"\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=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00228b472fbd585a4223bf4069139aa82c9d\u0022\u003ETUESDAY, 28 JANUARY 2025\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000003\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00224aa9f489b5c24ce3abe5be04f8ed3401\u0022\u003ETUESDAY, 28 JANUARY 2025\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000002\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=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000004\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022e5058e537ba24b2cbab1b63f7e386fc5\u0022\u003EKarakia/Prayers\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000006\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022cb115b91e4bf479e950b8977638f53b5\u0022\u003EKarakia/Prayers\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u0022e5e1afeec63343e1a46fed70d387cdd4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000005\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e5e1afeec63343e1a46fed70d387cdd4\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Almighty God, we give thanks for the blessings which have been bestowed on us. Laying aside all personal interests, we acknowledge the King and pray for guidance in our deliberations, that we may conduct the affairs of this House with wisdom, justice, mercy, and humility for the welfare and peace of New Zealand. Amen.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000007\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022d231d989e89641a9860ad4f728947a0c\u0022\u003EVisitors\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000008\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002211b9886d9c4648678643ecb7e2cae1e3\u0022\u003EEuropean Parliament\u2014Dr Tobias Cremer\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u0022b246c488451a4624bb23677091a1ac49\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000009\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b246c488451a4624bb23677091a1ac49\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m sure members would wish to welcome Dr Tobias Cremer, member of the European Parliament, who is present in the gallery.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000010\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022b1bbc7de35be48af9b9ad3625a8aeaf2\u0022\u003EObituaries\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000011\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022c8a740f03764453b8c51e536e025b38d\u0022\u003EMargaret Ann Hartley QSO\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000012\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00223b305588193546caa88179813d7ab3fc\u0022\u003EHon Dame Tariana Turia\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000013\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022fdb1ece84b6541b5975825ba83cf01b0\u0022\u003EHon Cedric Russell Marshall CNZM\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u00222d8df7c8c8f443fb8a568f17e0fbf042\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000014\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222d8df7c8c8f443fb8a568f17e0fbf042\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I regret to inform the House of the death on 20 December 2024 of Margaret Ann Hartley QSO, who represented the electorate of Northcote from 1999 to 2005 and then\u00A0served as a list member until 2008. She was a member of several select committees, including the Local Government and Environment Committee and the Justice and Electoral Committee. She was the Deputy Speaker of the House from 2002 to 2005 and an Assistant Speaker from 2005 until her retirement in 2008.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000015\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003EI also regret to inform the House of the death on 3 January 2025 of the Hon Dame Tariana Turia DNZM of Ng\u0101ti Apa, W\u2019anganui, Ng\u0101 R\u0101uru, and Ng\u0101ti T\u016Bwharetoa, who served as a\u00A0list member from 1996 to 2002 and represented the electorate of Te Tai Hau\u0101uru from 2002 to 2014. She led the M\u0101ori Party from 2004 to 2014. She held several ministerial portfolios, including Minister for Disability Issues, Minister for Wh\u0101nau Ora, and Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000016\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003EI further regret to inform the House of the death on 18 January 2025 of the Hon Cedric Russell Marshall CNZM, who represented the electorate of Wanganui from 1972 to 1990. He held several ministerial portfolios, including Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Education, Minister of Conservation, Minister for the Environment, and Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000017\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003EI desire, on behalf of the House, to express our sense of loss and sympathy with the relatives of the late former members. I now ask members to stand with me and observe a\u00A0period of silence as a mark of respect for their memory.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000018\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003EMembers stood as a mark of respect.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000019\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002281a1e89e44c04e31844a5516f157d8f0\u0022\u003ESenior Sergeant Lyn Fleming\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022 data-id=\u0022271bc07670d4438c9f2e9e2eb96830c4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000020\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022271bc07670d4438c9f2e9e2eb96830c4\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON (Prime Minister):\u003C/span\u003E I seek leave to move a motion relating to the death of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221414\u0022 data-id=\u002200364a9709654b07970ae14a531be07a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000021\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221414\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002200364a9709654b07970ae14a531be07a\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Is there any objection to that course of action being followed? There is none.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228ae82fab44c94a01a63ddf9e30b6816f\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: I move, That this House expresses its sorrow at the tragic passing of serving police officer Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming, who died following an incident in Nelson in the early hours of New Year\u2019s Day. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000023\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003ELyn and her colleague Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay were on a routine foot patrol, just like many other police officers across the country on New Year\u2019s Eve, working to keep our community safe. Just after 2 a.m., in Buxton Square car park, a vehicle drove towards them at speed, hitting both of them. Two members of the public were also injured in the incident. Both officers were transported to Nelson Hospital, but, sadly, Lyn passed away later that day.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000024\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EOn behalf of the Government and the people right across New Zealand, we acknowledge Lyn\u2019s family, her friends and her colleagues, and extend our heartfelt condolences for their unimaginable loss. Lyn was a mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter, and a much-loved member of the community who touched so many lives. Lyn Fleming was an exceptional police officer with 38 years of front-line service. Her policing career started in 1986 as a traffic officer in\u00A0Auckland before joining the Police in 1992, when the organisations merged. She spent 32\u00A0years on the front line of Nelson, spending the last seven years as Nelson Bay\u2019s area response manager. Lyn was an officer highly respected by her peers, her staff, and her bosses. She was a leader who exemplified professionalism, and she was a matriarch of the Nelson Police Station.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000025\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EPolice Commissioner Richard Chambers said at her service that Lyn\u2019s personal file was big and \u201Cfull of goodness\u201D. There were letters of thanks from members of the community, families, children for what she did for them in their time of need. I had the privilege of attending Lyn\u2019s funeral service in Nelson more than a week ago now, and hundreds joined together in mourning the loss of Lyn, with many others watching online to honour a truly amazing Kiwi. We heard many stories about Lyn and the incredible person that she was. I was told of her kind and caring nature and the strength of her character. Lyn was also humble despite her many great accomplishments, and most of those who paid tribute to Lyn were very quick to make the point that she would have hated all of the fuss.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000026\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EHundreds of police and fire service staff lined the road in a guard of honour for her final journey and police staff performed a heartfelt haka\u2014the Police haka, \u201CKo te uru pounamu\u201D\u2014which speaks of harmony between the police and the public as the key to safer communities. I\u2019d like to extend my condolences to the entire Police family. I have seen how much this has impacted you all and how you have rallied around to support each other during this very difficult time. I\u2019d also like to send my well wishes to the other officer, Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay, as he recovers, as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000027\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EI want to thank all of those who were first on the scene, who intervened and put themselves into harm\u2019s way, as well as the health professionals who worked to treat the officers and the bystanders who were injured. Your actions were truly heroic.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000028\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EAside from her significant policing career, Lyn was remembered as a pillar of the netball community in Nelson because, for 30 years, she selflessly gave and volunteered her time and energy to coaching netball at the local high schools. She had a profound influence on many of their lives that they carried far beyond the netball court, and her commitment and passion to the sport and to her girls is truly inspirational.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000029\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003ETo Lyn\u2019s community, who have lost someone so dear, I share in your sadness, and in the weeks since Lyn\u2019s passing there has been an absolute outpouring of love\u2014from the flowers outside Nelson police station, a minute\u2019s silence at the cricket at Saxton Oval, outside police stations across the country, and a public vigil\u2014there have been many, many moving moments.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000030\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EThis senseless tragedy has been felt deeply by our community. And lastly, again, I want to acknowledge Lyn\u2019s immediate family. To Bryn, Rayna and Aren, Ray and Colleen, and siblings Woody, Carol, and Jo, I am in awe of your strength that you\u2019ve shown during a time of so much hurt. Your Lyn was a truly, truly special person: loving, dedicated, and selfless. As Aren so eloquently put it during Lyn\u2019s service, words are simply not enough.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000031\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003ESenior Sergeant Lyn Fleming, you are gone, but you will never be forgotten. Ng\u0101 mihi.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u00222d575c74916b465c91e2463f369c7625\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000032\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222d575c74916b465c91e2463f369c7625\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The question is that the motion be agreed to. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022 data-id=\u0022a0a695a49fd04604973329b2b9c6b869\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000033\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a0a695a49fd04604973329b2b9c6b869\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the Opposition):\u003C/span\u003E I\u2019d like to express the Labour Party\u2019s deepest condolences to Lyn\u2019s family, to the New Zealand Police for their loss, and also to send our thoughts to Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay, who was critically injured alongside Lyn on New Year\u2019s Day. I want to endorse all of the words just spoken by the Prime Minister.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000034\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003EA few years ago, when I became the Minister of Police, I had the opportunity to interact with and meet with police from up and down New Zealand. And it struck me then just how much uncertainty hangs over our police force every day that they go to work. It\u2019s not just our police force but it\u2019s their family, who say goodbye to them every morning\u2014or, in some cases, in the evening, if they\u2019re on the nightshift\u2014unsure what their loved one is going to face in that day, unsure whether they will come home at night. I know the entire police force, all of their families and wh\u0101nau, will be feeling this loss keenly today, as always whenever someone is injured in the service of New Zealand, and we send our thoughts to all of the New Zealand Police.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000035\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003ELyn\u2019s impact was immeasurable. Being a police officer is a pretty tough job. Our officers put themselves on the front line every day. They face the most dangerous of circumstances. They put themselves in harm\u2019s way to protect the safety of our whole community. The loss of a police officer is not just a loss for that family and for that community; it is a loss for all\u00A0of us. It is a loss for all of New Zealand. They devote their life to serving and protecting, often sacrificing so much in the process. Their commitment and their bravery make an impact that resonates far beyond their duty. We owe them all a debt of gratitude.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000036\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003ELyn was not just a police officer; she went the extra mile to support her community: a mentor, a leader, even supporting those on the court, managing a junior netball team, being a mum on the sidelines. From what I\u2019ve heard about Lyn, she did everything for the front line but never put herself ahead of others. We\u2019ve heard from members of the community, from families, and children about how Lyn cared very deeply for them. Their stories and memories of Lyn all reflect the same theme: her immense humility and her profound impact on so many lives. The respect that the community holds for Lyn was evident when 2,000 people came together for a candlelit vigil in the rain to honour Lyn\u2019s legacy and show their support for the local police, for Lyn\u2019s family, her friends\u2014and I also want to take a moment to acknowledge Shelley Bishop, who organised the vigil. I want to acknowledge and thank the emergency teams and staff at Nelson Hospital who provided care to Lyn and to Adam.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000037\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003ELyn was loved and respected by her colleagues and community. Her contributions to both the community and our nation will always be remembered.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002253958f14-2b54-4d1c-bfac-7b3ea85e1c2b\u0022 data-id=\u0022ed6f3313e821408593d3ae3d87cc1d39\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000038\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253958f14-2b54-4d1c-bfac-7b3ea85e1c2b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ed6f3313e821408593d3ae3d87cc1d39\u0022\u003ETAMATHA PAUL (Green\u2014Wellington Central):\u003C/span\u003E Ng\u0101 mate o te tau, te marama, te wiki te r\u0101. Haere, haere oti atu. Ki a koe, Lyn, e te whaea, e te rangatira, ko koe t\u0113r\u0101 kua riro atu ki te p\u014D, haere, haere atu r\u0101.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000039\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253958f14-2b54-4d1c-bfac-7b3ea85e1c2b\u0022\u003E[To the many deaths of the year, the month, the week and the day, leave, leave, leave us. To you, Lyn, the mother, the esteemed one, it is you who has departed for the darkness, go, go, go beyond.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000040\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253958f14-2b54-4d1c-bfac-7b3ea85e1c2b\u0022\u003EOn behalf of Te P\u0101ti K\u0101k\u0101riki, we honour Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming and express our condolences to her wh\u0101nau, her friends, her colleagues, her community, and all who knew and loved her. We wanted to particularly acknowledge the first responders, including her colleagues who were with her in her final moments. Everybody should return home safe after mahi. Moe mai r\u0101, Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002258baa209-edaf-42a5-92d6-b2613c144bfb\u0022 data-id=\u00222067a4f562f549f3a97720de86c65a71\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000041\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258baa209-edaf-42a5-92d6-b2613c144bfb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222067a4f562f549f3a97720de86c65a71\u0022\u003EHon NICOLE McKEE (Minister for Courts):\u003C/span\u003E Kind and caring\u2014those words were repeated over and over again as tributes were paid to Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming, a woman who gave 38 years and seven months of service to her community. Those qualities drew more than 1,200 people to remember Senior Sergeant Fleming at her funeral in Nelson. A picture was painted, for those who had not known her, of someone who was known for her warmth, for her kindness, and for her approachability; someone who took the time to connect with individuals, offering support and guidance not just at times of crisis but in everyday moments as well; a wife, a mother, a netball coach, the Nelson Bays area response manager for New Zealand Police.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000042\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258baa209-edaf-42a5-92d6-b2613c144bfb\u0022\u003EThat depth of feeling from the local Nelson community was emphasised when Rev. Dr Graham O\u2019Brien, the dean of the Nelson cathedral, spoke to media at the time of Senior Sergeant Fleming\u2019s funeral. He said there was such an outpouring that they were on their sixth condolence book, and he said this showed how important it had been for the public to feel that they could offer their support in a very tangible way to Lyn\u2019s family and the wider police family.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000043\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258baa209-edaf-42a5-92d6-b2613c144bfb\u0022\u003EHer legacy is one of service above self, dedicated to making the world around her better. Those who had the privilege of working alongside her or knowing her were touched by her leadership and her unwavering dedication to justice. Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming\u2019s life and work serve as a powerful reminder of the incredible impact one individual can have on the lives of many. Her contributions will be remembered with gratitude and respect, and her legacy will continue to inspire future generations of officers to follow in her footsteps with the same sense of purpose and compassion that she so beautifully embodied.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000044\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258baa209-edaf-42a5-92d6-b2613c144bfb\u0022\u003EHer son, Aren, had a simple call to action to those wishing to honour his mother\u2019s memory. He stated that we could do this by following her example as a parent, a police officer, a coach, a mentor, and a member of the community. By being the person she inspired us all to be, we can leave this world a better place than we found it. We shall remember Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming, New Zealand Police, QID LFE773, whose watch ended on 1 January 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=\u00224b97371b7d4744c1aad95645734aaf59\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000045\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224b97371b7d4744c1aad95645734aaf59\u0022\u003EHon CASEY COSTELLO (Associate Minister of Police):\u003C/span\u003E As we rise to acknowledge with respect the passing of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming, I would like also to acknowledge, as the Prime Minister stated, that she would have been the last to have been seeking this much attention.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000046\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022\u003ESenior Sergeant Fleming demonstrated in all her actions in her career\u2014through her role in the community, her contribution to sport, and relationship with her colleagues\u2014what service truly means. The loss of her life gave pause not only to Nelson but to the whole of New Zealand and to every police officer, both serving and past members.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000047\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022\u003EI do not know of a police officer that cannot vividly recall where they were and what shift they were working when a colleague is lost. It is true of New Year\u2019s Day 2025; this day will be committed to many memories, as will the service, professionalism, dedication, and generosity of spirit that encapsulates Senior Sergeant Fleming\u2019s life.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000048\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022\u003EThe outpouring of respect and admiration that was evident in Nelson on 16 January at the police service was not just from the police but from the entire community, because the loss was not purely to police. They had lost their daughter, a wife, a mother, a friend, a mentor, a confidant, a community leader, a coach, a team mate, a neighbour, and from that there are no words that are sufficient to reflect the sense of loss.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000049\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022\u003ESenior Sergeant Fleming was a fierce advocate for her colleagues and her staff, what was needed to keep them safe and protected, and she advocated continuously as part of her service ethos. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000050\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022\u003EMy thoughts and prayers also go to Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay that he makes a full recovery, and to Lyn\u2019s family, that they know their grief is shared and that we were grateful as a nation to be able to share in the farewell to honour Lyn\u2019s life. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000051\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022\u003EUnfortunately, in September this year, on Police Remembrance Day, another name will be added to the column. All those who give their lives in service of this country are reflected, but police officers uniquely get up every day and go about interacting with communities in a manner that has only intentions of the highest standards. Senior Sergeant Fleming was the epitome of that ethos of service, and we will remember her.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00220f7d126e-c18d-4466-9ebe-d424ae5c4bf6\u0022 data-id=\u0022e80d552e6bad4b22ba1f6f9f79c76d43\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000052\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220f7d126e-c18d-4466-9ebe-d424ae5c4bf6\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e80d552e6bad4b22ba1f6f9f79c76d43\u0022\u003ERAWIRI WAITITI (Co-Leader\u2014Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori):\u003C/span\u003E E Shane, e Peeni, kia kuhu atu ki roto i te wairua M\u0101ori i roto i ng\u0101 k\u014Drero nei. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000053\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220f7d126e-c18d-4466-9ebe-d424ae5c4bf6\u0022\u003E[Shane and Peeni, let me enter the spiritual M\u0101ori world with these words.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000054\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220f7d126e-c18d-4466-9ebe-d424ae5c4bf6\u0022\u003EHiki nuku e, hiki rangi e, h\u012Bkina te toki e hahau atu nei, e hoihoi atu r\u0101 i te wao tapu nui a T\u0101ne. Ko toki nui, ko toki roa, ko toki taruait\u016B. Ko te toki n\u0101 wai ko te toki n\u014D Aitu\u0101. T\u016Brakina te pou, ka rongo te p\u014D ka rongo te ao. Apakura tangi te wiwini, Apakura tangi te wawana. Tangi kotokoto ki \u014D t\u0101ngata ki \u014D hu\u0101nga ko te tangi a te Kura Akaaka. Ko Maikinui ko Maikiroa koia Hukahuka. Ka tapa reret\u016B ki te moana ka tapa reret\u016B ki a Tangaroa. T\u016Bria te onetapu i Rangitoto. T\u016Bria te t\u0101huna tapu i Rangitatau. T\u016Bria kia utukina te puna m\u014Dteatea. T\u016Bria kia utukina te puna m\u0101rakerake. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000055\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220f7d126e-c18d-4466-9ebe-d424ae5c4bf6\u0022\u003EKo k\u014Dk\u014Dmako e k\u014D, ko K\u014Dk\u014Dmako e k\u014D. Ko te hautapu ka rere ki te k\u0101inga a Mat\u0101riki. Ka tapa reireia koia tapa. Ka tapa konunua koia tapa. Ka tapa tukuna ki te kawa tapu a Rangi e t\u016B nei, ki a Papa e takoto nei. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000056\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220f7d126e-c18d-4466-9ebe-d424ae5c4bf6\u0022\u003EWh\u0101no, whano, haramai te toki, haumi e, hui e, t\u0101iki e.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000057\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220f7d126e-c18d-4466-9ebe-d424ae5c4bf6\u0022\u003E[Earth and sky move as the adze rises to chop and slash the great forest of T\u0101ne. The adze or death is large and long. Whose adze is it; it belongs to Calamity himself. It felled the pillar and it resonates throughout night and day. This caused great wailing and grief. Mourn the loss of your loved ones, it is the mourning of Ultimate Upheaval. It is the Great Incident and The Long Incident that causes Great Consternation. Take flight to the ocean, to Tangaroa. Make landfall on the sacred earth of Rangitoto and the sacred shore at Rangitatau. Partake of the spring of sorrow. Partake of the exposed spring. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000058\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220f7d126e-c18d-4466-9ebe-d424ae5c4bf6\u0022\u003EThe bellbird bird sings. The sacred steam rises to the home of Pleiades. Recite the rite that covers and cloaks the sky. Recite the sacred rite to Sky Father and the Earth Mother.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000059\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220f7d126e-c18d-4466-9ebe-d424ae5c4bf6\u0022\u003EGo forth and bring the adze, may it be bound, affixed and firm.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000060\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220f7d126e-c18d-4466-9ebe-d424ae5c4bf6\u0022\u003EKo te mate o te tamaiti he \u0101uruk\u014Dwhao, ko t\u0101 te whaea he takereh\u0101ia. N\u014D reira e te k\u014Dk\u0101, haere, haere, whakangaro atu r\u0101. Haere ki a r\u0101tau te nui kua whoatu r\u0101 i runga i te ara k\u014Drero kua parangia e te tini e te mano. T\u0113nei r\u0101 te tautoko i ng\u0101 k\u014Drero kua whakatakotoria ki mua i te aroaro o t\u0113nei Whare. Tika r\u0101 kia mihi r\u0101, kia tangihia, kia poroporoakitia koe i t\u0113nei r\u0101.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000061\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220f7d126e-c18d-4466-9ebe-d424ae5c4bf6\u0022\u003EHaere koe i runga i te waka o Tamar\u0113reti, ki te nuinga o r\u0101tau kua haongia ki Hawaiki nui, ki Hawaiki roa ki Hawaiki p\u0101mamao.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000062\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220f7d126e-c18d-4466-9ebe-d424ae5c4bf6\u0022\u003EToru tekau m\u0101 waru tau koe i roto i \u014D mahi, engari ki runga i te mata o te whenua, ka roa nei, ka roa nei, ka roa nei.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000063\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220f7d126e-c18d-4466-9ebe-d424ae5c4bf6\u0022\u003EN\u014D reira e te k\u014Dk\u0101 e Lyn, t\u0113nei r\u0101 te tautoko i ng\u0101 mihi, t\u0113nei r\u0101 te tautoko i ng\u0101 poroporoaki, t\u0113nei te tautoko i ng\u0101 tangi ki a koe i t\u0113nei r\u0101. Haere koe ki te taha o te K\u012Bngi M\u0101ori. Haere koe ki te taha o Tariana, ki a r\u0101tau kua k\u014Drerotia e te P\u012Bka i t\u0113nei r\u0101. N\u014D reira e te k\u014Dk\u0101, e Lyn, haere, haere, whakangaro atu r\u0101.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000064\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220f7d126e-c18d-4466-9ebe-d424ae5c4bf6\u0022\u003E[The death of a child is like a small leak, but the death of a mature woman is a disaster. Depart, depart, depart, oh mother. Join the others who have also followed the path that was cleared by the myriads. I reaffirm the messages that have been spoken in this House. It is only fitting that you are acknowledged, mourned, and farewelled today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000065\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220f7d126e-c18d-4466-9ebe-d424ae5c4bf6\u0022\u003EDepart aboard the canoe of Tamar\u0113reti, to the myriads who have departed before you to the great Hawaiki, to the long Hawaiki, and to the distant Hawaiki.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000066\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220f7d126e-c18d-4466-9ebe-d424ae5c4bf6\u0022\u003EYou toiled for 38 years in your occupation, but your time on this earth was indeed long.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000067\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220f7d126e-c18d-4466-9ebe-d424ae5c4bf6\u0022\u003EI reaffirm the acknowledgments to you, oh matriarch, Lyn, I reaffirm the farewells and mourning. Depart alongside the M\u0101ori King. Depart alongside Tariana, and to the others mentioned by the Speaker today. Therefore, oh matriarch, Lyn, depart, depart, depart.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000068\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220f7d126e-c18d-4466-9ebe-d424ae5c4bf6\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000069\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022bd5f792e8e714c5eaec14ced3a0faeac\u0022\u003EHon Dame Tariana Turia\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022 data-id=\u0022597afc8d93074960af3418aa121f9880\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000070\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022597afc8d93074960af3418aa121f9880\u0022\u003EDEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER (Co-Leader\u2014Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori):\u003C/span\u003E T\u0113n\u0101 koe e te P\u012Bka. I seek leave to move a motion without notice and with debate that this House expresses its deep sorrow and aroha at the passing of Kahurangi Tariana Turia.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000071\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229a1e2c2061d14bcea5f613fee447e773\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Leave is sought for that course of action. Is there any objection? There is none.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000072\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bcf50a8ec367469084e6d882d6674e7b\u0022\u003EDEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER\u003C/span\u003E: I move, That this House expresses its deep sorrow and aroha at the passing of Kahurangi Tariana Turia.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000073\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003ET\u0101kiri ko te ata ki runga o T\u012Bt\u014Dhea. Kia unu au i te wai o te puna e kore e mimiti. Aue te mamae e ngau kino nei i te ng\u0101kau o te iwi M\u0101ori. E kui Tariana, te t\u014Dtara haemata, te tawatawa titi kua riro t\u012Btapu ki te p\u014D.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000074\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EKa rere an\u014D ng\u0101 whakaaro ki te wh\u0101nau T\u016Bria, e noho tonu ana i te kapua pouri. Te mokopuna o t\u014D t\u0101tau kui r\u0101ua ko koro, e hoki mai ana ki t\u014Dna whenua taurikura i t\u0113nei w\u0101. Hoki atu r\u0101 koe ki t\u014D nan me t\u014D koro e whanga ana m\u014Du e tama.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000075\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003E[The morning rays shine upon the barren mountain. Let me drink of the everlasting spring. Oh, the pain that tears at the heart of the M\u0101ori people. Oh, Dame Tariana, the strong t\u014Dtara tree, the inner growth of the trees, you have departed into the night.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000076\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EMy thoughts turn to the T\u016Bria family, who still sit under the dark cloud. The grandchild of our matriarch and patriarch is returning to his homeland. May you meet with your grandmother and grandfather who await you, oh son.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000077\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EI think today of our little boy, of her little boy, with a mighty name and a mighty game who has made his way to his nan, and the honour that we have today\u2014and thank you\u2014to be able to mihi to Whaea Tariana. She was an extraordinary wahine, not just as a politician but as a w\u2019aea who would often pick up those who were born with fire in their bellies and didn\u2019t know what to do with it. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000078\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EHer life\u2019s work was driven by her unwavering belief that every wh\u0101nau in Aotearoa had their own solutions, were self-determining, and had the power of communities behind them. She was a trailblazer, and we heard that for three or four days as we were sitting there at her tangi. Her advocacy transformed the lives of many.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000079\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EThere are many more articulate and better speakers and politicians who are much older than me who can do the credit to all the mahi that she did. Her service to her iwi, to M\u0101ori, to her communities was unprecedented; she had unprecedented firsts and a commitment that spanned five decades.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000080\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EAt a real personal level, Whaea Tariana was truly a wahine rangatira. She knew how to weave us all together. I think about when she crossed the floor. She had been involved in our lives in South Taranaki for quite some time, and I keep thinking about how lost and lonely and extremely uncomfortable it was for her\u2014this House has that effect on us\u2014and how she held to her w\u2019akapono, how she held to her integrity. Despite being so uncomfortable, she did indeed cross that floor. Behind the scenes while that was going on\u2014and this is what I\u2019d like to talk about at a personal level\u2014she came to see us all, young and old. She got around the motu and she called us and gathered us wherever we were and she asked our opinion if we thought that she should cross the floor for the kaupapa, which at the time was the foreshore and seabed. There wasn\u2019t one person in all the kaupapa\u2014and we were following her\u2014that didn\u2019t agree, that I was around, anyway.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000081\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EThe biggest honour was not only being part of those k\u014Drero, but actually understanding where she was going with that and her absolute total conviction. Some of the things that I\u2019d like to share with you, at a personal level, is not only how she brought us all into that k\u014Drero, it\u2019s also the way that she was able to articulate things that we were too scared to at the time. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000082\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EYou\u2019ve got this educated, again, fire-in-the-belly rangatahi\u2014and I was rangatahi at the time\u2014lost, trying to understand why it is that we\u2019re struggling to articulate how we feel. I know it upset many, but when she articulated from the Taranaki Waitangi Tribunal report that Taranaki had endured a holocaust\u2014and I know it is really deeply disrespectful for some\u2014for me, personally, it was liberating because I didn\u2019t understand what had happened to us. She started to help us unravel and understand who we were and what reconciliation needed to be.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000083\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EThese things that Whaea Tariana\u2014she absolutely would not let the party die. And some of us were needing to do other things; we weren\u2019t necessarily planning on coming to be politicians and help bring her movement back to life. In 2017 to 2020, she would not let us\u00A0rest and at her tangi we got to meet some of the other wahine who she was also like that with, and I\u2019d like to mention Nancy Tuaine, Melody Te Patu, Piri Cribb, Helen Leahy\u2014the survivors. They called themselves survivors because they managed to last with her\u2014apparently that was a stamina resilience test in the first place.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EI love the way that she not only helped us as young people to understand who we were but she also made sure we never forgot everyone else. At times, I think sometimes we get in this place and we show our teeth too much and it looks like we don\u2019t have a balanced view. But, actually, she did radical things like cross the floor, but she also made sure she remembered to love everyone. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000085\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EI\u2019m not as eloquent as Helen Leahy was in her eulogy, I struggle to put three or four syllables together in one word\u2014I think that\u2019s actually a me-and-Rawiri problem. But one of the things I do want to share is the way she held my mum\u2019s hand on campaign nights when we weren\u2019t sure if we were going to get in. I know you all understand the risks we take when we campaign out there. The way she assured my mum, who is disabled and extremely precious to us; the way she could growl without a single word; the way that when we were at the h\u012Bkoi, the recent one, and we went to take her to her car, people parted like an ocean, and it was a profound impact of her mana. I was really humbled to sit back and watch that as we were navigating her through everyone and to see all the ages, all the stages, and all the cultures that respected and understood the mana of our wahine.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000086\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EHer children also were with her. Her son taught our children and our son and husband how to do billboards. Her daughter showed us how to plan. Her son looks after our iwi. She took with her a whole village. Her legacy that she leaves as she rests shows the garden thriving not only in Whanganui and W\u2019angaehu but also in her movement. While we may not be the same era, make no mistake, we never forget what it is and who she was for us. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000087\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EHer awa quickly navigated her from P\u0101kaitore to Parihaka. I\u2019ve never seen it move so fast, and quickly she was taken to W\u2019angaehu as they patiently let the motu mourn her. We knew that she was pining for Uncle George and if anybody knows her, wherever she was, he was. She always reminded us, and she continued to live and share with us, a real family. She had a real family. She never made us think we couldn\u2019t be here if we had real families with real life issues, with real wh\u0101nau issues. One of the things that I will really dearly remember\u2014preciously\u2014about Whaea Tariana is that she made sure she never forgot her husband and her kids and her mokopuna. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EAs we all come back here and we leave them and we get back in here, I promise this year I\u2019ll try, Chris Bishop, not to show my teeth so much. But we growl and we come in here and we get grumpy, and we get to a point where we don\u2019t behave like we would with our wh\u0101nau if we were growling normally at home. One of the things that I want to do is remind ourselves, as the year starts, of the legacy of Whaea Tariana: to never forget your partners, to look after your tamariki, to make time for your mokopuna. Because 18 years here\u2014all the k\u014Drero that we heard on her poroporoaki night was the undying love of her mokopuna, and I think that\u2019s the precious part that I\u2019d leave for Whaea Tariana.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000089\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EN\u014D reira e te Whaea, hoatu r\u0101 koe. Moe mai r\u0101 i t\u014D moenga roa. [Dame Tariana, oh matriarch, leave us. Sleep in your everlasting sleep.] \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000090\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EWe will miss you, we will love you, we will honour you, and we\u2019ll look after your wh\u0101nau. Kia ora 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=\u0022f70aa9776afd414f8cfa84aca9dc75a3\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000091\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022f70aa9776afd414f8cfa84aca9dc75a3\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The question is that the motion be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022 data-id=\u00225dd46570e0ed4f54aa7e8e98fd98c75b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000092\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225dd46570e0ed4f54aa7e8e98fd98c75b\u0022\u003EHon TAMA POTAKA (Minister for M\u0101ori Development):\u003C/span\u003E E te rangatira, e te Kaiwhakahaere o te Whare, t\u0113n\u0101 koe. T\u014D t\u0101tau kahurangi, m\u0101reikura, ahorangi, rangatira, whanaunga, Tariana. Haere r\u0101 i te r\u0101 o te waru ki te r\u0101rangi tapairu ki te rangi. K\u014Drua tahi ko t\u0101u mokopuna a P\u0101kaitore, \u0101na kua hoki atu ki te taha o t\u014D hoa rangatira, t\u014D makau a George, a H\u014Dri. Rere atu ki tua o Meret\u016Bahiahi, ki tua o Whitikaupeka, i te w\u0101 o Puanga, o Matariki, ki tua o P\u014Dhutukawa.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000093\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003E[To the esteemed one, the Speaker of the House, greetings to you. To our Dame, our high-ranking woman, our knowledgeable one, our leader, our relation, Tariana. Leave us now in the time of summer and go to the line of high-ranking people in the sky. You and your grandson P\u0101kaitore, you have gone to be with your husband and loved one, George, H\u014Dri. Fly beyond the evening star, beyond Spica, in the time of Rigel, of Pleiades, and beyond Sterope.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000094\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EWe will remember Kahurangi Tariana Turia\u2014Auntie Tari\u2014for her legacy of wh\u0101nau over politics; a dedicated leader who did so much for the betterment of M\u0101ori and all New Zealanders. For those of us lucky ones from Te K\u0101hui Maunga and Te K\u0101hui Tupua, people of Taranaki, Whanganui, Ruapehu, and Rangit\u012Bkei, we knew of Auntie\u2014and Uncle\u2014as rangatira before she arrived in this fine House. Programmes like Project Employment Programme and Maccess, Whangaehu Marae, and of course one of her crowning legacies, Te Oranganui, dedicates and exemplifies her contribution to the social fabric and the whakapapa fabric of our rohe. A pillar of Aotearoa New Zealand\u2019s political and social landscape and wh\u0101nau landscape, sadly passing away recently at the ripe age of 80.