament website.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000589\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224fd9d9a7db814221a8710598391ce4b6\u0022\u003EHon TODD McCLAY\u003C/span\u003E: I move, That the European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee to consider the bill. At the appropriate time, I intend to move that the bill be reported to the House by 4 April 2024 and that the committee have authority to meet at any time while the House is sitting (except during oral questions), during any evening on a day on which there has been a sitting of the House, on a Friday in a week in which there has been a sitting of the House, and outside the Wellington area, despite Standing Orders 193, 195, and 196.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000590\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EIn 2015, under the fifth National Government, we embarked on a journey towards a free-trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union by launching the preparatory process for negotiations on an FTA. After almost a decade, I am pleased to be standing here presenting on this important piece of legislation, which will bring the now completed FTA into effect. This Government recognises that trade is crucial to our economic success. We know that one-in-four New Zealanders\u2019 jobs depends on trade, and the New Zealand - EU free-trade agreement is the result of a longstanding and bipartisan effort by successive New Zealand Governments.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000591\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EThe case for an agreement with the European Union is compelling. With a GDP of around $27 trillion and a population of 450 million consumers, the EU represents an important and valuable market for New Zealand businesses looking to sell overseas. Until now, many New Zealand products have been, effectively, locked out of EU markets as a consequence of high tariffs and restrictive quotas. This FTA will change that, finally levelling the playing field with our competitors in the lucrative EU market and unlocking new opportunities for Kiwi businesses. As a result of the NZ-EU FTA, New Zealand exporters will benefit from $100 million in additional tariff savings from day one of entry into force. Once fully implemented, this FTA has the potential to boost our exports to the EU by up to $1.8 billion each year and our GDP by up to $1.4 billion per year.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000592\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EFrom the day of the agreement entering into force, 91 percent of New Zealand\u2019s current trade with the EU will enter duty-free through a combination of tariff elimination and duty-free quotas. This includes a number of key products, such as kiwifruit, onions, apples, wine, m\u0101nuka honey, and fish and seafood. In the case of dairy and the red meat sector, any gains in market access were always going to be hard fought, reflecting the very high sensitivity of the EU\u2019s agricultural sector. Although access will not be fully liberalised for these products, the quotas create new market access opportunities and represent an improvement on the status quo for New Zealand businesses exporting into the EU. While the deal has not met everybody\u2019s expectations, particularly for dairy and meat, where farmers\u2019 expectations have not been met, when considered as a whole, this FTA nevertheless represents a valuable opportunity for New Zealanders in other sectors.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000593\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EBeyond market access, the FTA includes a range of other commitments to encourage increased trade and services, facilitate investment flows, increase access to Government procurement contracts across EU member States, and facilitate the movement of business people across borders. The EU is the second-largest source of investment to New Zealand. This FTA will help to increase investment into New Zealand by raising the squeezing thresholds for investment from $100 million to $200 million, comparable to that offered in the NZ-UK FTA and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. Prior to the pandemic, the EU was New Zealand\u2019s fourth-largest market for services exports. The impact of regulatory barriers faced by businesses and financial services exporters to the EU is eliminated, to be equivalent to a 28 percent tariff reduction. Accordingly, the FTA contains more liberal and predictable rules to support the growth of trade and services between New Zealand and the EU and bring down those unnecessary costs.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000594\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EThere are a number of legislative and regulatory amendments that are required to align New Zealand\u2019s domestic law with our obligations in the FTA. The bill makes these changes required for New Zealand to implement its obligations under the FTA and to bring the FTA into force. The most significant changes being made are in relation to geographical indicators. The protection of geographical indications was a key interest for the EU in the negotiations. Under the FTA, New Zealand has agreed to protect 1,975 EU geographical indications (GIs) on day one, with the potential for up to 30 additional GIs to be added every three years by mutual agreement. Most of the nearly 2,000 EU geographical indications on the list are not used commercially in New Zealand; however, protecting names like feta, port, and gruyere for the exclusive use of the EU will impact local producers that already use these terms. Transition periods and other flexibilities have been agreed to help local producers adjust to these new protections.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000595\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EThe agreement also sets minimum standards of protection we need to provide for EU geographical indications as well as the role of Government in enforcing these protections. Part 3 of the bill amends the existing Geographical Indications (Wine and Spirits) Registration Act 2006 to give effect to these obligations. The EU is one of our closest and most like-minded partners internationally and our fourth-largest trading partner. Even without an FTA, our two-way goods and services trade is worth over $20 billion, but there is plenty of potential that remains untapped. An NZ-EU FTA will boost our trade and economic relationship with the EU and open up new opportunities for New Zealand businesses. We must pass the European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill without delay so that New Zealand exporters can start taking advantage of the agreement as soon as possible.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000596\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EI want to recognise the significant efforts of officials within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and our skilled trade negotiators, as well as former trade Minister Damien O\u2019Connor for his work on this agreement. The New Zealand - EU FTA was commenced in the direction of an agreement under the National Government, concluded under a Labour Government, and now quickly enters into force under a National Government. That\u2019s bipartisan. I hope the vote will be unanimous and that the protestations against trade agreements that we\u2019ve seen previously are a thing of the past. I thank all those who have been involved in this agreement, and particularly Damien O\u2019Connor. I commend the European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill to this 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=\u00226ad28d985f874a3ca95c34a9f01823df\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000597\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226ad28d985f874a3ca95c34a9f01823df\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The question is that the motion be agreed to and that the House note the report of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022471dee54-f59e-4497-b3d3-c39044ce7169\u0022 data-id=\u0022c5d345245e5e4bb3b83b45ead7d7c8c1\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000598\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022471dee54-f59e-4497-b3d3-c39044ce7169\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c5d345245e5e4bb3b83b45ead7d7c8c1\u0022\u003EHon DAMIEN O\u2019CONNOR (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. Indeed, it is a pleasure to rise in the House and support this legislation, and I want to acknowledge the incoming Government for the speed with which it has dealt with this. It is indeed an advantage to all exporters\u2014and importers of the European products, as well\u2014to get this legislation through. I have to acknowledge the speed with which the EU and its Parliament passed it through, so I want to thank them. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000599\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022471dee54-f59e-4497-b3d3-c39044ce7169\u0022\u003EI will go through and thank a few people. I have to acknowledge my predecessor David Parker, who had a very good relationship with Cecilia Malmstr\u00F6m, and he kind of checked the process\u2014a process that many trade negotiators thought would actually be impossible. There were many who thought that, actually, a trade deal with the EU\u2019s 27 member States would have been virtually impossible to conclude. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000600\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022471dee54-f59e-4497-b3d3-c39044ce7169\u0022\u003EBut, I have to say, it started\u2014as Minister McClay has said\u2014with discussions in 2015 under the previous National Government. It really began to be negotiated in 2018 and, indeed, it concluded\u2014and I too, along with the Minister, want to thank the officials. This was through a COVID period. There were some officials who had to do quarantine two or three times in travelling backwards and forwards to Europe, to Brussels, some of whom caught COVID, and it wasn\u2019t an easy process at all through a difficult time. But, again, I\u2019m thanking the officials for all their work. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000601\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022471dee54-f59e-4497-b3d3-c39044ce7169\u0022\u003EI want to thank and acknowledge Valdis Dombrovskis, who was the EU trade commissioner who followed Cecilia Malmstr\u00F6m. He really did commit to this. Every commitment he made to meet and progress this, he honoured, and, indeed, I was there when his country, Latvia\u2014it is on the border of the Ukraine, of course, and Russia, and it was deeply affected by that conflict. But he was able to maintain a focus on the EU, of course, and all its responsibilities but particularly in regard to our trade agreement. So I want to thank him for that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000602\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022471dee54-f59e-4497-b3d3-c39044ce7169\u0022\u003EAgain, the trade agreement was signed on 9 July 2023. Both my Prime Minister colleagues were committed to this and did their bit, where necessary, to keep things moving along. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000603\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022471dee54-f59e-4497-b3d3-c39044ce7169\u0022\u003EThis is a significant trade deal, and it arguably sets a new standard for trade agreements across the globe. At a time when we\u2019re talking about emissions reduction, when we\u2019re talking about biodiversity protection, and when we\u2019re talking about animal welfare standards and labour standards, the EU was like-minded with our country, and that was that we did not want to seek an advantage in our trade relationships by in any way diminishing the standards that we both adhere to now and that we must maintain in the future\u2014and, indeed, the agreement includes some of those provisions. Some people have pointed to them as being unnecessary, but I think they are progressive, they are inclusive, and they offer, as I say, a new model for trade agreements across the globe, one that I\u2019m sure will be picked up by many. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000604\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022471dee54-f59e-4497-b3d3-c39044ce7169\u0022\u003EThere are 450 million people, who are high-value consumers, in the EU, and we have 5 million here. So there\u2019s a slight imbalance, but what they saw with us was a partner with similar values. That\u2019s the thing. The references I\u2019ve made, as I say, to climate change, emissions reduction, better labour standards\u2014all of those things they saw in us as sharing the values and aspirations, and, indeed, this locks us in. We\u2019re seeing with other countries that are trying to negotiate with the EU that they\u2019ve hit some hurdles. I know that Australia has decided to park that for some time, and I hope they can get that under way. But the EU has set a standard; and, indeed, for anyone who negotiates with the EU, they\u2019ll have to meet that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000605\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022471dee54-f59e-4497-b3d3-c39044ce7169\u0022\u003ELook, the Minister has gone through a number of the technical points of this piece of legislation in adjusting our legislation to meet the requirements of the Act. There are some critical things that we took into this negotiation that we\u2019ve protected. One was Pharmac. Pharmac is a unique model. The National Government brought that model in\u2014and I want to thank you for that\u2014some time ago. It\u2019s been under pressure by the pharmaceutical industry for a couple of decades now, and so we\u2019ve protected the right, against what was an EU demand at the start, to continue to negotiate affordable pharmaceuticals for our country. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000606\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022471dee54-f59e-4497-b3d3-c39044ce7169\u0022\u003EWe put up the reality that M\u0101ori play a bigger part in our economy, and said that we want to ensure that they had opportunities under a trade-for-all policy. So we included that chapter, which, again, is leading the way for international trade agreements, and we will see more countries include that as we move forward. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000607\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022471dee54-f59e-4497-b3d3-c39044ce7169\u0022\u003EThe inclusion of animal welfare provisions to ensure that we would have discussions while we run different farming systems in different hemispheres and different situations\u2014we were both committed to protect or to investigate the protection of those standards. Again, that is something that has come under some scrutiny and some criticism. The volumes for both beef and dairy\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000608\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e4d97299a5ee4b92ab299edaef4480e1\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I just want to make you aware that these are five-minute calls in the first reading. I apologise, as I was 20 seconds late ringing the one-minute signal. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000609\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022471dee54-f59e-4497-b3d3-c39044ce7169\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002292913320b0a84b238182e25b2d37b7a9\u0022\u003EHon DAMIEN O\u2019CONNOR\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry, I thought I had\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000610\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002293f4f6f5af424d1cb4c7f412ba407e1d\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: But I\u2019ll let you finish your last sentence. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000611\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022471dee54-f59e-4497-b3d3-c39044ce7169\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002207a50b5612db4f1db3faf95d0688969f\u0022\u003EHon DAMIEN O\u2019CONNOR\u003C/span\u003E: Look, thank you very much. There is a lot to say. Again, in conclusion, I want to thank the Government for bringing this legislation into the House quickly. There are many other points that I\u2019ll raise through the committee stage. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000612\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022471dee54-f59e-4497-b3d3-c39044ce7169\u0022\u003EAgain, this is a valuable agreement for New Zealand, it\u2019s valuable for the EU, and I want to support this legislation. Kia ora. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022 data-id=\u00224b234ed6aae54274b6e4df85da874a0c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000613\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224b234ed6aae54274b6e4df85da874a0c\u0022\u003EHon JAMES SHAW (Co-Leader\u2014Green):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. In the past, the Green Party has often been the lone voice in Parliament when it comes to some of the concerns around free-trade agreements (FTAs), and I just want to reflect on what some of our concerns have been over the course of the last several decades as the country has entered into a number of these agreements. I\u2019m saying this because I think it\u2019s important that we do have dissenting voices and that we test the quality of our agreements against those standards. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000614\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003ESome of the concerns that we\u2019ve raised over the course of many, many years are things like investor-State dispute settlement mechanisms. That was probably the single most significant provision that actually caused, I think, probably a breakdown in the general social consensus around trade agreements. The idea was that an individual company would be able to take the New Zealand Government to court and overturn, for example, environmental regulations and provisions and so on. When you look at how investor-State dispute settlement mechanisms have been applied through history, the vast majority of them were on environmental grounds and the vast majority of them found in favour of the litigant and overturned environmental provisions and so contributed to the general breakdown of our environment, which we all depend on for our survival, whilst expanding economic growth. So that was probably the key thing that we\u2019d been worried about and we were worried about it with the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement and several other agreements.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000615\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003EThe second one was around intellectual property rights. We were worried that New Zealand artists or creators or software developers and so on would be unfairly disadvantaged by some of the intellectual property rights provisions that we found in some of those agreements. The Hon Damien O\u2019Connor mentioned Pharmac, which has been under pressure in a number of sets of trade agreements. Those were provisions that were written into a number of previous trade agreements.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000616\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003EThen there were also provisions that weren\u2019t written into previous trade agreements that we wanted to see. Historically, our trade agreements pulled in the opposite direction of our environmental obligations, of our human rights, or our indigenous obligations and rights and interests and so on. So the lack of enforceable provisions in those trade agreements, when you consider the balance against the things that we didn\u2019t like that were also in them, we were never able to support a trade agreement on that set of grounds.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000617\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003ENow, when the Government changed in 2017, the trade Minister at the time, the Hon David Parker, started the Trade for All initiative and did a huge amount of work trying to get New Zealanders back on board and develop a set of common principles that would inform trade agreements. That then provided the basis for a number of negotiations, including the EU FTA that\u2019s in front of us tonight. I want to acknowledge that work that was then continued on by the Hon Damien O\u2019Connor in this and other agreements as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000618\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003EThe EU FTA doesn\u2019t contain most of the things that we\u2019ve historically previously been worried about and it does contain some of the things that we wanted to see in those trade agreements, such as enforceable provisions around climate and the environment. So it would be inconsistent of us not to support the EU FTA, given that the very things that we had previously been concerned about have actually been reversed in this agreement. This is quite a different agreement from those that we have seen previously.