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000095\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EHer deep aroha for others and an extraordinary ability to relate to people of all shapes, sizes, different walks of life made her an inspiring and effective leader. And of course, a defining moment in her career, as mentioned earlier, came in 2004 when she, along with Matua T\u0101 Pita Sharples, Matua Whatarangi, and a whole host of h\u014Dia came together to establish the M\u0101ori Party\u2014Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori. This bold move was driven, in my view, by an unwavering commitment to iwi and M\u0101ori responsibilities, rights, and indeed tino rangatiratanga around the takutai moana and many other kaupapa, later progressed through her mahi tahi\u2014her work together\u2014with the Hon Chris Finlayson.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000096\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EIn 2008, Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori entered into an agreement, a cooperation agreement with our National Party, and while maintaining its toka t\u016B moana\u2014an independent stance\u2014the parties worked together to create policies that would benefit M\u0101ori and indeed all New Zealanders, especially through Wh\u0101nau Ora.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000097\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EWh\u0101nau Ora, in my view, became one of Auntie\u2019s greatest achievements. Under her leadership as Minister, it reimagined K\u0101wanatanga by putting wh\u0101nau and the wellbeing of wh\u0101nau at the heart of decision making\u2014a policy born out of the belief that wh\u0101nau, not Government bureaucracy, should have the power to shape our own futures. Whaea Tariana set great course for this waka and thanks to her leadership, subsequent Ministers from across the spectrum of this Whare will inherit the navigation of its continued journey.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000098\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EI had the privilege of recently travelling with Matua Kiritopa Luxon, the Prime Minister, to pay our respects alongside many other leaders within this Whare and indeed leaders throughout the country at the uhunga for Whaea Tariana\u2014the tangihanga. It was evident that her ability to work across political lines was etched in her life\u2019s resume. While fiercely loyal to Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori, iwi, hap\u016B, and wh\u0101nau, she understood that collaboration was key to bringing about meaningful change without compromising our values.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000099\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EHer focus always on outcomes for wh\u0101nau and not party politics; on tikanga and not Pukamata [Facebook], Whaea Tariana had the rare ability to bridge different hues of the political rainbow and bring people together for the greater good. Her wairua was central to her political momentum, particularly with policies and programmes like Wh\u0101nau Ora. Whaea Tariana\u2019s relationships with the National Party, and indeed with many of us in this fine House today and prior to, is based on mutual respect, whanaungatanga, whakapapa, and manaakitanga. She understood that real change required pragmatism, and her mahi showed that the needs of wh\u0101nau could transcend party politics. Action, in my view, for her, was more important than speculation and media grabs. Her legacy is in the belief in the power of collaboration, or, as my colleague the member for Hauraki-Waikato will reflect, mahi tahi, as we describe it in Waikato. Her legacy is her commitment to the service of others. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000100\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EMoe mai r\u0101 e te Whaea, koutou ko matua H\u014Dri, ko P\u0101kaitore. E mihi ana ki t\u014D t\u0101tau rangatakap\u016B.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000101\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003E[Sleep, oh lady, you and father H\u014Dri, and P\u0101kaitore. I acknowledge our esteemed party.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232601127-a1e9-4ba0-b6af-99865a84a209\u0022\u003EYour mahi and your vision for the betterment of iwi M\u0101ori and all New Zealanders will continue with us well beyond our mokopuna into the mokomoko and beyond. Mauri ora ki a t\u0101tau. [Wellbeing to all.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022 data-id=\u0022a28ef3d73a664de38dfbf64da7da0d3b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000103\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a28ef3d73a664de38dfbf64da7da0d3b\u0022\u003ERt Hon ADRIAN RURAWHE (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Kororia hareruia ki a koe Ihowa o ng\u0101 mano, tuauriuri wh\u0101ioio, k\u012B tonu te rangi me te whenua i te nui o t\u014Du kororia, tihei mauri ora.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000104\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003EKei te mihi atu an\u014D i te \u0101huatanga ki \u014D t\u0101tau tini mate, r\u0101tau katoa e hinga mai n\u0101 puta noa i ng\u0101 moutere, tae atu ki te kahurangi nei a Dame Tariana Turia, tae atu an\u014D hoki ki t\u014Dna mokopuna a P\u0101kaitore. N\u014D reira koutou ng\u0101 mate, hoki wairua atu ki te ringa kaha o Ihowa o ng\u0101 mano. N\u014D reira ko te M\u0101ngai hei tautoko mai, \u0101ianei, ake nei, \u0101e.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000105\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003EKi a t\u0101tau ng\u0101 kanohi ora e te M\u0101ngai o te Whare, t\u0113n\u0101 koe. Ki a koutou katoa, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000106\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E[Glory, hallelujah to Jehovah of the myriad, the innumerable and the multitudes, heaven and earth is full with your glory. I now begin my speech.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000107\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003EI acknowledge the many bereavements, those throughout our islands who have passed, and indeed Dame Tariana Turia and her grandson, P\u0101kaitore. To all that have passed, let your spirit return to the mighty hand of God of the multitudes. With the affirmation of the Mouthpiece, now and forever, Amen.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000108\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003ETurning to us here, the living, to the Speaker of the House, I greet you. I greet you all.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000109\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003EI was actually one of the survivors that Debbie Ngarewa-Packer spoke about. I worked for Tariana from 2002 to 2005. I tell people that I lasted three elections, though\u2014that was two general elections and a by-election and it felt like nine years. But I wanted to share a few personal insights into who\u2014as the Hon Tama Potaka said\u2014everyone at home called Auntie Tari, and I was no different.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000110\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003EAs Debbie Ngarewa-Packer spoke about, her travelling around\u2014I got to drive her sometimes; quite often, actually. Some of the more funny things: she wasn\u2019t a very good navigator, and Uncle George used to tell me, \u201CDon\u2019t let her tell you where to go, which turns to take. She\u2019ll get you lost.\u201D And she did. But she did not get our iwi lost, she did not get our hap\u016B lost, and she did not get her wh\u0101nau lost\u2014never.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000111\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003EI\u2019m not going to repeat what members have already said, but to endorse that is absolutely how she was: wh\u0101nau always came first. And she managed to have a career here in Wellington in this House. Think about it, she was the only Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori MP from 2004. She spoke on every single Government bill, she never missed a vote, and she attended select committees. She also managed to get back home for every tangi that was at the Whangaehu Marae.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000112\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003EHow she did it was through the support of both her staff and, in particular, Uncle George and her wh\u0101nau. She had the ability. She was really well read\u2014she always read. And her intellect was that she could handle anyone on any topic, just about. I really appreciate the fact that she was able to give us the language to address some really complex issues that our wh\u0101naus were facing and still are. We still quote her today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000113\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003EShe had this vision for the future of wh\u0101nau. We\u2019re not there yet; this country is not there. I don\u2019t think this country\u2019s quite ready for what she had in mind. If members go back to what she was saying in 2004 around Wh\u0101nau Ora, the Wh\u0101nau Ora that we\u2019ve got today\u2014great Government policy, great kaupapa, but it\u2019s not quite the version that she had anticipated or wanted. But I believe she set the foundations for that legacy for the future to actually achieve what she saw as the vision for Wh\u0101nau Ora.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000114\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003EIt was really about\u2014she didn\u2019t want our families to be having social workers and community workers all parked in the driveway, dealing with what was wrong with them. She had this absolute faith that wh\u0101nau\u2014we should be talking about and encouraging them and supporting them in the things that they wanted to do, because she really believed that they had the answers, as Debbie Ngarewa-Packer stated, to all of the issues that they were facing. But that needs a partnership arrangement with all of the rest of Aotearoa, and that isn\u2019t quite what we\u2019ve got now. For those of you or us that want to remember her into the future, I just say that the way to do that is actually to make that legacy a reality the way that she had envisioned. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000115\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003ERight now, the people at Whangaehu\u2014I live in Whangaehu as well and, right now, I know they\u2019re gathering at Whangaehu Marae because of another sadness that has come on to the wh\u0101nau. So my aroha goes out to the Turia wh\u0101nau, to Pahia and Tamala, the Chambers wh\u0101nau, Dave and Arlene, and all of the tamariki and mokopuna who will be gathering, waiting for their boy to come home.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000116\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003EI think I\u2019ll leave it there. This isn\u2019t the speech that I wrote but this is the one I really wanted to give. I just want to thank the House for allowing this debate today. If you want to hear some of the most magnificent k\u014Drero at a tangi, go online and hear some of the speeches that were made at Tariana\u2019s tangi, because we had the greatest of orators of Aotearoa there. You will hear everything about her in a much, much better way than I\u2019d be able to say it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000117\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003EHowever, koin\u0101 aku k\u014Drero m\u014D t\u0113nei w\u0101. N\u014D reira e ng\u0101 mate maha o te w\u0101, hoki wairua atu ki a r\u0101tau m\u0101, e oki, e moe, e moe.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000118\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a434482b-7ac1-4862-9ce7-13e63289dee3\u0022\u003E[That is all for now. To all the many deaths, return in spirit to those who await, rest, sleep, sleep.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022 data-id=\u0022211ef9773efa42728f3bdd73a5341fff\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000119\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022211ef9773efa42728f3bdd73a5341fff\u0022\u003ECHL\u00D6E SWARBRICK (Co-Leader\u2014Green):\u003C/span\u003E Moe mai r\u0101 e te rangatira. It\u2019s my honour, on behalf of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, to stand and to acknowledge the passing of a mighty t\u014Dtara who has fallen. Kahurangi Tariana Turia was a force of nature, and I want to acknowledge her loss and send our aroha to her wh\u0101nau, to Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori, to her community, to her iwi, to her hap\u016B, and to everybody who is feeling that loss across Aotearoa New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000120\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EFrom what I know of her\u2014and I think it was abundantly apparent to anybody who had any proximity to Kahurangi Tariana Turia\u2014it was her extraordinary, deep integrity and intellect and a deep calmness that came to the way that she did her job and the way that she spoke and held space. From what I know and what I have heard from some members of our caucus who had the opportunity to work with her and to then k\u014Drero with her, she was stern at times but deeply loving; quick with wit; and with a huge, big, loving heart.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000121\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EFrom what I know and what I have seen of her legacy\u2014which I want to acknowledge other members have touched upon as something that we need to consistently honour and build upon\u2014I think the thing that resonates the most for me is how she saw so profoundly how everything was connected and how we, as people, cannot be removed from our context. She understood that the health of our lungs was related to, and could be not removed from, the health of the air around us in the mahi that she did on Smokefree. She understood that the wellbeing of people is deeply connected to the context that we are within, within our wh\u0101nau, and within our communities in the mahi that she did on Wh\u0101nau Ora. She understood that the health of our awa, of our rivers, is deeply connected to the health of the whenua and of the people as well, and obviously she demonstrated that amply in her mahi in the restoring and being the matriarch of the Whanganui River.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000122\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EWe know that she took deep wisdom into spaces of power and of influence, and I just wanted to acknowledge that when we, as a caucus, made our way through Whanganui on the way to the marae for the tangi, that we felt compelled to go and visit and touch the river. Again, just another example of how all of these things are connected and some things are bigger than what we find words to explain.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000123\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EKo au te awa, ko te awa ko au. I am the river, and the river is me. Moe mai r\u0101 e te rangatira. [Sleep my esteemed one.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022 data-id=\u002225e0e7dc693d4208a9a9870b0ac22c83\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000124\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002225e0e7dc693d4208a9a9870b0ac22c83\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR (Minister for Regulation):\u003C/span\u003E I rise on behalf of ACT to join with other speakers in paying tribute to Dame Tariana Turia. Dame Tariana was a very special person and a very special kind of politician\u2014in fact, one who practised the politics of kindness before it was cool; one who stood on principle and backed it up with bravery by crossing the floor and leaving her party on a crucial piece of legislation of that day.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000125\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EI\u2019m proud to say, as Sir Micheal Cullen noted at the time, that ACT was the only party that stood consistently with that position in favour of the rule of law at that time. In fact, we often found common cause. Shortly after Dame Tariana\u2019s passing, I received a message reminding me that it was because of Dame Tariana\u2019s advocacy in the background that while we were in Government, our two parties, for nine years, were able to bring about and sustain partnership schools or kura hourua. She later went on to join the board of E Tipu E Rea, the support agency at that time for kura hourua.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000126\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EHer policy of Wh\u0101nau Ora, I always believed, really was tino rangatiratanga in action\u2014self-determination for all people who wish to chart their destiny and live as they would choose to live.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000127\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u201CE tipu e rea\u201D\u2014as I\u2019m sure many members will know\u2014means \u201Cgrow strong, little shoot\u201D. I\u2019m very proud as we mark Dame Tariana\u2019s passing that many of us will remember her in different ways. Some of us knew her very well; others, like me, only distantly. But as we see new kura hourua opening up and down New Zealand this week, that is one of the ways that I remember her\u2014grow strong, little shoot, and haere r\u0101, Dame Tariana.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000128\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000129\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00222dd60318115b47569f9cd237f3e47854\u0022\u003EDebate on Prime Minister\u2019s Statement\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000131\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022ce0369c9f9d84253911d53d82377f2d7\u0022\u003EDebate on Prime Minister\u2019s Statement\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022 data-id=\u00226439b004a9ee474d866f0f8fb244ec8f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000130\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226439b004a9ee474d866f0f8fb244ec8f\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON (Prime Minister):\u003C/span\u003E I present the Prime Minister\u2019s statement. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000132\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d630b80b087740eeaa4514edf6b33061\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: That paper is published under the authority of the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000133\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226b812fca09ac4d6e843bef869b0565c7\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: I move, That this House express its confidence in the Government and commend its programme for 2025 as set out in the Prime Minister\u2019s statement. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000134\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EWell, I have to say it is great to be back, because this Government has roared out of the blocks with a massive focus on going for economic growth to make Kiwis better off. We have refreshed our fantastic team to underline growth as the priority, we\u2019re setting up a one-stop shop for foreign direct investment to get better infrastructure built much faster, and we\u2019ve kicked off the biggest reforms in the science sector for 30 years so our world-class research earns much more money for our country and for those who make those groundbreaking discoveries. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000135\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EThis year is all about unleashing our economy, and we have already started by signing a free-trade agreement with the UAE. It was an agreement that was delivered in just four months after talks began\u2014New Zealand\u2019s fastest ever trade negotiation. I want to tell you\u00A0what that means for Kiwis. What it means is that duties on 98.5 percent of exports to the UAE are gone, and that is a fantastic result for businesses all across this great country of ours. I want to say that Todd McClay is out there, on those planes, getting the deals done. That\u2019s why I call him \u201CTrade McClay\u201D, and I think it\u2019s going to be a name that will absolutely stick. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000136\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EWe are going to be ruthlessly pursuing trade and investment because having more of those opportunities is better for businesses. It means more jobs, it means higher incomes, it means a stronger economy to pay for health and education, and we are making progress. Wages are now growing faster than inflation, and cost pressures, like the Auckland regional fuel tax, have now been removed from the system. Interest rates are falling\u2014falling\u2014and\u00A0the Reserve Bank is forecasting that more relief is on the way very, very shortly. We delivered tax relief last year, and that means that Kiwis are keeping more of their money for the first time in 14 long years. Our steps now are to be going for growth to build the long-term prosperity that ensures that our kids see a future here in New Zealand. I recently spoke about the need to end the culture of saying no when it comes to economic growth, because Kiwis want to build and they want to grow and they want to innovate, and all too often they\u2019re actually told no.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003ELet\u2019s talk about fast track, because applications for 149 projects from Kaikohe to Stewart Island open next week. Among those projects are some exciting new renewable energy schemes to give us the electricity that we need and that will be affordable and abundant. In there are tens of thousands of houses that are going to give young Kiwis a chance to own a home, and in there, yes, there are mines and there are quarries so that we create jobs in provincial New Zealand and help the clean transition to take place. I\u2019m proud to say that there are 49 of those projects that are in the South Island. That\u2019s because, on this side of the House, we understand how important the South Island is, and that\u2019s why we\u2019ve appointed an awesome new Minister for the South Island in James Meager. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000138\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003ENow, the absolutely tragic thing is that every single member of the Opposition parties voted against those fast-track projects, right? They voted against creating opportunities for Kiwis. Labour: they voted against jobs and housing. The Greens: they voted against wind and solar farms. Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori: they voted against iwi being able to develop their own land. I\u2019ve got to say that the members opposite remind me of a cat pawing at the ranch slider, yowling away, trying to get in, and then you open the door, and they don\u2019t move. They refuse to come in. That\u2019s what they are\u2014the MPs opposite.. I\u2019ve got to say, we are a coalition on this side; they\u2019re a \u201Cno-alition\u201D on that side\u2014that\u2019s what they\u2019re about. They\u2019re all about no; we\u2019re all about yes, on this side. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000139\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EWe must develop a mind-set that says yes to things that are going to make Kiwis better off, and you\u2019ll know that, as part of that, last week I expressed my view on removing the limits around concerts at Eden Park. I think they should be abolished. What was interesting was that the Labour leader Helen Clark\u2014I mean, actually, the former Labour leader\u2014was not happy with me. That just illustrated how we\u2019ve got a hall monitor mind-set happening within the Labour Party right now, because let\u2019s be clear about it: Labour is the party of\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000140\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224c51a3008ff048ce891aac651c8174fc\u0022\u003EHon Members\u003C/span\u003E: No. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000141\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022496784f978ef4d15aa930bd6d8099875\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014no. Yep. What did Labour say to tax relief for\u00A0working New Zealanders? No. What did Labour say about gene technology and backing farmers and climate change and health? They said no. And what did they say about fast track?\u00A0To every single project, they said no, and now it seems it\u2019s actually no to more concerts. It\u2019s no to more concerts now. It\u2019s no to more customers, it\u2019s no to more people in bars and restaurants and in taxis, and it\u2019s no to things that are creating a vibrant and growing economy. Every single one of them, they\u2019re just not on board with it. My real challenge to Chris Hipkins is: can you please reject your boss\u2019s view and back more concerts for Kiwis? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000142\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EWhile we have been back at work for weeks pushing through changes to make Kiwis so much better off, Chris Hipkins is barely out of his jandals. We\u2019d signed a trade deal before he\u2019d even grabbed the work shirt out of the laundry basket. I do want to commend, though, Chris Hipkins for one thing: his resistance to returning to work has showcased that, in fact, anyone\u2014even a Leader of the Opposition\u2014can be a digital nomad. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000143\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EOn digital nomads, can I say what a great announcement the Government made yesterday: a fantastic announcement, a common-sense change that\u2019s going to mean we\u2019re going to open up for more business and more tourists and more money being spent in our cafes and our restaurants and our shops. All of that is a practical, common-sense, great change, and it is all part of our plan to grow the economy. But what did we hear? We heard a rather muddled response from the Labour Party, saying, bizarrely, that the bigger economic priority should be letting more public servants work from home. It was quite something. Actually, I think there\u2019s quite a good idea in there, because, bizarrely, looking at Labour saying no to everything, the country\u2019s productivity would actually be improved if the members opposite did just stay at home. I\u2019d encourage them to do that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000144\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EWhat I\u2019d say is that when Labour woke from their slumber last week for their caucus retreat, Chris Hipkins told the media\u2014he said this: \u201CLook, it\u2019s just been a year of reflection.\u201D A reflection tour, just going around talking about and apologising for not delivering KiwiBuild or light rail or, frankly, anything. I think all this talk about Eden Park concerts has got in his head, because he got it a bit mixed up, because people wanted the Eras Tour; what they didn\u2019t want was the tour that he was proposing: errors\u2014e-r-r-o-r-s. That\u2019s not what they wanted. But there was some very good news for Labour. They\u2019ve decided to take a new approach. From now on, they\u2019re just going to talk about the policies that they can deliver, and we haven\u2019t heard a single policy from Labour, because they can\u2019t\u00A0deliver anything. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000145\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EWe need to end the culture of no, we need to end the culture of slow, and we need to be able to also move on increasing speed limits. We need to let Kiwis get to where they need to get to faster so they\u2019re much more productive, and what does Labour say to speeding Kiwis up? They say no to speed limits as well\u2014no, no, no. In fact, when Kieran McAnulty was the Minister, he asked the New Zealand Transport Agency to review the speed limits in the Wairarapa, and they came back to him and they said no. Well, I\u2019ve got to say to Kieran: watch this space, son, because we\u2019ve got some great Ministers in Chris Bishop and Simeon Brown, and also a great local MP in Mike Butterick, and watch this space because we can do something about speed limits. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000146\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EWhat I\u2019d say is that, on this side of the House, we\u2019ve got some passionate MPs fighting for our folk in the cities, whether it\u2019s Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, or Christchurch, representing all those diverse, different communities. We\u2019ve got MPs in provincial New Zealand, whether it\u2019s in Northland, Waikato, the Bay of Islands, the East Coast, Taranaki, Manawat\u016B, the West Coast, Canterbury, Otago, or Southland, and they are saying yes to farming, and they are saying yes to trade, and they are saying yes to economic growth in 2025 in the regions. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000147\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EJust over a year ago, this Government was elected with a very clear mandate to change course and to get New Zealand back on track. We inherited a broken economy. We inherited a cost of living crisis. Violent crime was up. Retailers were being smashed by daily ram raids\u2014remember those?\u2014that were going on every single day, and gangs were taking over our towns. The education system was failing way too many children, and the health system was reeling from a restructure that was botched and absolutely failed. We have taken tough decisions, because these are tough times. We are actually making sure that we are backing Kiwis who have a mortgage or a small business and a great idea and are desperate to crack into it. We\u2019re going to be saying yes to those people.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000148\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003ENow, the good news is that change is already happening. Actually, when you think about what was achieved in the last year, we had fast track, we had tax relief, we stopped the wasteful spending, we had Resource Management Act (RMA) reform, we had new roads, we had structured literacy and maths, and we had gene tech. We\u2019re backing the police with the gang law changes that we\u2019ve had. We\u2019ve stopped the ram raids. We\u2019re actually restoring consequences for crime\u2014a novel idea\u2014very important. We\u2019ve got record new investment in health, with $17 billion extra going in, and 26 new cancer treatments. We\u2019ve got an hour a day each of reading, writing, and maths, and we\u2019ve got reduced emergency housing\u2014something we should be really proud about\u2014after one of the biggest failed policies from the Labour Government. We\u2019ve got new trade deals. We\u2019re backing the farmers. We\u2019ve got FamilyBoost. We\u2019re making foreign investment easier, and we\u2019re keeping councils focused on the basics rather than rates rises. We are just getting started.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000149\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EAbsolutely core to our plan in 2025 is unleashing economic growth, because a growing economy means what? It means higher incomes, it means more jobs, it means that our kids won\u2019t look overseas for opportunities but will see that their future sits right here in New Zealand. A growing economy means more money to invest in public services, like hospitals or health, and it means that if you work hard and you\u2019re prepared to work hard, you can get ahead in this great country of ours. We say a big yes\u2014we say a big yes\u2014to New Zealand businesses, big and small, so that they thrive and they make a profit and they pay higher wages and they hire more people and they invest in more growth, because that\u2019s what it\u2019s all about: growth. It\u2019s awesome we\u2019ve got Nicola Willis leading our economic growth plan, because we\u2019ve got a plan to make it happen, and that\u2019s what 2025 will be all about: growth trumps everything.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000150\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EIn Budget 2024, we delivered a fiscally responsible plan that reined in the wasteful spending, provided the income tax relief to working New Zealanders, and set up the conditions for future growth. We delivered FamilyBoost to help those working New Zealanders with their early childcare costs. We froze the fuel tax increases that were planned for three years to give people more relief at the pump, we made progress on breaking the cost of living crisis, and we found a way to deliver $17 billion extra into the healthcare sector, a multi-year boost for health\u2014$17 billion extra. In May, we\u2019re going to deliver our second Budget, and I\u2019m telling you it\u2019s going to build on those strong foundations and we\u2019re going to continue to drive economic growth.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000151\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EOur Government is making it easier and cheaper, as you\u2019ll see in this fantastic Prime Minister\u2019s statement, to build infrastructure, housing, and transport projects, and, I\u2019ve got to tell you, fast track is just the beginning, because the real prize is actually fixing our broken Resource Management Act. So, this year, we won\u2019t debate and discuss it and have endless hui and discussion, but we\u2019re going to fix it and replace it with a system that\u2019s fairer, faster, and cheaper. That\u2019s why Chris Bishop created the national infrastructure agency to unlock the investment that we\u2019re going to need for roads and hospitals and schools and energy projects, and that\u2019s actually what we\u2019re going to do: make sure we get investor cash flowing through into the projects that we desperately want to power up into this country. We\u2019re going to have a 30-year infrastructure plan, and we hope\u2014seriously hope\u2014that the other side actually come on board and make it a truly bipartisan 30-year infrastructure plan.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000152\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EIn housing, our Going for Housing Growth plan is removing barriers\u2014[Interruption] They\u2019re enjoying it, aren\u2019t they? Aren\u2019t they enjoying it? What\u2019s funny is that when you have six years in power, with the last three with an absolute majority, and you do absolutely nothing, you then get buyer\u2019s regret on the other side, don\u2019t you? You\u2019re looking over going, \u201CJeepers, we could have done some stuff instead of just talking about doing some stuff.\u201D \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000153\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EWhat I\u2019d say is that we are very determined to get infrastructure built, but we\u2019re going to do something about housing, because that was a failure of the Labour Government over six years, as well, wasn\u2019t it? We\u2019re removing the barriers for development. We\u2019re going to allow cities to expand, we\u2019re going to boost housing density, and we\u2019re going to cut the unnecessary red tape that exists, and councils are going to be required to plan for 30 years\u201430 years of growth\u2014so that we\u2019re not constantly playing catch-up, as was proposed by the other side. We\u2019re making it more affordable to remove the barriers for overseas construction materials, and we\u2019re expanding self-certification for tradies\u2014thank you very much, Minister Penk.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000154\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EIn transport, we are making record investments\u2014record investments\u2014to improve how people move themselves and their goods all around this great country. Over the next three years, we\u2019re investing $33 billion into our transport network, which includes 17 roads of national significance\u2014right?\u2014and isn\u2019t it phenomenal to see that in 12 months, we\u2019ve already kicked off the Hawke\u2019s Bay expressway, which I know Katie Nimon and Catherine Wedd are greatly appreciative of. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000155\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EFarmers and rural communities are the backbones of our economy and they were treated like villains\u2014absolute villains\u2014under that last Labour Government. Well, they are deeply, deeply valued by us in this Government. We\u2019re easing the burdens by introducing practical rules for on-farm water storage, winter grazing, and stock exclusion, halving the emissions trading scheme charges for forest owners, and pausing the freshwater farm plants, and we\u2019ve scrapped that very, very unfair ute tax. That is a long, dim, distant memory. We\u2019re going to continue to proudly back our farmers and rural communities to earn the extra dollars that actually power up New Zealand and enable us to make a difference as a result. But that means farmers need to receive RMA reform, because we want them spending more\u00A0time actually milking cows than filling out forms and asking for permission from someone. We want them actually doing the farming, which is what they need to do, not having 35 percent of their week tied up in filling out paperwork. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000156\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EWe also know that tourism has a fantastic role to play. What a fantastic industry\u2014an amazing industry, right? It\u2019s only at 86 percent of pre-COVID levels, and we still get wittering from the other side saying, \u201COh, we don\u2019t want to bring tourists into New Zealand.\u201D Yes, we do. We don\u2019t have the luxury to turn off growth after three years of recession that Labour created.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000157\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EThe second priority for us, after rebuilding the economy and getting growth into the place and going for growth, is actually restoring law and order. I tell you, Kiwis deserve to feel safe, and they\u2019re feeling safer within 12 months of this new Government\u2014absolutely they\u2019re feeling it. We\u2019ve got two big targets: we want 20,000 fewer victims of violent crime, and we want youth offending cut by 15 percent, and we\u2019re making some good progress there. We are going to reform sentencing laws to ensure that there are real consequences for crime and to keep those violent offenders off our streets, because for too long they\u2019ve been allowed to do whatever they want. We are capping those sentencing discounts. We\u2019re going to cap them, we\u2019re going to tighten the rules on repeat offenders, and we\u2019re going to prioritise the victims\u2019 interests and reinstate three strikes. It is going to be more work to do to restore law and order in New Zealand. We\u2019re going to progress the Crimes Act amendments to increase penalties for criminals who attack first responders\u2014great idea, fantastic idea\u2014and a new law to address stalking, while reforms will be progressed to speed up jury trials and also to expand remote participation for faster access to justice.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000158\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EAnd didn\u2019t we do well, taking it to gangs last year? There\u2019s more to come, because you can\u2019t have one-quarter of the population driving 20 percent of the violent crime in this country, and, man, those gang laws and the police\u2019s response to it has been absolutely outstanding\u2014and I bet you that, deep down, those members wish they\u2019d done something on law and order. Apparently, they\u2019re going to better focus on law and order and the economy this year, but, goodness knows\u2014we\u2019ll see what happens. What I would just say is we also need to work on serious youth offending, and we\u2019ve got to make sure that serious and persistent offending is actually dealt with. It\u2019s actually got to be trending in the right direction, and we want to see 15 percent fewer serious young offenders.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000159\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve got a lot of work ahead of us with respect to health and education, because we actually have amazing doctors and nurses. They do an outstanding job. Just to give you a feel\u00A0for it, in the last year, 700,000 first specialist appointments happened. There were 200,000 elective surgeries that took place, and today there are 50,000 Kiwis getting in to see their GP. We have amazing people, but we need to do a much better job, and I know Simeon Brown knows that we need to do a better job too, so they get the care that they actually need.\u00A0That\u2019s why we\u2019ve put another $17 billion\u2014and I referenced that $17 billion\u2014into health, because this is the Government that cares about the healthcare system and the people that work in it, and we\u2019re shifting the focus from the back office to the front line.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000160\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EWhat I\u2019d also say is that we care about education because we want kids to get an outstanding start to life in New Zealand. That means they\u2019ve got to get to school. They\u2019ve actually got to make sure we teach them to read and we actually teach them to do some mathematics. All of Erica Stanford\u2019s incredible hard work comes to life this year because students and teachers in classrooms up and down New Zealand are getting some amazing resources to kick off the school year. Actually, that\u2019s what parents want to know: that their kids are going to get delivery and they\u2019re going to have a great future, with more resources, more quality training for our teachers, a brand new national Curriculum\u2014fantastic\u2014grounded in mastering the basics: reading and mathematics. That means more skills, more jobs, more talent, and much more investment ultimately coming into New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000161\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003ELet me say that, one year ago, I promised that this would be a Government of action, one that takes on the big challenges facing our country and actually delivers. We committed to making some tough choices to rebuild the economy, to restore law and order, and to improve our public services. A year on, I have to say I am incredibly proud of the progress that we have made, but we know that there is still so much more for us to do to realise all the great potential that sits in this great country of ours. What I\u2019d say is that this is going to be a Government that\u2019s going to continue to deliver the change that New Zealand needs, because it\u2019s not just enough to get us back to normal. We actually have an opportunity to be so much better and to realise more of the potential that sits in this great country.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000162\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ea31fdd3-90e9-47d7-92a4-20b6a3109eef\u0022\u003EI want Kiwi kids to know that New Zealand is where the opportunities are, not the UK or Australia. I want our farmers to know that we back them and that they\u2019re deeply valued and they\u2019re not villains. I want our Kiwi businesses to know we want them thriving, and I want Kiwi families to know that if you work hard, you can get ahead in the best country on planet Earth. So, 2025 will be another massive year for this Government. Our team are going to do everything it takes to unleash economic growth, innovation, and investment, and, with that, we can\u2019t wait to get stuck in.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u0022d8431c2ecf2c4b7587a5c4b9128e76c7\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000163\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d8431c2ecf2c4b7587a5c4b9128e76c7\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The question is that the motion be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022 data-id=\u0022da4f4b3bf2154645b25ff2aca8a72020\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000164\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022da4f4b3bf2154645b25ff2aca8a72020\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the Opposition):\u003C/span\u003E I move, That all the words after \u201CThat\u201D be deleted and replaced with \u201CThis House has no confidence in this coalition Government because under its incompetent, arrogant, shambolic, and divisive leadership, New Zealand is going backwards, Kiwis are losing their jobs, record numbers are leaving the country, and their priorities are wrong and out of touch.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000165\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003EKiwis looking for some hope from the Prime Minister at the beginning of this year would be disappointed by that contribution. If that is the best the Government has to offer, it\u2019s going to be a very long year for the National Party backbench\u2014as evidenced by the fact that you could see them pulling out their phones after only a few minutes and frantically dusting off their CVs. The fact that they\u2019ve given up already is a real warning sign for this Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000166\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003ENew Zealanders were looking for more: a realisation from this Government that, despite all the big talk last year, it\u2019s still getting harder for New Zealand families and it\u2019s still getting harder for New Zealand businesses. An acknowledgment from this Government that they have driven New Zealand into the worst economic recession since 1991 might have been a good place to start. An acknowledgment that the deepest cuts to Government spending since 1991 made that situation so much worse than it needed to be would also have been a good place to start. New Zealanders were looking for the Government to finally step up and take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences of them, but they would have been disappointed by that because the Government won\u2019t take responsibility for the choices that it has been making.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000167\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003EAll Governments have choices, and this Government has been making the wrong ones, like $2.9 billion in tax cuts for landlords because they promised that rents were going to go down\u2014what\u2019s happened? Rents have continued to go up under this Government\u2014like $200 billion in tax cuts for tobacco companies while our health system descends further into crisis, like $14 billion in tax cuts that the country could simply not afford, like slashing affordable water reforms, leading to record rates increases up and down the country, like underfunding sectors like early childhood education (ECE), which sees parents paying higher fees every week to send their kids into ECE, like scaling back and stopping new public house builds\u2014what\u2019s resulted is builders, plumbers, electricians, and tradies losing their jobs at a time when we desperately need more houses to be built in New Zealand\u2014like pausing and cancelling major infrastructure projects, which means some of our most skilled workers have given up already and left the country. Record numbers giving up and leaving the country is one of the early legacies of this Government. All Governments have choices; this Government\u2019s making the wrong ones.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000168\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003EA Government that promised to get New Zealand back on track has derailed the New Zealand economy. You don\u2019t just have to take my word for that; look at the HSBC\u2019s estimates that said that New Zealand\u2019s economy had the largest contraction in GDP last year in the world. The economists that previously called us the \u201Crock star economy\u201D have pointed out that we took the biggest hit in the world in 2024. Forget the rock star economy; Nicola Willis is aiming for rock-bottom! Businesses can see that the Government has derailed the economy. According to the Reserve Bank\u2014who, suddenly, the Government wants to claim all the credit for\u2014business investment will be lower at the end of this year than at the end of our last Labour Government. That is the early legacy of this National Government. We see businesses every week going to the wall as company liquidations continue to go through the roof. Companies that survived COVID can\u2019t survive National. That is what this Government is doing for the New Zealand economy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000169\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003EKiwis are just getting more hollow words and rhetoric from this Government\u2014no real action on power prices, on groceries, on rates, or on transport costs. In the real world\u2014that\u2019s the world where people who aren\u2019t \u201Cwealthy\u201D and \u201Csorted\u201D continue to face prices that climb, insurance that goes up, rates that are increasing, energy bills increasing, and transport costs increasing\u2014Kiwis are struggling, and this Government is busy telling them, \u201CIt\u2019s all OK. It\u2019s getting better.\u201D, when those New Zealanders know it\u2019s not getting better; it\u2019s getting harder. All they\u2019re getting from the Prime Minister is more words. He\u2019s like a walking Dale Carnegie seminar. He spent the last year talking about the cost of living prices; New Zealanders are still waiting for the fix. He spent the last year talking about growing the economy, and all he did was prove that talking about growing the economy doesn\u2019t actually grow the economy. New Zealanders want to see that this Government has a plan, and so far this Government has proven it doesn\u2019t have one.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000170\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003EOh\u2014no, actually, Christopher Luxon does have a good idea. He\u2019s decided that the person who drove the New Zealand economy into the deepest recession in nearly 35 years should be tasked with economic growth. The person who made everything so much worse for New Zealanders is apparently Christopher Luxon\u2019s magical solution to New Zealand\u2019s lack of economic growth. What she doesn\u2019t realise and what Christopher Luxon doesn\u2019t realise is that Nicola Willis\u2019 austerity agenda is utterly incompatible with raising living standards for all New Zealanders.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000171\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s not just about growing the economy but what we grow, and how we grow it actually matters as well, and that\u2019s a discussion this Government isn\u2019t willing to have, because this is the most hard right, neo-liberal Government that New Zealand has seen in a generation. They are following the typical right-wing playbook: defund public services so that they struggle; defund public services so that they are destabilised and New Zealanders get dissatisfied. And we know what comes next\u2014privatisation\u2014because that is what they\u2019ve done for the last 40 years and that is exactly the playbook that we are seeing now: underfund public services, run them into the ground, cut them, and hock them off. That is what this Government wants to do.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000172\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003EHow did that work for the railways? When they sold it off, it got asset stripped by its private owners, and the taxpayers ended up having to buy it back and bail it out. How did\u00A0that work with the power companies? Well, if you\u2019re a shareholder in the power companies, pretty well actually, because they are gouging New Zealand consumers every day\u2014every day, gouging New Zealand consumers\u2014under this privatised model introduced by the last National Government, who said that more competition would lead to lower power prices. How\u2019s that working out for New Zealanders so far now? And they are now promising more\u00A0of the same. How about the botched Transmission Gully public-private partnership, which ultimately meant that the private sector took all the money, and the public covered all of that risk in the supposed public-private partnership?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000173\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003EInstead, all we get from Christopher Luxon is more hollow words; no real action on dealing with the lack of competition in New Zealand. Here\u2019s some news for those members opposite: competitive free markets require rules. Cutting regulation actually helps the monopolies; it doesn\u2019t help everyday New Zealanders. When they talk about cutting red tape, they\u2019re actually talking about cutting protection for consumers and they\u2019re actually talking about making it easier for the monopolies to gouge consumers more, rather than protecting everyday New Zealand consumers.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000174\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003EInstead, we\u2019re now seeing, once again, that tired, old rhetoric from the right about privatising assets\u2014and our hospitals, of course, are first in the firing line. I remember, back in the 1990s, going to hospital with a member of my own family, and before we could even get through the door, they had to write out a cheque for the care that was about to be delivered, because the National Party decided a privatised, user-pays model was going to be more efficient. How did that work out? We on this side of the House believe that your access to healthcare should not be determined by how wealthy you are, which is the view on the other side of the House. Whether you live or die should not be determined by your bank balance, which seems to be the view on the other side of the House. If privatising health is so great, why is it that the privatised American health system costs more per person than just about any other health system in the world and yet delivers worse health outcomes? That seems to be the system that they want to mimic.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000175\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003EOnce again, don\u2019t just take my word for it. Just last year, the Commonwealth Fund studied 10 health systems around the world, including New Zealand, Australia, the UK, and the US. They found that privatised health systems came in last for administrative efficiency. New Zealand was third. We actually, according to them, had quite an efficient system. What does this Government want to do? They want to mimic the worst of the health systems across the world, and they think that that\u2019s going to deliver better outcomes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000176\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003EThis Government doesn\u2019t like evidence and it doesn\u2019t like facts, because, let\u2019s be clear, this is a Government that is more interested in entrenching privilege than supporting everyday\u00A0New Zealanders. David Seymour, our future Deputy Prime Minister, gives speeches where he rails against two standards of citizenship, then delivers a speech where he said the country\u2019s divided into two tribes\u2014according to David Seymour\u2014the rich and the mediocre. That is the view of David Seymour, our future Deputy Prime Minister, and\u00A0it reflects the views of this Government: the people that work hard every day are mediocre losers. We know\u2014Andrew Bayly gave us a hint of that last year, and, now, David Seymour is reinforcing it\u2014that the people who choose to teach, the people who choose to be nurses, the people who choose to become police, and the people who enter the Defence Force are mediocre according to this Government. Those with disabilities: mediocre, according to this Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000177\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002234de42cd40274ec3b2f9070e8b915481\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order, Mr Speaker. To completely misrepresent what someone has said in a way that reflects badly on, for example, the police of this country, I think, brings this House into disrepute, and he should withdraw the comment.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000178\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002240fcb4282d9c43108779e48178d9098b\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: This so far has been quite a robust debate. I would\u2019ve interrupted it earlier, but I noticed that most of the additional comment coming from the floor of the House were coming from the Government\u2019s own side, so I didn\u2019t then. I think one of the points about this is that there will be things that are said that are debatable. I\u2019m not about to rule on every little point that upsets everybody in the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000179\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002293c80d50d0364fdd9fd7b25b6c021971\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order, Mr Speaker. There are some of us that think that the standards of this House have seriously declined. Now, when you\u2019re giving a ruling, it is not right for a member of Parliament to stand there impatiently waiting for you to stop.\u00A0That shows no respect for you or this institution. I would ask you to check what Mr\u00A0Hipkins just did and tell him not to behave like that in the future.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000180\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002241efcdc489a946cebb0733dd5e649349\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, please remain in your seat until you\u2019re called.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000181\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224a0485188a424605a8c5e12cb5ca0f07\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: Well, point of order, Mr Speaker. Generally, members stand when they wish to be called.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000182\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022553f678b6aef4c1883622e25f71dd847\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, but I was actually ruling, so, technically, you\u2019re just a bit ahead of the gun, as it were.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000183\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ad4f1702c79444d38f2429d2daf6b973\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: Mr Speaker, it is just the enthusiasm that we have on this side of the House, because, on this side of the House, we actually oppose the Government\u2019s view that you should entrench the rights of people who have wealth to the detriment of people who don\u2019t, which is clearly the agenda of the ACT Party and is now going to be the agenda of this Government as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000184\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003EThis Government\u2019s done a lot of punching down over the last year, but they have demonstrated they have no plan to lift New Zealand up. This is a Government that believes that New Zealanders who work hard for a living are mediocre. That is David Seymour\u2019s position, and it is the position of this Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000185\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003ELet\u2019s talk about David Seymour\u2019s Regulatory Standards Bill, a bill that says there should be two levels of rights in New Zealand: rights for those who have wealth, and lesser rights for those who don\u2019t have wealth. That is the position of the ACT Party. But don\u2019t just take my word for it; even Roger Douglas thinks that that is now the position of the modern-day ACT Party, that their goal in politics is to entrench privilege rather than provide opportunity for New Zealanders. Those aren\u2019t just my words; Roger Douglas, the founder of the ACT Party, now believes that that is the ACT Party\u2019s mission in this Parliament. Well, I can tell you now, the Regulatory Standards Bill is a bill that has no place in this House, and I can guarantee you this: in the first hundred days of the next Labour Government, it will be repealed, because on this side of the House, we believe that responsible regulation is about protecting New Zealanders\u2014protecting all New Zealanders, not just those with a healthy bank balance, which seems to be the position on the other side of the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000186\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003EThis is not a Government working for everyday New Zealanders who are working hard to get ahead. Christopher Luxon says the bottom line is that we should say no less and yes\u00A0a\u00A0lot more. What did they say to delivering new inter-island ferries? No. What did they say to delivering a new Dunedin hospital? No. What did they say to delivering affordable water reform?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000187\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022447dad33427041408d4c5f954af81030\u0022\u003EHon Members\u003C/span\u003E: No.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000188\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227485ebd69c824cebafabb8dab5eacee6\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: What did they say to delivering new State housing?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000189\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002212066a9a444943e3bfdf68a137d90f86\u0022\u003EHon Members\u003C/span\u003E: No.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000190\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c0b07dc87f9840b29785ff928ef0749f\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: What did they say to delivering school classroom upgrades?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000191\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223410cc9cc2454f8aa29d3bbb9c73ccf1\u0022\u003EHon Members\u003C/span\u003E: No.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000192\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002282076a7fb06d4514bba6630abd5353dc\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: What did they say to delivering improved infrastructure for the country?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000193\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ed6df969806d442ca252e425eb75146f\u0022\u003EHon Members\u003C/span\u003E: No.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000194\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221b4005f3046f4bbd8307ca2ea6a52d7a\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS\u003C/span\u003E: What did they say yes to? That\u2019s probably a bigger question, because they have said yes to a few things: 13,000 more kids living in poverty; they said yes to that. Scrapping all meaningful action on climate change; they said yes to that. Higher unemployment; they said yes to that. Cuts to support for people with disabilities; they said yes to that. Higher public transport costs; they said yes to that. Tax breaks for tobacco companies; they said yes to that. Suppressing wage growth; they said a very big yes to that. And slashing regional manufacturing jobs; they said yes to that. There\u2019s been no action from the Government to turn any of those things around.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000195\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003EThe Prime Minister now thinks that more tourism is going to be the answer for New Zealand. He does know quite a lot about tourism, though. In fact, he visited Te Puke so many times that he forgot he was actually in Hawaii. But they cut funding for promoting tourism in last year\u2019s Budget. They hiked up the international visitor levy and then gouged that money back out of tourism once again. Now, they suddenly think that more tourists is the answer, when one of our biggest tourist destinations\u2014Queenstown\u2014is saying that they\u2019re going to have to stop all development because their infrastructure can\u2019t cope. So not only did the Government grind infrastructure to a halt, it\u2019s now saying it wants to cram more people in and put the infrastructure that already can\u2019t cope under even more pressure.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000196\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003EThey say they want more investment in science. They cut $500 million of investment from science in last year\u2019s Budget; 500 science and research jobs have been cut. Take GNS, the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences: they cut 59 science jobs, including scientists, geologists, geophysicists, geochemists\u2014the sorts of jobs that we need more of in New Zealand. Take the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, climate research: 90 jobs down the drain under this Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000197\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003ENow, I also do want to mention road cones, because it seems, according to the Prime Minister, that road cones are the thing holding the New Zealand economy back\u2014or, more to the point, health and safety is holding the New Zealand economy back. Well, let\u2019s put a few facts on the table, facts that this Government won\u2019t like. New Zealand has five times the fatality rate at work of the United Kingdom, twice the rate of Australia, and yet this Government seems to think that health and safety is the problem. In New Zealand, 5,000 to 6,000 hospitalisations happen every year because of injury and illness caused by work. Health and safety is not too high a price to pay. Knowing that someone is going to go home at the end of the day is not too high a price to pay. Work should not kill people, and it should not make them sick. That is not too high a price to pay.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000198\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003EI think before the Government goes gutting health and safety regulations and rules that are designed to ensure that Kiwis can be healthy at work and make it home at the end of the day, they should understand why those rules were put in place in the first place, because, actually, most of them were put in place under the last National Government, who recognised that people shouldn\u2019t die at work and that our rate of workplace death and injuries is far too high.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000199\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003EToo many New Zealanders are giving up hope and leaving the country. They were looking to Christopher Luxon and this Government for hope; they will have seen none in the last week. But there is reason to be optimistic. We can look around the world, and we can see the worst in the world, or we can look around the world, and we can see opportunity, and we can see what New Zealand could be. We could be an international powerhouse for renewable energy, where renewable energy is a competitive advantage for New Zealand. We could be investing in our future now, rather than cutting and delivering austerity, which is what Nicola Willis and this Government are delivering.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000200\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221dbd2811-8e58-4ffb-848d-31c0eaa9690a\u0022\u003EThings can be better here in New Zealand. We can have a Government that wants to back New Zealanders, rather than a Government that\u2019s all about entrenching privilege, helping out their mates, and making the wrong choices. We can have a Government that wants to see the New Zealand economy grow and get Kiwis back to work, but grow in a way where everybody benefits, not just those at the top, which is all this Government has been focused on. New Zealanders deserve better from this Government. They deserve hope, and they haven\u2019t been given any.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022 data-id=\u0022f724ba36cf884d0580267ba2635f83bb\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000201\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022f724ba36cf884d0580267ba2635f83bb\u0022\u003ECHL\u00D6E SWARBRICK (Co-Leader\u2014Green):\u003C/span\u003E E te M\u0101ngai, t\u0113n\u0101 koe; t\u0113n\u0101 koutou e te Whare. The Prime Minister is talking a heck of a lot about growth, and I\u2019ve got to say he knows a little bit about it because his Government is knowingly making decisions to grow climate-changing emissions. It is knowingly making decisions to grow inequality, poverty, homelessness, and\u2014notably\u2014record numbers of New Zealanders leaving this country.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000202\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EThe fundamental question in a commencement speech like this should be: what\u2019s the point of government?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000203\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222b1478edd04144d4a0aeeb63f59a2d2b\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, hysteria.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000204\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d0eec020f3994ffabde0f8c49da2ce88\u0022\u003ECHL\u00D6E SWARBRICK\u003C/span\u003E: I mean it. What\u2019s the point of government, the Rt Hon Winston Peters? Government is supposed to make the best possible decisions on behalf of the welfare\u00A0of everybody in the country. It is supposed to be about ensuring that everybody gets access to what they need not only to survive but to thrive. It is supposed to be about making long-term decisions on behalf of all of us\u2014that is, right now and into the future. It is supposed to be about protecting the vital, fragile ecosystem necessary for life as we know it. The point of government is to look after this thing that we call the social contract, to ensure the rules that we put in place to govern our relationships with each other and the planet that we live on are fair and good.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EThe point of government is to organise us and create the things that all of us can only create when we work together. That is what makes a nation: working together in pursuit of our shared values. That is where the idea of public services and fundamental human rights comes from. Everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand is entitled\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000206\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022839d62ce4e5d4161a4c808511b0f9a23\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: New Zealand! That\u2019s its name.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000207\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002262245484a7e44e4090746bd036c4b1b5\u0022\u003ECHL\u00D6E SWARBRICK\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014Mr Deputy Prime Minister\u2014to housing, healthcare, education, a clean environment, and a stable climate. And it is the job of government to ensure that everybody gets those things\u2014and I mean everybody.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000208\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022eb18ec8c6e0f433c9cc3de00ca2f1f5d\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: Next paragraph! I repeat: next paragraph!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000209\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022957dea0990b64cfaa312981d8a33d3f4\u0022\u003ECHL\u00D6E SWARBRICK\u003C/span\u003E: No one, Mr Deputy Prime Minister, is actually entitled to make a profit, but everyone is entitled to their basic human rights, to a roof over their head, to kai on the table, and to have access to basic opportunities. But enter stage right: the cost of living and the decline of democracy. The connection between these two things is, I think, important to understand, because it\u2019s actually a pretty wild idea when you think about it, this notion of the cost of living; the idea that, from the moment that you are born, there is an immediate life sentence financial cost to your life.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000210\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003ETwo-hundred years ago, there was no concept of the idea of the cost of living in Aotearoa. There was no idea of private ownership here. There was no notion of profit. The founding agreements of this nation, Te Tiriti o Waitangi me He Whakaputanga, were governance arrangements.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000211\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002252a98abdb9094d8d9a163a26afe8e33a\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: And you were there?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000212\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225e8e0f0330a34d3abe72cbf73d167979\u0022\u003ECHL\u00D6E SWARBRICK\u003C/span\u003E: They promised that everyone on this whenua would be looked\u00A0after, but then, Mr Deputy Prime Minister, came the dishonouring, the slow and the winding process of privatisation. Over time, fewer and fewer people owned more and more of the resources at the expense of everyone and everything else, and today in this country, 311 households hold more wealth combined than the bottom 2.5 million New Zealanders.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000213\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EThat inequality and that impoverishment and that theft of human potential didn\u2019t just happen naturally. It happened because of Government decisions to privatise profit at the cost of people and planet, Government decisions which have allowed those at the top to fight their way to that place to pile and hoard all of that wealth at the expense of everybody else and the\u00A0fraying social contract under immense pressure to hold our country together.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000214\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EThe Government wants New Zealanders to think that the only way that things will improve for them and for their wh\u0101nau is if they, too, mercilessly fight their way to the top, but New Zealanders need to know that that is just not true, because if every single year the rules of this\u00A0game and this thing that we call the economy see 90 percent of people worse off while 10 percent of people claw their way to the top, I think we should change the game, because it\u2019s not just a game; it happens that that is our lives.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000215\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EPrivatisation means that basic needs will cost more. That is because the same basic things\u2014whether it be housing, healthcare, or education\u2014are still needed. But, now, New Zealanders will also be paying for a profit and shareholder dividends and fat CEO bonuses. Privatisation not only means higher costs of living but also a lower quality of life, and New Zealanders do not want to live to work. Privatisation is precisely that death sentence that the Government would like to take us down. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000216\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EIn November last year, as this House debated the Treaty principles bill, I said that capitalism needs colonisation. This insatiable economic system needs new frontiers to constantly assimilate and exploit. As it happens, the same guy who is doing his best to currently tell everybody in this country that M\u0101ori are apparently coming to take more and more rights is the same guy who is trying to sell off New Zealanders\u2019 rights to access public healthcare. And that\u2019s just the start.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000217\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EPublic ownership protects the dignity of everyone, especially those who can least afford it. Privatisation means that if you can\u2019t afford it, you don\u2019t get it. It literally means that people who cannot afford their medicine die. Once upon a time, not all too long ago, everything\u2014the land that produces our food and the resources that go into what we eat and what we drink and what we use\u2014well, they weren\u2019t divvied up, and they didn\u2019t have fences around them, and they weren\u2019t owned in such a way that those who couldn\u2019t afford it didn\u2019t get access to it. The very idea of the cost of living came from privatisation. When we privatise healthcare and when we privatise housing, education, and energy, you end up paying more to access those things, and, if you can\u2019t pay, you don\u2019t access those things.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000218\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EIn October of last year, I asked the Prime Minister about whether his Government was intentionally starving public services of the investment that they need in order to sow the seeds of privatisation. Government members laughed at me, the Prime Minister accused me of conspiracy theories, and the current and the incoming Deputy Prime Ministers joined in. Now, he\u2019s telling us that he\u2019s going to take privatisation to the next election, which means that this Government, right now, is currently managing our country\u2019s assets and wellbeing with a mind to selling those things off in the not-too-distant future.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000219\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EJust think about the former National Government\u2019s decision to ignore an overwhelming public referendum not to sell public assets. More than a decade ago, that National Government sold off parts of our electricity sector against the wishes of the public. Today, we all pay the price of under-invested infrastructure and a manufactured electricity crisis powered by fossil fuel dependency every single winter in order for us to keep shareholder returns high.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000220\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003ENow, let\u2019s look at just what the Prime Minister is saying. Last week, he told everybody in his state of the nation speech about his plans to\u2014and I quote\u2014\u201Croll out the red carpet\u201D for international investment in key infrastructure like transport and energy. This Government has\u00A0decided to cut public services to the bone to pay for landlord and tobacco tax cuts, and now it\u2019s becoming crystal clear that this Government has no real interest whatsoever in investing in, or building or growing, our public services or infrastructure.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000221\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EInstead, they want it to be bought, built, and owned by major foreign corporations, foreign Governments, billionaires, or hedge funds. That story does not end well for the little guy. The Government is currently actively and openly asking the world\u2019s richest people to build and own the public services that all of us ultimately rely on, because they are refusing to tax rich people fairly to maintain the services and the assets that we all rely on. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000222\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EChristopher Luxon\u2019s Government doesn\u2019t want to govern; they want to farm out accountability. They want to sell it off. If we privatise our healthcare system, the Government will no longer be responsible for those wait-lists. They will have sold off that responsibility, and then we\u2019ll all be told that responsibility is far too expensive to buy-back, because the\u00A0corporations making exorbitant profit by charging whatever they want will charge far too\u00A0much. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000223\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EOne of the greatest fibs that those proponents of privatisation tell us is that somehow it will cost us, the people of this country, less, but I ask people just to look at the United States of America, where the Government spends over 16 percent of GDP on an almost fully privatised healthcare system, compared to around 10 percent for most OECD countries. Meanwhile, Americans gets comparatively lower lifespans and much poorer health outcomes while corporations rake in astronomical profit. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000224\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EUnder privatisation, the value of human life decreases, but it\u2019s not just about human life; it\u2019s about all life. The Prime Minister wants to privatise our conservation estate and our seabed for mining companies\u2019 profits. This Government is more interested in the rights of corporations than the rights of its citizens. The public services aren\u2019t just nice-to-haves; they are the necessities of life. Public ownership means that everybody gets what we need because we all collectively pay for it, and the job of the Government is to manage our collective dreams. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000225\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003ENew Zealanders do not dream of lining of pockets of offshore multinational corporations and billionaires; we dream of spending enough time with our wh\u0101nau, of doing the things that we love, and of getting out into nature. We do not dream of living in order to work. We do not dream of fruitless competition and exhausting ourselves into the ground. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000226\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f44431ef-b505-4e94-9f57-a60b0a569bf7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002236c109b69a904d6a8da17f7c9805657c\u0022\u003EHon Shane Jones\u003C/span\u003E: Exhausting!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000227\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221e8af80b24a14c2d82e2bedd54a4c25d\u0022\u003ECHL\u00D6E SWARBRICK\u003C/span\u003E: We dream of things, Mr Shane Jones, that are actually pretty\u00A0basic\u2014that is, everybody\u2019s human rights being upheld, everybody having housing and healthcare and decent work. Privatisation takes away those rights. The building-up of our public services, however, is the best way to protect those rights, and we need to have that here\u00A0at home. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000228\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EThe wealthiest 311 households, who hold more wealth than the bottom 2.5 million New Zealanders, pay an effective tax rate of less than half that of the average New Zealander. What that means is that the multi-multi-multi-millionaires and billionaires pay half the effective tax\u00A0rate of our nurses, our teachers, our midwives, our farmers, and our firefighters. The Government knows this; in fact, actually, the last Government knew it too because they commissioned the report, but this Government went a step further, and in its first month or so in the job, they removed the enabling legislation to report on the inequities of that very tax system: \u201CNothing to see here, don\u2019t worry.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000229\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003ENot too long ago, one of the new Ministers of Commerce and Consumer Affairs said in a debate in this very House\u2014and I quote\u2014\u201CThere is such a thing as legitimate tax avoidance.\u201D That was a member of this Government stating on the public record that he knows, as this Government knows, that we have set up the rules in this economy in such a way that if you can afford the right accountants and the right lawyers, you can afford to avoid paying your fair share. It\u2019s totally legal.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000230\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EBut what is legal is not always what is right. In fact, much of history over the last 100 years alone has been a fight for making what is right legal: to redistribute resources and power and to make the dream of democracy real. Privatisation erodes democracy. It takes away our shared resources and, therefore, our shared power, and it hands those resources and that power to a tiny few. The consequences of that approach are clear.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000231\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EThose with a whole lot of money are doing their best to take over the media landscape and our politics and, therefore, our imagination. They do not want regular people to have the space to dream or the time to organise. In fact, the wealthiest in this world have made it pretty clear that they\u2019re setting their sights on colonising space while letting the planet burn. Building up our shared public resources strengthen that democracy. It gives all of us more control over what happens in our country, and through public accountability. That is supposed to be the point of government. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000232\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EAotearoa can and will be a country where we uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi; where there are homes for everybody that are warm and dry and affordable; where we recognise housing as a human right; where we can run on 100 percent renewable energy; where everybody gets access to high-quality education and healthcare, including dental; and where everybody has a livable income that ensures their dignity, their security, and their freedom. This is Aotearoa where people and planet come first. This is the Aotearoa that we are working together to build.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000233\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EMore and more people, I believe\u2014and I hear about when I talk to them out there in the real world\u2014are realising that they are not crazy, but this system is crazy-making. The more people who realise that the failings in the system are not a personal failing but, in fact, something which goes to the root core of the greed on which this system is built, then more and more New Zealanders will realise that they have an opportunity to step into their democratic power and change this system.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000234\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EWe have seen that the impossible becomes possible when regular people organise and work together to make history. Civil rights, Te Tiriti rights\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000235\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f44431ef-b505-4e94-9f57-a60b0a569bf7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002235a63e784cf54b2b8b593c8b275d3d42\u0022\u003EHon Shane Jones\u003C/span\u003E: Wake up\u2014wake up. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000236\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225869eeca787349a6a0b2134114f58d44\u0022\u003ECHL\u00D6E SWARBRICK\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014queer rights, women\u2019s rights, and environmental rights did not come from nowhere, Mr Shane Jones. Once upon a time, we were told that they were entirely impossible, but when we organise, when regular people work together and find the things that unify us, regular people win, and the old guard, as has been well evidenced by the harping on from the Government benches throughout this speech, are quaking in their boots. They want the little guys fighting, not organising.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000237\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EWhen New Zealanders hear spin about efficiency or progress this year, I want them to remember that the only ones who win in that game are the \u201Cwealthy\u201D and \u201Csorted\u201D. Everyone else is left to fight over scraps, but it does not have to be that way. At the end of last year, the Green Party released He Ara Anamata, our alternative emissions reduction plan. Our plan outlines an economy that can support people and the planet instead of exploiting and exhausting both. What that means is a green jobs guarantee: planting native trees instead of pine, efficient public transport, sustainable food production, restoring our wetlands, designing our cities better, distributed and resilient renewable energy, real just transition plans led by local communities, and so much more. He Ara Anamata offers a pathway to build a world in which we not only reduce the cost of living but also improve the quality of life.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000238\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dbaac12b-3efa-4d95-a08d-f0f637a48bab\u0022\u003EIn my final remarks, I just want to point out that this is Aotearoa. We do not want imported culture wars and the privatising of public services that, in turn, hurt and bankrupt our people; we want a Government that honours Te Tiriti and ensures that we are all looked after, as was the promise in that founding governing agreement. We will work together in unshakeable faith to make precisely that dream a reality. My message to New Zealanders is to not let this Government frustrate them to the point of disillusionment and switching off. Politics belongs to those who turn up, and in 2025, Aotearoa is going to turn up.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022 data-id=\u00227f7761f3f049401b896569179d8915ab\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000239\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227f7761f3f049401b896569179d8915ab\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: As I was waiting for the response to the Hon Chris Hipkins\u2019 speech to subside, I forgot to mention that we are now debating the question that the amendment to the motion be agreed. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022 data-id=\u0022a262667f8a68420cb31713771bde33d4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000240\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a262667f8a68420cb31713771bde33d4\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR (Leader\u2014ACT):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. Happy New Year. It\u2019s nice to see you, and I hope that you have had a sunny summer down in Christchurch.