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000619\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227c215736-b512-41de-8f0c-6c5543fcfce7\u0022\u003ENow, that\u2019s not to say that we don\u2019t have concerns; we do, and we look forward to examining those in the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee in the coming weeks as we get to that. We\u2019re particularly concerned about M\u0101ori rights and interests. I want to respect the fact that there were hundreds of M\u0101ori advisers and negotiators involved in this. So I respect that they arrived at a point that they were satisfactory, but we do want to pay attention to that and we do want to test those provisions that are in this agreement to show that they actually deliver on the promise that it\u2019s not just all sizzle, but there\u2019s actually some vegetarian sausage involved in that as well. So, given that, the Green Party will be supporting the EU FTA, given the huge shift in the nature of this agreement over previous agreements.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226cac9fcd-1934-4007-b10a-4b9d301a0af1\u0022 data-id=\u00225aa26ca8643f49d0b49a94fbbd1acbea\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000620\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226cac9fcd-1934-4007-b10a-4b9d301a0af1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225aa26ca8643f49d0b49a94fbbd1acbea\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW HOGGARD (Minister for Biosecurity):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. On behalf of the ACT Party, I speak in support of the New Zealand - EU free-trade deal. As a trading nation, such deals are absolutely vital for New Zealand\u2019s interests. Over the years, New Zealand officials and trade Ministers\u2014I recognise Todd McClay and Damien O\u2019Connor here\u2014have done a stellar job in progressing trade opportunities with numerous countries.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000621\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226cac9fcd-1934-4007-b10a-4b9d301a0af1\u0022\u003EWe want to thank the officials for their hard work in what has been a particularly challenging negotiation. It is great to see that we have gotten tariff-free access for a number of sectors, including kiwifruit, honey, seafood, and onions. It is disappointing, however, that we could not get access for meat and dairy exports at such a level. This agreement contains enough great provisions. For the ACT Party, we would like to see that, when appropriate, the Government looks at insurance seeking to ensure that we get meaningful access for our two largest primary sectors. We want to thank the EU for ratifying this agreement. Having spent a bit of time with French, German, and other European farmers, I know this will have undoubtedly been very challenging for their negotiators as well as ours.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000622\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226cac9fcd-1934-4007-b10a-4b9d301a0af1\u0022\u003ERecent times have seen a rise in protectionism and insular thinking, so it is good that we are able to keep moving the dial forward on freeing markets up. I know that, around the world, particularly those farming and growing often see free trade as a threat. I would take this time to stress that the biggest challenge for farmers that I see around the world is price volatility.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000623\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226cac9fcd-1934-4007-b10a-4b9d301a0af1\u0022\u003EI recall during the dairy downturn of 2014-17, work that was done internationally showed that interfering in the market might well delay the impact, but that impact still came and the recovery took longer than it needed to. This work showed that most countries\u2019 domestic price will follow the world price. For countries like New Zealand, that lag was generally non-existent; for others it might be up to eight or nine months or longer, but the domestic price did eventually follow. The lag then resulted in mixed market signals, which then resulted in a longer time that the market spent in that trough. Open markets result in market signals being received earlier, actions taken quicker, and the troughs and the peaks of the marketplace get smoothed out.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000624\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226cac9fcd-1934-4007-b10a-4b9d301a0af1\u0022\u003EIn the example of dairy that I\u2019m very familiar with, at the time of that downturn I mentioned, New Zealand had access to around 13 percent of world consumption at tariff rates less than 10 percent. Effectively, what that 13 percent represents is the freely traded world market, which pretty much sets the world price. So when we had additional production occurring in that remaining 87 percent of world consumption, basically everything was trying to be squeezed into that 13 percent, which meant that the impact on world price was much bigger than if that additional production was spread across the entire 100 percent of world consumption. Volatility is the enemy of farmers all around the world\u2014not each other\u2014and New Zealand should strive, through high-quality trade deals, to show the way forward. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000625\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226cac9fcd-1934-4007-b10a-4b9d301a0af1\u0022\u003EFinally, to those that might argue that freer trade doesn\u2019t equally benefit all of New Zealand, all I would say is that when our rural sectors are able to get better returns for our products, the benefit flows through to all our local communities. Right now, times are tough for our lamb producers up and down this country. It\u2019s not just them suffering but all those businesses that sell products and services to them, affecting how much they can spend in other local businesses and how many people they can employ. By earning less for our export products, it limits what we as a nation can buy offshore, such as medicines and all those other items that make the modern world go around.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000626\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226cac9fcd-1934-4007-b10a-4b9d301a0af1\u0022\u003EWe all benefit from free trade. So, in that, we support this bill. It might not deliver all that we hope for, but it\u2019s a good start. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b21beb09-9d9b-4414-9bb1-ddba249459d5\u0022 data-id=\u0022f9419081f8d24373a26b0882339e2a27\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000627\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b21beb09-9d9b-4414-9bb1-ddba249459d5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022f9419081f8d24373a26b0882339e2a27\u0022\u003ETANYA UNKOVICH (NZ First):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. As the Hon Todd McClay has already mentioned, this bill is of the utmost importance. The EU is New Zealand\u2019s fourth-largest trading partner and one of our most important markets. Under this bill, New Zealand\u2019s conditions of access will be significantly improved, hence this piece of legislation is incredibly valuable to our market. Now, being of Croatian descent myself, we are not one to keep quiet and not say many words, but on this occasion I will, and less is more. On that note, I would like to say that New Zealand First supports and commends this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002287c850cf-18f6-4be0-935a-0e24e0a352ae\u0022 data-id=\u0022b3bf4906d89041b987e0fd003eda866c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000628\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002287c850cf-18f6-4be0-935a-0e24e0a352ae\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b3bf4906d89041b987e0fd003eda866c\u0022\u003ET\u0100KUTA FERRIS (Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori\u2014Te Tai Tonga):\u003C/span\u003E T\u0113n\u0101 koe e te P\u012Bka. E t\u016B ana au ki te w\u0101hi i ng\u0101 k\u014Drero m\u014D Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori m\u014D t\u0113nei o ng\u0101 pire, e mea nei ko te European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000629\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002287c850cf-18f6-4be0-935a-0e24e0a352ae\u0022\u003E[Thank you, Madam Speaker. I stand to open the statements for Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori about this one of the bills, called the European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000630\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002287c850cf-18f6-4be0-935a-0e24e0a352ae\u0022\u003EI want to make the principles clear as to why Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori will not be supporting the bill at its first reading. Tangata whenua have long engaged in international trade. We\u2019re an enterprising people. In fact, it was M\u0101ori who signed Aotearoa\u2019s first ever trade agreement in 1835, He Whakaputanga, the Declaration of Independence, so that M\u0101ori could continue to trade and export our goods overseas without being treated like pirates and having our ships detained. Throughout the majority of the 19th century, M\u0101ori were the dominant economic partner in Aotearoa. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000631\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002287c850cf-18f6-4be0-935a-0e24e0a352ae\u0022\u003ENot only was He Whakaputanga the first free-trade agreement for M\u0101ori, it was also the last, as the balance of economic power and control in Aotearoa was forcibly removed from tangata whenua. Despite the fact that M\u0101ori culture is Aotearoa\u2019s biggest draw card and export\u2014and is heavily exploited to provide competitive advantage, value add, and a point of difference\u2014despite the fact that without whenua M\u0101ori, Aotearoa would have no meat and dairy to export overseas, or anything else that is grown on it or extracted from it, the Crown continues to negotiate these trade agreements without us. Once again, tangata whenua have been sidelined and treated as just another demographic for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to boast about or tag into their communications. Big statements about how M\u0101ori would be better off under this trade agreement is not partnership; it is not Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Any trade agreement that is not born off Te Tiriti o Waitangi is not legitimate in the eyes of Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori. While we acknowledge the potentially significant gains this free-trade agreement (FTA) could bring to New Zealand exporters, it is yet another failed opportunity to re-imagine trade policy and move away from the colonial model that has been imposed on tangata whenua. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000632\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002287c850cf-18f6-4be0-935a-0e24e0a352ae\u0022\u003EWe\u2019d like to acknowledge the tangata whenua groups, such as the Federation of M\u0101ori Authorities and Te Taumata, who have endorsed and supported this FTA as they continue to strive to do the best for their people with the little leverage they receive from the Government. Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori\u2019s concern is that the Government alone decides the negotiating mandate, what compromises are acceptable, and the final text, with no place at the table for M\u0101ori that is reflective of their role as the principal partner in Te Tiriti o Waitangi. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000633\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002287c850cf-18f6-4be0-935a-0e24e0a352ae\u0022\u003EThis is not at all surprising, of course, considering free-trade agreements have been used as a vehicle to advance colonialism while locking in indigenous peoples into capitalist systems of trade. This should not be news to anyone in this House. Whilst this is the first free-trade agreement with the EU to include a specific chapter on M\u0101ori trade, the Treaty of Waitangi exception clause allowing more favourable treatment to M\u0101ori remains unchanged from previous free-trade agreements dating back to 2001. Despite decades of recommendations that more effective protections are needed, and given the advances that the M\u0101ori economy has made since 2001, this just seems ridiculous at a time when M\u0101ori are more than 50 percent of forest and fish, 20 percent of sheep and beef, and 12 percent of dairy. The M\u0101ori trade chapter focuses only on the commercial interests for M\u0101ori, but ignores wider concerns about the protection of our rights, interests, and intellectual property. There are also no provisions for the protection of m\u0101tauranga M\u0101ori from exploitation, as we have seen with the use of the kupu \u201Cm\u0101nuka\u201D. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000634\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002287c850cf-18f6-4be0-935a-0e24e0a352ae\u0022\u003EI could literally speak to this agreement and tear it apart for hours, but nothing I\u2019m saying is new to tangata whenua or this Government, whose oversights have been deliberate. Aotearoa could lead the way on indigenous trade policy and intellectual property rights, and this agreement was just another missed opportunity to do that. On the surface, this is a good deal for New Zealand, that M\u0101ori will see little to no benefit from in the long run. Beneath the surface, however, this is just another form of soft colonisation in 2024, and Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori will not be supporting the bill. Kia ora t\u0101tou. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022 data-id=\u0022239f856d3bce46f8873507629620c909\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000635\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022239f856d3bce46f8873507629620c909\u0022\u003ETIM VAN DE MOLEN (National\u2014Waikato):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. Look, I\u2019m very pleased to be able to take a call on the European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill. It\u2019s exciting to see this piece of legislation coming before the House, and it will have a meaningful impact. We\u2019ve heard already the importance of trade in the New Zealand context, and from the EU-NZ perspective, that is one of our most critical relationships\u2014our fourth-largest, covering about $20-odd billion worth of two-way goods, and one-in-four jobs in New Zealand directly related to that trade importance in our economy. So it just highlights that these sorts of deals are absolutely vital to the ongoing prosperity of our country. I would encourage members speaking to this to get their facts correct before they stand up in this House and make accusations that are actually quite inaccurate and not particularly helpful to the debate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000636\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003EHaving said that, we will be progressing\u2014as the Minister for Trade has already said\u2014quite promptly through the scrutiny of this piece of legislation through the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee. When it comes to us, we\u2019ll be looking to go through that as efficiently as possible. It will be a truncated process. We\u2019ve heard already around the need to progress this with some haste, given that the EU has ratified it quite rapidly\u2014and we would like to thank them for that. That happened late last year, in the European Parliament, and that\u2019s fantastic to see that happening. Of course, now it is waiting on us to ratify our end before then it can come into effect a month or so later. So it\u2019s incumbent on us to do that as efficiently as possible, but of course we want to make sure that we are going through the democratic process and giving submitters the opportunity to have their views heard\u2014on the benefits of this trade agreement to them, or, indeed, to raise some concerns that they may have.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000637\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003ESome of those that I\u2019ve been hearing on both sides, Madam Speaker, in strong rural electorates like yours and mine, where we have a lot of dairy farmers, a lot of red meat producers\u2014they\u2019ve voiced some level of disappointment at the access that has been achieved for them, which is, actually, similar to the level of disappointment I heard from European farmers when I was over there last year, as well. I think, in that context, as much as we would have loved to have seen greater concessions made or achieved in that regard, if there\u2019s a level of dissatisfaction on both sides of the trade agreement, then you\u2019ve probably got the balance about right. So, in that context, it is a very good step that we are taking here in progressing this. One of the other areas of concern was around the geographic indicators, and I\u2019ve heard there are just under 2,000 of those that will be incorporated by this. I look forward to hearing views from submitters on that particular aspect as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000638\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003EBut, of course, there are many benefits. That is far and away the most important aspect for us: understanding what benefit this brings, how that adds to our economy, and to our food and fibre sector in particular. I\u2019m very encouraged by the progress that has been achieved there in the horticulture sector, especially for our honey sector and for our seafood sectors, who are all going to see significant benefits once this EU-NZ free-trade agreement comes into force. So those aspects in particular, I think, are a really good step. We\u2019re excited to hear from submitters, as I say, and to progress this through promptly.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000639\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022071f7800-2755-41b6-83df-07ebaf867ae2\u0022\u003EIt has been encouraging to see both Labour and National working diligently on improving trade access, particularly achieving that with both the EU and the UK free-trade agreements that came in last year. But this Government is actually really focused on having a strong external engagement, because, if we do that, then we help to grow more opportunities for New Zealand. As we\u2019ve heard, those one-in-four jobs that are directly connected to trade for New Zealand are vital for our economy. When we have some economic headwinds, then we need to be looking at all opportunities to improve New Zealand\u2019s trading market access and agreements. On that basis, we\u2019re very pleased with this step that\u2019s happening, but also very determined to continue engaging externally to look for more opportunities to help take us forward, not only for the trade that it brings but, actually, the alignment of relationships that you get from ongoing dialogue from reaching agreement, whether it\u2019s trade or other aspects\u2014that level of relationship building that goes on alongside that. So it\u2019s a strong focus for us to be externally oriented. We\u2019re looking forward to considering this bill in an efficient and prompt manner over the coming weeks.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022 data-id=\u00225edc5b18956f47d99b9b8e775deb3761\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000640\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225edc5b18956f47d99b9b8e775deb3761\u0022\u003EHon DAVID PARKER (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. Can I thank the Minister for Trade for bringing this bill, the European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill, to the House, and thank the Hon Damien O\u2019Connor for landing the agreement.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000641\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003EI want to make a reference to some of the comments that were made by the M\u0101ori Party. With respect, the comments by the M\u0101ori Party are incorrect; the Treaty provisions in this agreement are as good as they have been in any other agreement. There is no other country in the world that manages to secure the level of protection that we do for a founding document like the Treaty of Waitangi than New Zealand does. It was hard, hard fought to get in the first place and it is only defensible if it is carried on in identical form in every trade agreement. It cannot be reopened and won in any of them\u2014so the member is incorrect on that. There is also additional protection for geographic indicators in this agreement because the Europeans are really into them. So if there was a geographic indicator\u2014for example, to be attached to m\u0101nuka honey\u2014that would be possible under this agreement in a way that would not be under many other agreements in the world.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000642\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003EIn respect of the long journey to get to agreements like this, they take a long time\u2014you\u2019ve got to take the gap when it appears. The gap appeared in the period between 2017 and 2020. We tried to launch negotiations while Cecilia Malmstr\u00F6m was a European Trade Commissioner. She was very supportive of the New Zealanders. We had a number of other countries who were wanting New Zealand to have a free-trade agreement with the European Union because of our shared values on many things, including environment and labour. Unfortunately, she couldn\u2019t get it through the European Parliament by that time and it was handed to my colleague who took over as the trade Minister after I left.