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000241\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e6b4dc55-3561-49a8-a871-ae005354ef90\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228d39747c7825431b804d7a88d5140519\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: It was utterly dreadful. Never mind.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000242\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022511ad9582ffe4bc28f4a43b761f003d1\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m sorry to hear about that, Mr Speaker, but to all members, I welcome you and us back to Parliament. To all of those who support us and make this place tick, to staff in all sorts of jobs, welcome back to Parliament. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000243\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EI spent the summer, much of it, travelling around, listening to people, and asking them what it is that they are looking forward to, what they\u2019re worried about, and what they hope for in 2025, and I went as far north as Northland and as far south as Southland. I listened to people who were police officers, tradies and builders, accounting people, people who write software, people who teach in schools\u2014you name it. I heard from New Zealanders, and if I was to play back the mood music of those responses, it would be a little bit like something Crowded House once said\u2014\u201Cnow we\u2019re getting somewhere\u201D.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000244\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EYou see, people understand that we\u2019ve got a big mountain to climb\u2014there are a lot of challenges\u2014but I think they\u2019d find it totally implausible for Chris Hipkins to stand up and say, \u201CEverything is terrible, but only 18 months ago, when we were in charge, it was fantastic.\u201D One reason that they would find it implausible\u2014and with all of the hyperbole and all the exaggeration we heard from him, I think Chris Hipkins might have got a thesaurus for\u00A0Christmas. People know that the facts are that one of the biggest issues they have is the cost of living. When this Government was elected, inflation was running at 5.6 percent per annum, and it peaked at 7.3 percent per annum a year prior to that. Today, it is down almost at the mid-point of the target band\u20142 percent inflation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000245\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EThat is a real change. That is a real victory for New Zealanders. While prices may still be high, they have stopped rising because this Government has killed inflation. Then people would say, \u201COK, we know that that has been tough, and we know that hard decisions were required, but we still want to see this economy get going and get growing.\u201D They can appreciate that that is not easy and that if it was, everybody would be doing it, but we can start to have a mature discussion about what the factors are that make economies grow. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000246\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003ENow, I listened very carefully to the speech of Chl\u00F6e Swarbrick. She seemed to romanticise a time in New Zealand\u2019s history 200 years ago when there were no fences, there were no property rights, there were no buildings, and there was no profit. Perhaps what she forgot to say is that 200 years ago, life expectancy in New Zealand was 40. That tells you about the sense of rationality that we\u2019re getting from the Green Party. In fact, Chl\u00F6e Swarbrick\u2019s speeches these days are so unhinged that voters are actually moving to Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori\u2014you wouldn\u2019t believe it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000247\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EOn this side of the House, we have an orthodox view of economics which understands that if we want our economy to grow, if we want people to have security in their jobs, if we want, as one young person said to me, to be able to get ahead without leaving the country, then we need to understand where growth comes from, and it starts with having investment so that people have capital to work with. Somebody digging a ditch with a digger can dig it a lot faster than someone with a shovel, but you need investment capital to do that. The same goes for every business up and down this country\u2014how do we get capital to grow and be more sophisticated so we can sell better products and pay our workers more to make them?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000248\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003ESo what\u2019s this Government doing? We\u2019re making it easier to get capital from outside the country as well as inside it. We\u2019re reforming the Overseas Investment Act, and I hear people on the other side say, \u201CThis is terrible. We\u2019ll be serfs in our own land.\u201D Imagine if other people in other countries actually wanted to send their money to New Zealand and invest in businesses so workers could produce more and get paid more. That\u2019s what they\u2019re really saying; that\u2019s what they\u2019re really opposed to, but this Government knows that, if we want workers to get paid more, they need more capital.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000249\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EHere\u2019s another thing we could do: we could improve our banking sector. For example, we have a Reserve Bank Governor who put in place capital requirements that have pushed up the price of borrowing to every firm, every farm, and every family in this country. Now the Minister of Finance can pick up the phone and say, \u201CIt\u2019s not going to work, mate. Just drop it.\u201D These capital requirements were put in place in order for us to get through a major shock, and when the shock of COVID-19 came along, guess what! Actually, we were fine with the old capital requirements. We never needed to have them phased in at all, and we should drop them today. That would reduce the cost of borrowing for New Zealand families and New Zealand firms\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000250\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EAnother thing that we need for economic growth, beside a supply of investment capital, is skills. In particular, we need to make sure that when a child spends about 12,000 or 13,000 hours in the education system, they actually receive the knowledge and the skills and the habits and the abilities required to succeed in a modern economy. I\u2019m proud to be part of a Government that is upgrading the Curriculum and is working hard to stress the importance of actually going to school, since New Zealanders were told for years that maybe that wasn\u2019t so important.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000251\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EI\u2019m proud to be part of a Government that, this week, is having seven new charter schools opening, because the school that the student is at today is the one that they may not be going to too often and they\u2019re not learning. One example is a charter school in Christchurch, opened by a collaboration of four State school principals, and they\u2019ve said, \u201CThere are students that we know we are not serving and cannot serve to the best of our ability as educators.\u201D They\u2019ve set up and sponsored a separate charter school amongst four State school principals so that those children will have a place to go where they can flourish and reach their potential.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000252\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EAnother thing that we need beside people with skills and capital is a regulatory environment where people can spend more of their time doing the thing that their business and their career is set up to do and less of their time trying to fill out forms, get permission, and be told \u201CNo\u201D too many times.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000253\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s the teacher or the early childhood educator who said, \u201CAll I wanted to do was help children reach their potential, and all I actually do is fill out forms for the Ministry of Education.\u201D It\u2019s the builder who says, \u201CIt takes twice as long to get permission to do this as it does to actually do it.\u201D It is the person who goes along to get a loan and finds that they can\u2019t, because the hurdles they have to jump over are absurd. We actually heard this from Chris Hipkins in his speech. He said that this Government\u2019s approach to regulation would strip New Zealanders of their protections. He couldn\u2019t give a single example, but I\u2019ll give him one.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000254\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EThe Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act (CCCFA) changes that his Government brought in at the end of 2021, effectively, tanked the housing market that November\u2014actually, it was that December; November was the peak\u2014because people went along to their bank and they found that to get a minor increase to their credit limit, they had to tell the bank how much they spent each month on pet food. People think I\u2019m making that up. That actually happened in New Zealand under the previous Government, and they knew it was wrong because, to give them credit, they actually removed the rule. Again, if we\u2019re going to have a rational discussion about what sorts of things a Government can and should do, then we can all agree that there are some regulations we need and others that we don\u2019t, and we should get rid of the ones that we don\u2019t.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000255\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EThankfully, this Government has a fantastic agenda of regulatory reform: Nicole McKee on anti - money-laundering and countering foreign terrorism laws; Brooke van Velden on health and safety at work laws; Chris Penk on building materials\u2014making it easier to get in foreign building materials; Chris Bishop and Simon Court on replacing the big daddy of bad regulation, the Resource Management Act, so that New Zealanders can use their property and develop it on a basis of respecting private property rights.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000256\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f44431ef-b505-4e94-9f57-a60b0a569bf7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022524f1972dddb4a2d8e0341f30e795e64\u0022\u003EHon Shane Jones\u003C/span\u003E: And aquaculture\u2014aquaculture!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000257\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002210c45ef994314f1b9fc512fc75b6d9ae\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR\u003C/span\u003E: And aquaculture, as Shane Jones says, will be easier to do in this environment.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000258\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EThat is the kind of regulatory reform that will mean that everybody\u2014from people who are farming the land in order to feed the world in this country, to people building a home, to running an early childhood centre, to giving out a loan to someone who\u2019s trying to get ahead\u2014will be able to spend more time doing their actual job than doing their compliance job. And the most important change the Government will make, in my view, is to introduce and pass the Regulatory Standards Bill so that, finally, New Zealanders will be able to actually point to a statute that sets out the rights that they have when the Government wants to regulate away their ability to use and exchange private property.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000259\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EThat is absolutely essential to any society that wants growth and wants to be wealthier. You just have to ask yourself who would work hard and give up today for a better tomorrow if they think that their rights can be wished away with the flick of a pen. It is essential in any society that you are not subject to arbitrary takings, regulatory takings, or having what you\u2019ve worked for taken away at a moment\u2019s notice by a Government that doesn\u2019t hold to its own standards of regulation making. This is the kind of progress that this Government is making: serious, well-thought-out progress in order to ensure that we have better policy so that New Zealanders can thrive on their own terms. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000260\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EThen we hear, again\u2014and it\u2019s low-quality debate\u2014people talking endlessly about privatisation as if it is some enormous evil. The simple fact is that in all societies\u2014some people may be interested to know that even in the Soviet Union\u2014people covertly held private property; you can never quite get rid of all of it, I\u2019m sorry, folks. The thing is, in all societies, there is a mixture of public and private ownership and a mixture of public and private activity. It is true in healthcare today. Every GP clinic, every pharmacy, many of the theatres where operations are done\u2014they\u2019re all private. Many of the doctors who are working, doing those operations or doing those consultations, guess what! They\u2019re working for private businesses as specialists. Many of the medications\u2014in fact, all of the medications people are taking and all of the medical devices they\u2019re using are private.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000261\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s crazy to think that there is only public or private healthcare. Every system has a mixture of that, and my challenge and my question is: do we have the right mix? In the last five years, we\u2019ve increased spending by $10 billion and still most New Zealanders would say we have First World people with a system that is letting down those doctors, nurses, orderlies, and allied health professionals while still failing to satisfy the desires and the needs of every single patient. Perhaps we could have a grown-up discussion about it. How do they do it in France? Well, for the most part, the Government assists people to buy private insurance, which has them treated largely in private facilities. Now, if France is a bit too scary and capitalist for the left, perhaps we could have a look at some of the countries in East Asia. There is more than one model, and there is more than one way of doing things. If we want to succeed as a society, then we need to do better in health and education.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000262\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EThe same goes for the Government\u2019s balance sheet of capital assets. We\u2019re a Government with $200 billion of debt, scheduled to pay nearly $10 billion of interest on the debt. That\u2019s real money. That is, doing quick mental arithmetic, $2,000 per New Zealander in interest payments next year. That\u2019s just the interest on the debt. Now, if we\u2019re going to pay\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000263\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002242d072331fbb4d98a6157f9fde964c87\u0022\u003ESam Uffindell\u003C/span\u003E: Thanks, Labour!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000264\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225a769e6baeae41cebe13d2d3169de65c\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR\u003C/span\u003E: Did I get that right? The guy from King\u2019s is just checking my maths.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000265\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b978dee7-18cf-424c-8004-b165bda971ff\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229011d1bfabb542d3bc597cfde5f53c19\u0022\u003ESam Uffindell\u003C/span\u003E: I said, \u201CThanks, Labour!\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000266\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022088280f60a6d49739956691afb64c24e\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, he said, \u201CThanks, Labour!\u201D He\u2019s still in the tribal politics\u2014I thought he was helping with the maths. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000267\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EYou see, the thing is, we need to ask ourselves: if we have $570 billion of assets and $200 billion worth of debt and a major shortage of capital assets in critical areas such as Auckland where Watercare has red-zoned whole neighbourhoods saying, \u201CYou can\u2019t do any more development, because we can\u2019t afford the pipes and the pumping stations.\u201D Do we have the balance right? Do we have the balance right when our nearest neighbour is seriously improving and increasing the size of its defence force? Do we need to be putting more of our balance sheet into that? Again, imagine if we could have a mature discussion without the carping and the ideology and the people who may have swallowed a thesaurus for Christmas, as far as I could tell, pulling out all these tropes. We actually need to say, \u201CLook, these are the assets we have as a Government. How do we get the best results, the best defence, the best healthcare?\u201D How do we make sure that we really do the best we can so that all of us can leave this place and feel like we have succeeded as a country and as a Government and as a Parliament. That\u2019s my challenge or wero that I lay down.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000268\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EThere\u2019s one more thing that numerous people brought up with me. Someone said to me just earlier this morning, \u201CDavid, I was thinking about the debate you\u2019re engaged in.\u201D I said, \u201CWhich one?\u201D He meant the one about the Treaty principles bill. So many people came up\u2014and I want to acknowledge those people\u2014thousands, I would guess, actually over the summer break, who said, \u201CWe\u2019re right behind you. Keep going.\u201D, because there is something deep down and innate in New Zealanders. It is our sense of fairness. New Zealand, at its heart, is an egalitarian project, a project of immigration that spans 1,000 years and counting, a nation of people who come here seeking better, but also a nation that believe that Jack\u2019s as good as his master. At some basic level, we all breathe the same air, we all bask in the same sun, we\u2019re all wet by the same rain, and we all deserve the same fundamental human rights. I found it so interesting, in the last day or so, that all these people have said that Parliament has no right to debate the meaning of our Treaty in the modern context by defining the principles and statute. Well, you know what? They all showed up to participate in the debate. I think the mystery for some\u2014not for me, I have to say\u2014opponents of this bill is why it has raised so many critical issues that New Zealanders want to discuss and, I believe, need to discuss.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000269\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EThe answer is that, for too long, questions like \u201CIs Parliament ultimately sovereign?\u201D, \u201CDo we have equal rights?\u201D, \u201CIs there a special place for M\u0101ori?\u201D, and \u201CDoes it give different seats reserved at the table or different rights to be consulted in resource management law?\u201D\u2014those are questions that this country fundamentally needs to decide in a civil and democratic matter, and I\u2019m so proud to see that that is exactly what is happening. Even people, who say they don\u2019t want the debate, rushing to the debate is actually a triumph and a fabulous thing for New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000270\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EEven if, which I still doubt, this bill does not pass in this Parliament, I believe that sooner or later a bill very much like it will pass into law, because, ultimately, a House divided cannot stand. This country must decide: are we truly committed to universal human rights? Are we truly committed to the idea that each of us came to these islands to seek a better tomorrow for our children and their children, and, therefore, are we going, as New Zealanders, to give each other equal dignity in politics and before the law and in everyday life? If that is the truth, then I would put it like this: all Kiwis will be equal, for ever, for ever, for ever. It\u2019s actually quite fun to say. This Treaty principles bill really stands for: all Kiwis are equal, \u0101ke, ake, ake. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000271\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227e22bb95-9afb-449c-bcd2-de9fd4f2277c\u0022\u003EWith that thought, I look forward to the debates in this Chamber and to working in Government alongside my partners Winston Peters and Christopher Luxon, and all of us across the coalition side in the House, doing the work to deliver on the hopes and dreams of the people that I asked questions of and heard as I travelled the length of New Zealand this summer. Thank you, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022 data-id=\u0022db45d10a2fb647c389f899a9a3d0da8e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000272\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022db45d10a2fb647c389f899a9a3d0da8e\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader\u2014NZ First):\u003C/span\u003E The political year begins with this debate. Now, one can\u2019t raise the question of where members of Parliament are or are not, but I can recall at the beginning of this debate that the Labour Party was here, but so was the Green Party and so was Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori. We all sat over here and heard them out. So my next question to those people who are in television land\u2014and I hope they change the screen around to show you just what\u2019s happened here and how some people are not prepared to be questioned or challenged. This is an extraordinary circumstance which begins with the number one question in this debate today, which is: from what we\u2019ve just heard from the other side, why did Labour lose in 2023 when they had all the power to themselves?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000273\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003EIn 2023, the dire state the economy was in was grossly understated and not understood by most. It was part of the New Zealand First speeches leading all the way up to the election and pointing out that we were heading for a recession and that we would have a serious battle on our hands to turn our economy around. And here, today, the Labour Party\u2014this party that\u2019s meant to be the alternative face of a future Government\u2014has one economic spokesperson here, and she\u2019s very recent to Parliament. I\u2019m not putting her down, but, frankly, you would have thought some senior people might have stayed here to assure you what\u2019s going on. [Assistant Speaker stands up] What\u2019s wrong with that? Oh, sorry. Well, you\u2019ve got to say something. You can\u2019t just get up on your feet. We\u2019ll have a few rules yet.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000274\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224a3f1fa8ab63407dafe04279de3fdfa1\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Mr Peters, you\u2019ve got a bit of leeway in the first minute. As time goes on, there\u2019ll be less. Please don\u2019t comment on the absence of other members or parties from the House. Continue.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000275\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002220a56d8f0127494e8f32a296c3db3345\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: No, I was not commenting on the absence of parties in the House. I know what the rule is.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000276\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002222655f5798124a54b13840ff7adc939d\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Or comment on the Speaker\u2019s\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000277\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022dcb67675fd85403cb2b0d5b5d55ec274\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: But I\u2019m entitled to ask.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000278\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002263c45b4d38014afdadfa0eec1e0bba14\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Mr Peters\u2014sit.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000279\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c8da2b1fda5b4ec9a2161fd826e484cd\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: No, I\u2019m not going to be put down on this matter, right? I\u2019ll sit down in my own good time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000280\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ed1b8da3254f4a7aa249880ef03900e0\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Or comment on the Speaker\u2019s ruling.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000281\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f44431ef-b505-4e94-9f57-a60b0a569bf7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224215a8cc74f249e2a0c60e4ff085ba6a\u0022\u003EHon Shane Jones\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order on the Speaker\u2019s ruling.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000282\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002216cd250191c544238c4f54c863b7af82\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: Yeah, point of order. Mr Speaker, I am entitled to ask why some people are not taking part in the debate. They could be sitting here or they might not be here. I did not refer to their absence, and I want you to approach this matter with a bit of acuity and particularity and not just feel like you\u2019re going to stamp a decision down and I\u2019m going to accept it. I\u2019m not going to accept it. But I know the rules: you cannot mention a person being absent in this House, but you can reflect on why they\u2019re not engaged in the debate in the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000283\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222ac9b671959c4126aee6597c60f8dee0\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Did you just sit down, Mr Peters? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000284\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a23b76e77967431aa864a9308c602828\u0022\u003EHon Kieran McAnulty\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, he did.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000285\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bb4a6ac0ed4843129392385892797609\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: You did. However, you\u2019re early on in your speech. You may resume if you wish, despite your having sat down\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000286\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1f7bbd1-b6ae-41c0-963b-dbe1251f5540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225eef0e64aeb24c0b9b9a4a2a679c43d5\u0022\u003EHon Kieran McAnulty\u003C/span\u003E: He knows the rules, apparently. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000287\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022eb9559b6325e4d65bf55750a698bfe54\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014but can I just ask you, Mr Peters\u2014you\u2019ve had leeway; you\u2019ve made your point\u2014please continue without having to comment on the absence of other members or parties in the House. And then we can all enjoy what I\u2019m sure will be a very informative speech.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000288\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002239d68574551745818916658e389e7c18\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: Look, actually, you were giving a ruling and Mr McAnulty decided to comment on that. Are you going to reflect on that?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000289\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cd9c0745b90948cd98f3ec36d031649b\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: We\u2019re going to continue\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000290\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221a7820eb2f9e4086add5fee810c50583\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: Are you going to reflect on that? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000291\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002266bf4167f5b2415780a897dbc8df8d45\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: We\u2019re going to continue your speech.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000292\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b8ee14f0b67846a5b51d13ffc244588b\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, OK. It\u2019s one rule for some and a different rule for others. I see. So here we go.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000293\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003ENow, to use a metaphor\u2014that\u2019s the Labour Party metaphor\u2014a massive economic tanker was on autopilot, heading for disaster unless we did something about it. And the present Government got hold of the wheel with the expectation of turning away from its wayward course. Those are the circumstances we inherited. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000294\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b464a62e-d900-452a-b842-e3cf4ccc6149\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d59da3f81165423fb9e0a0f3438c51b6\u0022\u003EArena Williams\u003C/span\u003E: You don\u2019t have any ships.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000295\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224d6af26d2c2e4eddba81cfe36e5dd056\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: Beg your pardon?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000296\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b464a62e-d900-452a-b842-e3cf4ccc6149\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c0f8b2222f13460094e5dbaa45cd37fd\u0022\u003EArena Williams\u003C/span\u003E: What wheel? You don\u2019t have any ships.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000297\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002256a989929a3848208411f33128920792\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: I don\u2019t have any what?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000298\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227085fc69a4934c8688144981cfa2ec70\u0022\u003EHon Members\u003C/span\u003E: Ships.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000299\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b1059c28b29c4bc0869504b6480faba1\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: Ha, ha! Actually, I kind of wonder where these people get their training. They come here\u2014and I\u2019m talking about a ship being out of control and on autopilot, no one knowing what on earth\u2019s going on in terms of a metaphor for our economy, and she wants to know if I\u2019ve got any ships. I mean, I can remember the days of Lange and all the people like Parker, should I speak, Mike Moore, all with exciting gibes in the House. It was quite fascinating to be here, but along comes this new crowd, untrained in the extreme. It\u2019s sort of amateur hour, and they show it all the time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000300\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003EYeah, look, the reality is we understand about hard-working Kiwis. We understand how things are biting on them, and we\u2019re going to set out to ensure that we turn that around, but there are so many inherited costs which were inflationary in the extreme and arose from their squanderous spending, with no idea that if you\u2019re going to spend, you must spend on added value, on wealth creation, on export increases, and not on consumption. They did it to the extent that we\u2019re in the circumstances we\u2019re in today, and no amount of defence of them and their past will get us past the situation we\u2019re in at the moment.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003ENew Zealand First understands with great clarity the struggles of workers in this country. I\u2019ll make one very certain judgment for you right here: there\u2019s nobody in the labouring workforce out there that supports Labour any more. Let me tell you, there are so many workers out there\u2014real workers, with two or three jobs\u2014and they abandoned Labour a long time ago. New Zealand First understands the responsibility we have as part of the Government to turn the cost pressures around and give overdue relief to ordinary New Zealanders. We cannot continue to tinker around the edges without realising our economy is in dire straits and needs fundamental and decisive change.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000302\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003EThat\u2019s the reality we\u2019re in in 2025, and it\u2019ll take considerable time to do this, but if we set out on the right pathway with the right policies, slowly but surely we\u2019ll get there. New Zealanders will understand one thing: tomorrow will be better, and the year after that will be better. That is the only pathway forward this Government has got. We were left with an out-of-control Labour Party debt caused by a myriad of wasteful, failed, ideological projects and ballooning inflation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000303\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003ENow, look, in a moment of great honesty\u2014almost probably by mistake\u2014over the weekend, Chris Hipkins said, at the Labour Party caucus retreat, this: \u201CSome of the commitments that we made and I\u2019ve mentioned some of them, things like KiwiBuild, Auckland Light Rail and so on, we hadn\u2019t worked through the exact details of how that would be and therefore we weren\u2019t able to deliver on the commitments that we\u2019ve made,\u201D. What an admission. You had all these policies, and you had no idea how it was constructed or how it would work out, and in a moment of great clarity and great honesty, he said that at the Labour Party caucus retreat\u2014and \u201Cretreat\u201D is the right word for it, with a capital R, and he made the submission.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000304\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003ENow, he could have gone on to talk about the $3.1 billion light rail. Can I ask you, Arena Williams, how many metres were built? I can\u2019t hear you. Over there\u2014Labour\u2019s sitting there. How many metres of light rail were built? All right. The $54 million spent on the cycleway across the Harbour Bridge. How many metres were built? I can\u2019t hear you. No, I didn\u2019t prepare this\u2014not like Hipkins. He came along with a yes and no session today. They\u2019ve been focusing for weeks. That\u2019s the one part he got sequentially right. For a brief moment, the Labour Party showed unity. It\u2019ll be back tonight, fighting itself and up against the grindstone. But, for a brief moment, though, they showed great clarity. So there he was, right?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000305\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003ENow, the multimillion-dollar RNZ-TVNZ merger, do you think, Arena Williams, that that was right? Or the Cook Strait ferries blowing out to what? $4.2 billion. They were charged in May of 2020 with $401 million to find two ferries. Why on earth are we talking about $4.2\u00A0billion as a project? You\u2019ve got all these darn people in the gallery and journalists trying to say\u2014and it shows their appalling political bias\u2014\u201COh, look, forget that. What are you doing? Forget that. What are you guys doing?\u201D Well, the answer is you spent four years stuffing it up. We\u2019re going to spend about 2\u00BD months trying to fix it as a Government. We inherited that\u2014an appalling circumstance. Boats were never contemplated in terms of size, nor were real questions as to whether they were capable of being manoeuvrable, and, then, when it came to the infrastructure, no side of the Cook Strait had the infrastructure prepared, and they said, \u201COh, we\u2019ll buy that.\u201D How come you go out to buy two ferries, and when it\u2019s all over, the cost of the ferries will be less than 20 percent and the rest is going to be infrastructure? And which parts of the disclosure and transparency did you tell the public and taxpayers about when you made those decisions? This is grinding incompetence, and they are not going to get away with it. Those are the realities.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000306\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003EOh, and here\u2019s the one: the $4 million playing whale music to save kauri trees. Now, look, when I heard that, I thought, \u201CHang on. There\u2019s so much\u201D\u2014as some President said\u2014\u201Cfake news these days that it can\u2019t possibly be true.\u201D Over $4 million to play whale sounds and music to save kauri trees from kauri dieback. Now, around about then, I think, they might have gone to the sociological class of Auckland University and heard all about tikanga and how it can change the whole world. This is the Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori idea\u2014that\u2019s how unrealistic it sounds to me. But that\u2019s what they did.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000307\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220f7d126e-c18d-4466-9ebe-d424ae5c4bf6\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227d1ed9fbf24b45c29ecaff182f9496c8\u0022\u003ERawiri Waititi\u003C/span\u003E: No, it\u2019s not.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000308\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223e85d77e3a5d4404bedb54103b719094\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, yes, it is\u2014oh, yes, it is. We know you live in dreamtime, sunshine, and we\u2019re talking about the real world\u2014we\u2019re talking about the real world. The list goes on with the waste, the incompetence, and the indifference that has, today, led us to the grappling and struggling economy that we\u2019re dealing with.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000309\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003EWhat solutions did the Labour Party caucus come up with on their recent retreat? C\u2019mon, some of you are here. Could you, please, tell me what were the solutions you announced after your caucus retreat, having spent all that time examining what the state of the economy was? Can anybody mention one? The only decision they made was not to roll the leader just now\u2014to not roll the leader just now. It reminds us of that ancient Greek proverb: \u201CThose the Gods would destroy, they first make mad.\u201D I\u2019ve never seen such foolishness in New Zealand politics as I\u2019ve seen in recent times. But who could take him seriously? We have had problems as a country, and he was walking around at that retreat in jandals and shorts. Jeez. Jandals and shorts. Standards? No, he hasn\u2019t got any. Commitment? No. Now, as I was looking at the TV and I saw the rest of his caucus, I thought, \u201CSome of them must be seriously worried. They\u2019ll know we can\u2019t go anywhere here. They\u2019ll know the old dictum \u2018You don\u2019t get a second chance to make a first impression.\u2019 \u201D, but there he was, \u201CChippy\u201D. All he had missing was a sausage roll!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000310\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003EWe need to turn the economy around and need an expert-led economy. We\u2019ve been working very hard, extraordinarily hard\u2014all of us\u2014to fill the vacuum overseas that we inherited: appalling vacuum of neglect; no one visiting anywhere. It\u2019s essential that we increase our production and ensure added value is priority in the primary industries that we have always relied upon so heavily as a country. We need incentivisation and investment to get our economy running again. You know, we set out the focus on turning our economy around via wealth creation in our fundamental industries, and I\u2019m sure we\u2019re all on track for that, but the reality of it all is that we need less bureaucracy and fewer of those woke elitists holding this country up\u2014less red and green tape, less of the woke, pearl-clutching do-gooders, and more of the Kiwi can-doers. We need less whining and more mining. If we run across Freddy the Frog, we\u2019re going to relocate Freddy to a paradise and carry on with mining, because extraction is critical to the economy that is coming. Every country in the world knows it, all the Greens overseas know it, but one bunch in New Zealand doesn\u2019t. The current Government is doing a sound job in turning Labour\u2019s drifting economic tanker around that it\u2019s left for us. The reality is that it takes time, but help, as we all know, is on its way.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000311\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003ENow, could I just say about fast tracking\u2014who could be opposed to fast tracking? If you know anything about house buying or small businesses or any businesses, and here you are, your family\u2019s saved up, you want to buy your first house, you want to build your first house, and your greatest obstruction\u2014about 30 percent of the cost\u2014is planning permission. This is appalling, and we are seeking to turn that around, and you\u2019ve got all those people who are saying, somehow, they\u2019ve got protection in place that is needed. If that was true, why haven\u2019t they got that in Canada, the United States, and Australia? No, it\u2019s our own; we\u2019ve got a master plan of red tape, and it\u2019s slowing everything down. We intend to change that and ensure that families and business people get a chance to buy homes, to build homes, and to start businesses.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000312\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003EBy the way, did you hear Mr Hipkins today talk about privatisation? Well, the greatest privatisation we ever saw in this country was 1984 and 1990 with the BNZ being flogged off. It didn\u2019t go to tender. One-third flogged off in a private decision. Then you had\u2014oh, here\u2019s the one\u2014Electricorp. Electricorp was sold to Fletchers for eight months of its earnings. Right? For eight months of its earnings. Now, I\u2019ve got a friend\u2014we\u2019ve all got a friend\u2014called Hart; he gets his first big break, he gets to buy Government Print that\u2019s worth $42 million to $48 million, but guess what! He paid for it! He paid $6 million for it, and he got $1 million for redundancies, and all the staff working for him the next day. Now, I\u2019m an admirer of Hart because he did far greater things than other businesses, but what a break to get. And who did that? These people over here that tell you they know about economics and who are opposed to privatisation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000313\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022fe342415-6351-4072-a17e-19dab2ef184d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022de79950adc4c4149853250e1171bfd2c\u0022\u003EFrancisco Hernandez\u003C/span\u003E: It sounds like privatisation\u2019s bad.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000314\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022720cb07cdd5441ea950c2f018a325b9a\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: Beg your pardon?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000315\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022fe342415-6351-4072-a17e-19dab2ef184d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e22069ecc5714e01b450469b57dbb43a\u0022\u003EFrancisco Hernandez\u003C/span\u003E: It sounds like privatisation\u2019s bad, then.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000316\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225e6cf6dfd2414d4582b563d79b250c4b\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: When did you show up, sunshine? How long have you been here? \u201CIt does sound like privatisation.\u201D\u2014yes, it is privatisation. It\u2019s an example of privatisation\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000317\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022fe342415-6351-4072-a17e-19dab2ef184d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229f753c0c5a0a4a03874cc22e4d19d283\u0022\u003EFrancisco Hernandez\u003C/span\u003E: Took the bait.