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000643\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003ECan I pay my accolades to the New Zealand trade team: one of the best trade teams in the world led by one of the best public servants in New Zealand: Vangelis Vitalis. We\u2019re just so lucky to have him\u2014so respected around the world, tough as old boots, but as principled as anything and really does a fantastic job for New Zealand to land these agreements. He, of course, was the witness for the Crown before the Waitangi Tribunal in respect of complaints that were made about process in the trade division to the Waitangi Tribunal. Their report was a little critical, but it wasn\u2019t hugely critical of the Government processes throughout.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000644\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003EThe final thing I want to say is in respect of the consensus around trade. The consensus around trade frayed for two main reasons. One was disagreement around investor-State dispute settlement (ISDS) clauses. Interestingly, ISDS clauses\u2014where companies can sue Governments rather than Governments sue Governments under trade agreements\u2014are becoming less popular in the world and it\u2019s interesting that Europe agreed to no ISDS clauses in this agreement. It\u2019s something that if the new Government and their future trade aspirations bring back ISDS clauses, there will be difficulty in New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000645\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003EThe other point that was to be made is in respect of investment protocols. It is fine for different political parties to have different views as to what investment controls ought to be on inbound investment. Where the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) went wrong was that the class of investments that could be screened for was closed by that agreement and therefore, after that agreement came into effect, New Zealand could not introduce any new areas of investment to be screened under our screening regime. It was a point of political controversy because, on this side of the House, we thought we should ban foreign buyers of residential land. We also thought there needed to be the ability of the Government to control inward investment in forestry, which also was not properly controlled under the old overseas investment regime.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000646\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003EIf those two matters had not been concluded before the CPTPP came into effect, no future Government, in effect, could have controlled that, and it would have flowed into earlier trade agreements under most favoured nation clauses, which apply to investment protocols, not tariff levels.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000647\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f5d71749-ae91-4af7-b2bd-77260398912a\u0022\u003ESo the current Government says that they\u2019re going to change the screening regime in respect of inward investment in some asset classes. That\u2019s within their power to do, but I would encourage them to do it in a way that doesn\u2019t take the investment class out of trade agreements in a way that future Governments cannot put it in, because that too would cause a fracturing of the agreement that we have around trade investment. And, for the record, Tim Groser, in retrospect, agrees that under his watch investment protocols were taken too far in some of those trade agreements. I commend the bill to the House. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b9dc1924-4df4-4d8f-91ec-8a0f29348308\u0022 data-id=\u00226ea09f88762247a882a951cdb22b80cf\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000648\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b9dc1924-4df4-4d8f-91ec-8a0f29348308\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226ea09f88762247a882a951cdb22b80cf\u0022\u003ETIM COSTLEY (National\u2014\u014Ctaki):\u003C/span\u003E A pleasure to commend this bill, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, to the House. This is significant not just for our economy but, as we\u2019ve heard, you know, $100 million in immediate savings. In particular, I want to acknowledge the contribution this makes to our horticultural industry, something that we have a lot of in the \u014Ctaki electorate\u2014the farmers in Horowhenua, a $714 million industry, and for them that\u2019s a $46 million saving immediately when this comes into force. It is right that we move with some haste to do this through the process, and I\u2019m very supportive of the way that parties are joining together to see this progress because of the savings that will come.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000649\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b9dc1924-4df4-4d8f-91ec-8a0f29348308\u0022\u003EI understand the importance of seeing this move through before the elections for the European Parliament. I can\u2019t help but note that they start on 6 June, which, of course, is going to be the 80th anniversary of D-Day. While I want to acknowledge in a minute all those that have worked directly to see this free-trade agreement come to this point so it can enter into force, I can\u2019t help but reflect that when we succeed we often do so standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before us. There are two generations of Kiwis that bled in Europe, that stood side by side with them in their darkest hours. We have memorials in this House for places like the Somme, for places like Passchendaele, for Fortress Europe. New Zealand has long had a strong relationship with Europe, and it is on that and the sacrifices that were made by this country that we are able to build this, and even today as we deploy soldiers offshore, that is a meaningful contribution that we build these trade relationships on. So I do want to acknowledge the history\u2014the strong history, New Zealand has with Europe.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000650\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b9dc1924-4df4-4d8f-91ec-8a0f29348308\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s very pleasing to see that we\u2019ve got to this, a good solution\u2014maybe not perfect, but good and meaningful. I do want to acknowledge those who have contributed to it, and we have heard comments reflecting the various Ministers on both sides of the House; I thank them as well. The European diplomats and officials that have worked from their side, and I note the speed at which it\u2019s got through\u2014I think this\u2019ll be one of the first where we\u2019re the last side to enter into force, or to ratify it so it can. But I want to also acknowledge those who worked directly towards it, and particularly, before I acknowledge the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) officials, can I just acknowledge those New Zealand Defence Force personnel in modern times that were over there, standing not just side by side with NATO and European countries in Afghanistan but, of course, in support to the invasion of Ukraine.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000651\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b9dc1924-4df4-4d8f-91ec-8a0f29348308\u0022\u003EBut to the MFAT officials that worked at it\u2014I actually had the honour, the privilege of working in the embassy in Belgium for a few months while they were working on this. I wasn\u2019t supporting the free-trade agreement\u2014I was there in another capacity\u2014but I saw the work, the determination, the perseverance, the skill that they put into their work, largely unseen; people that took their families overseas to serve far away from home in a different culture, across different languages, the pressures that that can put on families. It is great and worthy of our recognition, particularly in the midst of a global pandemic at the time; a lot of uncertainty, and I want to acknowledge them. In particular, can I just thank our ambassador to the EU, His Excellency Carl Reaich, for the work that he and his team did along with our ambassador to Belgium, Diana, along with Cameron, Emma, Megan, Emma, Chris from the Ministry for Primary Industries, and Clotilde and the many European citizens that we employ to work in our embassy but they work to serve New Zealand; they work tirelessly for New Zealand. Can I finish just by singling out\u2014if I can single out one person from MFAT, maybe the unsung hero of this, Lucy Power. I saw firsthand just what she put into this\u2014the work that went in. It\u2019s a fantastic team that we have representing New Zealand. They work tirelessly. They don\u2019t work for recognition; their natural style is not to seek the limelight or to have their name mentioned here, but they are worthy of our recognition, and I want to join in the earlier comments that commended the staff that worked on it and add their names to that list. They deserve it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000652\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b9dc1924-4df4-4d8f-91ec-8a0f29348308\u0022\u003EThis is a significant step forward for our economy, this is significant for trade, it\u2019s significant for farmers and, as I said, particularly horticulture, but it\u2019s also significant for our relationship. It brings another layer to that longstanding relationship, over more than a century of us standing side by side with Europeans, working together, and a great step forward for the future. Can I join with all those speakers before me and commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022 data-id=\u002206b27cfc0f1b47698c0fe0a03b9d58c8\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000653\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002206b27cfc0f1b47698c0fe0a03b9d58c8\u0022\u003EHon PHIL TWYFORD (Labour\u2014Te Atat\u016B):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. I want to make a few comments about why this bill that we\u2019re debating tonight is so important, but also to start by acknowledging the leadership of successive Ministers David Parker, Damien O\u2019Connor, and now Todd McClay, and the fantastic team of trade officials in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade led by Vangelis Vitalis.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000654\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003EAt one level\u2014at a very simple level\u2014it\u2019s obvious that this trade agreement is good for New Zealand. The fact that there will be, as the Minister said in his opening remarks, $100 million in tariff savings from day one\u2014that\u2019s worth something. That\u2019s worth something to our fantastic onion-growing industry who make a fantastic crop that they successfully sell into a number of international markets, and they will benefit significantly from that reduction in tariffs.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000655\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003EBut, on another level, this agreement is a very important milestone in the progression of New Zealand\u2019s foreign policy, of which trade is incredibly important. In the years after the Battle of Seattle in 1999, I was living in Washington, DC, working for a group of international NGOs, and one of the campaigns that I worked on was a global campaign of hundreds of NGOs and social movements to make trade fair. It was a global movement of people who felt that the juggernaut of neoliberalism\u2014imposed, in many cases, through trade agreements\u2014was incredibly unfair to people in developing countries; that the rich countries of the world were, yet again, rorting trade rules in their own interests; that farmers in developing countries, and in places like New Zealand, were hard done by North American and European protectionism; that intellectual property rules were locking up massive amounts of economic value to the people who developed their economies first; and that trade agreements were shutting down the policy space, preventing developing countries around the world from using the same economic policies and tools that every single wealthy and advanced country today used in order to spur its economic development in the earlier phases. The protests of those years\u2014which went right through to the explosion of unrest against the Trans-Pacific Partnership\u2014demonstrated that trade agreements had stretched to breaking point in public support for and consent for those trade agreements.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000656\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003ETwenty years after I was organising those demonstrations, I found myself as Minister for Trade and Export Growth in our Government here in 2020, welcoming a multi-party delegation of European members of Parliament who said that this EU - New Zealand trade agreement is gold standard. They said it was the best agreement that the EU had ever done, and they didn\u2019t know of another trade agreement anywhere in the world that had achieved the kind of advances that this agreement did.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000657\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003EHere\u2019s the problem. You can believe that trade agreements do stretch public consent for free trade to breaking point by doing those things that I mentioned. You can also believe and understand that this country is a trading nation\u2014we would not exist, we couldn\u2019t survive in the modern world, without open access to international markets. We cannot do otherwise. So that contradiction is one of the great challenges of our foreign policy. We have to find a way to navigate those two things: to pursue the material and economic interests of New Zealand and our great export industries while also doing the things that New Zealand needs. We need a Pharmac that can operate properly. We cannot cope with onerous intellectual property rules that the great, towering heights of international capital demand today. We need the policy space in this country to regulate in the public interest. So this is no mean political problem to be fixed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000658\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cbc37df2-57ae-4536-94ed-a2e39eecd585\u0022\u003EI want to recognise the efforts of the Ministers who led this agreement, because it\u2019s such an important milestone in navigating between those sharply competing interests, and finish by noting that this agreement has labour standards\u2014it allows the EU and New Zealand to hold each other to account on our climate commitments, on animal welfare, on gender commitments through the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. There is a lot to celebrate in this agreement.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00228ba11b3f-65ea-4f86-92e4-fe78ea522647\u0022 data-id=\u0022462258d7b0a9469d8a626c37be8d01ca\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000659\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228ba11b3f-65ea-4f86-92e4-fe78ea522647\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022462258d7b0a9469d8a626c37be8d01ca\u0022\u003EDANA KIRKPATRICK (National\u2014East Coast):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. I\u2019m pleased to speak on this bill, the European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill, and I\u2019m very happy to be able to ensure, along with my colleagues, that the free-trade agreement (FTA) with the EU is signed as soon as possible.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000660\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228ba11b3f-65ea-4f86-92e4-fe78ea522647\u0022\u003EI\u2019d like to commend the Minister for Trade, the Hon Todd McClay, in getting this free-trade agreement on to the work programme in such an expedient manner, and please can I also acknowledge everyone who has worked on this over the years since 2015. It certainly has taken a lot of work and there will have been an enormous number of people involved to get it to this point. It\u2019s exciting to be part of the bipartisan approach to futureproofing our export sector. The free-trade agreement has the ability to transform our relationships with our trading partners across so many sectors, and it certainly is time to get this finished. Whilst it will be an incredible boost for many sectors, it\u2019ll also provide an improvement to the returns of dairy and beef and lamb.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000661\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228ba11b3f-65ea-4f86-92e4-fe78ea522647\u0022\u003EI want to take a little bit of a different approach, so I just thought it would be worthwhile remembering how this would affect some of the people who work in the primary industries and in the export sectors. I listened to our colleagues talk about the M\u0101ori effort that\u2019s gone into the free-trade agreement. I think it\u2019s worth remembering the enormous contribution that M\u0101ori agribusiness contributes to our sectors and how this will benefit them. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has done a wonderful graphic where they talked about all of the sectors within \u201Cag\u201D and \u201Chort\u201D and many others that will benefit from a free-trade agreement, and I think\u2014certainly in my part of the country\u2014that the free-trade agreement will benefit just about every single one of those businesses. In kiwifruit, in m\u0101nuka honey, in wine, in apples, in horticulture; red meat, dairy, fishing, everything you can think of. So I\u2019m very pleased that the agribusinesses in both M\u0101ori and non-M\u0101ori sectors will all benefit from this. So it\u2019s a very exciting and happy time for us.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000662\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228ba11b3f-65ea-4f86-92e4-fe78ea522647\u0022\u003EJust in terms of some of the other responses that it\u2019s worth thinking about, Horticulture New Zealand said in its submission to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee that an agreement would reduce uncertainty in New Zealand exporters supplying EU markets and allow supply chain planning to be more effective without being forced to decide on shipping and supply during a short tariff-free window. Their thoughts were that this would allow New Zealand and European growers to partner more effectively to enable year-round supply of new, innovative, high-quality, and safe goods and services for EU consumers without prices being distorted by tariffs.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000663\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228ba11b3f-65ea-4f86-92e4-fe78ea522647\u0022\u003EUnder the free-trade agreement, New Zealand\u2019s conditions of access will be significantly improved, with 91 percent of New Zealand\u2019s current goods trade to the EU able to enter duty-free from day one. That is a significant benefit to us. This will rise to 97 percent after seven years, with estimated tariff savings exceeding $100 million from day one\u2014the highest immediate tariff savings of any New Zealand FTA\u2014growing to $110 million after seven years.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000664\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228ba11b3f-65ea-4f86-92e4-fe78ea522647\u0022\u003EZespri, another one of our organisations in horticulture that has a massive contribution, said that the agreement would benefit its sector by up to $46 million, which it paid out in 2022 in tariffs on $1 billion of exports. The free-trade agreement would have the ability to set Zespri up to provide more EU consumers with the highest-quality Zespri product and help deliver stronger returns for growers. That benefits all of us as we work towards it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000665\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228ba11b3f-65ea-4f86-92e4-fe78ea522647\u0022\u003EI would also like to just remind ourselves that it\u2019s been a tough time in some of our regional communities in New Zealand, and a free-trade agreement such as this provides a glimmer of hope and a massive step forward for them. I\u2019m really excited for many in my electorate of the East Coast because this free-trade agreement will represent just that in times that have been extremely tough in cyclone-battered communities and orchards and farms and fishing zones where loss of returns across two seasons\u2014not just one\u2014has led to significant wellbeing and financial difficulties.