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000318\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002292ab5ed796fc46cc9e9fc90b2067c0f7\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014and you shouting out, opening your mouth, and letting the wind blow your stupid tongue around\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000319\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022fe342415-6351-4072-a17e-19dab2ef184d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002245a5e5bcc25649d7a3c1574d71039482\u0022\u003EFrancisco Hernandez\u003C/span\u003E: Keep rambling.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000320\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002298b33570a1fe4c2d917f1c343700a3cd\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, no, no, no, I\u2019ve got the microphone, and I\u2019ll be here long after you\u2019re gone. I\u2019ve seen your type before: all bulldust, all noise; here today, gone tomorrow.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000321\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227b010dec4523492380d2ea1efcf0a435\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Right\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000322\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a813fcdaf3e641b09119b8b9e618f347\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: And that\u2019s why he\u2019s sitting back there.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000323\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002289afeb5fbc25424b98845d6b8d76e4aa\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Both gentlemen, settle.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000324\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e1f5151d5ba64179ade016355657392b\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: Did you enjoy that? I did. Unbelievable. Could I just say that the Government parties, the three here today, are in a fight to the top. We have disagreements, but we are in a fight to the top to turn our economy around and to turn our nation\u2019s future around. The Opposition, of course, are the very converse. You\u2019ve got the Greens and Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori in a plunge to the bottom, and lately have you ever heard them speak about economic policy, about export policy, about added value, about personal responsibility, about parental responsibility? Their version of democracy is collective pinko demagoguery.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000325\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003EI never thought I\u2019d sit here and listen in Parliament to a modern version of Das Kapital from the leader of the Green Party. Unbelievable. She went on to say, though\u2014this is how foolish she is\u2014that we\u2019re going to colonise capitalism. In that brief moment, she just confessed that capitalism was good, so it should be colonised. Oh, who wrote her darn speech? She read the whole thing out, from start to finish\u2014and that\u2019s a rule we have in this Parliament: you can\u2019t read your whole speech out, and this is all detailed. What happened to the\u2014oh, you weren\u2019t in the Chair, so I won\u2019t make any more comment about that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000326\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003EBut here\u2019s the sad thing for Labour\u2014and I know Labour know that; I know enough people from the Labour Party from way back. The Labour Party, at its core, knows that these parties over there\u2014Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori and the Greens\u2014are dragging them down with them. They can\u2019t see a way coming back unless they can get rid of these two parties. These new parties have got no respect for democracy, they think somehow that they\u2019re special, and they have got no respect for anybody else in this Parliament or, dare I say it, for the voter. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000327\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003EThe \u201Cworkers party\u201D is now the \u201Cwokesters party\u201D, and Labour\u2019s in difficulty with respect to that. You know, Chl\u00F6e came here today; she read her whole speech. She talked about, as I say, capitalism being colonised, and how confusing is that? And then she didn\u2019t mind; she wanted it to happen. She said that $32 billion of emissions payments should be taken out of our economy and paid to another economy. How unbelievably fatal would that be? That\u2019s what she said today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000328\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223cc9806d-f7ef-4e23-a218-442f20bf8591\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b24604c7843744f1ab29790d7d5fb430\u0022\u003EDr Lawrence Xu-Nan\u003C/span\u003E: He\u2019s talking a lot about us.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000329\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227bd291af2e0f414192b4f157b1419741\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: I know, he\u2019s sitting over there. He just arrived five minutes ago as well. He thinks he knows about this country. He wouldn\u2019t know what day\u00A0it is. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000330\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003EBut here\u2019s the point: then, she did us the greatest insult: she started talking about a country that was not licensed for her to talk about\u2014no permission, no democracy, no mandate, no referendum, no plebiscite, no nothing. She starts talking about Aotearoa\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000331\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223cc9806d-f7ef-4e23-a218-442f20bf8591\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002292185eca4aa647d7870990e8b205bcb7\u0022\u003EDr Lawrence Xu-Nan\u003C/span\u003E: So triggered.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000332\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022894cc010da4a4b35a3acc8d631e6c186\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014this French Polynesian name. Yes, that is true, sunshine. You just arrived five minutes ago; some of us have been here a thousand years, and we\u2019re not taking your dictatorship. You got that clear?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000333\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022fe342415-6351-4072-a17e-19dab2ef184d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226b0dea37812646af893b031b7b62d78a\u0022\u003EFrancisco Hernandez\u003C/span\u003E: Thanks for the attention.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000334\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ec3ffc7f45b748629fd1954e04a7895d\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: You got that clear. You\u2019re not going to win the next campaign doing that. This country is called New Zealand, and the mass majority of New Zealanders want it that way. And the mass majority of New Zealanders want equality, where everybody\u2019s treated the same. It doesn\u2019t matter what the origin is, it doesn\u2019t matter what the sex is, and it doesn\u2019t matter what the race is; we\u2019re about equality. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000335\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003EI know they\u2019re laughing. The Greens are laughing at that because they find that comical\u2014they find that comical. The very people who are here on the very refuge that we give to them have come here with their ideas, foreign to our country and native to theirs, and they wish to impose them upon our Parliament. No, you don\u2019t. You\u2019re not going to succeed here. You might be laughing now\u2014you might be laughing now\u2014but you\u2019ll be crying tomorrow. If you come to this country, show some gratitude! No. Let me tell you what our policy is, sunshine: when you arrive in New Zealand\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000336\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227e2ab3428d31471a97f9d6723b329463\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Mr Peters, less of the sunshine; more of the first names. As someone who respects the tikanga of the House, let\u2019s stick to that part of it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000337\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a1c3daf2898b481aa9283dbacac22a17\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: Well, with the greatest respect, I didn\u2019t call him sunshine; sunshine is everybody. You know, if you can\u2019t take it, let\u2019s go and have some lessons on how to do the job.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000338\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002233e8464680c144c88419648283011f66\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Mr Peters, you\u2019ve had a lot of latitude. Please accept that you\u2019ve had that latitude, and respect some tikanga in the House. Use proper\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000339\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002213ee5721733f42f487b026ae922cbc51\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: I beg your pardon? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000340\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022323aa4c6a32e4e07bb41e1cb3da47812\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Use proper names.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000341\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a946dafb485b45469b0731981c8f12bd\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: We don\u2019t have tikanga in this House; get that straight. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000342\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002255321d58c1d54541bb116eeef32b9c8d\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: The procedures of the House, the order of the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000343\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225b61a903dc43478ea3ad4c65ae69c96d\u0022\u003ERt Hon WINSTON PETERS\u003C/span\u003E: All right then; I\u2019m not having that rammed down my throat. Can I just say that when people come to this country, the least we can expect is that they obey our laws as they are for the time being; that they respect our flag as it is for the time being; that they have to respect other people\u2019s right to believe in other religions, as that is the law that\u2019s written for the time being; and that they believe in equality, whether it\u2019s gender or whether it\u2019s race. That\u2019s the least we can expect. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000344\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003EIf some of these people from the Green Party and Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori think we\u2019re going to accept something else, then let me tell you the enormous confidence we\u2019ve got, because out there in the real M\u0101ori world where people are working two or three jobs a week and slaving it out and saving, they\u2019re losing ground big, big time. They don\u2019t have any time for those sorts of people who don\u2019t understand what it is to be a worker and to sweat it out and to have pride in the job that they\u2019ve got. And that\u2019s what New Zealand First stands for. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000345\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d49aeac-8adf-497b-9400-ab7bb077bb8d\u0022\u003EThis Government also believes that they are a priority going forward in our planning, not\u00A0this kind of elitism which saw so much going to so many who are at the very top in our society and which saw 14,000 bureaucrats taken on that we didn\u2019t need. Now we\u2019ve been told that\u00A0we\u2019re the reason for the collapse of Wellington\u2019s economy. Oh no, we\u2019re not. The reason that this has happened is because of so much waste in the past which we\u2019ve still got to absorb. But, over time, we are confident we will succeed. The most important reason why we\u2019ll succeed is because our message is one of national unity and not difference.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022 data-id=\u0022f01055aa1ea14ac69578e37893f24a23\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000346\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022f01055aa1ea14ac69578e37893f24a23\u0022\u003EDEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER (Co-Leader\u2014Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori):\u003C/span\u003E T\u0113n\u0101 koe e te P\u012Bka. I\u2019m standing on behalf of Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori today to constructively give our view on the Prime Minister\u2019s statement. I\u2019ve got to be really honest: what I\u2019ve witnessed this afternoon is showing that, even day one, the deterioration of our behaviour in our debate can\u2019t be healed. And ka aroha to the rest of Aotearoa and New Zealand who have to watch this. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000347\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EFor us, the statement\u2014actually, it\u2019s everything it didn\u2019t state. What we saw was a 9,000-word statement with 32 mentions of growth, 27 mentions of infrastructure, yet absolutely nothing that related to M\u0101ori. We had the Prime Minister stand up and say in front of the nation that, in fact, he wants to lead and be part of a culture where he\u2019s going to get rid of the \u201Cno\u201D culture. Yet, culturally, there was no M\u0101ori, there was no iwi mentioned, there was no wh\u0101nau mentioned, there was no hauora mentioned, there was no k\u0101inga mentioned, there was no Te Tiriti mentioned, there was no tangata whenua mentioned. Nau mai, hoki mai ki t\u0101 t\u0101tau K\u0101wana. [Welcome back to our Government.] \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000348\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve got to try and figure out this year the challenge for Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori\u2014it\u2019s actually how we don\u2019t buy into this behaviour. One of the things that we have seen is that we have found the magic juice and the power to mobilise tens of thousands\u2014if not hundreds of thousands, in fact; if not, hundreds of millions\u2014of people to be aware of the politics in Aotearoa. For us, the theme is 2025 and, contrary to what the Prime Minister\u2019s speech is saying, we will not be thanking him for what it is that his party has put on M\u0101ori this year, because it is not what we have experienced\u2014a year of thriving\u2014from him.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000349\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EAs Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori, as tangata whenua, as tangata Tiriti, as tangata moana, we\u2019re refusing to become a part of the culture that the Government perpetuated last year. I know that some senior Ministers hate hearing this, but it is a reminder that we have endured that for 184 years. So 2025 has to be what it is: we\u2019re going to hold you to account. Ani Mikaere said yesterday in her oral submission to the Seymour and Atlas bill, \u201CThe Crown occupies its current position of privilege by virtue of the fact that it has lied, cheated, and infected its way to dominance [for] decades\u201D. Dominance \u201Cimmediately following Te Tiriti o Waitangi.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000350\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EWe don\u2019t expect a heck of a lot from this year\u2019s statement and the way that things have been panning. We won\u2019t thank the Government for the gang patch law that you so proudly boast about that you can\u2019t wear\u2014even our wh\u0101nau can\u2019t rest at tangi. We asked, I think, last year, nine days since the gang patch law, \u201CHow many M\u0101ori have been arrested?\u201D Guess how many, wh\u0101nau! We have 1,352\u2014nine days into this new bill\u2014and 306 who belong to Te Tai Hau\u0101uru electorate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000351\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EWe won\u2019t be thanking you for the economic benefits that most people saw here. As you know, they catered to the 2 percent hoarding the wealth and furthering disparity. We won\u2019t thank you for the disestablishment and dismantling of anything M\u0101ori. We won\u2019t thank you for aiding genocide\u2014and as we saw beautiful Palestinian wh\u0101nau returning to their homes that no longer exist, we may never forget the role of this Government and what it played and were extremely embarrassed and disappointed that they turned their backs on another indigenous people in this time. No thankyou there.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000352\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EYou have allowed, sadly, Prime Minister, a nation that has feasted off division, hate, and fear like never seen before, and Aotearoa 2025 is a country where we\u2019ve seen a lot of our wh\u0101nau suffocating from the cost of living where we\u2019ve got a Government that can\u2019t balance its books, we\u2019ve got hard-working wh\u0101nau that are trying to juggle multiple jobs putting kai on the table. There is absolutely nothing that is affecting the wellbeing of our communities. You have fed the wealthy, the gentry, the landlords, while our wh\u0101nau have been left behind. Mr Prime Minister, you have allowed the M\u0101ori solutions, the marginalisation of tangata whenua, the whitewashing of the Treaty tribunal. The iwi that you want to partner with economically are lining up, submitting against you, against your policies, and the policies that you have allowed to come through the front door.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000353\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EThen we come to the Treaty principles bill\u2014and I did stay and listen to every leader\u2014and I guess, as you can probably guess, we will definitely not be thanking you there. A week out from Waitangi, we as M\u0101ori, together with tangata Tiriti, once again will show how we rise and how we mobilise kotahitanga\u2014our Queen, carrying the strength of our t\u016Bpuna with mana and grace as we collectively throw a bill that your Government allowed in the bin. Actually, that could be our next activity in the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000354\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225e2e39b0795a42e6b0e8c787509e4d13\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Miss\u2014Ms Ngarewa-Packer\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000355\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227cbd0308ae3d4871bb372661f1269858\u0022\u003EDEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER\u003C/span\u003E: Mrs.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000356\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002264f6722da01c490ba19af3c4026b2660\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014you\u2019re liberally using the word \u201Cyou\u201D. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000357\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f78204cd2944435b8f1f7ac0aa5017e2\u0022\u003EDEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you for the reminder.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000358\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022acb9da88a986470abe71a6e6ad4761c9\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Through the Chair, please.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000359\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221ea4b7aaabba448792aad7abc5b9ee75\u0022\u003EDEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER\u003C/span\u003E: Apologies. Here we have another round and we\u2019ve got the regulatory standards bill, which is about allowing further corporate exploitation. We will stand with those who share the same values as us. We will make sure in the first 100 days of the next Government, which we are, no doubt, going to be a part of, that we will get rid of all of those bills.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000360\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EYesterday we saw Ng\u0101 Iwi o Taranaki telling the Prime Minister: \u201Ckia t\u016Bpato\u201D. We heard Ng\u0101ti Toa speak to the promises made in their settlement. We saw hauora experts like Helen Leahy tell you how M\u0101ori would be disadvantaged; lawyers like Natalie Coates spelling out the legal ramifications; rangatahi like Te Kanawa Wilson explaining what this bill would mean for him as a young man raised fully, confidently in te ao M\u0101ori. You, as the Prime Minister, will find so many more once the tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, of submissions come through. These\u2014please remember, Prime Minister\u2014are not the radical voices of radical M\u0101ori that Hobson\u2019s Pledge promote they are; these are everyday tangata whenua, everyday tangata Tiriti who are sitting there saying \u201Ckia t\u016Bpato\u201D. We won\u2019t be thankful for any of the damage that has been going on at Aotearoa; the embarrassment that the rest of the world has seen in the race relationships in Aotearoa.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000361\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EI need to be really clear: as we move into 2025, to everyone who wrote and submitted and is allowed to speak to Seymour\u2019s kino bill, you continue to show where the real mana and unity and kotahitanga in Aotearoa lies. We are filled with immense pride as we see all of you showing up, all of you watching the lives, all of you now political commentators, and we are absolutely proud to be able to see the continuation of the energy of the h\u012Bkoi as we saw last year, so, one day, our mokopuna will all look back at this with real pride. Toit\u016B Te Tiriti.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000362\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve just come from R\u0101tana last week, as has the party, and I\u2019d like to mihi to all of those who\u2019ve been there and are a living example of what this Government could and should be striving towards. These examples are all around us. Please, Prime Minister, don\u2019t just show up and use these kaupapa; live it. Don\u2019t just fill empty words; listen to theirs. We have to be examples. Yours aren\u2019t and theirs are. That\u2019s what 2025 is about.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000363\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EI mihi, and we mihi, to the hundreds of thousands of tangata whenua, tangata moana, tangata Tiriti who marched and stood and continued to fight against this anti-M\u0101ori agenda. We mihi to those who\u2019ve chosen to wear their hearts on their sleeves, who continue and have learnt and actually w\u0101nanga and teach others what submissions and what to be a submitter is. I mihi to the 70-plus P\u0101keh\u0101 women who pulled me up, the P\u0101keh\u0101 parents, the P\u0101keh\u0101 businesses who have never voted Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori who were previously National voters who will never ever vote for them again, saying that they will never stay quiet against the division that they\u2019ve had to see. They stand with Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori on the side of peace and aroha because that\u2019s what kotahitanga and our role in this place has to be. You either get to yell and scream and behave in a way that the rest of the country is just embarrassed by, or you come together and you manaaki our manuhiri, we manaaki each other\u2019s k\u014Drero, and we have indeed a dignified discussion.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000364\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EThis will be, sadly, a time where we see a Government that has put wealth before people. I want to be clear: Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori is not anti-wealth; we\u2019re just anti a system where the tax system is not fair for all. And it seems like it\u2019s become real\u2014the elephant in the room\u2014every time we mention that. That\u2019s not being anti - economic development; that\u2019s actually calling it out for what it is.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000365\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003ESadly, what we see is the Government and our Prime Minister\u2019s tyranny and the ability to completely leave M\u0101ori out and to carry on with this platform. Our prediction is this will be a one-term Government because this year we will continue to use our influence, our political platform, to unite this nation, to leave no one behind, to make sure that the spirit of Te Tiriti and indeed the honour of being tangata whenua is realised and felt by all.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000366\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EWhere there is fear, we will give light. Where there is hate, we will give aroha. We\u2019ve seen thousands of M\u0101ori join the M\u0101ori roll over the past few months. We look forward to seeing tens of thousands more before the next election. This is another reminder of the influence that Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori has. No party in here can do what we do, and we get that no one gets us. Where you hate and berate, where you divide and conquer, we will continue to use M\u0101ori activism and we will continue to be driven to make sure that there\u2019s somewhere for people to go, leaving no one behind.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000367\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003ERemoving our rights was an urgent priority for this Prime Minister. Economically\u2014I\u2019ve said this before\u2014we will focus on redistributing wealth. We will fight the tax and fight the hyper rich. We\u2019ll focus on what our options are. What are our economic options? What does economic transformation in Aotearoa look like? How is it that iwi who have suddenly become long-term perpetual investors are performing better than those who have been 200 or 300 years ahead of us? There are lessons to be learnt in economic development, but we\u2019re not having that conversation, because the Government will not let go the rails of conservative, old-style economics.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000368\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EOur growth plan will not revolve around stealing M\u0101ori rights, lands, and resources and\u00A0selling them off to the highest bidder; it will be focused on issues like we saw in He Kai\u00A0Kei\u00A0Aku Ringa, partnering with iwi, looking at public-private partnerships, developing sustainable energy solutions, creating community regional economic investments, developing papa k\u0101inga and capital solutions for those who cannot access it. This Prime Minister\u2019s solution to the cost of living crisis is investing in New Zealand by exploiting our whenua\u2014a quick buck. That is not going to work in the long run. If there\u2019s anything we have more than anyone else in Aotearoa, it is the experience of having to redevelop an economy when it has been wiped out.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000369\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003ENowhere are we seeing intergenerational focus on the economic development and wellbeing of Aotearoa\u2014nowhere. Cutting benefits, cutting the minimum wage, voting against GST-free kai: these are about bringing down the cost of living, and caring\u2014caring\u2014about everybody in Aotearoa. The economic solutions in the Prime Minister\u2019s agenda have no care for ordinary people, ordinary New Zealanders. There\u2019s no care in here at all. We take real serious issue, and we will continue to fight hard against the Atlas agendas, because that domination cannot be the way that we grow our wellbeing, our economy. We will continue to do it every time\u2014prioritise our whole community wellbeing and collective responsibility and obligations against corporate exploitation\u2014because that\u2019s what fast track allowed in. We\u2019ll ban seabed mining, we\u2019ll invest in science and innovation and education to move away from twilight industries, and we will be active in transformation and energy equity for communities. It\u2019s clear\u2014it\u2019s really clear\u2014where this Government\u2019s priorities lie. At no stage did we see any solutions: oranga wh\u0101nau, oranga tangata, oranga whenua. All we saw was the rich getting richer. That is not enough anymore.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000370\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EWhere is your innovation, your promised transformation? The Treaty principles bill has shown us that we need to have a constitutional discussion. I found myself uncomfortably agreeing with parts of what David Seymour said, but the discussion should be led by iwi and hap\u016B. It does not belong in this place, and we will invest proactively in Matike Mai, because nowhere else has the degree and the extent of 280-plus hui that happened across the nation, like Matike Mai. I would bet that if I was to ask \u201CHow many recommendations? What do you know about Matike Mai?\u201D, there are not too many in the coalition Government that could sit there and talk about it, because it has not been embraced as the solution that it should be. That k\u014Drero needs to continue. We will never ever be able to have the kotahitanga that a nation that has tangata whenua, has indigenous peoples\u2014we were here and our rights existed before anyone else. As much as some people may not want to admit there are indigenous peoples in Aotearoa, there are, and it\u2019s us, and we make up at least a million of us, and we are proud to be M\u0101ori. Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori is proud that, as proud M\u0101ori, we have proud tangata Moana and tangata Tiriti.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000371\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EThis whole concept of sparking a conversation and talking proactively about the foundation for constitutional transformation in Aotearoa must be something that is put on the agenda, because I tell you, our mokopuna\u2014my mokopuna\u2014are laughing at how politicians talk about Te Tiriti, how little knowledge is talked about. Yesterday, I listened to a submitter who actually truly thinks that we are so bad as M\u0101ori that she is unsafe from M\u0101ori. What permeates and creates such hatred in somebody that they could really fear M\u0101ori to that extent, really fear what it is that we would do? It\u2019s just crazy. I challenge the Prime Minister in his statement: you cannot be a Prime Minister with a statement that ignores that\u00A0we exist, because we\u2019re going nowhere. We are growing, and we have a strong, robust economy. I repeat this: we will not\u2014we will not\u2014invest with the same parties and partners that we\u2019re standing in queue submitting against. We simply will not.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000372\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EI guess the other thing that I want to leave is that our K\u012Bngi has reminded us about being M\u0101ori every day and what this means to us individually, but what this means to us in Aotearoa. Do you truly, do we truly, do politicians truly, does this House truly, even every day in here\u2014how does it allow and encourage M\u0101ori to be M\u0101ori every day, when we\u2019ve spent a year with this Prime Minister, defending who we are? I really don\u2019t care what anyone thinks about me\u2014I really don\u2019t care what they think and have to say about me\u2014but I do about my mokopuna. I will rise and encourage every influence we can to make sure that our mokopuna never have to feel berated or left out.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000373\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EI think the other thing we have to talk about is how we make sure that we have the strength of who we are as tangata whenua. We talk about foreign affairs, and it\u2019s something that Rawiri is actually really passionate about. Our foreign affairs policy is to actually extend and strengthen off the relationships that we have as indigenous peoples. Those are relationships that no one else across the world can do as well. That is a strength for Aotearoa\u2019s future, and those are discussions that we should be having. This whole \u201Csame old, same old\u201D isn\u2019t cutting it, because not only are we politically extremely divided at the moment but we\u2019re also leaving some really great opportunities behind, because we can\u2019t sit down and have a discussion truly of what it is that is our strength. Instead, what should be our biggest uniqueness\u2014having an indigenous nation who never ceded sovereignty\u2014has now become a real sad point of defence.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000374\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EI want to finish with some of these things. I want to say also to our wh\u0101nau: you have been able to prove without a doubt what kotahitanga looks like. Do that every day individually in your home, in your communities, your marae, however it looks. Make sure you keep up that kotahitanga, because kotahitanga is not a noun; it\u2019s an adjective. It\u2019s a doing thing. It is something that we need to be seen as doing every day and hold ourselves. Rest is resistance. We\u2019ve got a lot on this year. We\u2019ve got the M\u0101ori wards referendum. We\u2019ve got the bill coming up\u2014Seymour\u2019s bill\u2014in May. We have a whole lot of kaupapa to make sure that we rest and settle and continue to grow. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000375\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EI do want to finish with something that actually came from a well-esteemed man and somebody that M\u0101ori really rate\u2014a tangata Tiriti who is actually an ex-National Minister. It was something I heard him say in the submissions yesterday. Chris Finlayson said, \u201CParliament can legislate the Earth is flat. That doesn\u2019t make it flat.\u201D And, to our Prime Minister, let\u2019s stop spouting flat-Earth policy energy and actually embrace the fact that you are surrounded by tangata whenua, and it doesn\u2019t have to be any of us in Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori, but they are here for ever, and tangata whenua and Te Tiriti is here for ever, and, as was stated at R\u0101tana, you\u2019re not.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000376\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227a76db18-baa4-41c1-b366-89e2c753a1e7\u0022\u003EThat is our feedback on this statement. I hope that it\u2019s taken constructively, with the aroha and the time that we gave to thinking about it and talking about it. N\u014D reira i te \u0101hua o t\u0101 t\u0101tau t\u016Bpuna, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, kia ora koutou katoa. [So, with respect to our ancestors, greetings to all.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022 data-id=\u0022ffd78c68ae5f4936ac43772003fe046e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000377\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ffd78c68ae5f4936ac43772003fe046e\u0022\u003EHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (Minister of Justice):\u003C/span\u003E Well, Madam Speaker, thank you for that warm applause. Very good to get the full, wholehearted support of the M\u0101ori Party as I stand to talk today about the Prime Minister\u2019s statement and the start of the political year.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000378\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EThe starting point, of course, and very much the focus of the Government this year, is to get some growth into this economy, to create some wealth, and to make a living in a competitive world. I think all of us who have been out and about on the beaches and in the bush and having a break in electorates all around this country, and I\u2019ve been way up North and in far-flung parts\u2014the conversation, apart from the weather around here, the primary conversation, has been, yes, it has been a difficult economic time. There are a lot of people, particularly small-business people, who have been really struggling after a long, extended period of a down cycle in the economy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000379\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003ENow, we can point to many of the mistakes made over the past few years that contributed to that, but a lot of it\u2019s also global changes and pressures going on. The reality is that many New Zealand families have been finding it tough. That is why, when we look at the things\u00A0that\u00A0New Zealanders are most concerned about and most worried about is, they want to see some relief in the cost of living that their families are facing: buying the groceries, getting ready for school, all those things. They want to see a growth plan so that, when we look out into the future, this is the place to stay.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000380\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EIt makes sense from an economic point of view. That is precisely what this Government is focused on and what the Prime Minister talked about in his speech only a couple of hours ago. The recipe for getting greater growth is not dramatically difficult to understand or to change; it just hasn\u2019t been done by previous Governments. It\u2019s about encouraging investment in the country. Ultimately, if you want to get growth, it\u2019s about businesses, large and small, investing and growing their business, starting a new business, buying new plant and machinery, hiring new people. It\u2019s all about investment decisions. Creating an environment where people feel confident to invest is critical. We\u2019ve seen, actually, already a lift in business confidence levels, notwithstanding all the challenges, and that\u2019s because they see help is on its way.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000381\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve also seen the important focus on technology and innovation, and there\u2019s a lot going on there. We were very much inspired last week at our two-day caucus for the National Party to have an address by Peter Beck\u2014rocket man. What a wonderful, wonderful entrepreneurial story that is in New Zealand. We should be celebrating that sort of thing. The fact that a boy from Invercargill went on to create a highly, highly successful business in the world of rocketry and sending satellites into space, competing with the best globally, is a really great thing to see. New Zealanders do have the ability to reach for the stars, and we celebrate that, and we need more of it. We\u2019re also out there looking for export markets and we\u2019re thinking also long term around education, because, ultimately, a skilled workforce is critical to all that. That\u2019s why Erica Stanford is making sure that (a) the kids go to school and (b) that they\u2019re taught a world-class curriculum and (c) that they\u2019re actually going to measure progress against that curriculum.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000382\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EThen, of course, another core foundation of getting growth into the economy is getting some discipline around the regulatory environment and trying to remove the roadblocks. That\u2019s what the fast-track legislation is all about, and many other areas. We\u2019re going to get on with it. We\u2019re going to dig up some stuff. We\u2019re going to make some money in this country. I\u2019m so sick of hearing people saying, \u201COh, the people get paid more in Australia. The doctors and nurses and the teachers get paid more in Australia.\u201D They get paid more in Australia because Australia does more things. They dig stuff out of the ground, and they make some money.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000383\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EIf we want to compete, if we want to have high-quality living standards, we can\u2019t just keep on saying \u201CNo\u201D to everything; \u201CWe don\u2019t want everything.\u201D We\u2019ve got to say, \u201CYes\u201D. We\u2019ve actually got to say, \u201CLet\u2019s go and do some stuff. Let\u2019s make a living in this country. Let\u2019s get active and competitive.\u201D Anybody who\u2019s got eyes looks upon the world and they see not many countries of the world struggling, going sideways. They see the United States going gangbusters economically, and they still want to go faster. They\u2019re out there hustling and doing well. That\u2019s what we, in our country, need to be doing as well, hustling and doing our best to compete effectively in the world. If you want to be competitive, if you\u2019re going to grow, you\u2019ve got to look at your cost structure, all those basic things which this Government is doing. That\u2019s why Nicola Willis is doing a great job getting the Government\u2019s fiscal books in shape.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000384\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003ENow, another element of this whole broader context of a strong economy is safety, public safety, and dealing effectively with crime is also an important element, and that is what I\u2019m particularly responsible for as Minister of Justice. In this Government, one of our clear three priorities is to restore law and order, because we had a revolving door of police Ministers and justice Ministers in the last legislation, and they kept on coming and going. They were soft, they came up with excuses for crime, and it was always everybody else\u2019s fault and not the criminals\u2019 fault for crime. That led to encourage the big increase in crime that we saw which concerned many people.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000385\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EThis Government\u2019s about restoring consequences for crime. That\u2019s why we\u2019ve already brought back three-strikes legislation. We\u2019ve passed the gang laws which give the police extra powers to deal with gangs who are a tiny fraction of the population but are responsible for a very significant amount of the violent crime in our community; we were sick of it. Isn\u2019t it great to be able to have gone around over the summer and not seen gang patches everywhere where we went? Thanks to the work of the police and the legislation that\u2019s passed. People will say, \u201COh, well, the problem\u2019s not solved.\u201D Well, we\u2019re making progress and we\u2019re putting pressure on those gangs and making their lives difficult and uncomfortable, and that\u2019s what we\u2019re all on about. My colleague Mark Mitchell\u2019s been working very hard in that area as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000386\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EThen, on the sentencing laws we\u2019re about to be passing in a week or two\u2014the overall cap on the amount of discounts that can be allowed in sentencing\u2014again, if you read the newspapers or listen to the radio or go online and see stories, there\u2019s been more stories of people who are convicted of serious crimes and had their sentencing reduced on a colossal scale so that the consequences are not very severe. People want to see consequences for crime, and so that\u2019s going to change. There will be a limit on the amount of discounts that can be offered and people will be held more accountable for what\u2019s going on.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000387\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EAnother piece of legislation coming down the track is stalking legislation. Also, over the next few months, we\u2019re getting some good advice out of the Retail Crime Advisory group led by Sunny Kaushal, with some practical things that we can do to help those retailers who have been on the flick end, on the violent end of completely unacceptable behaviour in some of our towns and communities. We\u2019ve made real progress on the ram raids, but there\u2019s a lot more to do so that New Zealanders feel safe in their community, they feel safe when they\u2019re around, because we\u2019re focused on reducing the number of victims of crime, but also creating an environment where people feel confident to invest and start new retail businesses without having to worry about security being the number one focus of attention, because that doesn\u2019t make sense for anybody.