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000666\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228ba11b3f-65ea-4f86-92e4-fe78ea522647\u0022\u003ESo to have more certainty that tariff-free trade is available will provide hope and inspiration in a time that it is needed most in our regional communities. On that basis, I am happy to commend the bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022 data-id=\u002285635cd5601f471da78c8559622ce960\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000667\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002285635cd5601f471da78c8559622ce960\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: The question is, That the report be noted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000668\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022 data-id=\u0022becede596faf4491b0c3f6dfddce2b69\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000669\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022becede596faf4491b0c3f6dfddce2b69\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: The question now is, That the motion be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000670\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=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000671\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003EBill read a first time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022 data-id=\u00227c100c7f2d154b0d94ed3cd33c3176af\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000672\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227c100c7f2d154b0d94ed3cd33c3176af\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: The question is, That the European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill be considered by the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000673\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=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000674\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003EBill referred to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000675\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022b388dd67766647f59261c97ef92b5b81\u0022\u003EInstruction to Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022 data-id=\u00220173e5ac560147c5897cda7e10d13822\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000676\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00220173e5ac560147c5897cda7e10d13822\u0022\u003EHon TODD McCLAY (Minister for Trade):\u003C/span\u003E I move, That the European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill report to the House before 4 April 2024 and that the committee have authority to meet at any time when the House is sitting (except during oral questions), and during any evening on a day on which there has been a sitting of the House, and on a Friday in a week in which there has been a sitting of the House, and outside of the Wellington area, despite Standing Orders 193, 195, and 196.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000677\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EThe European Union have completed their process for the ratification of the free-trade agreement. Now it remains for this House to move through its obligation to do the same thing so that it can enter it into force. We believe that this should be done as quickly as possible, although are mindful that it is important that, through the select committee process, the public, and those of interest, have the opportunity to submit on the legislation and to appear before the committee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000678\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EThe Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee has already given the public an opportunity to consider the free-trade agreement itself, in as far as a treaty examination is concerned. At this time, there are goods exported from New Zealand that are on the water, on their way to Europe. If we\u2019re able to move through this process in a slightly faster time period than might normally be the case, those New Zealand exporters will benefit quickly from the tariff reductions that the free-trade agreement has. To give an example, there are probably tens of millions of dollars\u2019 worth of tariff savings that New Zealand exporters would benefit from through the legislation being passed more quickly. Of course, New Zealand kiwifruit exporters to the European market are not far away from having to make decisions about sending their product to market. I think it would be a good thing for this House to be able to pass the legislation so it can enter into force.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000679\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EFinally, there are elections coming up in Europe, in the European Parliament. Whilst they have completed their part of the process for entry into force, we would like to do that before the European Parliament elections take place, as it would mean, procedurally, implementation may be delayed. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000680\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\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=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000681\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00222bafaba9e33743c4889e91e2badc4a73\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Productivity Commission Act Repeal Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000682\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022957adb85f0204b8d9956a88c3bc5bc96\u0022\u003EIn Committee\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000683\u0022\u003EDebate resumed from 30 January.\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000684\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00229fac55abc2c54a63b9164945ba1eb527\u0022\u003EPart 1  Preliminary provisions (continued)\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022 data-id=\u0022b14acf00083342e1b3f2115a8107e59c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000685\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b14acf00083342e1b3f2115a8107e59c\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Barbara Kuriger)\u003C/span\u003E: Members, the House is in committee on the New Zealand Productivity Commission Act Repeal Bill. When we were last considering the bill, we were debating Part 1, \u201CPreliminary provisions\u201D, and Schedule 1. Once again, the question is that Part 1 be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u00229b1ec49691ee44babfaa57abed607061\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 Part 1 be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 68\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 49; ACT New Zealand 11; New Zealand First 8.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 55\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 15; Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori 6.\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=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000686\u0022\u003EPart 1 agreed to.\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000687\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00225940e33902b34c14b417242d5c8b4d10\u0022\u003EPart 2  Disestablishment of New Zealand Productivity Commission\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022 data-id=\u0022861c4ddf0cb94472b9c7b6d05ca1562a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000688\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022861c4ddf0cb94472b9c7b6d05ca1562a\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Barbara Kuriger)\u003C/span\u003E: Members, we come now to Part 2. This is the debate on clauses 8 to 12, the \u201CDisestablishment of New Zealand Productivity Commission\u201D, and Schedule 2. The question is that Part 2 stand part. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022ef094bb1-be4f-48b8-bb53-52ce955a1c2d\u0022 data-id=\u00224627bc9455ea43fc9812340671a0b7f0\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000689\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ef094bb1-be4f-48b8-bb53-52ce955a1c2d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224627bc9455ea43fc9812340671a0b7f0\u0022\u003EJAMES MEAGER (National\u2014Rangitata):\u003C/span\u003E Madam Chair, thank you for the call. It feels like only yesterday we were here discussing this bill. I wanted to lament the fact that we didn\u2019t quite get to cover off clause 7, which was the self-repealing part of it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000690\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022dc7a74aadfa2413988ab84f64712c2b3\u0022\u003EHon Dr Duncan Webb\u003C/span\u003E: Wrong part.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000691\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ef094bb1-be4f-48b8-bb53-52ce955a1c2d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022596a3a6306c14a8c9776122b64e19c69\u0022\u003EJAMES MEAGER\u003C/span\u003E: I know. I\u2019m lamenting the fact we weren\u2019t able to cover that off. But we will move on to Part 2 and Schedule 2, which is, of course, the substantive part of the bill. The \u201CDisestablishment of the New Zealand Productivity Commission\u201D is the name of the part, and in terms of productivity, can I just give a nod to the Minister for Regulation, in clause 9, where the title of the clause is actually longer than the substantive part of the clause itself. Now, if that is not an example of productivity in legislating and drafting, I do not know what is. So I just wanted to commend the Minister and the drafters and everyone who worked on the bill for their efficiency and their productivity in putting that particular clause together. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000692\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ef094bb1-be4f-48b8-bb53-52ce955a1c2d\u0022\u003ENow, I do have a number of questions on this bill. Again, as we went through at length last night\u2014and everyone was very enthusiastic late last night on this bill. But, of course, we do have clause 8, which is the repeal of the New Zealand Productivity Commission Act itself, and that is probably the most substantive part of the bill. That is the part which does all the heavy lifting. It repeals the Act, or it disestablishes the Productivity Commission. It\u2019s the reason why we\u2019re here today. It\u2019s the reason why we are debating this valuable bill, which is part of the Government\u2019s 100-day plan of action.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000693\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ef094bb1-be4f-48b8-bb53-52ce955a1c2d\u0022\u003ENow, I\u2019d like to ask the Minister a question about clause 8, and I didn\u2019t know whether it was appropriate to ask in the first part or to ask during the second reading, but\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000694\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022081ee4cb6e054953829bdb1afe968fdc\u0022\u003EHon Dr Duncan Webb\u003C/span\u003E: Speak slower.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000695\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ef094bb1-be4f-48b8-bb53-52ce955a1c2d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227a8bbac06dd94210ba492f658e793eeb\u0022\u003EJAMES MEAGER\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry, what was that, Dr Webb?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000696\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e8a5f51c705f4f0c9f303975cdacb2a8\u0022\u003EHon Dr Duncan Webb\u003C/span\u003E: Speak slower\u2014it will take longer.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000697\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ef094bb1-be4f-48b8-bb53-52ce955a1c2d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d09ceb7f0a134dc797582f5b0d81767c\u0022\u003EJAMES MEAGER\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, Dr Webb is instructing me to speak slower. I think that comes from Dr Webb\u2019s years and years and years and years of experience of public speaking, speaking in front of crowds, lecturing at a fine university\u2014Canterbury University. It\u2019s not the best one in the South Island, but close to it\u2014at least in the top two. So I will take the member\u2019s instruction and advice and speak slightly more slowly for the benefit of the member, who may be getting slightly tired at this time of night.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000698\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ef094bb1-be4f-48b8-bb53-52ce955a1c2d\u0022\u003ENow, I did have a question for the Minister on clauses 8 to 10, and, of course, clause 10 is the residual assets clause of the bill. Essentially, what this clause does is it vests the residual assets, liabilities, agreements, and leases in the Crown as assets or liabilities in the ministry. I just wanted to ask the Minister what kind of robust discussions and debates he may have had with the finance Minister on this, because, of course, you\u2019re looking at vesting liabilities and assets in the Crown. That\u2019s got to go some way towards the cost savings that we\u2019re trying to get out of the disestablishment\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000699\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226b32fa320f7f43faa10dcf47dd37652a\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s a second reading question, mate. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000700\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ef094bb1-be4f-48b8-bb53-52ce955a1c2d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228e456cbfed9e46b4b923f28be1819909\u0022\u003EJAMES MEAGER\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014of the Productivity Commission, and I\u2019d like to ask him about that. It may be that these kinds of questions are something more appropriate for other parts and other stages of the House, but as we are here under a constrained sitting environment and we\u2019re all new to the place, it would be great to get a little bit of generosity from the Chair when it comes to debating these kinds of bills. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000701\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ef094bb1-be4f-48b8-bb53-52ce955a1c2d\u0022\u003ESo then we do have clause 10(2), which is about information held by the commission before it is disestablished also being transferred to the ministry, and there\u2019d be some interesting questions there, I think, for the Minister around how does that work when we\u2019re transferring information. I assume the normal privacy obligations apply when we\u2019re going from a commission and transferring it to the ministry, which we talked about in the interpretation section\u2014so just questions there about how does that work in terms of the privacy obligations of an organisation which is disestablished. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000702\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ef094bb1-be4f-48b8-bb53-52ce955a1c2d\u0022\u003EInformation which is held and transferred\u2014who has the obligations to notify anyone who holds personal information? Perhaps someone who\u2019s had an interaction with the Productivity Commission in the past would like to make a personal information or a Privacy Act request. Who would they go to to ask that when the Productivity Commission is no longer with us, when it is passed by, and\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000703\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002280c64c68a18f46c098913a338e3d178c\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: That would be a residual liability. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000704\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ef094bb1-be4f-48b8-bb53-52ce955a1c2d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ebe23230485a46e1b579d16e6fb7792f\u0022\u003EJAMES MEAGER\u003C/span\u003E: It may be a residual liability, and I would really enjoy the Minister\u2019s contribution and thoughts on that. Thank you. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022 data-id=\u002230073cd873a54c2bbe0077c113cb4d05\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000705\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002230073cd873a54c2bbe0077c113cb4d05\u0022\u003EHon Dr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour\u2014Christchurch Central):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Chair. I think I can probably be a little more concise than the last speaker, James Meager. In clause 10(5), it talks about the completion of reports. Now, yesterday, the Minister for Regulation was very flattering of the work of the commission, and it\u2019s pretty much obvious that there\u2019s going to be a number of reports under way. The clause says that \u201Cthe Ministry is not under any obligation to complete \u2026 reports\u201D, but given that there will be reports in train, is it the case that the ministry will complete the work that the commission has under way?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022 data-id=\u00222d4a3f0441c747fb83d62ee66e69cdfd\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000706\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222d4a3f0441c747fb83d62ee66e69cdfd\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR (Minister for Regulation):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Chair. I say to the member James Meager from the Government benches that I\u2019m happy to answer any questions he has, but, in the meantime, he\u2019d probably be better to go and knock on the office door of Simon Court and get some advice on how to filibuster imaginatively.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000707\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EIn response to Dr Duncan Webb, if he was listening yesterday, he would have heard me say in answer to, funnily enough, Simon Court\u2019s question that we expect the commission to wind up on 29\u00A0February. If you may recall, I pointed out that that was an interesting point because it\u2019s a leap year and that the report that\u2019s outstanding would be completed by 15 February. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022 data-id=\u00221c6ed31baf4f4b8788879aa2d2367afa\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000708\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221c6ed31baf4f4b8788879aa2d2367afa\u0022\u003EDAN BIDOIS (National\u2014Northcote):\u003C/span\u003E It\u2019s a pleasure to rise and take a call in the second part of the New Zealand Productivity Commission Act Repeal Bill. I was listening from my office last night to this debate. It\u2019s been great to hear some of the concerns that members have had and to hear that the Minister for Regulation reflects on past ACT positions and says that members should be willing to learn and grow from those past positions, and that is why we\u2019re here today, to disestablish the Productivity Commission. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000709\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003EOne of the questions that we heard last night and that we hear out there in the public domain\u2014whether it\u2019s on the blog sites or in the papers\u2014is who will carry out the work of the Productivity Commission once it is disestablished, and so that is my question to the Minister today, which is to reassure the public that, actually, there is a huge body of independent organisations out there that will take up the mantle of the Productivity Commission, because we know it\u2019s an important challenge this country faces. We know that since the 1960s, this country has had a lagging productivity growth rate compared to our international peers, which has led to the fact that any worker in New Zealand can go to Australia and earn, on average, 30 percent more income over there and that any worker can go to America and earn 35 percent more income in America. So that is, I think, a really important thing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000710\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003EHere\u2019s my reflection on that question, but I would like to hear the Minister\u2019s reflections. It is that there are some fantastic organisations in New Zealand that do work on productivity: organisations like Motu, and I\u2019d like to call out Phil McCann, an amazing professor who does work on the economic geography of this country, and who has done a huge amount of work to understand New Zealand\u2019s geographical position and how it\u2019s led to our low-productivity growth rates. There are places like the New Zealand Initiative: Oliver Hartwich and his team do a great job of understanding, particularly, the economic drivers around education, and financial markets as well. There are universities\u2014and I\u2019d like to call out my own professor, Tim Maloney from Auckland University of Technology and formerly from Auckland University, around labour economics, because, as we know, what drives productivity is finance, labour, and the meshing of those together. That\u2019s called multi-factor productivity.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000711\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003ESo that\u2019s my question to the Minister. It is: who will take up the mantle of productivity in this country? There are other great organisations out there, organisations like the Treasury. The Treasury has done\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000712\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224accd52186dd44d991ccdfbf0f22f069\u0022\u003EHon Dr Duncan Webb\u003C/span\u003E: Talk about the bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000713\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f9c78cdc839847ef825122e9b347fe96\u0022\u003EDAN BIDOIS\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014in the past, some incredible work, and I\u2019d encourage the member opposite to read the Treasury\u2019s papers on productivity, because they are possibly even better than the Productivity Commission\u2019s papers themselves. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000714\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003EThere are international organisations\u2014places like the World Bank, the OECD, and the IMF. These organisations do an incredible amount of research on New Zealand\u2019s productivity challenge and what we need to do to resolve that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000715\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003ESo that is the question that I think some of the left-wing blog sites and some of the left-wing papers, and some of the questions that are lingering in the minds of the public that I think the Minister ought to potentially address. My reflection is that there is actually a huge amount of people out there and bodies of organisations that will take up the mantle, and this organisation, although they\u2019ve done some important work, their kaupapa\u2014which is around improving productivity and understanding the key policies that will help to improve productivity in this country\u2014will actually be taken up and adopted and delivered by other important people and organisations in the country. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000716\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003ESo that\u2019s my question to the Minister. He may wish to not answer, but we\u2019d like to hear his answer on that question.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000717\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022094b0ff4-e404-451b-b4a9-ad12bd4dee56\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fa9506c1a4f94f11acebb761ab537f8f\u0022\u003EStuart Smith\u003C/span\u003E: A substantive answer.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000718\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f429fecb-a955-4d95-8105-e5144e651204\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228a044e50606c441d9e0d2a866e194742\u0022\u003EDAN BIDOIS\u003C/span\u003E: A substantive answer to Part 2. But I support this bill and I would like the Minister to address that question. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022 data-id=\u0022103a128ef0084a53987b1f67d34298b9\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000719\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022103a128ef0084a53987b1f67d34298b9\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E I wasn\u2019t going to take a call on this part of this silly and sad piece of legislation, but I\u2019ve been inspired by the contribution from the member Dab Bidois, who\u2019s just resumed his seat. So my question on Part 2 is with respect to clause 9. It\u2019s a relatively simple question for the Minister for Regulation, and that\u2019s \u201CWhy?\u201D, because this is an organisation that was created at the behest of the ACT Party and that the Minister, in his first and his second reading speeches last night, told us had done good and excellent work, and yet he brings a bill to the House to disestablish it. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000720\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EI still haven\u2019t had an answer from the Minister that satisfactorily answers why clause 9 exists, and I guess that there\u2019s a subpart. If \u201CWhy?\u201D is not a simple enough question for the Minister, there is a subpart to this, which is to ask the Minister what other options he might have considered. For example, if his concern was, as he has publicly stated in the media, that the Productivity Commission had gone off-piste from where ACT would like it to be\u2014obviously, I disagree with the premise behind that. But if that is the Minister\u2019s concern, why did he not reappoint people that he considered would bring the commission back to where he felt it should be? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000721\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EAs everybody has said in the House over the last night and tonight, productivity and the challenge to New Zealand on productivity is decades long, very complex, and something that we all agree we need to do more about, and having an organisation whose job it is to take the big-picture view and to produce the reports that we can learn from is, presumably, a good thing. The Hon James Shaw last night offered the Minister a couple of other ways and pathways that he might be able to do this, including changing the legislation around how the Government needs to respond to a report of the Productivity Commission, thinking again about the kinds of inquiries it can do, who it can work with and indeed, as I say, who is appointed as commissioners.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000722\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003ESo it is a fairly simple question for me. This is an absurd piece of legislation, and the best we\u2019ve been able to get\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000723\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229634e377-7e76-4353-9662-fb444eb2ec9d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002261179947571c40cb90e0d9c337ba2c07\u0022\u003ECarl Bates\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s why we\u2019re repealing it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000724\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227f4f02bbbd8f4b54aa2fe85b32ed8fc4\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: No, no, no, this\u2014this\u2014is an absurd piece of legislation, and it does strike me that the only credible thing that we\u2019ve heard is that the Minister wants his vanity project with the ministry of regulation and the only way he could get that through was to sacrifice the Productivity Commission. If that is the case\u2014and it does appear to be so\u2014then that is why this is a very, very sad bill. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000725\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003ESo that\u2019s my quite simple question for the Minister. Why is clause 9 here, and what else did he consider that he could have done to achieve the goals he has whilst keeping in place a commission that works on the issue that virtually everyone in this House agrees we need to work on? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022 data-id=\u002280c4158c283f48aa9904d27548f1a580\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000726\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002280c4158c283f48aa9904d27548f1a580\u0022\u003EHELEN WHITE (Labour\u2014Mt Albert):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Chair. I want to just graft on to what was said there by the previous speaker, Grant Robertson, because I, years ago, worked for the Law Commission, which is an independent organisation, and those kinds of independent organisations are really rich in having a focus and a capacity for people to engage with them. We heard speakers yesterday talk about how people did engage in a different way with the Productivity Commission and they said that they could do a much longer-term piece of work and they could do a much more specialist piece of work. Now, I can see the Minister for Regulation raising his eyebrows at one of the organisations which I have great respect for\u2014from what I can see\u2014so I would like to know how he intends to continue that tradition of independence if, in fact, when people say things he doesn\u2019t like to hear and that don\u2019t go along with his ideology, he is prepared to dismantle them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022 data-id=\u0022c8c6f3a341164a0ca00095e2fe5149c2\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000727\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c8c6f3a341164a0ca00095e2fe5149c2\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR (Minister for Regulation):\u003C/span\u003E I would like to respond to some of the contributions. I would answer Dan Bidois\u2019 question. However, he gave such a lengthy answer himself, it hardly seems necessary. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000728\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EIn response to Grant Robertson, clause 9 is there to give effect to the policies that were agreed on in Part 2, and, as he says, it\u2019s a very simple clause. It says, \u201CThe Commission is disestablished.\u201D, so he should be able to work that out. As for a number of other comments that he made, I could engage with him on that, but it doesn\u2019t really seem worth it. I could make similar comments about some of the characterisation and attacks from Helen White, but I don\u2019t think that\u2019s really necessary.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022 data-id=\u002274ed899388864b9395c30f38eb86af1b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000729\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002274ed899388864b9395c30f38eb86af1b\u0022\u003EHon Dr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour\u2014Christchurch Central):\u003C/span\u003E I wonder if I might talk a little bit about this, because we know\u2014and the Minister for Regulation has been quite clear\u2014that the Productivity Commission will be replaced by a ministry which he will be in charge of in respect of regulation, which he thinks will have some impact on productivity. I wonder if he might comment on the suggestion that he would much prefer to have a ministry which he can direct, rather than an independent commission over which he can\u2019t control the opinions of. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000730\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s on the record that Mr Seymour has said that the Productivity Commission, he thinks, has been hijacked, and he said that on 5 September 2023. So it strikes me, Minister, that the real reason you\u2019re abolishing the commission is because you don\u2019t like its independent views, and, what\u2019s more, the chair of the commission\u2014you were unkind enough to say that you would not have appointed him. You said that on the same date. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000731\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003ENow, the Hon Grant Robertson has already pointed out that it\u2019s open to you to make your own appointments to the commission. But I would ask you to respond to the fact that what you want is a little department all of your own where you can make sure you can control the opinions that come out of it, rather than have a thoughtful and independent organisation which can give genuinely independent insight into productivity in New Zealand. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u00229b1214a33c254a06ad6a664f954309c7\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 Part 2 be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 68\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 49; ACT New Zealand 11; New Zealand First 8.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 55\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 15; Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori 6.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EPart 2 agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u00227b2ec3e73d3f4416b98cd8e26e95ce13\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 Schedule 1 be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 68\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 49; ACT New Zealand 11; New Zealand First 8.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 55\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 15; Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori 6.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ESchedule 1 agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u002276f879e01af0413f8b64c3c13a4dd84d\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 Schedule 2 be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 68\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 49; ACT New Zealand 11; New Zealand First 8.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 55\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 15; Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori 6.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ESchedule 2 agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000732\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00225efd34fa32074558b83c18a9f731fca0\u0022\u003EClauses 1 and 2\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022 data-id=\u00229a8a0773338243fa8747e302c6c687e4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000733\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00229a8a0773338243fa8747e302c6c687e4\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Members, we come now to our final debate, clauses 1 and 2, the debate on the title and commencement.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022 data-id=\u0022fdf80aef790e4527912e0a37b95a93b5\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000734\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022fdf80aef790e4527912e0a37b95a93b5\u0022\u003EHon Dr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour\u2014Christchurch Central):\u003C/span\u003E Well, we\u2019ve obviously got the title there: Clause 1 Title, \u201CThis Act is New Zealand Productivity Commission Act Repeal Act 2024\u201D but it doesn\u2019t really give much away, does it? We know there\u2019s a lot more going on under the surface. Perhaps the appropriate title for the Act\u2014and we could always put an amendment on the Table\u2014would be the \u201CDavid Seymour Vanity Regulation Ministry Establishment Act\u201D, because that\u2019s what\u2019s really going on here. Or maybe it\u2019s the \u201CWe Don\u2019t Want to Know Independent Opinion Act\u201D, because that\u2019s the other thing that\u2019s going on.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000735\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s really disappointing that what we\u2019ve got here is a piece of legislation where the National Party has allowed the ACT Party to shuffle off to one side an independent voice for the very thing that the National Party claims it\u2019s in favour of, which is productivity. We heard a whole lot of kind of wandering speeches last night, with the general theme that the National Party is keen on better productivity and better industries, and, from the member for Tukituki, more apples, but overall and in general it seems to be that the National Party like the idea of an independent voice which enhanced productivity in New Zealand. But here what we have is the quashing of one of the independent, thoughtful voices we have in respect of productivity in New Zealand. So maybe this bill really should be the \u201CACT Party Wins Bill\u201D, or, better still, the \u201CACT Party Wins Again Bill\u201D, because that\u2019s really what we\u2019ve got going on here. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000736\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003EIn terms of this bill being a simple repeal bill, it\u2019s actually a lot more than that because it\u2019s really\u2014a better title might be the \u201CLack of Productivity Bill\u201D, because that\u2019s what\u2019s going on here. The Productivity Commission\u2014and we heard this time and time again yesterday\u2014has done some fantastic work. Now, the real criticism was that Government wasn\u2019t obliged to respond and pick up that work, but the fact of the matter is that it\u2019s there and it\u2019s a resource to be used, and it has to be said that Government\u2014and Parliament as well\u2014looked carefully at those reports and was challenged by them. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000737\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003EBut we know that that party\u2014the ACT Party\u2014doesn\u2019t like to be challenged, and the National Party likes to go along with the ACT Party. So maybe it should be the \u201CPlease Don\u2019t Challenge Us Because It All Gets a Bit Awkward Bill\u201D. But the real point I want to make here is that in this bill, the New Zealand Productivity Commission Act Repeal Bill, there\u2019s a lot more going on. What we have going on is the replacement of one ACT idea with another ACT idea, because the leadership has changed, and every ACT leader likes to leave a legacy. This ACT leader thinks that his legacy is going to be the \u201CKafka ministry\u201D\u2014I mean the ministry of regulation, which, no doubt, another ACT leader will come along and squash with another commission or ministry of some sort or other to leave their legacy as well. So, in terms of the title of this legislation, I put to the Minister, why doesn\u2019t he call it what it really is: the \u201CDavid Seymour Vanity Act\u201D?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022 data-id=\u00227ad611bf83d04d38ab264281d05bd37b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000738\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227ad611bf83d04d38ab264281d05bd37b\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E I just want to focus and ask the Minister a couple of questions about clause 2, the commencement clause. Noting that the Act comes into force on 29\u00A0February 2024\u2014and it is a serious matter I want to raise with the Minister because he\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000739\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022115a9c947cfd4c9bb71ccdf052c8790b\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: You shouldn\u2019t really say that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000740\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fe90cb10e21c4e749b8c669a49c12173\u0022\u003EHon GRANT ROBERTSON\u003C/span\u003E: Well, no, because the Minister hasn\u2019t responded to any of my other questions. So, you know, I was trying to give him a guide to the fact I might want one after this\u2014which is that he himself spoke about staff of the Productivity Commission in either the first or second reading speech last night. There is a group of highly specialised expert researchers who produce incredibly interesting and important work at the commission who go on 29 February under clause 2 and as a result of clause 11 that was within Part 2. So just to be clear for members, clause 11(2)\u2014which we\u2019ve already passed\u2014says: \u201CAll employment and appointment positions with the Commission are terminated.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000741\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003EI want some assurance from the Minister today about the process that is being used to work through with those staff. What then happens in clause 11(3) is that all responsibilities in relation to employment or appointment matters become the liability or the responsibility of the ministry\u2014which is, we\u2019ve learnt, the Treasury.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000742\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003ESo my questions for the Minister are: what arrangements are in place to support those people to stay within the Public Service? And what support has been given to the Treasury who will now take responsibility for all of the outstanding matters? I would not be at all surprised if, in the course of just on a month, they may not be able to resolve all of the issues that exist around staffing or employment. These people have had their jobs ended unceremoniously through this Act of Parliament, and I think the Minister should stand up and tell us what is being done to support them and what is being done to work and support the Treasury in order for them to fulfil the roles that are given them in clause 11.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022 data-id=\u002232d008e7b69d4781afb5a3195770ebcd\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000743\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002232d008e7b69d4781afb5a3195770ebcd\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Cameron Brewer.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000744\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226007dc96-f459-4cdd-9972-4fde2c994088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e51c329a086944ccbf3a3073574ea965\u0022\u003EHon Grant Robertson\u003C/span\u003E: Luxton.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000745\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e9c32e8b5cab40a5b0cd1e3dd939b19f\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Luxton, sorry.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022cfc7092e-b202-4acf-aa9c-8aebd551cc39\u0022 data-id=\u0022658f79e4c2074a91b7dacc62962c3562\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000746\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cfc7092e-b202-4acf-aa9c-8aebd551cc39\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022658f79e4c2074a91b7dacc62962c3562\u0022\u003ECAMERON LUXTON (ACT):\u003C/span\u003E Ha, ha! Thank you, Mr Robertson. I move, That debate on this question now close.