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000388\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003ESeparate from that, of course, we\u2019re also interested in ensuring that we\u2019ve got a good, efficient legal system that\u2019s predictable and people know where they are, and they can get judgments and outcomes for the work that they\u2019re doing. I just want to make mention\u00A0of the progress we\u2019re making on the New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey. In the latest figures that we had for the 12 months to October 2024, we had 24,000 fewer\u00A0victims of crimes than they did in the 12 months to June 2024. Now, it\u2019s early days,\u00A0but it goes to show that if you\u2019re clear about what you\u2019re trying to achieve, that you\u2019re not making excuses for crime all the time, but people are accountable and the Government of the day sends a clear message that we back the police, we back law-abiding citizens, we\u2019re not in favour of the gangs, we\u2019re not in favour of explaining and coming up with excuses for people who do criminal acts and steal from other New Zealanders and create violence in our community, then you start to make some progress there.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000389\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EI\u2019m also conscious of the fact that we\u2019re coming up to an important week next week up in Waitangi. I\u2019ll be up in the North\u2014very keen to talk to the broader Ng\u0101puhi community. There are two things that will make a real difference to Northland: one is a decent road, and now Chris Bishop is focused on that; and two, getting the Ng\u0101puhi settlement through. There\u2019s lots of discussions that I\u2019ll be having there and I\u2019m looking forward to those discussions, recognising that there\u2019s been a long process over 30 years to work away on Treaty settlements. National Governments have made a lot of progress in the past and it\u2019s my sincere hope that, over the next week, we\u2019ll have some good constructive conversations, and we\u2019ll get on it, because there\u2019s, again, all number of people that will say, \u201CNo, no, we don\u2019t want to do this\u201D for a whole lot of reasons. My plea to the many different hap\u016B of Ng\u0101puhi is: let\u2019s listen to some of the ones who say yes; let\u2019s see if we can make a deal. Let\u2019s see if we can make some progress so that we can get Northland cooking with gas over the next little while. Thank you, Madam Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221ebd1031-ea10-4c3d-bb56-2cd99528ae91\u0022 data-id=\u002226f576991ce94d418b494baa5f885d8a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000390\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221ebd1031-ea10-4c3d-bb56-2cd99528ae91\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002226f576991ce94d418b494baa5f885d8a\u0022\u003EHon WILLOW-JEAN PRIME (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E T\u0113n\u0101 koe e te M\u0101ngai o te Whare. Tuatahi m\u0101ku, e tautoko ana au i te \u0101huatanga o ng\u0101 mihi ki ng\u0101 mate huhua o te w\u0101. Ng\u0101 mate o te tau kua pahure ake nei me te tauhou an\u014D hoki.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000391\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221ebd1031-ea10-4c3d-bb56-2cd99528ae91\u0022\u003E[Greetings to the Speaker of the House. Firstly, may I say that I support the greetings to the many bereavements of the time. Those of the past year and the new year.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000392\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221ebd1031-ea10-4c3d-bb56-2cd99528ae91\u0022\u003EI would just like to endorse the earlier comments and speeches given to those many who have passed in recent times.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000393\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221ebd1031-ea10-4c3d-bb56-2cd99528ae91\u0022\u003EI turn now to the Prime Minister\u2019s statement. If I could sum up what I heard in the 20\u00A0minutes that he gave a speech, there was only about 10 minutes where he was talking about National, because the other nine to 10 minutes were all focused on Labour. If I were to distil down what I thought I heard him saying in that 10 minutes of speech, it would be, really, that they are failing the economy, that the cost of living has dropped off their agenda, that they don\u2019t care about people and people\u2019s jobs, and\u2014kia t\u016Bpato, kia mataara [be careful and vigilant]\u2014they are opening the door to privatisation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000394\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221ebd1031-ea10-4c3d-bb56-2cd99528ae91\u0022\u003EThe Prime Minister, in the last two minutes of that speech, talked about education and he talked about the outstanding start he wanted for our tamariki, and getting them to school. Well, that would be all good if Erica Stanford wasn\u2019t cancelling school bus routes. He talked about the amazing resources. Well, do not forget that those amazing resources, $30\u00A0million worth of resources, are coming at the expense of te reo M\u0101ori. They took $30 million from Te Ahu o te Reo M\u0101ori to pay for these amazing resources for our schools. Why didn\u2019t they do both? Why couldn\u2019t they do both? These are all choices that this Government has made. The Prime Minister talks a big game\u2014he talks a big game about economic growth\u2014but words mean nothing when so many Kiwis are struggling just to make ends meet.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000395\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221ebd1031-ea10-4c3d-bb56-2cd99528ae91\u0022\u003EAs thousands of tamariki are returning to school this week, families across the country are experiencing stress to meet the costs of uniforms, stationery, digital devices, kai, and more. Far too many families are increasingly relying on support and, for some tamariki, it simply means going without\u2014undermining their ability to learn and to develop their unique talents. In fact, many of those children will also not have enough food to eat, and research released last year shows that teenagers who don\u2019t get enough to eat end up two to four years behind their peers in subjects like maths and reading. We hear this Government going on about numeracy and literacy and their investment and focus on that, yet they are reducing Ka Ora, Ka Ako, the school lunches programme, from a lunch to a snack. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000396\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221ebd1031-ea10-4c3d-bb56-2cd99528ae91\u0022\u003EThis brings me to the issue of child poverty. Christopher Luxon talks about an outstanding start for our tamariki in the education system, and he talks about ambition, but I did not see or hear any for our children. Last year, this Government made a decision about indexing benefits that put 7,000 children, estimated at up to 13,000 children\u2014more children\u2014into poverty. This year, we know that the Government is going to further weaken how they measure child poverty. All this talk about economic growth is meaningless if it translates to an acceptance that more of our mokopuna will not get the basics that they need to thrive. Our wh\u0101nau deserve better than this.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000397\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221ebd1031-ea10-4c3d-bb56-2cd99528ae91\u0022\u003EThis year, we will continue to see the impacts of the cuts to Oranga Tamariki and the services to our children, the cuts in the areas of early intervention and prevention\u2014all of this rhetoric that we hear from the Government. We will see the impact of these deep cuts\u2014and the Minister could not rule out that they would not make further cuts in this year\u2019s Budget\u2014on our most vulnerable children and wh\u0101nau in Aotearoa. We need to remember that, last year, they cut hundreds of providers and their contracts. It was shambolic, it was haphazard, and the Auditor-General is inquiring into this, and we look forward to that report.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000398\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221ebd1031-ea10-4c3d-bb56-2cd99528ae91\u0022\u003EThe Prime Minister talked about youth crime and their focus on law and order. Well, this Government is reinstating the failed experiment of boot camps. This Government is putting those boot camps, a pilot, into legislation before it has even been completed, before it has even been evaluated. Tomorrow, we will start hearing submissions on the boot camp legislation, more punitive measures, without any safeguards, and against, once again, officials\u2019 advice, and, sadly, once again, M\u0101ori needs are neglected. The bill makes no mention of M\u0101ori, makes no mention of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, yet the evidence shows in the officials\u2019 advice that 80 to 85 percent of the young people who will be classed as young serious offenders will be M\u0101ori.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000399\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221ebd1031-ea10-4c3d-bb56-2cd99528ae91\u0022\u003EThat brings me, in my remaining time, to something I didn\u2019t hear in the Prime Minister\u2019s statement this afternoon. I didn\u2019t hear any reference to the amazing M\u0101ori economy. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment\u2019s snapshot of the M\u0101ori economy, ahead of the fourth report due out soon, shows that the M\u0101ori asset base has grown exponentially from $68 billion in 2018 to $118 billion in 2023, with more M\u0101ori in high-skilled jobs than low-skilled jobs for the first time ever. The Prime Minister didn\u2019t speak about that today. He didn\u2019t speak about it in his state of the nation speech. He didn\u2019t speak about it at R\u0101tana\u2014all missed opportunities or deliberate oversight; or maybe the Prime Minister just does not even see it or care about it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000400\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221ebd1031-ea10-4c3d-bb56-2cd99528ae91\u0022\u003EThey do care about M\u0101ori, though. Many of my relations, many of the community, many of my friends, many of the constituents in Tai Tokerau and across the country spent their summer writing submissions to a piece of legislation that the Prime Minister has said will not go past second reading. However, I listened to the contribution from David Seymour, who says, \u201CI still doubt that it will not pass.\u201D It suggests that he\u2019s calling the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister, who had said it categorically at R\u0101tana and other places, liars, because he said\u2014the future Deputy Prime Minister says\u2014he still doubts that it will not pass.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000401\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221ebd1031-ea10-4c3d-bb56-2cd99528ae91\u0022\u003ETomorrow night, we will have the second reading of the legislation that repeals section 7AA. This is removing Treaty principles, Treaty provisions, from legislation. The Treaty principles bill is not the only attack on M\u0101ori. It is not the only thing that we need to be aware of in the year to come. Tomorrow night, we will see that legislation receive its second reading. I\u2019ll speak more to that tomorrow night.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000402\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221ebd1031-ea10-4c3d-bb56-2cd99528ae91\u0022\u003ERight now, this Government is planning to remove or replace more than 28 legislative provisions for Te Tiriti o Waitangi from legislation. That is a New Zealand First - National coalition agreement. So while everybody, rightly so, is focused on submitting on the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill, do not forget that they are doing it with section 7AA tomorrow night and 28 other pieces of legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000403\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221ebd1031-ea10-4c3d-bb56-2cd99528ae91\u0022\u003EOur party will continue to hold this Government to account throughout 2025 on all of the things that they are doing\u2014as co-chair of the M\u0101ori caucus\u2014that are anti-M\u0101ori. The Prime Minister could have spoken about the M\u0101ori economy and what it could have contributed to their plan, but he didn\u2019t, and I think that speaks volumes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022 data-id=\u00229fb703fd50de45ff8cd971568b8ee124\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000404\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00229fb703fd50de45ff8cd971568b8ee124\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL (Minister of Police):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. I just wanted to take the opportunity, as this is my first chance to speak in the House this year, to just wish everyone a happy and healthy 2025. I have to say that the year started in the worst possible way for me as the Minister of Police when I received a call on New Year\u2019s morning from the Commissioner of Police to inform me that two of our police officers\u2014Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay and Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming\u2014had been allegedly intentionally run down. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000405\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003EI want to acknowledge that Rachel Boyack, the local MP, is in the House. I acknowledge your role and the support that you provided to the police and the family also, Rachel, through what was a very difficult time, and what continues to be a difficult time for everyone. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000406\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003EI know that when I arrived that day in Nelson, the first thing that happened was that people at the airport immediately came up to me and said that they couldn\u2019t understand what had happened. They couldn\u2019t work out how this had happened in the beautiful city of Nelson. I called the mayor, Nick Smith\u2014and I\u2019d like to acknowledge him and the council and his team\u2014and then I made my way to the police station to be with the team there. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000407\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003EI just want to acknowledge that, as the police service for them was live broadcast, I think anyone that was present or who saw it could see the utter devastation of Bryn, Rayna, and Aren\u2014her husband and her two children. But the total devastation wasn\u2019t just with them; it was with all of us, and, in particular, the people of Nelson. I want to acknowledge them and the way that they have responded to support the family and the way that they have responded to support the local police. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000408\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s a family with a lot of public service. If you look at Woody, Lyn\u2019s brother, he\u2019s been a firefighter for decades, and I want to acknowledge all of our Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) officers that turned out also on the day\u2014and around the country\u2014who were heavily impacted by this as well and who stood proudly as a part of Lyn\u2019s honour guard on the day. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000409\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003EI want to acknowledge all of our police officers. The one thing that does happen when you lose a front-line police officer is that that blue family comes together and wraps support around one another, whether you are past or present. That certainly happened in the case of Lyn. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000410\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003EI just want all of us to reflect. I know that there have been a lot of statements in relation to the loss of Lyn, but I just want all of us to reflect on the fact that she gave 38 years of public service to our country, and when you think about the amount of people\u2019s lives that she has touched, that is extraordinary and that deserves all of our respect and acknowledgment. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000411\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003EThe commissioner, when he spoke at her service, said that he\u2019d gone back through her personal file. Over the years, a personal file will accumulate in terms of whether you get letters from members of the public to say thank you for the assistance you may have provided to them, or reports from supervisors. It really is a catalogue of your service in the police, and he was saying that, on going through Lyn\u2019s, it was just packed full of goodness. What he meant by that was that members of the public had come forward and written letters, reinforcing the type of police officer that she was and the type of leader that she was. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000412\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003EThe type of leader that she was is that on the night that she was struck down, as a senior sergeant, she had probably earned the right not to be out working a night shift, but she had chosen to be out on night shift. She\u2019d turned up with snacks for the officers that she was in charge of and in her care so that they were cared for and looked after through the night, and we\u2019ve lost her. So I just wanted to take this opportunity to acknowledge her service and to acknowledge all of those that have been impacted and all of those that have wrapped the support around, particularly, the family. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000413\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003EBy the way, Bryn is a serving police officer himself, and that\u2019s how they met. They had actually both joined originally as officers with the Ministry of Transport, and then, with the amalgamation, as police officers, and they\u2019d been together right through their law enforcement careers. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000414\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003EI want to just acknowledge our police for the outstanding work they\u2019ve done over the holiday period. Through Christmas, they don\u2019t get to take time off. They\u2019re out there, making sure the public is safe, and they\u2019ve had some challenges. But they\u2019ve done an outstanding job, and I\u2019m very proud of them and the work that they do. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000415\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003EI want to acknowledge all of our first responders. With the emergency management portfolio, we had several fires over the holiday season. We all watched with disbelief as the fires in LA got out of control, and, of course, there are going to be a lot of questions asked around leadership and decisions and how that was allowed to happen. But I have to say that I\u2019m extremely proud of our FENZ officers and of our first responders. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000416\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003EThere is the leadership there and the decisions that are made early, and the fact is that many of our firefighters, when they respond, are volunteers. They\u2019re coming out of the community and giving up their time and their holidays to be there for the communities that they live in, and I had direct, personal experience of that when there was a fire on the Coromandel, in K\u016Baotunu. It was one that could have got out of control very, very quickly, and our volunteer firefighters from K\u016Baotunu, from Wharekaho, and from Matarangi responded almost immediately. They were backed up by Whitianga. For three days, with the assistance of three helicopters, they fought in very arduous and difficult terrain to get that fire under control and to make sure that the houses and the people that live in the community were protected, and I want to acknowledge them. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000417\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve only just arrived back in the country myself today, and I want to acknowledge, obviously, the situation that we have in Mangawhai. I\u2019ve been speaking with Grant McCallum, the local MP, and I intend to get up there as quickly as I can to get on the ground\u2014[Interruption] Grant McCallum. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000418\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ef094bb1-be4f-48b8-bb53-52ce955a1c2d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229eb784f14df74e0192a3eb508025102e\u0022\u003EHon James Meager\u003C/span\u003E: Great MP. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000419\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002219fa165c6333445dbd828ebe84043a52\u0022\u003EHon MARK MITCHELL\u003C/span\u003E: Yeah, sorry\u2014he\u2019s sitting right beside me. Yeah, he is a great MP. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000420\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003EI want to acknowledge my Department of Corrections team, because they\u2019re often invisible. The only time we really hear about Corrections is when something goes wrong. They deal with and they have to manage some of the most difficult people in our country\u2014often, violent people, they\u2019re looking for ways of defeating the system, and I want to acknowledge all of our corrections personnel. Whether it be community-based in the work that you did over the summer break, or whether it be our staff in our offices inside our corrections facilities, you do an outstanding job, and I popped in and visited our corrections staff in Nelson when I was down there for Lyn\u2019s service, to thank them because they were there, as well, to support the police and make sure that they were all together. They provided that camaraderie and support, and I want to thank and acknowledge them. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000421\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003EI want to thank our emergency management staff from the National Emergency Management Agency, who have a 24/7 operations centre and who are always there. Again, you don\u2019t hear much from them, but they\u2019re always there, monitoring everything that we have to deal with, as a country, in terms of our risks and weather events. Since I\u2019ve been the Minister, we\u2019ve had fires, we\u2019ve had floods, we\u2019ve had earthquakes, and we\u2019ve had space weather to deal with, and, most recently, a tornado. I want to thank them and all of our civil defence people around the country for their vigilance and your work over the summer period. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000422\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003EI guess I just wanted to finish by saying that over the break, obviously, I\u2019m very proud to have picked up two additional portfolios. They are sport and recreation, which is critically important for us as a country\u2014and I\u2019m looking forward to working with Chris Bishop as my Associate Minister with that portfolio\u2014and, of course, ethnic communities, which is one that I\u2019m very, very proud to have been given, because I\u2019ve been heavily involved with our ethnic communities, as a member of Parliament, for 12 or 13 years, and I look forward to deepening those relationships. I know that certainly, since I\u2019ve had the police portfolio, there\u2019s a lot of interaction, because public safety is extremely important to our ethnic communities, and the other thing that I really enjoy about it is that I\u2019ve had the privilege through my working life to have lived and worked alongside them in their own countries, and not just here in New Zealand. It\u2019s nice to be able to have conversations with them about their village or the areas that they may be from, because I have personal experience. I\u2019m excited to really get involved with our ethnic communities on a new level as the Minister. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000423\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248a02a21-c1ac-4159-8789-485ad614bd01\u0022\u003EFinally, I just want to say that when it comes to the gang legislation\u2014the Hon Paul Goldsmith referred to it\u2014it\u2019s been outstanding. It\u2019s working, without a doubt. It\u2019s tipped the balance back to our police. Our front-line police have reseized the initiative when it comes to organised crime and gangs, and that\u2019s something that you\u2019re going to see more of from this Government this year. Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00224d83c8a5-2f48-4991-9c45-b1a6060daedd\u0022 data-id=\u00225adbd1245a6e4cff9ee69a2d3a007d72\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000424\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d83c8a5-2f48-4991-9c45-b1a6060daedd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225adbd1245a6e4cff9ee69a2d3a007d72\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Maureen Pugh)\u003C/span\u003E: I call Lan Pham. I understand this is a split call? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002253958f14-2b54-4d1c-bfac-7b3ea85e1c2b\u0022 data-id=\u00226f7df3c0cb404e379f13a53e502202eb\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000425\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253958f14-2b54-4d1c-bfac-7b3ea85e1c2b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226f7df3c0cb404e379f13a53e502202eb\u0022\u003ETAMATHA PAUL (Green\u2014Wellington Central):\u003C/span\u003E It is a split call. I\u2019m Tamatha Paul; that\u2019s Lan Pham. Yeah, kia ora.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000426\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d83c8a5-2f48-4991-9c45-b1a6060daedd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ae959ad577d5483f8117739b06c63d93\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Maureen Pugh)\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000427\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253958f14-2b54-4d1c-bfac-7b3ea85e1c2b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e8561532c2c64342b68a8fe5b20dcfd8\u0022\u003ETAMATHA PAUL\u003C/span\u003E: In the 17 pages of this statement to Parliament by our Prime Minister, there is not one mention of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in this speech, which is ironic given that the bill that the Prime Minister neglected to even mention is the most submitted-on bill in the history of this country. Not to mention it\u2019s also the thing that allows for this Parliament to even stand in the first place, and it\u2019s also the thing that gives him the ability to even be the Prime Minister in the first place. The Prime Minister\u2019s so ashamed that he doesn\u2019t even mention it; he isn\u2019t showing his face at Waitangi. He won\u2019t go out and greet the 100,000 people on the lawn, and now he won\u2019t even mention the words \u201CTe Tiriti o Waitangi\u201D. Shame. Just because you refuse to acknowledge Te Tiriti doesn\u2019t mean it doesn\u2019t exist. Just because he refuses to honour it doesn\u2019t mean there isn\u2019t another Government and another Prime Minister\u2014maybe on that side of the House\u2014that actually will acknowledge the agreement that this House and his forebears signed. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000428\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253958f14-2b54-4d1c-bfac-7b3ea85e1c2b\u0022\u003EI knew the Prime Minister wouldn\u2019t mention the one thing that roughly 6 percent of the people that he purports to represent care about, so let\u2019s talk about the things that he did think were important enough to mention in his speech. He wants to talk about growth. Well, let\u2019s talk about an inconvenient truth when it comes to growth: the fields that he wants to farm on, the mines that he wants to ram raid, the streams that he wants to pipe underground, the mega-prisons that he wants to build and fill my people up with, they all rest on stolen land. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000429\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253958f14-2b54-4d1c-bfac-7b3ea85e1c2b\u0022\u003ELet\u2019s talk about our international reputation. The way that this Government has treated its indigenous people has made us the laughing stock of this planet. We were once known for punching well above our weight and now we\u2019re just known for punching down on the first people that were on this whenua. It\u2019s like Air New Zealand, back in the day, when they wanted to put the koru all over their plane but they didn\u2019t want to let their own kaimahi wear t\u0101moko. In the words of Helmut Modlik from Ng\u0101ti Toa yesterday, in the hearings, this bill that he won\u2019t even mention is an international embarrassment. How are we supposed to do all these trade deals and all of this growth around the world when we\u2019re just a laughing stock? When the world is watching, they don\u2019t even know the Prime Minister\u2019s name. You know what name they do know? That name over there: Hana-Rawhiti. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000430\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253958f14-2b54-4d1c-bfac-7b3ea85e1c2b\u0022\u003ENow, let\u2019s talk about international treaties. New Zealand has signed up to 1,900 treaties; we are a party to 1,900 treaties, and the one that founded our own Parliament is the one that our Government does not give a toss about. The Prime Minister didn\u2019t mention the embarrassment of that bill, but he did mention the Regulatory Standards Bill. And let\u2019s put this on the record, because the Treaty principles bill, yeah, it\u2019s going to die, but there are other bills that this Government has signed up to and agreed to legislate within their coalition agreement\u2014the holy coalition agreement\u2014that will impact our laws, which will remove Te Tiriti as a lawmaking principle within this country.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000431\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253958f14-2b54-4d1c-bfac-7b3ea85e1c2b\u0022\u003EYou can get up there and you can talk to the media and you can talk to the people and say that \u201CThe Treaty\u2019s not going anywhere; we\u2019re not doing anything to the Treaty.\u201D You are, and people aren\u2019t stupid, and that\u2019s why the Regulatory Standards Bill was also one of the most submitted on bills\u2014consultations from a Government department and the history of this country. That will be your legacy, Prime Minister\u2014that will be your legacy: mobilising and agitating the entire population to get rid of him. That will be his legacy. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000432\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253958f14-2b54-4d1c-bfac-7b3ea85e1c2b\u0022\u003EHis own forebears have warned him. Marilyn Waring, Chris Finlayson, even Roger Douglas are all saying, \u201CWhat the heck are you fellas up to?\u201D That will be the legacy that you guys continue. It\u2019s like Chris Finlayson said yesterday: this Parliament, it can make laws but it is not omnipotent. Christopher Luxon, you are not God and you cannot change the facts, history, or the founding of this country, and the Government should stop acting like they are more important than the people that were first here and the agreement that established this rotten place. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00224d83c8a5-2f48-4991-9c45-b1a6060daedd\u0022 data-id=\u0022db410e8708d0424aa53df9ebe68541db\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000433\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224d83c8a5-2f48-4991-9c45-b1a6060daedd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022db410e8708d0424aa53df9ebe68541db\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Maureen Pugh)\u003C/span\u003E: The member\u2019s time has expired. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002246269786-ecb4-40e2-972a-e287c495bdec\u0022 data-id=\u0022c28ff86eaafe4f8e9533d65ee7190eed\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000434\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002246269786-ecb4-40e2-972a-e287c495bdec\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c28ff86eaafe4f8e9533d65ee7190eed\u0022\u003ELAN PHAM (Green):\u003C/span\u003E T\u0113n\u0101 koe, Madam Speaker. The most golden part of this break has been, alongside many Kiwis, getting some time to focus on the things that really matter. It\u2019s that connection to each other, be it our wh\u0101nau or our friends or our communities, and connection to te taiao\u2014our environment. It\u2019s a time that makes it so crystal clear that our wellbeing as Kiwis is grounded in that very connection between people and nature under our foundation of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It\u2019s been so incredibly jarring to now be back here in this Chamber in 2025, back in the same old, outdated, visionless throes of this Government\u2019s actions that so comprehensively dismantle and destroy not only our foundations, which my colleague has so accurately pointed out, but the only things that have any real value\u2014that\u2019s the health of our people and the health of te taiao, and it\u2019s all for a cheap shot, a quick buck, based on this blind belief that economic growth will solve our immense, pressing challenges.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000435\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002246269786-ecb4-40e2-972a-e287c495bdec\u0022\u003EI wanted to pick up on one of the Prime Minister\u2019s statements about how New Zealand has a culture of saying no. From what myself and many Kiwis have seen under this Government, that\u2019s actually a surprisingly accurate description of this Government\u2019s actions. They\u2019ve \u201Croared out of the blocks\u201D\u2014his words\u2014with a big bulldozing \u201CNo\u201D to environmental protections. They say no to honouring Te Tiriti obligations and to climate action; no to protecting marine areas and protecting in a way where commercial fishing can\u2019t just come in and plunder them. They say no to protecting and restoring our polluted waterways, no to even basic levels of funding for our environmental agencies, and no to the data and evidence for them to even have a chance at making good decisions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000436\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002246269786-ecb4-40e2-972a-e287c495bdec\u0022\u003EIt is truly extraordinary how hollow the claims are of this Government around evidence-based decision-making. They persist in saying that they\u2019re committed to it, while directly reducing the processes and funding that allow them to be informed or even allow the science and the m\u0101tauranga to actually be undertaken or applied to their decision making.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000437\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002246269786-ecb4-40e2-972a-e287c495bdec\u0022\u003EThe PM was equally confused and backwards when he said that they were replacing the Resource Management Act with a system that will \u201Ccontinue protecting our natural environment\u201D. Unfortunately, just because one says it\u2019s so doesn\u2019t make it so. It\u2019s nothing short of delusional to drive a thousand cuts into our environmental and science sectors and across the board of environmental legislation and see that as protection. We know the Government\u2019s fast-track bill overrides almost every existing protection that we have, and it even gives life to zombie projects already declined by the courts. It encourages multinational companies to come to New Zealand, to exploit our environment and pillage the environment for offshore profits, and, once they\u2019ve come and gone, communities are left to clean up the mess, having lost whatever biodiverse or community riches that existed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000438\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002246269786-ecb4-40e2-972a-e287c495bdec\u0022\u003EThe Kiwis that I know and have seen operate in this country of Aotearoa want a living economy full of life, of innovation, and of wellbeing. Dishing out blind yeses to developments that can harm either ourselves or te taiao\u2014our environment\u2014more often than not means chucking out precaution. It means chucking out the Government\u2019s duty of care to protect ourselves and our environment no matter the politics. It often means chucking out the voices of people with actual expertise and m\u0101tauranga within our society. It\u2019s our literal basis of knowledge and understanding, and we can\u2019t chuck that stuff out.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000439\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002246269786-ecb4-40e2-972a-e287c495bdec\u0022\u003EThe Prime Minister promised this would be a Government of action, and he\u2019s right. It\u2019s the most reckless, narrow-minded, short-sighted actions that put at risk the very things that Kiwis hold most dear, and it\u2019s so jarringly out of step with the culture of Aotearoa. Kia ora.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022 data-id=\u0022e461498fbb304a7c8720f372e0cf47c7\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000440\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e461498fbb304a7c8720f372e0cf47c7\u0022\u003EHon TODD McCLAY (Minister of Agriculture):\u003C/span\u003E Madam Speaker, thank you so very much. May I wish you and your colleagues the very best for the start of the new year and to say the sun on the West Coast may have been shining as much as it was in Rotorua, because you are looking relaxed and happy. It\u2019s very good to see you, Madam Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000441\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003ECan I start by thanking, as our Prime Minister did in his speech in this House earlier today, the farmers of New Zealand, the primary sector, for all that they have done and to reiterate as well about how much they are respected and how much we value their contribution. It\u2019s more than just economic\u2014although they are a very big part of growth in New Zealand and a very big part of the Government\u2019s plan not only to provide greater income to all New Zealanders through the doubling of the value of exports over a decade, \u2014they actually add to the fabric of what is important in New Zealand: the social fabric, the cultural fabric, and the things that make us a great nation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000442\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EI know that as, Madam Speaker, you and I have a slight suntan, the same sun that\u2019s shining around the country has grown grass in parts where we needed it, where it had previously been too wet or where there was rain. That grass is going to be transformed by the work of our farmers into high-quality, safe food products that the world wants and wants in abundance. They know, as this Government does, that we have an obligation to produce that high-quality, safe food\u2014the highest-quality and safest food produced anywhere in the world by our farmers. We have an obligation to do that so we can feed people everywhere, because there are parts of the world that aren\u2019t as lucky as New Zealand, where they don\u2019t have enough food and they need to buy it to feed their citizens from other parts of the world, and that\u2019s the role that our farmers play.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000443\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EIt hasn\u2019t happened just by chance. The men and women of rural New Zealand are some of the most innovative, hardest working from anywhere. I\u2019ve got to say, when I\u2019ve had the opportunity to be overseas occasionally, that, generally, farmers around the world are envious of what our farmers do because they have had a Government that has helped free them up to innovate. There are farmers in New Zealand today who have the same land that their families have always had, and they produce much more to sell to the world, to feed people around the world with fewer inputs and a smaller environmental footprint because of that innovation. That\u2019s what\u2019s best about agriculture in New Zealand\u2014the men and women who work hard every single day to meet their environmental obligations and produce more with less to sell to the world. That\u2019s how we become richer as a country and we become more productive.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000444\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EThe reason that I say that farmers in other parts of the world are envious is because they wish they had the ability to be freed up to produce food in the way our farmers do because, ultimately, in my experience, farmers just want to get on and farm. They will meet the obligations, they\u2019ll fill out the paperwork that they have to, but there should be a reason and a point to it. As the Prime Minister has said in his speech today and at the rural confidence tour with Federated Farmers at the end of last year, we want to back the primary sector and have farmers out farming, not sitting in their office, filling out forms to prove things that often can\u2019t be proven or take them away from the land. Yes, we\u2019ve all got obligations and there\u2019s always going to be a bit of paperwork, but when they\u2019re spending 20 to 30 percent of their time focused on that paperwork, then they\u2019re not innovating in the way that we need them to and they\u2019re certainly not as productive as we need them to be.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000445\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s very good news. As well as the grass growing at the moment, which means that the beef and the lamb\u2014where the prices are starting to improve\u2014will be of higher quality, there\u2019ll be more of it. Of course, our dairy industry will be able to produce more dairy for exactly the same number of cows as they had last year, but they will produce more, and that makes the country richer. Every single person in the country benefits as a result and it means that a high-quality product is overseas where we have to compete but we compete more easily because of that hard work.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000446\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EWe should, as a House, be united in our desire to lighten the load and the burden on those farmers so they can farm more, to have fewer regulations, better ones, and regulations that focus on an outcome that actually achieves something, rather than a press release from the Government that says, \u201CWe\u2019ve collected all this information.\u201D That\u2019s why you have seen, over the last 12 months, the Government work very, very hard to make it better for the rural sector, to simplify rules and regulations, to help them meet their obligations in climate change or in environment around water quality, because they want to do that, they\u2019re working with us, but to do so in such a way that we focus on the outcome, we don\u2019t just focus on the process.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000447\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve got to say that when we came into Government and during the course of last year, confidence in the rural sector was at an all-time low. Year upon year over the last six years of the previous Government, rural confidence was shattered, and we are working hard to rebuild it. I know that it\u2019s not far away from the sector and others doing their surveys of farmers, and I hope that that level of confidence has improved. Nothing to do with the Government; I hope it\u2019s improved because that will tell us that we\u2019re getting it right and that they feel backed by the Prime Minister and the coalition Government and that they are working as hard as they can for all New Zealanders to fix the economy and to grow incomes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000448\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EPart of that, of course, is making sure that interest rates come down. We\u2019re starting to see them come down. I won\u2019t mention who, but a farming leader told me that as there was the last cut to interest rates at the end of last year, what that actually meant for him on his small, moderate farm\u2014and he said it now actually takes away the decision that he faced about whether he would keep employing all the people he has on his farm or would have had to let one go. He said it means he can keep them there and can keep working hard and so on. There\u2019s a lot more work to be done there, but the reason the Government has been so focused over the last 12 months on being careful with Government spending in all areas, particularly in agriculture, is so that the interest rates could start to come down as inflation comes down. That is beneficial and good for our farmers.