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022 data-id=\u0022bff58486910c444f9fecd9ff32038cce\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000747\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022bff58486910c444f9fecd9ff32038cce\u0022\u003EHon JULIE ANNE GENTER (Green\u2014Rongotai):\u003C/span\u003E T\u0113n\u0101 koe, Mr Chair. Thank you very much for the opportunity to make a contribution at this late point of the committee stage, but I guess I would like to add my voice to the previous honourable member\u2019s contribution asking the question \u201CWhat are the provisions in place around the staff that are currently at the Productivity Commission?\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000748\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003EI do just have to note the incredible irony, but, in fact, it\u2019s so fitting that it was a previous ACT Party coalition agreement that set up the Productivity Commission, back in the day when the ACT Party was more like a real libertarian party and cared about good governance instead of just representing billionaires. Back in the day, they actually believed in the possibility of an independent institution like a commission for productivity. But the sad truth is that, under the current leadership and direction of the ACT Party, they aren\u2019t interested in things that would genuinely result in a more productive economy, because the things that result in a more productive economy\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000749\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222a865270601340f1835627fd44770338\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Ms Genter, this is a very narrow part of the bill. It is not the opportunity for a general debate comment. It is on the title and commencement. So at least, if you\u2019re going to make those comments, make some attempt to relate them to the title and commencement, and then you may get some\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000750\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b3cc6a759f614a31af2cdb566eb78f45\u0022\u003EHon JULIE ANNE GENTER\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you very much, Mr Chair, for reminding me of that, because, as the Hon Duncan Webb was saying, it is quite possible that the more appropriate title would be a title that was making note of the fact that the current ACT Party is more interested in creating more direct Government bureaucracy that they can control in an autocratic way rather than having an independent commission that\u2019s providing independent advice, because they don\u2019t like that independent advice.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000751\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003EI do want to note, just as the Hon Duncan Webb did in his contribution on this part, that the Productivity Commission under the John Key years actually did produce quite a lot of very useful and important research. Because I haven\u2019t had the opportunity to make a contribution in this debate, I\u2019ll just put that out there now. I remember very well, between 2011 and 2017, there were fantastic reports coming out from the Productivity Commission, even though it was a John Key - led Government and Mr Seymour was involved in one of those Governments. But the Minister really should answer the very serious question about what provisions are being made for the people who will be unemployed as a result of this bill and this part, at the end of the month that starts tomorrow. And we haven\u2019t heard that answer from the Minister.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000752\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003ESo, as long as I have two minutes left in my contribution, I would very much like to point out that, overall, this is a fitting move for someone who doesn\u2019t believe in having an independent Government institution at arm\u2019s length from Government Ministers to provide actual relevant economic evidence that would support improving productivity in New Zealand, but rather create\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000753\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b0bdd62d268a4fd78462cc4ad51af2c0\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Ms Genter, the fact that you haven\u2019t contributed previously does not entitle you to actually make statements that are not pertinent to this very narrow part of the bill. So at least, in the time left to you, you may try to relate it to that particular part; otherwise, I\u2019ll be asking you to sit down.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000754\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ce799ab5f85149dfa15634aefd2d7f8b\u0022\u003EHon JULIE ANNE GENTER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, again, we could talk about how the title of the bill, Mr Chair, could be something like the \u201CExpanding Government Bureaucracy for the Purposes of the ACT Party Bill\u201D, so that they can act on behalf of their 1 percent donors rather than actually doing something that would genuinely improve the productivity of this country. I think there are two points being made here. One is that the Minister has not risen to answer\u2014and will not\u2014the very relevant question put to him by two members now on this side of the Chamber. And the second point is simply that we could come up with a much more relevant title for this bill\u2014one that points out the absolute hypocrisy of this fake libertarian 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=\u0022a6224018ea094e7e8b04bbbe796e638a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000755\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a6224018ea094e7e8b04bbbe796e638a\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR (Minister for Regulation):\u003C/span\u003E I just listened to that spewing of bile and all I thought is, \u201CI hope they make her the next co-leader for the good of New Zealand.\u201D!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000756\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EI want to turn to the question from Grant Robertson in relation to those staff. What I will say is that when we decided to go down the track of disestablishing the commission, my initial and first instructions to the officials is that we would deal in a way that was respectful and accommodated the needs of staff and our obligations to them as a priority. I can understand people want to say, \u201CWell, how has that gone?\u201D I think it would be wrong for me to comment further when people are still undergoing, or may still be undergoing, negotiations and the like.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000757\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EBut I can assure the committee and the member that the way that we\u2019ve gone about this is that some of my first words to the officials responsible for this policy process has been to accommodate those staff and their rights and the obligations to them. Those obligations, the member asked, will be passed over to the Treasury. Of course, if the Treasury indicates that it needs support in order to honour that commitment to those staff, then then we\u2019ll ensure that we do that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000758\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EHowever, I also just make the point that if they\u2019re very talented people\u2014and I agree that they are\u2014then I think they\u2019re going to be just fine. I also want to use one of the last opportunities in the debate to thank those people for the excellent work that they\u2019ve done to date and remind people that that work will be available in perpetuity. I think it\u2019s time for Governments to implement a bit more of it rather than commission more of it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00228f20b644-642a-4c85-ade9-d5af32dc690b\u0022 data-id=\u0022dbcea6fbecc54b85b08f4e38fbcb7c55\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000759\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228f20b644-642a-4c85-ade9-d5af32dc690b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022dbcea6fbecc54b85b08f4e38fbcb7c55\u0022\u003ELAURA TRASK (ACT):\u003C/span\u003E I move, That debate on this question now close.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022 data-id=\u00225c1967542fda4509878b90e19b8acd1b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000760\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225c1967542fda4509878b90e19b8acd1b\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: The question is that the question be\u2014actually, I\u2019m just reminded, because no one else took a call, we\u2019ll go straight into the vote.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u002217c8f4548b12475bb6d96faced2d071a\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 clause 1 be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 68\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 49; ACT New Zealand 11; New Zealand First 8.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 55\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 15; Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori 6.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EClause 1 agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u002224badecfc5d34a7d8bceffc3e9ffd053\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 clause 2 be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 68\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 49; ACT New Zealand 11; New Zealand First 8.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENoes 55\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 15; Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori 6.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EClause 2 agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000761\u0022\u003EBill to be reported without amendment.\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000762\u0022\u003EHouse resumed.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022 data-id=\u0022b233c23c6ef14de38d8634d127a69d8f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000763\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b233c23c6ef14de38d8634d127a69d8f\u0022\u003ECHAIRPERSON (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Madam Speaker, the committee has considered the New Zealand Productivity Commission Act Repeal Bill and reports it without amendment. I move, That the report be adopted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000764\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=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000765\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=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000766\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022c7855842bacf4fae9159ff67b1109a35\u0022\u003ESocial Workers Registration Legislation Amendment Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000767\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022881bd72309a3446d83e396bb8439bb09\u0022\u003ESecond Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022 data-id=\u0022906f22ae3147410188688c5e036034b1\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000768\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022906f22ae3147410188688c5e036034b1\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON (Minister for Social Development and Employment):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. I present a legislative statement on the Social Workers Registration Legislation Amendment Bill. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000769\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002210ea20982593442e899f40f29907f37e\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The legislative statement is published under the authority of the House and can be found on the Parliament website. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000770\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002291d60217ce2f47b493a2383d05e82769\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON\u003C/span\u003E: I move, That the Social Workers Registration Legislation Amendment Bill be now read a second time. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000771\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003EThe bill currently seeks to amend the Social Workers Registration Legislation Act 2019 to delay the repeal of the experience pathway for social worker registration from 28 February 2024 to 28\u00A0February 2028. Delaying the repeal of the experience pathway will act as a short-term mechanism to help reduce workforce pressures in the social work sector by continuing to provide an alternative means of entering the profession. We believe this is a common-sense change that the House should support. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000772\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003EThe coalition Government recognises that social workers play a critical role in our communities. They provide essential front-line services to vulnerable New Zealanders. Recently, and more so than ever, social workers have been critical in supporting New Zealanders. Social workers have been crucial in the very challenging times that we\u2019ve experienced in recent years, including weather events such as Cyclone Gabrielle and extensive flooding around the country. This Government is committed to supporting earlier interventions, which are more effective for those who are most at risk. Social workers play an important role in helping to achieve this by providing vital support and assistance to a range of New Zealanders. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000773\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003EThe Social Workers Registration Act 2003 sets out occupational regulations for social workers. These regulations protect the safety of members of the public by ensuring that social workers are competent to practise and are held accountable, while also enhancing the professionalism of social workers. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000774\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003EThere are two pathways for registration currently: the qualification pathway and\u2014the alternative\u2014the experience pathway. Registration provides the basis for determining the safety of social workers to practise. Both pathways require an initial competency assessment and a fit and proper person test. Once registered, further assurance is provided by the accountability and oversight mechanisms that come with registration. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000775\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003ETo be eligible for registration, applicants must have a qualification prescribed by the Social Workers Registration Board. However, section 13 of the Social Workers Registration Act of 2003 provides this alternative experience pathway to registration for people who have had extensive practical experience but who do not have the prescribed qualification. Instead of demonstrating their competence by having a prescribed qualification, this experience pathway allows applicants to satisfy the Social Workers Registration Board of their competence based on their significant practical experience. Some of this includes having enough practical experience to compensate for not having a prescribed qualification\u2014usually 10 to 15 years\u2014having demonstrable competence to practise as a social worker, having demonstrable competence in working as a social worker with M\u0101ori and various ethnic and cultural groups, and meeting the fit and proper person requirement. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000776\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003EInitially, registration for social workers was voluntary; however, in February 2021, registration became mandatory. The intent of mandatory registration of social workers is to ensure the safety of the public, and this of course remains paramount. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000777\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003EIn 2017, Cabinet agreed to repeal the experience pathway with a delayed commencement date. The decision was made to support the professionalism of the social work sector by emphasising and standardising the workforce through academic achievement. This was underpinned by an assumption that there would be sufficient supply to meet future demand for social workers. The need to support the professionalisation of the sector remains paramount. However, the operating environment for social workers has changed since this decision was taken in 2017. More time is now needed to aid the sector to transition to a mandatory qualification setting due to the social worker shortages that we currently face. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000778\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003EThis bill will support the social worker sector to respond to these changes by allowing people to continue to register as social workers through the experience pathway on a temporary basis. In particular, social worker workforce shortages have continued to increase. There has also been an increase in the demand for social work services due to the impacts of COVID-19 and the recent weather events that I referenced before, alongside a reduction in supply due to decreasing student enrolment. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000779\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003EThe Social Workers Registration Board estimate that there are 700 unfilled social worker vacancies. Delaying the repeal of the experience pathway will act as a short-term mechanism to help reduce workforce pressures in the social work sector by continuing to provide this alternative means of entering the profession. I also expect that the sector will continue to take additional steps to address the current workforce shortages. Delaying the repeal of the experience pathway will also enable the social work sector to maximise the opportunities presented by the recent pay increase for social workers. These increases provide a financial incentive for those who are currently unregistered practitioners to register as social workers through the experience pathway. Increasing the number of practitioners captured by the accountability mechanisms that come with registration will enhance public safety and accountability. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000780\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003EThere has also been a growing recognition in recent years of the importance of diversifying the social work sector to better serve the communities most effectively who meet their needs and aspirations. The experience pathway is a key avenue for supporting this. Delaying the repeal of the experience pathway will ensure that this mechanism for entry into the social work sector remains open while longer-term work to consider alternative entry pathways into social work is undertaken. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000781\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003EI wish to put on record my thanks to the Social Services and Community Committee for its work on considering the bill. The committee\u2019s scrutiny reinforced the importance of the safety mechanisms that come with registration for social workers, including those registered through the experience pathway. It is important that all people who interact with social workers can be assured that the service they receive is from a competent, fit, and proper practitioner. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000782\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003EI also want to thank the members of the public and of the social work sector who provided both written and oral submissions on the bill. I want to provide them with my heartfelt thanks for the tremendous time and effort they\u2019ve put in not just to contributing their expertise to this amendment\u2014the work that they do each and every day\u2014but also to the development of the entire registration system for social workers. As a member of that select committee in the previous Parliament, I have seen how committed the profession is to ensuring the best possible outcomes for New Zealanders. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000783\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003EMany of these submissions supported the intent of the bill, including the need to increase the supply of social workers to meet the growing demand. I note that the select committee recommended no changes to the bill. However, I do acknowledge that some submitters had concerns with delaying the repeal of the experience pathway, particularly regarding the potential impact on public trust and confidence in the social work profession if the delay was too long. I recognise these concerns and appreciate the constructive feedback. These concerns have reinforced the need to take a broader look at the social work sector, including entry pathways. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000784\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003EI also note the recommendations that submitters made on the bill\u2014including one from the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers\u2014that the repeal of the experience pathway be delayed by only two years as opposed to four years, which was proposed in the bill. This recommendation will balance the needs of the sector to support the supply of social workers in the short term while also emphasising the need to transition to a mandatory qualification environment as quickly as possible. This recommendation is a key consideration for the next steps of progressing the bill. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000785\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003EI intend to propose an update to the bill and table a change at the committee of the whole House stage to shorten the time frame of the delay of the experience pathway repeal. I consider that this would balance the benefits of extending the experience pathway while maintaining the emphasis of transitioning to a mandatory qualification environment as soon as possible.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000786\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003EI would like to finish by speaking directly to the social work representatives who have contributed to the development of this bill. You provide an invaluable service, and I thank you for the outstanding contribution you make. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000787\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a68928ea-9dd8-4a30-8e2c-a0f49dfc8bea\u0022\u003EI look forward to seeing this bill through the remaining stages of the parliamentary process, and I commend this bill to the House. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022 data-id=\u00226b19a82069024be18d1c101e0d812a8e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000788\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226b19a82069024be18d1c101e0d812a8e\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: The question is that the motion be agreed. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022 data-id=\u0022f7f2ec7ff80246e9b6d87df4ed83563d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000789\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022f7f2ec7ff80246e9b6d87df4ed83563d\u0022\u003EHon CARMEL SEPULONI (Labour\u2014Kelston):\u003C/span\u003E It\u2019s always good when there\u2019s a piece of legislation in the House that we actually agree on, and this certainly is one. I have had the privilege of being an Opposition MP working with our social workers association and social workers across the country, and hearing from them, as well as our M\u0101ori social workers association and hearing from them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000790\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003EThe background to this particular bill that we are working with and now looking to change is actually back to when we were in Opposition, when I introduced a member\u2019s bill to this House to make registration for social workers mandatory. It wasn\u2019t supported by the Government at the time, but then the Minister went on to introduce legislation and then, interestingly, we took office, and then I was the one that got to shepherd that legislation through. So I was part of pulling this together, and it has been a privilege, but it was the voice of social workers and our amazing iwi and NGO organisations out there that helped to lead to mandatory social worker registration in the first place. But that doesn\u2019t mean that there aren\u2019t changes that need to be made along the way, and this, tonight, is a reflection of a change that needs to be made. That is informed by the reality for social workers that are working out there, and also some of the changes that have been made over the course of the last few years.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000791\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003EThe bill, as the Minister for Social Development and Employment has said, is a bill that looks to extend the period of time where we allow for the experience pathway to lead to the qualification that is required and registration for those working as social workers or in social worker roles to actually have their registration acknowledged and formally recognised in terms of registration. There\u2019s a number of reasons that have been noted by the Minister that I think are worth reiterating for why we had to extend that period. The bill itself says it is for four additional years. It was interesting this evening to hear from the Minister that she is intending to reduce that period of time\u2014that extension\u2014to two years. That is certainly something that we have not had brought to our attention and that we will need to consider before we get to committee stages. But the gist of it in terms of what we have in front of us for the four-year extension is certainly something that not only did we support and bring to this House but that we continue to support now. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000792\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003EThere\u2019s a number of reasons why we need the extension for those that need the experience pathway. I need to acknowledge that our social workers\u2014the ones that are registered\u2014do an amazing job. But there are a number of other people that are working in our social services, in our iwi services, for our Pacific organisations, and for other social service organisations who don\u2019t have a social worker qualification, necessarily\u2014or maybe they do, but they do not have registration\u2014who, potentially, should be granted that through this particular pathway of experience. But there are things that have happened over recent years that lend ourselves to the opportunity to actually extend that period of time for them to be able to access that pathway. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000793\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003EThe first is workforce supply of social workers. We have to acknowledge that there has been a decline of people taking up this opportunity to become social workers, going back, I think, to 2015, and so we are not meeting the current demand and trends are expected to continue. We need to recognise that there are people working in these organisations who actually have the skills and have the ability to become registered social workers, but who need a pathway to be able to do that and haven\u2019t been able to do that yet. So that is why we want to support the extension of the pathway.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000794\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003EAlso, we\u2019re acknowledging that the pay equity extension creates opportunities for the sector through the experience pathway. In November 2022, the Cabinet of our Government at the time agreed to extend the social worker pay equity settlement across the Government-funded sector. The pay equity extension will apply to non-governmental organisations receiving funding from Government agencies for social work services. The pay equity extension will lift the pay of around 5,000 employees. This is actually likely to create an incentive for the many other people who are doing substantially similar work to social workers to apply for higher-paid social worker roles. They will need to be registered to work in these roles, and this is likely to drive an increase in demand for the experience pathway over the coming years. That settlement was only achieved in 2022, and so that will drive the demand for people seeking that experience pathway. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000795\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003ESo it is important to acknowledge that that particular change actually is an impetus for us to extend the experience pathway to becoming a registered social worker. The pay equity extension also helps to correct disparities in access to professional development between Government and NGO employees and to remove some of the cost barriers of maintaining registration.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000796\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003EOne of the things was that, actually, some of the opportunities were only provided\u2014particularly with respect to pay\u2014to social workers that were working for Oranga Tamariki as opposed to social workers that were working for iwi organisations and other social organisations, or NGOs, outside of Oranga Tamariki. That correction was the right thing to do, which we did in November 2022, and so it is important to recognise that that will create the impetus for them to actually go for the experience pathway.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000797\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003EThere has also been a growing recognition of the value of indigenous practice in social work and the need for an inclusive and culturally representative workforce. There has been an increasing recognition of the value of indigenous te ao M\u0101ori practice in social work, which the experience pathway supports. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000798\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003EI think that we can all acknowledge in this House that the reality is that, far too often, many of the wh\u0101nau who have to access this support or who are accessing the support of organisations that provide the type of social support that we are talking about are actually M\u0101ori, and there are many valuable people that have been working in the social sector for many years who potentially don\u2019t have the qualifications, nor are they registered. However, they definitely have the skills to be able to deliver to the wh\u0101nau and the communities that we\u2019re talking about. So this extension of four years will allow them to continue to practise, and we certainly would not want to see a gap where they are no longer able to\u2014particularly in light of the fact that we already have workforce shortages\u2014whilst being able to pursue that pathway to being able to become registered social workers. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000799\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003EIt was good to hear the Minister actually acknowledge the value of our M\u0101ori social workers and those that are working in the social sector, what they bring, and the fact that they should be allowed to have a pathway whereby their experience leads to them being able to become registered social workers, and so we support that. I\u2019m not sure how we feel about the reduction from four years to two years, because that is the first time that we\u2019ve heard that, and that is something on which we will need to go out and consult more broadly with those affected directly.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000800\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003EBut we do support the bill, and I do want to acknowledge all of our social workers, our social services, our iwi organisations, our Pacific organisations, our ethnic community organisations, and our disability organisations, who often are the front line where these social services and social workers are working, particularly in light of the recent events in our history. Whether it be Cyclone Gabrielle, whether it be the Auckland floods, whether it be the cost of living crisis, or whether it be the COVID pandemic itself, they have been in overdrive in recent years. They have been the front-line people that have stood up to support our vulnerable families at a time when they needed that support more than ever. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000801\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c3a88c42-f60b-4cf9-8065-8bfb80a020eb\u0022\u003EBut regardless of whether or not we\u2019re facing a pandemic or whether or not we have other weather-related events\u2014and, unfortunately, that is likely in light of what is happening with climate change\u2014they will be needed, and we continue to absolutely respect the work they do. This piece of legislation itself is just a piece of legislation that safeguards us moving forward to ensure that we have the workforce we need for those vulnerable communities. We support it. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022 data-id=\u00224af74ef3ebe64aa2bbb04ab42d62078a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000802\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224af74ef3ebe64aa2bbb04ab42d62078a\u0022\u003ERICARDO MEN\u00C9NDEZ MARCH (Green):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. I rise in support of the Social Workers Registration Legislation Amendment Bill. I want to acknowledge that the select committee stage of this bill was in the last term, and I want to pay tribute to the former members of the committee\u2014particularly those who are not joining us in this term\u2014for the mahi that they did in getting us to this stage.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000803\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003EAs has been canvassed by previous speakers, the experience pathways have been really, really important in diversifying our workforce and getting a broader range of experiences, as well as indigenous models of practices. That can only be a good thing because it has been acknowledged, again, by many\u2014including in the select committee stage\u2014that we do have a shortage of social workers and that we\u2019re living in an equality crisis and we\u2019re living in a climate crisis, where the type of work that social workers do is desperately needed. There\u2019s also a recognition that there needs to be continuous improvements to the training and education pathways of social workers to ensure that they\u2019re equipped with the tools to meet the diverse range of needs across our communities. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000804\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003EI say this as somebody who, prior to being an MP, used to be a field educator for social workers. It was really clear how people coming into Auckland Action Against Poverty, which was my previous place of work, would be social workers who, for example, didn\u2019t have experience navigating the ins and outs of Work and Income and they didn\u2019t come equipped via those education pathways to actually understand how to support people to get those basic legal entitlements, yet we had people with either lived experience of advocacy or lived experience of living on a benefit and doing all the types of social work - like work, who would have those skills. Those skills and that knowledge should actually be recognised, and I think, if anything, the institutions that we have that help formally train our social workers through those more traditional pathways should be thinking how we can have fit for purpose traditional pathways in those four years that this bill is aiming to propose to continue enabling the experience pathways. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000805\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003ESo, with that, I want to pay again an acknowledgment and a tribute to iwi front-line services, NGO services, Pasifika-led services, our migrant community - led services, and disabled people\u2019s services for the work they do in enhancing social work altogether, because having a social worker doesn\u2019t have to be just a one-way street. I think social workers can play a role in embedding competent solidarity, for example, in the people that they walk alongside with. It\u2019s not just about the social workers holding the knowledge of how to navigate institutions for themselves but, rather, imparting it as well to the people that they work with, and I\u2019ve been quite intentional in not using the word \u201Cclients\u201D, for example, in the language that I\u2019ve used because I think we also need to move away from that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000806\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003ESo what this bill will do, and what we canvassed in the select committee, were the pros and cons against the four-year extension. I want to acknowledge that there are tensions around the concerns that exist around the quality of the profession, should we continue extending this pathway. But I think those concerns can only be met if the Government of the day is actually resourcing the institutions that help train those social workers, because we cannot put concerns on the table, particularly from the Government side, relating to the quality of social workers that we\u2019re training without acknowledging that without adequately resourcing our tertiary education institutions and by not also, for example, bridging the gap of unpaid labour that many social workers who are training do and acknowledging that the expectations on them to provide unpaid labour have an impact on the types of social workers we then have through those traditional pathways\u2014actually, the experience pathway provides a really, really important bridging tool for those people for whom, because of those socio-economic barriers, the traditional pathways may not be accessible. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000807\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003EThat was something I noticed as a field educator: how those coming through the tertiary education institutions actually would have to balance the needs of having to fulfil their placements with their having to potentially work multiple jobs to make ends meet. So if the Government is eager to address current workforce demands, in diversifying the workforce, and in having level incomes for all\u2014but I think one of the places we can start is with the social workers that we\u2019re training\u2014it would be a really, really good and useful place to start to address those concerns, and then not just have these concerns being put in this place without other sources of action. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000808\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003EI am interested in the Minister\u2019s comments around the proposal to modify the four-year extension, and perhaps looking at a different model around that. I think if the deadline is going to be changed once again, our expectations would be\u2014and we also look forward to scrutinising the Minister in the select committee about what other plans she\u2019s got in relationship to supporting those traditional pathways and boosting those. I think we do need to allow that unpacking to happen in the committee of the whole House stage, as this bill\u2014it doesn\u2019t exist in isolation, right? It\u2019s a bill that ultimately is connected to other institutions and to other policy levers that ultimately affect the type of people that go in to do social work. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000809\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003EWith that, I\u2019d like to finish by thinking of all the people whose lives were literally saved by social workers. I know the previous speaker mentioned the recent floods, but I think that, for many people, being able to have a social worker in a time of crisis would have been the difference in accessing legal entitlements, such as the civil defence payment. For people facing violence, having a social worker is often the key to navigating really, really complex support services. So I urge all of us to think carefully of how we move forward as this experience pathway will inevitably come to a close, whether it\u2019s by the four years proposed in the bill as it stands or via a reduction of that time, so that our communities have the support they deserve.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000810\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003EI think, finally, it\u2019s worth acknowledging that much of the reason why social workers are in such high demand is because of the systems that we\u2019ve built to create that demand. So if we don\u2019t address poverty-level wages, high rents, and difficult-to-navigate institutions, the demand for social workers will only continue to be needed, and these experience pathways will continue to, unfortunately, be critical, because the systems we created are failing our communities.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000811\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228f20b644-642a-4c85-ade9-d5af32dc690b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e6ce28a75d834e19a2ce63bb394270d3\u0022\u003ELaura Trask\u003C/span\u003E: 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=\u002257c4de1eedf84592b549f18e01e31eb8\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000812\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002257c4de1eedf84592b549f18e01e31eb8\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Are you seeking the call?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000813\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228f20b644-642a-4c85-ade9-d5af32dc690b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c4bddaf30dc44874b435f3a07c879c99\u0022\u003ELaura Trask\u003C/span\u003E: I am indeed. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000814\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022688f2ea6ef4e4205b9636c65d5d595ba\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Laura Trask\u2014just stand and seek the call. That\u2019s the way we do it. Thank you. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00228f20b644-642a-4c85-ade9-d5af32dc690b\u0022 data-id=\u00226bd80ccb998244858371fbadbeaf9fdc\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000815\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228f20b644-642a-4c85-ade9-d5af32dc690b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226bd80ccb998244858371fbadbeaf9fdc\u0022\u003ELAURA TRASK (ACT):\u003C/span\u003E OK, great\u2014no worries. Social workers improve our lives and support our communities. The current workforce is wearing the burden of their lack of staff and increasing demand. I know our party did have some concerns initially about this bill, mainly because the programme has been open for some time and the gold standard is now to have a Bachelor of Social Work. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000816\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228f20b644-642a-4c85-ade9-d5af32dc690b\u0022\u003EWe don\u2019t believe that this pathway is actually the answer to this shortage, mainly because only 3\u00A0percent of social worker registrations are actually using this pathway. An extension from two years instead of the four seems more practical to address some of the industry shortages that we do have currently, but we must focus on providing more social workers, and this is something the industry has to address. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000817\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228f20b644-642a-4c85-ade9-d5af32dc690b\u0022\u003EI\u2019m actually really happy that I heard from this Government that they will be addressing this. We can\u2019t just have solutions that have no real answers to the problem, and there is this dire shortage that has gone on for far too long. With that, our party supports this bill. Thank you. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022 data-id=\u002229a0714428be4f8bbd0a2b309851eb85\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000818\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002229a0714428be4f8bbd0a2b309851eb85\u0022\u003EANDY FOSTER (NZ First):\u003C/span\u003E I\u2019m really pleased to see the wide support for this piece of legislation. I think it\u2019s a very, very sensible amendment bill. I think there\u2019s a very clear direction of travel, which is to say that we want our social workers to be more highly qualified. As I read it, the qualification that\u2019s being required right across the country is a bachelor-level degree and, of course, it takes a little bit of time to get one of those. However, it\u2019s equally clear that we are short of social workers at the moment, and, if this legislation is not passed, we\u2019re going to have a group of social workers\u2014and I hear it is 3 percent of the social workers who are practising at the moment\u2014who are no longer going to be able to practise as of four weeks from today, so I think there is some incumbency on us to get this job done fast. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000819\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003EIf we did not do that, that would mean that there will be a number of people who would no longer be able to work. We\u2019ve heard that many of those may well be in the M\u0101ori and Pasifika community. That would be wrong. Secondly, it will break some existing relationships between social workers and their clients, and, of course, it will penalise those staff members.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000820\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003EI think we should also recognise that there are a lot of great people who are doing great work and they just don\u2019t necessarily have qualifications. I must say, I was interested to hear the Minister saying they have 10 to 15 years of experience in some of these some cases, and you say, \u201CWell, 10 to 15 years of experience\u2014how does that stack up against a qualification learning about experience for three years?\u201D Now, we all love university degrees, but is that the right way of travel? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000821\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003EOf course, you\u2019ve got the safeguard there which is the safeguard of the registration board. If the registration board says, \u201CHey, look, you\u2019ve been doing this for 10 to 15 years. We don\u2019t think you\u2019re safe. We don\u2019t think you\u2019re any good at doing it. No, you\u2019re not going to be registered any more.\u201D, well, so be it. But if after 10 to 15 years they\u2019re doing a great job, why would you do that to them?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000822\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003ESo I think it makes complete sense to give them as long as possible time to at least do the retraining. If it\u2019s a three-year process and they\u2019re only just starting on that journey now and you cut them off for two years, how\u2019s that going to work out? We will just lose some people and penalise some people, and I wonder whether we need to do that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000823\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003EAs I said, the safeguard is there. I think this is a very sensible piece of legislation. I\u2019m not going to take any more time over this one, but I\u2019m pleased to see the bipartisan support, and I hope that what we are going to do is we\u2019re going to give those people who are doing a great job for our community\u2014for some of the people who really need that social work support\u2014the time to do whatever qualification they need to do to be able to carry on with the job that they clearly love doing. 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=\u0022e557f2dd3c1a403a96c248dda6595c0e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000824\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e557f2dd3c1a403a96c248dda6595c0e\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: This is a split call: Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori and Green.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000825\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f89445f3a3b8464490f8cfb31b294129\u0022\u003EHon Marama Davidson\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000826\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002246d8a594b23e4189bc03eebda0fa6f9d\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Ah, the Hon\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000827\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226afd8ead8d0443eeb87d7cc494aec0b4\u0022\u003EHon Marama Davidson\u003C/span\u003E: Marama Davidson.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000828\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a3e10ca528df4b6ebdb3c10d0c4faa63\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014Marama Davidson. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022 data-id=\u002297a87803666442febee220382ea7f3ad\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000829\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002297a87803666442febee220382ea7f3ad\u0022\u003EHon MARAMA DAVIDSON (Co-Leader\u2014Green):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000830\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002221d0776ea7264d1e957536e2214a0c49\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: I apologise. I\u2019m catching from the Speaker himself some of his disease\u2014I\u2019ll blame him! \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000831\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f71313dd3d95495f9c5e96c8a9218b4d\u0022\u003EHon MARAMA DAVIDSON\u003C/span\u003E: We\u2019re here to help, Mr Speaker. Thank you very much. On that note, I back myself to stand up and make a contribution to the Social Workers Registration Legislation Amendment Bill. I haven\u2019t been part of the select committee process and the following of the bill to this point, but I am really pleased to be able to offer my perspectives on the value of social work and on why the Greens are supporting the delay of the repeal, by bringing through some of the community stories and social work through my role as violence prevention Minister, which I was very privileged to have over the past three years.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000832\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003EI understand that what we are, essentially, trying to do here is find an intentional balance between making use of the incredible experience and heart that is across our communities, on many different levels, who want to do the essential work of social work while maintaining a pathway towards professionalising and, most importantly, ensuring that it is safe practice. As a violence prevention Minister, I understood deeply the importance of safe practice and the consequences and ongoing harm when social work practices, or when any practices of working with wh\u0101nau and people who need support, are not safe and how that can actually add further harm and actually add further negative consequences, not just for any individuals but for wider wh\u0101nau.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000833\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003ESo this is what I understand this bill is trying to get a sense of and balance that intentionally, in this second reading. [Interruption] Am I OK here, Mr Speaker? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000834\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ada96b0a5b3a40018ebf329a3fa48d20\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: No, it\u2019s just that the Hon Marama Davidson now has an extra seven minutes because that becomes a 10-minute call\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000835\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224292920f3f15407f92cf11cfa229ed50\u0022\u003EHon MARAMA DAVIDSON\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, I see. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000836\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225f5aa4e9466541a3bcac1ece7c5cf008\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014and it\u2019s a good excuse to get your name exactly right, too. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000837\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b3d3d9d5c4c845e99584e49b6475781f\u0022\u003EHon MARAMA DAVIDSON\u003C/span\u003E: Well done on being opportunistic there\u2014thank you. I was talking about how I\u2019m so glad to see that we are all supporting this. This feels fairly cross-party political pragmatism here, where we can all authentically see the value of this intentional balance, so that we can ensure we are supporting the gifts that are there in our communities right now but who\u2014as many others of you have already outlined\u2014may not have so far yet had the privilege or the benefit of a professional pathway. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000838\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003ESo to some stories to illustrate why the Greens are particularly supportive of this legislation. Over the past few years, all of us in our communities have seen firsthand the impact of increasingly detrimental weather due to climate change, not the least those on my East Coast whakapapa side\u2014all up Ng\u0101ti Porou, Wh\u0101nau-\u0101-Apanui, and Kahungunu, of course\u2014and also up in my Ng\u0101puhi and Hokianga whakapapa side, who also experienced firsthand some of the most devastating impacts of those crises. When our communities are flooded, when we\u2019ve lost power, when people\u2019s health is ill, and when people have passed from these events, the extra stressors that are likely means that we require help. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000839\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003ENow, violence is never ever OK. Unfortunately, extra stressors can lead to increased violence and increased harm for people, for families, if we haven\u2019t wrapped around the support in those times of crisis. It is social workers across the country, social workers who have the relationships and connections in their community, social workers who are trusted on the doorsteps and in the lounges and the garages of wh\u0101nau who may not be trusting anyone else, and social workers who have a whakapapa presence and connection. I really want to acknowledge Minister\u2014oh sorry, the former Minister the Hon Carmel Sepuloni, who is no longer a Minister, for highlighting particularly iwi M\u0101ori and Pasifika agencies, and my colleague Ricardo Men\u00E9ndez March, who outlined the need to ensure we have social workers who reflect the communities and the experiences, especially those who most require the support in those challenging times. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000840\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003EI have seen with my own eyes and heard with my own ears firsthand, and heard the stories of families who have been helped by social workers who otherwise may not have acquired the full, necessary professional qualifications at this point in time, and I want to put a word in. I\u2019ve heard us thankfully acknowledge disabled people, M\u0101ori, Pasifika, and ethnic groups who absolutely must have social work practices that are safe and relevant and appropriate for their experiences. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000841\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003ESo too can I include men who are working with men to ensure that they are living violence-free lives. Many of the men who are doing this work have lived lives using violence. They have, very often, come from prison and have spent time in prison and have absolutely not had the benefits\u2014this stigma\u2014or the opportunity to attain full professional qualifications. But I implore this House to understand that often it is only their experience that can cut through to other men who are using or have used violence and who are needing that lived experience to feel that their voice is relevant, that their experiences are understood, and that it is a non-judgmental but fully accountable pathway to eliminating violence from their lives and from their realities. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000842\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003EThe majority of those social workers have not yet been able to acquire social work professional practice. I absolutely implore and commend this House for recognising a balance and delaying the repeal of the former pathways so that we can ensure we are not losing the essence and the treasure that is this very work\u2014the very work that is going to ensure that we can fully eliminate violence in the next generations. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000843\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a5f0fe84-01e8-4eb3-a590-0025017c4243\u0022\u003EFor this reason, I acknowledge my colleagues across the House who have highlighted the common sense of this legislation. I put on to the record the very stories and the experiences that I have had the benefit of seeing and hearing from firsthand, which are that in many situations, men who have used violence have had the most positive experience for healing and restoration when they have been supported to work with other men who have had those same experiences. When they can immediately remove any fear of stigma and judgment, that\u2019s not removing accountability. Accountability is even stronger when you have had men who have used violence, who have then been able to be supported to be healed, and so I really was looking forward to putting that example on the floor. We are proud to support this bill. Thank you, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00229188988b-e79b-4381-969a-982d0ebdb3ca\u0022 data-id=\u00226268ed1e304c4c04a4ebb473b0272bd7\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000844\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229188988b-e79b-4381-969a-982d0ebdb3ca\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226268ed1e304c4c04a4ebb473b0272bd7\u0022\u003EPAULO GARCIA (National\u2014New Lynn):\u003C/span\u003E It\u2019s a pleasure to be able to stand in support of a non-contentious piece of legislation, and something that is clearly needed and necessary. I just want to walk through the Social Workers Registration Act of 2003 at the start, which was set up to make sure that social workers\u2014who were dealing with their very vulnerable clientele, the people of the public that they needed to serve\u2014were fit to practise and accountable. The Social Workers Registration Act 2003 was established for that main purpose: for the protection of the public that they needed to serve. The corollary to that was the enhancement of the integrity and professionalism of the social work profession. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000845\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229188988b-e79b-4381-969a-982d0ebdb3ca\u0022\u003EAlong with the establishment of the Social Workers Registration Act, what was also established was the Social Workers Registration Board, which oversaw the process of registration for social workers. Registration, then, had two pathways: the first was through gaining recognised qualifications, and the second, which was provided by section 13 of the Act, was the opportunity to become registered using significant experience in lieu of recognised qualifications. So there are very many practitioners of social work who are out there spending a big amount of their time and their lives extending the kind of work that they do for so many.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000846\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229188988b-e79b-4381-969a-982d0ebdb3ca\u0022\u003EIn February 2021, the requirement to be registered became mandatory, so everybody needed to be registered. It is important to point out that the Social Workers Registration Legislation Act 2019 provided for the repeal of section 13 of the Social Workers Registration Act, which allowed for experience in lieu of recognised qualifications as a pathway for registration. So the repeal was to take place this year, on 28 February, and that would have completely removed the opportunity for registration other than recognised qualifications.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000847\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229188988b-e79b-4381-969a-982d0ebdb3ca\u0022\u003EIt is worthy to note that from 2019, over 4,000 social workers who registered were registered under the recognised qualification pathway, and less than 100 registered under the experience in lieu pathway. I think that there is still work to be done in the space of understanding why that is and why there is a need for that. I can\u2019t imagine why this hasn\u2019t been taken up on a much larger scale, because I personally know so many social workers who are out there doing work and I know that some are still not registered. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000848\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229188988b-e79b-4381-969a-982d0ebdb3ca\u0022\u003ESo there is some work that needs to be put into understanding what the barriers are for becoming registered, even when there are already recognised qualifications for some who have finished social work qualifications but do not become registered. Then there are those who\u2019ve been working in social work jobs but who also do not become registered.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000849\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229188988b-e79b-4381-969a-982d0ebdb3ca\u0022\u003ENow, the extension that this legislation, the Social Workers Registration Legislation Amendment Bill, makes, which is an extension of four years, is an encouragement. It\u2019s a call for people to take on the path, which is something that I would probably be shouting from the rooftops and getting the word out that people should take advantage of. There is the flip side of a delay of four years, casting the possibility of doubts on the service of social workers. Hence, I do support Minister Upston\u2019s idea to shorten the extension from four years to two. It is still giving people the opportunity to get on and become registered. I absolutely support this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022 data-id=\u0022bf5f34f4d7804f03875800e41d09d44e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000850\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022bf5f34f4d7804f03875800e41d09d44e\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: This debate is interrupted and is set down for resumption the next sitting day. This House stands adjourned until 2 p.m. tomorrow. Have a good evening.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000851\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003EDebate interrupted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id20240131f2f774ba848241d3991c08bb942e9ac5000852\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003EThe House adjourned at 9.56 p.m.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n  \u003C/body\u003E\n\u003C/html\u003E"