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000449\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EThe other part of this is that they produce the world\u2019s highest-quality, safest food and fibre, fruit, across the board\u2014there must be markets we can sell them to. Can I thank the Prime Minister for going back to work so early whilst the sun was still shining, when others weren\u2019t yet back at work, and flying across to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with me to put on paper the ink that signed the free-trade agreement with the UAE\u2014one of the highest quality on entry into force we\u2019ve negotiated and negotiated very, very quickly. The officials involved in that worked harder than we should ask them to, but they were up to the challenge and they found two Governments\u2014the UAE and New Zealand\u2014that just wanted to do a high-quality deal. We\u2019re going to work pretty hard and I hope there will be support across the House to get that deal through the parliamentary process as quickly as we can so New Zealand exporters and the workers that help produce the things we export will benefit straight away. As we negotiated this in record time, let\u2019s see if we can pass it through the House in record time, offering every New Zealander the chance to submit and speak on it if they want.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000450\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EThere\u2019s much more work we can do. The reason we do these trade deals\u2014and I want to recognise that the Opposition largely supported that legislation or that agreement\u2014is because we level the playing field and we make it fairer for all New Zealanders when they\u2019re overseas. It\u2019s easier for them to compete, they do better, they earn more, they come back, they get to pay their tax, but they invest in the economy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000451\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EA very big part of the Government\u2019s agenda is growth, growth, growth. I\u2019ve been given responsibility this year as a Minister, and a new responsibility, for investment, which is foreign direct investment. We\u2019re setting up a new agency which will not be bureaucratic, it won\u2019t be large, and it won\u2019t be expensive. It will be charged with working with New Zealanders to attract investment overseas that is good for New Zealanders and good for the country. It\u2019s as simple as this: we do not have the capital to do all the things that a Government might want, nor to build our businesses or industries in the way that we would like to. Other countries will look to partner with us and invest. and if it is good for New Zealand and good for New Zealanders, we should be open to it. That doesn\u2019t mean that all capital around the world will find its way here, nor should it, but there is a lot out there that can create jobs and can innovate and can modernise the economy and can help build the infrastructure that New\u00A0Zealanders and the Government will own, but build that infrastructure more quickly so that we can use it and rely upon it and improve our economy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000452\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c0f78f60-c2fd-46f4-8138-72f39692fc20\u0022\u003EAn economy is about people. It is more than just a definition in a dictionary. An economy is people, and when people are able to work hard and keep more of what they earn in the primary sector and elsewhere and they can provide for themselves, they are happier. It will be my job, along with others across Government, to look for the investment that we need to bring in here to grow our businesses to innovate, to back the scientific community, and to grow the economy. Growth is not a bad word; it\u2019s a good word. When you have growth in an economy, Governments get to provide more. We can provide more by taking less from the workers and the businesses. The Prime Minister has been clear: this is a year of growth, growth, growth. There are three parties in the coalition Government, there are three parts to that growth, and we are united in working hard for our farmers and every single New Zealander.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b8550e1a-ed25-44a2-b0e2-b0a8d52a7a80\u0022 data-id=\u00223c9db006b22946adb59ae17301baac9c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000453\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b8550e1a-ed25-44a2-b0e2-b0a8d52a7a80\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00223c9db006b22946adb59ae17301baac9c\u0022\u003ERACHEL BOYACK (Labour\u2014Nelson):\u003C/span\u003E \u201CHuia e! Huia tangata kotahi. He t\u014Dtara kua hinga.\u201D\u2014\u201CThe feather of the huia for someone special, one dearly departed.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000454\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b8550e1a-ed25-44a2-b0e2-b0a8d52a7a80\u0022\u003EOn New Year\u2019s Day, the Nelson-Tasman community was rocked with the tragic death of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming, who was killed while working the New Year\u2019s Eve shift to keep people safe in Buxton Square in Nelson\u2019s CBD. Can I acknowledge the support in the comments just made by our police Minister, Mark Mitchell, which I wholeheartedly endorse.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000455\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b8550e1a-ed25-44a2-b0e2-b0a8d52a7a80\u0022\u003ESenior Sergeant Fleming had given 38 years of service to the community as a police officer. She was known as the matriarch of the Nelson police station, where she was a trusted mentor, quiet leader, and kind friend to many. She looked after the wellbeing of other officers while also setting high standards of service and professionalism. Her work extended into the community as a much-loved netball coach. She was humble. Many who worked for the police didn\u2019t know of her dedicated service to netball, while many in the netball community didn\u2019t know she was a police officer. She wasn\u2019t one to blow her own trumpet.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000456\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b8550e1a-ed25-44a2-b0e2-b0a8d52a7a80\u0022\u003EEvery person who goes to work should come home safely to their family, and this includes our police and other first responders who work to keep our community safe. The outpouring of grief and support from the community shows how much Nelson values the work of our police and first responders. They and their families make enormous sacrifices to protect our communities, and they deserve our utmost respect. As Police Commissioner Richard Chambers so aptly said, \u201CWe must remember: behind the uniform is a human being.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000457\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b8550e1a-ed25-44a2-b0e2-b0a8d52a7a80\u0022\u003EThe Nelson community has come together in the most remarkable way to support Lyn\u2019s family and friends, her police family, and each other following this tragic event. The laying of flowers and notes at the central city police station, the thousands who signed condolence books, the beautiful community vigil held on the church steps where 2,000 people stood in the pouring rain to acknowledge Lyn and our local police, and the minute\u2019s silence at the Saxton Oval and on the streets of Nelson were incredible examples of Nelson\u2019s love and support for Lyn\u2019s family, our local police, and those who witnessed this tragic incident.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000458\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b8550e1a-ed25-44a2-b0e2-b0a8d52a7a80\u0022\u003EI also want to acknowledge Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay, who was critically injured. Nelsonians continue to ask about his recovery out of genuine care and concern for his wellbeing. Adam, please know that the whole Nelson community is right behind you as you continue your recovery.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000459\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b8550e1a-ed25-44a2-b0e2-b0a8d52a7a80\u0022\u003EI want to pay particular acknowledgment to those who were present at Buxton Square and who immediately came to Lyn and Adam\u2019s aid, as well as the other members of the public and officers\u2014who were injured. They were local first responders, witnesses, and other police officers working the beat that night. Your selflessness and care for Lyn and Adam was exemplary.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000460\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b8550e1a-ed25-44a2-b0e2-b0a8d52a7a80\u0022\u003ETo the team at Nelson Hospital who worked so desperately hard to try and save Lyn and provided the most remarkable care for her and her family, my thanks to you on behalf of the Nelson community for your incredible skill and service.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000461\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b8550e1a-ed25-44a2-b0e2-b0a8d52a7a80\u0022\u003EPolice Remembrance Day is 29 September. Every year, the local police, their families, and supporters gather at the flagpole at Nelson station. I never thought I would see the flagpole outside the Nelson station at half-mast for one of our own fallen officers. Tragic events like this shouldn\u2019t happen, and it is not how anyone in Nelson or across New Zealand wished for the year to begin. I was out in Nelson on New Year\u2019s Eve. I saw and spoke to officers out on the beat. It was a happy and celebratory night. This event was such a dreadful shock and it shouldn\u2019t have happened. I thank Nelsonians for the compassion they have shown to those affected by this senseless tragedy and ask our community to continue keeping Lyn\u2019s family and our local police in their thoughts over the coming weeks and months.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000462\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b8550e1a-ed25-44a2-b0e2-b0a8d52a7a80\u0022\u003EIn particular, we continue to think of Lyn\u2019s immediate family: her husband, Bryn; children, Rayna and Aren; parents, Ray and Colleen; and siblings, Woody, Carol, and Jo. As Lyn\u2019s son, Aren, said at Lyn\u2019s funeral, there are no words. There are no words to express the grief and sorrow from this senseless tragedy. Rest in peace, Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming, New Zealand Police LFE773, whose watch ended 1 January 2025.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022 data-id=\u002283aa9be5a21f4912a68ed5a534350fe2\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000463\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002283aa9be5a21f4912a68ed5a534350fe2\u0022\u003EGLEN BENNETT (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E Kia ora, Madam Speaker. It is always a privilege to stand in this House, but it is also a heavy privilege to be in this position and to be a member of Parliament. I came in this morning with hopes and dreams, and by about 30 seconds into the Prime Minister\u2019s speech, I think most of those were crushed and destroyed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000464\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EAs we spend time debating the Prime Minister\u2019s address and his plan for 2025, it is really interesting to listen to his narrative and what the Prime Minister talks about and what the Government talks about. I just want to focus for a moment on the Government; interestingly, most of the Government Ministers spent most of their time talking about us. They talk about unleashing our economy, but I feel like they should be talking more about unleashing economic hardship. If we look at the numbers, if we actually look at the statistics about what\u2019s going on, this Government is failing on the economy. If you look at GDP growth, it has plummeted from what was 2.4 percent under Labour and is now on its steepest decline since 1991\u2014if you take aside the blip of COVID-19. This Government is unleashing economic hardship.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000465\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EI also think about, when it comes to the cost of living\u2014do we remember that phrase and narrative, which just seems to have vanished from the lips of the Prime Minister and the Government. It seems that they have abandoned their focus on helping everyday New Zealanders when it comes to the challenges of the cost of living, when things like insurance and rates and fuel and energy, and transport costs continue to go up with inflation. They continue to go up. It seems that they have just forgotten about that thing called the cost of living, which they spoke so much about.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000466\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EThen we look at this Government unleashing, let\u2019s just say, privatisation\u2014the fact that they are flirting with this idea of privatisation, where the soon to be Deputy Prime Minister put that \u201Cp\u201D word firmly in his state of the nation speech last Friday. From my perspective, in the community where I live in New Plymouth, we know privatisation well and what it means for our community. Back in the 1990s, the then National Government sold off more than 11,500 State houses around Aotearoa New Zealand, and in New Plymouth, in Marfell, where I live, that ravaged the community. In terms of \u201CThe private market will care for tenants.\u201D, \u201CThe private market will be OK and fix it.\u201D, if you drive around the community of Marfell today, people often say, \u201COh, that must be a State house. That must be a State house. That must be a State house\u201D, but they aren\u2019t State houses; those are privately owned homes that were sold off when they did the privatisation of the 1990s when it came to housing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000467\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EIf we look at that, we realise that privatisation and flirting with this idea, whether it be health, whether it be education, is something we should be really concerned about. As I think about that privatisation and looking at Marfell from the 1990s, we look at the fact that they seem to be unleashing homelessness. As I look around my community, as we look around the communities of New Zealand, we see that they seem to be just shutting things down; they seem to be ignoring\u2014in fact, stopping\u2014the State housing build, and it is not good.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000468\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EThen we come to unleashing our climate crisis. Again, in Taranaki, we were working to unleash an economy around clean, renewable energy, but this Government passed the fast-track approvals bill\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000469\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ab28e4dadf9e4a48bccee3cdedd872d8\u0022\u003EHon Nicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: Say yes to fast track, then\u2014fast-track renewable energy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000470\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fb1f7fbb157e40259a5e99565b614f41\u0022\u003EGLEN BENNETT\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s what I\u2019m talking about. They passed the fast-track approvals bill, which will stop, Ms Willis\u2014the fact that offshore wind won\u2019t be able to happen, because on that list is seabed mining, and seabed mining cannot coexist with offshore wind. We were working hard\u2014in fact, one of the big overseas companies has already exited New Zealand because they realise that offshore wind is no longer a possibility because of fast track, because of the fact that they just want to do dirty mining offshore, at sea.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000471\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221cd33f16-add4-4363-a2d4-f457841a5c4c\u0022\u003EWhen I look at what\u2019s going on, it\u2019s not about our economy; it\u2019s about unleashing meanness, about unleashing division, about unleashing environmental degradation, and about unleashing economic hardship. We need to be concerned in 2025. We made it through, but how are we going to get to the end? I think and know that we need a change of Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022 data-id=\u0022fc1b8d291e0a417198bbf24769e45198\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000472\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022fc1b8d291e0a417198bbf24769e45198\u0022\u003EHon BROOKE VAN VELDEN (Minister of Internal Affairs):\u003C/span\u003E It is great to be back in Parliament. It is going to be a good year for New Zealand and for this Government. I hope that every Kiwi out there has had a great summer break. I know that for many workers in New Zealand, there isn\u2019t too much of a break, and I\u2019m thinking in particular of some of those farmers who still have to get up even on Christmas Day because it turns out that cows don\u2019t celebrate Christmas.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000473\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003EThere are a lot of people who are working hard throughout the summer break, including our first responders. We really thank them for what they\u2019ve done to help keep Kiwis safe with their families when they\u2019ve been out and about in the community.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000474\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003EA lot of people will be returning in 2025 for the work year and for the school year, and I really hope it\u2019s a good one for them, but we also know that there are some people in New Zealand who have been really struggling, and there is a particular concern about the cost of living and the economy and what we can do as a Government to ensure that more Kiwis can have a better life and a more comfortable life. It\u2019s my hope that we can get some really good wins for everybody who wants to do better for themselves and for their families this year and into the future. That\u2019s why this Government\u2014and, in particular, supported by ACT\u2014has a real focus on the economy and getting the cost of living down.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000475\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003ENow, it\u2019s really good that in 2025, entering the year, we are seeing the official cash rate in the actual band that we want to see, between 1 and 3 percent, but we\u2019re still going to really work hard to get that down so that there\u2019s more money in people\u2019s pockets and the value of every dollar isn\u2019t being sucked away by inflation. That\u2019s a real focus for us.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000476\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003EWe have campaigned in ACT on reducing wasteful spending so more Kiwis do have more money in their own back pocket, and it means that we\u2019re focusing on what the Government can do well, where we can get efficiencies and make better moves so that our New Zealand taxpayer dollars go further for more people since we have been in Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000477\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003EI\u2019m really proud of our ACT Party Ministers and our under-secretary, who have been working really, really hard across the board. We\u2019ve got David Seymour. He\u2019s been working as the Minister for Regulation, trying to figure out where all those niggles are, all the cost, all that red tape that\u2019s just burdening us down. And he started up that tip line so people could phone in and email in about all the regulations that they want the Ministry for Regulation to look into, and I\u2019d really encourage everyone to do that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000478\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve got Nicole McKee, who is working diligently on improving anti - money-laundering legislation to relieve the regulatory pressure on businesses that is so needed for all of these New Zealand companies who find the burden of anti - money-laundering too hard.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000479\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003EAndrew Hoggard has been working hard at restoring confidence to rural New Zealand by preventing further restrictions on what farmers can do with their own land. That is so important for the rural folk of New Zealand who often got forgotten by previous Governments but have a core part of this coalition Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000480\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003EKaren Chhour has been keeping children at the centre of everything she does, and she\u2019s been increasing the efficiency of the care system with the millions of dollars of contracts and making sure it\u2019s going to the best interests of the children and not getting lost in the system.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000481\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003ESimon Court has got one of the most important jobs of trying to reform the Resource Management Act to make sure that we can build and we can grow as an economy. That is so important. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000482\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003EThere are so many other things that we\u2019ve been working on, and we are very excited for 2025. In my role in workplace relations and safety over the past year, I spent a lot of time out in the community talking to real New Zealanders, not here in Wellington. I can\u2019t wait to get out of the place most weeks so I can go and talk to people who are actually affected by our laws, people who pay the bills, who help keep this place running. We had the health and safety roadshow. I thought it was really, really important to go and talk to workers and to business owners on the ground to figure out how we get the balance right to keep people safe at work but also ensure that businesses aren\u2019t burdened by unnecessary costs and too-high costs.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000483\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003ENow, nearly every week when I\u2019m in the community, people raise the issue of road cones. We\u2019ve got to fix that. People at the end of last year were talking about Santa parade compliance. Once again, we\u2019ve got to fix that, but we\u2019ve got to fix health and safety reform and compliance for everybody in any type of industry who\u2019s feeling like it\u2019s just too hard to figure out what you\u2019ve got to do right. That\u2019s what I\u2019m focusing on for this year and I look forward to talking to more workers and businesses.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000484\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve got a lot happening in the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA). We have been focusing on improving the effectiveness and efficiency of Internal Affairs over the last year. We found savings of $421 million last year alone, and that work will continue into this year so every New Zealander knows that the Department of Internal Affairs is there to help them from birth all the way to death and everything in between. It\u2019s a huge department, but we\u2019re doing it right and we\u2019re doing it efficiently and effectively. We\u2019re responsible for things like passports and citizenship. I think it\u2019s really important that any person who\u2019s dealing with the DIA has a very good experience with it and it\u2019s an effective and quick experience, but there are so many improvements that we can look to make there in this year ahead.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000485\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003EDIA is also responsible for Fire and Emergency New Zealand, and, once again, I really thank our first responders who do get up every day to think how they can keep other Kiwis in their community safe. We wouldn\u2019t have the fire service if it wasn\u2019t for really dedicated volunteers in our community. Over the past year, we managed to find savings even within Fire and Emergency, so that people who pay for Fire and Emergency through a levy don\u2019t have to pay as much as what Fire and Emergency was originally asking, and we will keep raising that question.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000486\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003EWith the time I\u2019ve got still available, I just want to say it\u2019s been a real pleasure coming back in 2025 for the first day here in Parliament. I\u2019ve been out in my electorate, in T\u0101maki, for the past couple of weeks, listening to people on the street, and one thing that they\u2019ve been really saying is \u201CKeep going.\u201D They back this Government. They really want us to do well. They know that we have their best interests at heart, that we want to create better policies so that every Kiwi\u2019s life can improve. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000487\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003EWe also know that the role of electorate MPs quite often goes by the wayside. We don\u2019t hear about it too much because a lot of it is dealing with very, very personal issues, and I\u2019d like to thank my staff who work, in my absence, to help people on things like their ACC claims, their immigration claims, and working with, for example, a solo mother who had a disabled child and was unable to get them into a specialist school. We managed to get that child into a school so that that mother could return back to work and get back into the workforce.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000488\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002266f06e7e-afa8-457f-a105-048b86a13282\u0022\u003EThank you, everybody, for your support, not just in T\u0101maki but for the ACT Party and for this coalition Government. We are here to have a great year, and we\u2019re here to back you and get this economy moving.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022 data-id=\u0022d0220e99f7c4432e85eecc7c543115a7\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000489\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d0220e99f7c4432e85eecc7c543115a7\u0022\u003EHon NICOLA WILLIS (Minister of Finance):\u003C/span\u003E I move, That this debate be now adjourned.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000490\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000491\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003EDebate interrupted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000492\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f12da0af-dc73-4870-8f77-1d50a75eb44c\u0022\u003ESitting suspended from 6.03 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=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000493\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022bbba4d81339b4e8da478c1382befccf7\u0022\u003ELand Transport (Drug Driving) Amendment Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000494\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022d727c57be4644655bbc4978fd7d63090\u0022\u003ESecond Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022 data-id=\u002246cdbd944b924a2786e95c1d1df7b00d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000495\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002246cdbd944b924a2786e95c1d1df7b00d\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS BISHOP (Minister of Transport):\u003C/span\u003E I present a legislative statement on the Land Transport (Drug Driving) Amendment Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000496\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b3d6ce686fc94c83899a4ad8b341769b\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: That legislative statement is published under the authority of the House and can be found on the Parliament website.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000497\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002234e21e28d497428ca27f6c20e1d96c48\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS BISHOP\u003C/span\u003E: I move, That the Land Transport (Drug Driving) Amendment Bill be now read a second time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000498\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003EFirst of all, this is my first speech as the newly appointed\u2014three days in\u2014Minister of Transport, and I want to start by acknowledging the work of my predecessor, the Hon Simeon Brown, who\u2019s\u2014I was going to say moved on to better things, but I\u2019m not sure that\u2019s necessarily true. He\u2019s moved on to a different portfolio, and I\u2019ve picked up the mantle of the Government\u2019s important work in transport and infrastructure.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000499\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003EI want to start by acknowledging him and the work that he and the team at the Ministry of Transport and Police did on this piece of work, and I also want to acknowledge the Transport and Infrastructure Committee\u2014very ably chaired by Andy Foster\u2014and sound contributions from across the House. I want to thank everyone who made a submission on this bill. In particular, I want to thank Dr Helen Poulsen from the Institute of Environmental Science and Research\u2014ESR\u2014for her invaluable expert advice on this very technical piece of legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000500\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003EAlcohol and drugs, as I think most members will know, are the number one contributing factor in fatal road crashes in New Zealand. In 2022, they were contributors to 200 fatal crashes on our roads. Despite this, police have no way to undertake saliva testing for drugs at the roadside, and only 26 percent of drivers think they are likely to be caught while driving under the influence of drugs. Just reflect on that: 75 percent of people think that they are unlikely to be caught while driving under the influence of drugs.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000501\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003ENow, as members will know, this issue of roadside oral fluid drug testing has an interesting history. I think I\u2019m right in saying this is Parliament\u2019s third attempt at introducing roadside drug testing. The last legislation, introduced by the previous Government, did not work as there was no commercially available testing device that met the criteria, so we committed to solving this problem, and, indeed, that is what this bill does.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000502\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003EThe amendments to the Land Transport Act are focused on creating a workable regime that reflects the capability of drug-testing devices available. It enables oral fluid testing at the roadside to better detect and deter people driving after consuming impairing drugs. From 2019 to 2023, crashes involving drug-drivers claimed the lives of 108 people each year on average. That is 30 percent of road deaths annually, and, as I said before, only 26 percent of people think they are likely to be caught.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000503\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003EThe detection and deterrence of drug-driving, complementary to the successful alcohol breath testing regime\u2014which I might note, in passing, was controversial when first introduced, and it is actually instructive to go and read the Hansard back from the 1990s when Parliament made the far-sighted decision to say, \u201CToo many people drink and drive. You need a deterrence and a detection system out there to make sure that fewer people do it and that those who do get caught and then get punished.\u201D There were all sorts of debates about rights and testing and unreasonable search and seizure. It actually is true to say that the land transport amendment Act 1991, from memory, got a section 7 report under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act, and Parliament went ahead and did it anyway because they thought it was the right thing to do.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000504\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003EIt was a bit controversial at the time, but it is impossible to envisage a New Zealand today in which there is no roadside breath testing. I mean, just imagine that. It is impossible to imagine a situation where we didn\u2019t have roadside breath testing. It is now a completely normal and accepted part of everyday New Zealand society, and, actually, this Government has put more money into increasing the numbers of breath tests, because there was a steep decline in previous years.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000505\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003EThere were concerns at the Transport and Infrastructure Committee about the regime targeting recent drug use rather than impairment. Now, clearly, impairment varies from person to person, and the relationship between drug concentrations in oral fluid and impairment is complex. Devices test for drug concentrations above a threshold that captures recent drug use. The regime uses recent use as a proxy for impairment. This is similar, as I say, to the alcohol testing regime.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000506\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003EAnother concern raised by submitters was about the accuracy. We know that the devices are not always 100 percent accurate. A small number of roadside screening tests with false results, both positive and negative, are unavoidable, given the capability of the devices. To mitigate this, two positive screening tests will be required at the roadside before a driver is stood down.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000507\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003EThe bill also introduces a requirement for an oral fluid sample to be sent to an approved laboratory for testing, following a positive screening test result at the roadside. An infringement fee and demerit points will only be issued if the laboratory test detects the presence of a specified qualifying drug at a level that is indicative of recent use.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000508\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003ENow, the select committee has recommended some changes, which the Government will agree to, in relation to the approval criteria for roadside oral fluid screening devices. There was a risk, I\u2019m advised, that commercially available screening devices would still not meet the approval criteria due to the ambiguity surrounding some of the criteria. The new criteria allows the Minister of Police to approve devices after considering the accuracy of the device and the extent to which the threshold used by the device will return a positive result that indicates recent use of a drug or family of drugs. The Minister of Police will need to consider these factors in the context of the overall purpose of the new regime to better detect and deter drivers after recently using drugs. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000509\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003EThe bill as reported back requires the Minister of Police to consider device accuracy in light of the requirements for screening oral fluid as set out in the relevant provisions. The provisions require two positive screening tests at the roadside before a person is prohibited from driving for 12 hours. This is intended to mitigate the possibility of action being taken at the roadside because of false positive screening test results.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000510\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003ENow, I mentioned, before, the implications for rights and freedoms. The bill does have implications, and there have been concerns raised by the Attorney-General and submitters, so the committee considered whether the bill should include a maximum time limit for enforcement officers to administer the first screening test. The committee asked that this issue be given further thought. The Government has thought about these concerns, and we appreciate them. We are not proposing to amend the bill in this way, because of the range of factors that influence the length of time taken to complete a screening test\u2014for example, the time for the device to return a result, the cooperation of the driver, the ability of the driver to produce enough oral fluid.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000511\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003EHere\u2019s the rub: legislating a time frame potentially incentivises drivers to prolong the process in order to avoid undergoing a test. That would send the wrong message and incentive, clearly, and it would completely undermine the effectiveness of the regime. It\u2019s worth again, also, bearing in mind it\u2019s out of step with the alcohol breath testing regime\u2014essentially, we are bringing the law around drugs, as much as we possibly can, into line with the law around alcohol.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000512\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003EThere are further amendments which the Government supports. One was a provision for drivers to seek an independent laboratory test, as I\u2019ve covered off, aligning with alcohol breath testing. The committee also recommended changes to simplify the statutory review process, requiring the review to be completed within five years of the bill\u2019s commencement. The Government will support those changes. Another change was to remove restrictions that currently prevent an enforcement officer from switching to a compulsory impairment test once they have initiated an oral fluid screening test. This change ensures that officers are supported to use their judgment where they have good cause to suspect drug use.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000513\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003EI want to take this opportunity to reassure members that the regime is designed with safeguards to ensure fair administration. Devices will have built-in positive screening thresholds to avoid capturing drivers with low levels of drugs. The 12-hour stand-down period following two positive screening tests is intended to address the immediate road safety risk the driver poses. A medical defence will still be available to ensure that the oral fluid testing regime does not penalise drivers who are taking prescription medication at the direction of their medical health professional.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000514\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002257e41e9d-285b-4fb3-847d-a63820ae7137\u0022\u003EThe bill is a key action in the Government\u2019s plan to improve road safety, actively addressing the contributing factor to over 100 road deaths annually. As I said before, I do believe that, as other countries have done and other jurisdictions have done, we will eventually look back in a few years\u2019 time and say, \u201CGoodness me. How extraordinary was it that you could get high and drive without anyone thinking that they would possibly catch you and, unsurprisingly, a bunch of people do that, and how extraordinary is it that that is the case?\u201D Eventually, we will sit back, as we do now about alcohol breath testing, which was similarly controversial at the time, and say, \u201CGoodness me! How crazy was it that in the 1980s you could drink and drive and no one went out and checked whether or not you were drinking and driving?\u201D We will eventually do exactly the same thing for drugs, and that is why I commend the bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022 data-id=\u00225c20eb8c35264a79ae7117d59d976fa6\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000515\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225c20eb8c35264a79ae7117d59d976fa6\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The question is that the motion be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022 data-id=\u00227a8c4acbef3a4566b3ce06c3efce6723\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000516\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227a8c4acbef3a4566b3ce06c3efce6723\u0022\u003ETANGI UTIKERE (Labour\u2014Palmerston North):\u003C/span\u003E Kia orana, Madam Speaker. It\u2019s a pleasure to rise on behalf of the Labour Party. We supported this bill at first reading, we supported it through select committee, and we\u2019ll continue to support it at second reading, with a couple of caveats there. Can I first acknowledge the Minister of Transport, Chris Bishop, on his new portfolio. Members on this side of the House agree that road safety as a priority is important and that anything that will prevent fatalities and injuries on our roading network is a good thing to do. That\u2019s why Labour did introduce a regime when it was in Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000517\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003EI want to acknowledge the members of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee, a very collegial committee. Can I acknowledge the chair, Andy Foster, for chairing us through this process. I think the select committee report actually is a very fair reflection of the conversations and the issues that the committee tussled with and, effectively, where we landed as a committee, as well. I want to acknowledge the advisers that provided advice to the committee. I also, along with the Minister, want to acknowledge Dr Helen Poulsen, who was able to provide, from the Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd (ESR), a scientific basis and background to testing, and, actually\u2014certainly for me\u2014provided a level of comfort around the testing that does take place out at ESR, but it\u2019s still important to be able to understand what can be a complex issue moving forward.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000518\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003EOne of the things that the Minister did touch on, and it\u2019s something that members on this side of the House don\u2019t have comfort around, was the concerns that the Attorney-General did raise. There were a couple of concerns that she raised in her report. One was around the possibility of detaining someone for a period of time that was rather excessive on an arbitrary sort of notion; the other was around the freedom from unreasonable search and seizure. What the committee did is that it worked extremely hard to then turn its mind to try and address some of the issues that had been raised.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000519\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003EI have to say that I\u2019m very disappointed to hear from the Minister that one of the issues that was in the select committee\u2014a possible maximum time by which a driver would be detained on the roadside\u2014which the committee was really encouraging the Government to turn its mind to, is something that the Government is not prepared to pursue. I say that because the select committee, I thought, worked in an extremely collegial way to get to a point where it signalled to the Government that this is something that members on that committee, including National members on that committee, were very comfortable to have. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000520\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003ENow, we weren\u2019t able to land on a particular time period, because of two reasons: one, the advisers were not in a position to be able to provide a specific time frame to us, and, secondly, the amount of time that the committee had\u2014because this was on a truncated sort of time frame in front of the committee\u2014meant that we weren\u2019t able to delve into this issue perhaps as deeply as we would have liked to. So those were the constraints that led to the committee being very clear in its select committee report back to this House that there really is an expectation that the Government, in seeking to address the concerns that the Attorney-General has made around this bill, will turn its mind to implementing a maximum time frame. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000521\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003EWe heard from the advisers that one of the reasons for not having a maximum time frame was because an alcohol breath-screening test doesn\u2019t have that. When we turn our mind to other jurisdictions, like Australia, where, in some situations, a first screening test could be up to 10 minutes, in other circumstances, a second oral fluid test could be up to 40 minutes, the view from members on this side of the House\u2014and I thought of the committee at the time as well\u2014was that there needed to be a fair understanding of what is a fair period of time that anyone that is driving here in New Zealand can expect to actually be stopped on the side of the road for the first oral fluid test; the second one is redundant, because if you get to the second one it means that your first test has, effectively, returned a positive. The limitations on freedom, in my view and of members of this side of the House, are not as great if you\u2019ve already sort of gone across that first hurdle. I think that it\u2019s unfortunate to hear from the new Minister that the Government are not going to take up that suggestion by the select committee, because I thought, actually, it was something that members from across the House were keen to see actually implemented as part of that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000522\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003EThere is one time limitation in existing statute, and that relates to identity, where a police officer can, effectively, hold someone at the roadside for up to 15 minutes before either having to release them or let them go or, basically, charge them or arrest them, and that\u2019s for failing to being able to establish the identity of a driver. Now, even the Attorney-General, the Hon Judith Collins, in her report on this bill, indicated that anything above 15 minutes, basically, called into question this issue of what is an unreasonable period of time to detain someone. I do hope that the Government do see a way through this and that when we come to the committee of the whole House stage, they may change their mind to reflect the views that the select committee listened to and what it was that we were able to hear as well, because that certainly was an expectation from members to respond to the concerns that were raised by the Attorney-General.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000523\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003EOne of the other things that came up through the select committee was\u2014and I do hope that this is not the case\u2014procurement wishing to drive what the provisions are in the legislation. I would hope that that is not what this new-found position of the Government is on that particular matter. It\u2019s really important that when this piece of legislation goes through the process, we consider what needs to be in it, what needs to be out of it; that is what drives procurement. I don\u2019t think it\u2019s appropriate to have a situation where the decisions as to what is going to be in the bill or in the legislation, or what is not, is going to be driven by an ability to, basically, procure devices or otherwise, and that was made very clear through the select committee process.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000524\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002262ff759d-9586-405a-a6e6-208ad65adeb5\u0022\u003EAt this stage, we, I guess, tentatively look to support it. But we will reserve, through the committee of the whole House stage, given the surprise position that the Government have just sprung on the House in terms of not wishing to support the proposals that were outlined\u2014I do hope that they reflect on that and, perhaps, we could have a different outcome to make it more workable, more fair, and get some consensus across the House on what is a pretty important issue.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022 data-id=\u00224d91d577bcd949ce9e33e2a8a8753343\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000525\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224d91d577bcd949ce9e33e2a8a8753343\u0022\u003EHon JULIE ANNE GENTER (Green\u2014Rongotai):\u003C/span\u003E T\u0113n\u0101 koe, Madam Speaker and t\u0113n\u0101 koutou e te Whare. I\u2019ll start by congratulating the new Minister on his role as Minister of Transport\u2014very exciting. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000526\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003ESecondly, I want to acknowledge the hard, hard work of the excellent Transport and Infrastructure Committee on this bill. I do find that it is an incredibly constructive and collegial committee, and I wouldn\u2019t have said that about all the committees I\u2019ve sat on in my time in this House\u2014now at 13 years.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000527\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003EI do have some history with this bill, having been Associate Minister of Transport responsible for road safety at the time that we first started looking into the possibility of doing this. Last term, we none the less opposed that bill finally after submissions at select committee, and this bill amends that legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000528\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003ENow, one of the goals, I think, in addressing this\u2014like, there\u2019s no question that cars are very dangerous. They\u2019re extremely dangerous machines. In fact, it\u2019s really interesting, I was looking at this infographic, which is quite astounding to me: \u201CThe World\u2019s Deadliest Animals\u201D. People killed per year by sharks, four people; by a wolf, 10 people; 1,000 people killed by crocodiles; 475,000 killed by humans intentionally; 725,000 killed by mosquitoes. We compare that to sharks, which I know a lot of people are afraid of. Mosquitoes would be the world\u2019s deadliest animal, except that nearly twice as many people are killed by car drivers or in car crashes. Often times, I think it\u2019s normal that humans\u2014we didn\u2019t evolve with cars so we\u2019re much more worried about sharks and wolves and possibly being murdered, but people are far more likely to die in a car crash, unfortunately. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000529\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003ERoad safety was a huge priority for me, always has been, and was when I was the Minister and developed the evidence-based road safety strategy and action plan, which was trying to address the biggest factors. The reality is that most car crashes are not done on purpose; most people are not killed on purpose in car crashes\u2014the vast majority. However, people do make mistakes and that\u2019s one of the reasons the alcohol testing regime is so important.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000530\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003EPeople are far more likely to make mistakes when they\u2019re under the influence of alcohol\u2014there is no question\u2014and they\u2019re more likely to make mistakes if they\u2019re impaired because of some sort of substance, be that a drug that is regulated under the Misuse of Drugs Act and is technically illegal, or whether it is a medicine that\u2019s been prescribed by a health practitioner. There are a whole range of substances that can impair people\u2019s ability while they\u2019re driving. It\u2019s an incredibly important responsibility that if people are using a motor vehicle, they\u2019re in the best possible state.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000531\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003EBeing incredibly fatigued will impair drivers. Indeed, a number of studies have shown that doctors after work, or even medical students, people who\u2019ve been working 24- or 36-hour shifts with no sleep, were more likely to be in a seriously damaging car crash or a fatal car crash than people who were severely impaired by alcohol. This legislation doesn\u2019t do anything about the fact that some people who drive when they\u2019re fatigued will be incredibly impaired and high risk. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000532\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003EThis legislation by itself cannot solve most car crashes, and will not, unfortunately. The numbers that are being used, the statistics that have been cited by the Government to say that drugs and alcohol are the single largest contributing factor\u2014well, that\u2019s only because they\u2019ve combined drugs and alcohol. If we split out drugs and alcohol, speed trumps both of them. Driving at a speed that is inappropriate for the conditions is more likely to influence or is responsible for more fatal crashes in New Zealand than drugs separately or alcohol separately.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000533\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003EUnfortunately, the biggest problem, I think, with the legislation and with this approach is that, unlike with alcohol, for most of these substances, the presence of the substance in the blood or in saliva cannot be sufficiently correlated to impairment. We do need a lot more research and work done on that, because it is important that there is some deterrent factor that people don\u2019t believe they can use an impairing substance and then drive. It is really, really important that we do something about that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000534\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003EHowever, at the select committee, we heard from a number of submitters. The majority of submissions were opposed to the bill as it was introduced, and that was primarily due to this problem of the difficulty of reliably establishing impairment from either oral fluid or blood tests. I\u2019ll quote the Law Society, which recommended that the bill not proceed, and quoted the Independent Expert Panel on Drug Driving in its submission: \u201CThe use of oral fluid as a determining feature for immediate sanction raises \u2026 significant issues. The Independent Expert Panel on Drug Driving \u2026 has documented a number of the issues including the unreliability of drug concentration found in oral mucosa as related to the blood concentration, the pharmacodynamics which significantly alter the amount of drug concentration in oral mucosa, and the link between impairment and blood drug concentration being [much] more widely known and studied than the oral drug concentration.\u201D Then we heard the same from the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000535\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003EI know it\u2019s easy to come in here and say this, but it\u2019s not plausible to say, \u201CPeople, the reason for this legislation is because we\u2019re really concerned about road safety.\u201D, and then completely ignore all the experts on every other aspect of road safety. The chief trauma surgeon in the New Zealand Medical Journal wrote in extremely concerned, and a whole range of experts have criticised the last Minister\u2019s policy on speed management as being completely not evidence based and going to result in more people dying and being seriously injured.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000536\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003EI would accept the argument that people are really concerned about road safety if they were taking an evidence-based approach. I can understand why many of the members of this House will support this legislation, because they do believe that doing something is better than doing nothing. However, the position of the Green Party is: do least harm first. Based on the submissions, based on the expert evidence, based on the fact that we simply cannot establish impairment from the presence of the vast majority of these substances, we cannot support this legislation as it is proposed at second reading, and so we will not.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000537\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003EI mean, the most important thing is recognising that, yes, there is a problem. The question is: is the proposed solution actually going to address that problem? At the very least, I do hope that the Government will carry on with monitoring and evaluation. While it is true that there are other jurisdictions that use oral drug testing to screen for illicit drug use and sometimes for pharmaceutical impairing drugs, there is no comprehensive evidence that suggests that that has meaningfully reduced impaired driving in those countries or that there\u2019s been a significant reduction in the number of people being harmed on the roads as a result of those regimes. If there were such evidence, I think it would be a lot easier for the Green Party to support this bill. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000538\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003EThe most serious potential problem, I think, was raised in the New Zealand Drug Foundation submission on the bill, which I highly recommend people look at. They propose an enhanced model of impairment testing that would actually pick up impairment and not just presence. There has been a recent study in Australia which demonstrated that when they tested for impairment of people using medicinal cannabis, those people were not impaired and yet they still had blood concentration levels that would have received an infringement or possibly even a criminal penalty for THC. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000539\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003EThe big issue here is that THC is not like alcohol. Another big issue is that there\u2019s a whole lot of different substances that are added together to talk about the drugs that are proven to influence fatal crashes in New Zealand. And not all of those drugs\u2014in fact, the vast majority of them won\u2019t be screened for. Some of them can\u2019t be screened for with these oral fluid testing devices, so there\u2019ll really only be one or two, maybe three, substances tested for, and one that\u2019s definitely likely to be on that list is THC. People are using medicinal cannabis and without having any ability to tell whether those people are actually impaired or not\u2014because blood level and saliva level doesn\u2019t necessarily correlate to impairment in the same way that alcohol does. That\u2019s why the Green Party will not be supporting this bill. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022cfc7092e-b202-4acf-aa9c-8aebd551cc39\u0022 data-id=\u0022be6e8a8299e347c0b9d3a968f0d6be68\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cfc7092e-b202-4acf-aa9c-8aebd551cc39\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022be6e8a8299e347c0b9d3a968f0d6be68\u0022\u003ECAMERON LUXTON (ACT):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. Firstly, I\u2019d like to thank the new Minister of Transport for his introduction to this bill; it was a little surprising, some of the stuff we heard. I\u2019ll also echo the previous committee members who have spoken\u2014to thank Dr Helen Poulsen at the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) for the sound advice she\u2019s given us and for the tour of the facility during the select committee process, in a select committee which I also believe is an extremely collegial and helpful place to be discussing these issues, ably chaired by Andy Foster. The entire committee works in quite a good way. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000541\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cfc7092e-b202-4acf-aa9c-8aebd551cc39\u0022\u003EThe Transport and Infrastructure Committee went out to ESR, and I think that trip settled a lot of issues people had about privacy. One of the issues that I was concerned about initially was the use of samples for other things beyond driving, like some kind of Misuse of Drugs Act offence, but we\u2019ve been assured that is not the case with this bill and that won\u2019t be a part of it. The thresholds were designed, we heard in committee, to be a proxy for impairment. As the previous member has just alluded to, it\u2019s not an easy thing to judge\u2014impairment as a proxy with saliva levels\u2014because, as the research is being conducted now to come up with these levels, there needed to be a bit more leeway given to getting devices that can actually measure these things. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000542\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cfc7092e-b202-4acf-aa9c-8aebd551cc39\u0022\u003EI do have to say I was rather disappointed in the committee to have the advice from the officials that \u201CWe can\u2019t give you decent options around the time that it will take to do these tests, because we don\u2019t have procurement, and procurement\u2019s going to have to follow the law.\u201D I was deeply uncomfortable with that; I think that we should be expecting better in committee. That said, you know, I should say that ACT will be supporting this second reading, in case there is any doubt. But there are some issues in there that we need to be clear about. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000543\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cfc7092e-b202-4acf-aa9c-8aebd551cc39\u0022\u003EI do feel that given the advice we received in committee, we can be confident that there is a good correlation, as a proxy, between saliva and blood levels and impairment\u2014although not perfect\u2014and that is being developed. I would like to see that progress a bit further as the Minister in charge approves these devices.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000544\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cfc7092e-b202-4acf-aa9c-8aebd551cc39\u0022\u003EWe also heard in committee about the operationalisation of the drug-testing regime and the word \u201Crandom\u201D was used; random being used to say, you know\u2014when you hear the word \u201Crandom\u201D, you think it would just be picking up any old driver who\u2019s cruising down a State highway in New Zealand. Actually, the Police said that they\u2019re going to be operating that testing in not exactly a random way; it will be systematic and about proportionate risk to areas, times of day, and events that are occurring in that area. I think it\u2019s important that people, when they hear that this will be applied in a random way, understand that it\u2019s not random in the dictionary definition sense. It is actually going to have a more strategic approach to the way that it\u2019s dealt to. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000545\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cfc7092e-b202-4acf-aa9c-8aebd551cc39\u0022\u003EThe Attorney-General raised issues with a section 7 report, as she is required in some ways to do when these sorts of issues arise, and there were some issues that ACT is somewhat uncomfortable with and do want to see fleshed out a bit with the Minister, at committee of the whole House. Those include the right to be secure against unreasonable search and seizure, and the right not to be arbitrarily detained.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000546\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cfc7092e-b202-4acf-aa9c-8aebd551cc39\u0022\u003EThe first one about the unreasonable search and seizure is about, you know, if you\u2019re going for someone based on a random stop, random screening test, that should have quite a high bar before you go and look at taking a sample of someone\u2019s blood or saliva in this case. I think that this is an issue\u2014this being drug-driving and the danger that imposes on New Zealanders and their families\u2014that, in my judgment, warrants a regime for drug-driving testing. It\u2019s pretty hard to deny that someone who is on drugs can, at certain levels, be a big danger to themselves when operating any type of machinery, and a vehicle travelling down the road and at anywhere between 10 and 100 kilometres per hour can always be dangerous.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000547\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cfc7092e-b202-4acf-aa9c-8aebd551cc39\u0022\u003EI think it\u2019s important that we weigh up the freedom of New Zealanders to not have arbitrary samples taken and also the freedom of New Zealanders to expect to be able to go about their lawful business without the danger that is imposed on them by people who are operating in a completely dangerous way on the road. I think there is a test there that is passed, although I thank the Attorney-General\u2019s section 7 report on that matter.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000548\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cfc7092e-b202-4acf-aa9c-8aebd551cc39\u0022\u003EThe other matter that the Attorney-General raised was about the time\u2014the arbitrary detention: how long can someone be stopped on the side of the road, required to give a sample? Now, as I alluded to earlier in my speech here, we didn\u2019t get a lot of advice about time from officials, and I think that the Transport and Infrastructure Committee should have been able to expect a bit more in that way. But we, as a committee, decided that, on balance, we need to be moving in a direction that is going to provide New Zealanders with freedoms to move and the right to be not arbitrarily detained. We came to a balance, and the committee\u2019s commentary reflects that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000549\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cfc7092e-b202-4acf-aa9c-8aebd551cc39\u0022\u003EIt also reflects that there is a time that someone can be expected to be held on the road in New Zealand law without any reason, and it was alluded to earlier by Tangi Utikere. It\u2019s section 114 of the Land Transport Act, which sets out a 15-minute limit for an enforcement officer to hold someone on the side of the road for the purposes of gathering information about who that person is, before they have to either release them or move on to another piece of legislation. We\u2019ve put that in the commentary for all to see, and I think we could expect to see something being done when this bill comes up to review, because it will be reviewed. A statutory review of the bill is a good idea. I think a new scheme like this needs to be well checked. The Transport and Infrastructure Committee looked at when that should happen, and we\u2019ve given some advice about bringing some of that time forward to make sure it can be completed in time to check that this regime is actually working.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000550\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cfc7092e-b202-4acf-aa9c-8aebd551cc39\u0022\u003EThe previous speaker from the Green Party, the Hon Julie Anne Genter, mentioned that there\u2019s not a lot of science about these thresholds. Well, there are Australian - New Zealand standards that are operating in this area, so there is science developing. There are agreements that are happening between New Zealand scientists and Australian scientists from many states in Australia coming together and working out how these levels can be tested, correlated with impairment. There is actually a standard there, and I think that giving a level of accuracy that New Zealanders can feel confident is not taking away the rights of their fellow New Zealanders when they are going about their lawful business, but also is giving the people the right to feel safer on the road, because there\u2019s too many stories of people in New Zealand dying on our roads needlessly, and the pain that it causes on all sides is quite traumatic. I think it\u2019s something that has to be weighed up when it comes to this.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000551\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cfc7092e-b202-4acf-aa9c-8aebd551cc39\u0022\u003EThere\u2019s one more piece in here which I\u2019d like to touch on, which is: accompanying an officer to a place to be tested. The committee had a good discussion about this. The wording that we\u2019ve come to in our commentary reflects the conversation, and that is that we do not expect that this will be used as a way to get somebody who has been stopped for the purpose of a random roadside oral fluid screening test to be removed from that location to a distant location. It\u2019s fair enough if the police stop someone and say, \u201CLook, this is not a safe place to perform this test; you\u2019re accompanying me over to the berm here.\u201D, or off the road into somewhere that\u2019s a bit safer. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000552\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cfc7092e-b202-4acf-aa9c-8aebd551cc39\u0022\u003EThat is a fair enough thing, but the wording I felt was\u2014and I\u2019m no lawyer, and this House is full of very capable lawyers\u2014a bit too loose. As in, you could say, as an officer, \u201CI suspect you of drug-driving, and I\u2019d like you to accompany me to the station where we have a machine which has been procured, which is not transportable.\u201D I just don\u2019t think that\u2019s something New Zealanders would expect, and we were given in committee that that\u2019s not what would happen. It would be used for the safety of the person being checked and the officer involved, not for a process of removing that individual off to a distant location. I just wanted to make sure that was on the record. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000553\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cfc7092e-b202-4acf-aa9c-8aebd551cc39\u0022\u003EAll of this said, I think the time has come for this. There does need to be a way for New Zealanders to be confident that 74 percent of New Zealanders don\u2019t feel they can get away with drug-driving on New Zealand roads. That is a thing that a State that is looking after its citizens should be concerned about. I think this bill is weighing these up. There\u2019s more to be done, but I look forward to having the conversation at committee of the whole House. Thank you, Madam Speaker. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022 data-id=\u0022fcb18f10e00f4236aae42b945ac7cd25\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000554\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022fcb18f10e00f4236aae42b945ac7cd25\u0022\u003EANDY FOSTER (NZ First):\u003C/span\u003E Madam Speaker, thank you. It\u2019s a pleasure to rise to support and to speak to this bill, which is an important step forward for road safety for all New Zealanders. It\u2019s also nice to be able to stand and also acknowledge the speeches that have gone before from my Transport and Infrastructure Committee colleagues, and thank you for your collegial\u2014both speeches but also the collegial work that we\u2019ve done, not only on this bill but on other pieces of legislation and other pieces of work.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000555\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003EI wanted to start off with a few thanks, and first of all, I just wanted to thank our wonderful officials from the Office of the Clerk\u2014Jonathan Harris, Femke Jager, Louis Munt, and Chris Cunningham\u2014who gave us fantastic support all the way through. I wanted to also thank the Ministry of Transport officials and the Police, who helped us immensely with a lot of very, very good advice; also, as you\u2019ve heard, Dr Helen Poulsen, who we called in for the ESR\u2014the Institute of Environmental Science and Research\u2014to provide that expert advice which we absolutely needed to support our work.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000556\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003EI want to also thank the submitters. Some argued for the bill, some argued against it, and some raised concerns, and we tried to work our way carefully through that. I particularly also, at this point in time, want to thank two of our committee members: Tom Rutherford and Grant McCallum, who, as a result of a reshuffle, we\u2019re going to lose from the committee. I want to thank you for your work both on this but also right the way through the last\u2014what?\u2014year and a bit. Thank you very much.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000557\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003EIn particular, I wanted to talk across the House there to Labour, to Arena Williams and Tangi Utikere, and particularly thank you for the collegial way that you worked through those issues around the length of time of detention, because they were issues which several of us\u2014Cam Luxton as well; myself\u2014were concerned about as issues which we needed to work through. I thought we landed in a good place. It\u2019s going to be interesting to see how the Minister continues to work through that, because we\u2019ll continue to advocate in the direction we think it should go.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000558\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003EI was disappointed in the Green Party\u2019s alternative, or minority, view. We pressed the Green Party several times during the select committee to say, \u201CWell, you say you\u2019re going to vote against this, you say you\u2019re going to oppose this. Can you tell us why?\u201D We only actually got the why when the minority view came out, and I think that that\u2019s not good enough. I think that needs to be done earlier; I think that is the sensible way to go and it\u2019s the collegial and appropriate way to go, because we might have been able to work through some of those issues as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000559\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003EDrug-driving is a significant safety problem on New Zealand roads. Just to give you some numbers, in calendar year 2023, there were 64 fatalities where drugs were detected in the driver\u2014that\u2019s drugs alone. There were another 32 where drugs and alcohol were detected. Just for context, there were 59 where alcohol alone was detected. So between those, 155 of the 341 total road deaths in 2023 were where drugs and/or alcohol were involved. It is a significant issue. It doesn\u2019t mean that they caused the crash, but it does mean that they were part of the crash\u2014and most crashes have multiple causes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000560\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003EThis bill is all about deterrence because, at the moment, there is no deterrence. I\u2019ve had a long history in road safety. This has been one of those things which has been a bit of a Holy Grail: how can we do something to try and disincentivise people from consuming drugs and then driving? The Labour Government had a go at this in 2022, with the Land Transport (Drug Driving) Amendment Act, which gave police the power to stop people and to administer oral fluid tests. The problem there was it didn\u2019t work because the bar was set so high, because you had to have something that was reasonably accurate because the roadside test was the thing that condemned you or didn\u2019t condemn you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000561\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003EThe difference with this piece of legislation is that the roadside test is only a screening, whereas the actual determination of whether you actually get fined, whether you have demerit points, is done by a laboratory test. Despite the comments which were made by Julie Anne Genter, ESR said, quite clearly, \u201CWe cannot stand behind the accuracy of the screening test\u201D\u2014the oral fluid test\u2014\u201Cat roadside. You might get up to 5 percent, plus or minus, of false positives or false negatives, but we can stand behind the laboratory test, just as we can stand behind the laboratory test for blood with alcohol testing.\u201D, and that is the significant thing. That is why it was so important to get that advice. There is an issue with the\u2014[Lights flicker in gallery]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000562\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229842d5a484ff4b039f9d284436e291e5\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: With the lights.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000563\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f92882131b2645b5a0ff60bad2012561\u0022\u003EANDY FOSTER\u003C/span\u003E: There is an issue with the lights. There is an issue with the roadside screening, which we did consider\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000564\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e77494a0-1be1-432f-b492-fd160f4c119d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022193a8033b8ad420eb144fd2863d1f647\u0022\u003EHon Peeni Henare\u003C/span\u003E: Austerity!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000565\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fb711ae124f8438f85f6bae3391cb387\u0022\u003EANDY FOSTER\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014it\u2019s the energy crisis!\u2014and that is that if you fail two tests at the roadside, then you can be banned from driving for 12 hours; it\u2019s no fine, etc. It is a significant inconvenience, and we did weigh that up, but the strong advice was that there is a safety issue there, and the safety issue outweighs the inconvenience issue. The likelihood of getting two false positives, effectively, is pretty small, so we thought that that was a reasonable position.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000566\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003EWe also had a quite a discussion about prescriptions and should that be a defence. In a way, it is a defence, but it doesn\u2019t prevent you being barred for those 12 hours, because, of course, if you use it in line with medical prescriptions, it\u2019s not an illegal thing. That seems to be quite reasonable. But, of course, if you have failed those two tests, then there is the ability for the police officers to ban you from driving for 12 hours, for safety reasons.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000567\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003EI want to talk just briefly about the powers given to the Minister. Like Labour\u2019s 2022 legislation, this bill gives the Minister of Police the power\u2014in this case, in consultation with the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology\u2014to approve devices. You heard the new Minister of Transport outlining some of the changes that the committee recommended. The Minister will approve the device, and the bill includes new criteria, but it still leaves discretion to the Minister. I would suggest that that discretion is exercised with care. The discretion is to approve the drug or drugs or drug families that the device can screen for, to approve the concentration levels.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000568\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003ENow, we\u2019ve already heard\u2014from, I think, again, it was Julie Anne Genter\u2014about concentration levels. Those are set largely by standards. Those standards are argued through by both our experts in New Zealand, and the Australian experts, so there\u2019s a lot of science, a lot of collaboration which goes behind setting those standards. They are a proxy, so the presence of the drug is a proxy for recent use, which is regarded as a proxy for impairment. Is it perfect? No, it\u2019s not perfect\u2014but getting it perfect, we will never do anything, and that\u2019s probably the reality of it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000569\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003EThere are quite a lot of good safeguards there. The Minister must also consider the accuracy of the device and the ability to calibrate that device appropriately. The drugs that can be tested\u2014there\u2019s only a limited range of drugs that can be tested. They must be from the schedule of 25 listed drugs. They must have a standard, which I\u2019ve just talked about, or an equivalent to that standard. Some of the rarely used drugs\u2014and it is, by and large, the rarely used drugs\u2014haven\u2019t got a standard yet, so they\u2019re unlikely to be tested. But, because they\u2019re only a tiny fraction of the problem, that is not a big deal.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000570\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s not a perfect regime. It\u2019s just like the blood-alcohol regime is not perfect. Different people, different body sizes, different metabolisms, they all respond differently. I did an exercise when I was the president of the New Zealand Traffic Institute some years ago that the police organised, and they had all sorts of different road safety practitioners and other people. They tested us, basically. They plied us with alcohol and food, and they tested us throughout the evening\u2014I\u2019m sure we didn\u2019t drive home. They tested us throughout an evening, but it was really interesting to see how differently different people responded and what the effect, for example, of food, rest, whatever it might have been, was on that. Drugs will be just the same: the effect on people\u2019s bodies will be different for different people.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000571\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003EThe New Zealand Bill of Rights Act (BORA) issues: the BORA is really, really important. My view is that we have far too few checks and balances on the power of Government anyway. The concerns which were raised by the legislative committee and the Attorney-General, we\u2019ve already heard about those. The first thing, though, to say is those concerns were only about the first test. Once you\u2019ve failed the first test, then those concerns go away, because there is then good cause to say that there is a potential issue there.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000572\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003EThe Attorney-General raised issues about the inconsistency with search and seizure and the inconsistency with detention. It\u2019s very, very clear that the issue of randomness is a problem to the Attorney-General. If I might quote\u2014might give two quotes there\u2014what she said is, \u201Cthe more invasive the procedure the greater the expectation of privacy.\u201D This is a more invasive procedure than blood testing, because you\u2019re giving saliva and you\u2019re also being detained for longer because it\u2019s just a longer process. \u201C[The] intrusion on an individual\u2019s privacy that arises from the taking of a bodily sample for the first\u201D\u2014and I stress, the first\u2014\u201Coral fluid screening test appears disproportionate where there is no basis\u201D\u2014and this is the important bit\u2014\u201Cto suspect the individual driving is under the influence of an impairing drug.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000573\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003EThis whole thing of randomness is a really, really important thing. The reality is\u2014and I think Cam Luxton pointed it out very well\u2014the police are not likely to do this randomly. They\u2019re not going to drive along and go say, \u201CWell, that white car, we\u2019re going to pull that white car over for no reason whatsoever.\u201D They\u2019re going to take account of the location, the situation, if there is an event going on, whatever it might be. They might be in a situation where they\u2019ve already tested the person for alcohol and they say, \u201CWell, maybe we might want to test them also for drugs, because we are seeing an issue there.\u201D There is the opportunity to do that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000574\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227dbfbd83-6770-4555-8477-85fa01511504\u0022\u003EI\u2019m going to run out of time here, but I do want to say thank you again to all the people who\u2019ve contributed to this. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022 data-id=\u0022c58b1576112442e7876704760b0cabca\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000575\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c58b1576112442e7876704760b0cabca\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The next call is a split call. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002227600399-0a88-4371-a784-b5a7bc7afc37\u0022 data-id=\u0022d38ac9591c51471ab9afe7eece8067b5\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000576\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227600399-0a88-4371-a784-b5a7bc7afc37\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d38ac9591c51471ab9afe7eece8067b5\u0022\u003EMARIAMENO KAPA-KINGI (Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori\u2014Te Tai Tokerau):\u003C/span\u003E T\u0113n\u0101 koe e te P\u012Bka. T\u0113n\u0101 t\u0101tou e te Whare. I\u2019m not sure what to make of the fact that my very first speech this year is on the matter of drug-driving, but here we are.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000577\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227600399-0a88-4371-a784-b5a7bc7afc37\u0022\u003EIn fact, can I just say we discussed this just this morning at our caucus\u2014the importance or the priority we give to kaupapa that come to this House, namely in the form of bills, and therefore which of these bills impact on wh\u0101nau and mokopuna and t\u016Bpuna, and how we will address them and prioritise them. You heard this morning that Dame Tariana Turia spoke on all the kaupapa she could, wherever and whenever she could, whether that be in this House or in the corridors or in select committees. So here it is. Firstly, I mihi to the new Minister, Chris\u2014he\u2019s not here. I didn\u2019t mean that\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000578\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e5f80cae8dd74f778df3da976ca2f945\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000579\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227600399-0a88-4371-a784-b5a7bc7afc37\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226bb743f4364242078d7a5ea7ce1823f2\u0022\u003EMARIAMENO KAPA-KINGI\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014other than to say that the fact I\u2019m leaving the committee has got nothing to do with the fact there is a new Minister! Anyway, Andy, that\u2019s out there now. But also to acknowledge Andy and my colleagues\u2014I think that\u2019s the right description\u2014to say that it has been, apart from my first year in the House, my first year in this particular committee, and the determination and all the work that was provided, not only on this take [issue] but on all the issues that came to the Transport and Infrastructure Committee\u2014so, Andy, ka nui te mihi ki a koe. Not an easy thing to corral such an exciting group of people.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000580\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227600399-0a88-4371-a784-b5a7bc7afc37\u0022\u003EHere it is from us: of course drunk- or drug-drivers are dangerous and need to be taken off the road. Of course we want wh\u0101nau to feel safe and secure on the road when they\u2019re driving, when they\u2019re pedestrians or passengers. I want that and so does Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori. I don\u2019t quite have the same confidence, Andy, you were just expressing around police just doing a random thing. I\u2019m not being mean about police, certainly not after this morning\u2019s first speeches, and certainly some of my own and Peeni\u2019s relations are part of that police force, but to say this: there certainly isn\u2019t the same trust that M\u0101ori communities have in that regard.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000581\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227600399-0a88-4371-a784-b5a7bc7afc37\u0022\u003EI come to the negative implications of this bill and where that harm often falls. Last year, you would have heard the exciting speech provided by T\u0101kuta Ferris, not the one that you\u2019re thinking about right now, but anyway. He stood and spoke to the implications that this bill will have on rangatahi M\u0101ori and particularly its impact on our young M\u0101ori men. He stated that the Human Rights Commission in 2019 identified that, when it comes to low-level convictions, M\u0101ori are overrepresented; when it comes to criminal convictions for possession of cannabis, M\u0101ori are overrepresented; and, when it comes to our prison populations, M\u0101ori, again, are overrepresented. In the context of drug-driving offences, the impact that this bill will have on our communities will be devastating.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000582\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227600399-0a88-4371-a784-b5a7bc7afc37\u0022\u003EAdditionally, this bill is hypocritical in the fact that drug abuse and addictions are treated as a health issue in this country, yet here we have a bill that criminalises these very things. To the House, I ask, \u201CWhich is it: a health issue that deserves care, or a crime that deserves punishment?\u201D Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori knows exactly who suffers and who benefits, depending on the answer a Minister or an MP may choose to give. Everyone in this room knows that driving infringements are a gateway to the criminal justice system for our young M\u0101ori men and that this bill will only accelerate the rate at which our t\u0101ne M\u0101ori are incarcerated. We know that, despite being 20 percent of the population, M\u0101ori are now among the most incarcerated people on the planet. The debate is always and will always be about the impact that the actions of Government have upon M\u0101ori people.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000583\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227600399-0a88-4371-a784-b5a7bc7afc37\u0022\u003EWe in Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori, despite my working relationships with the select committee, which I hope I continue to have, reject this bill. It will only contribute to the already existing pipeline into prison for our rangatahi M\u0101ori and will only seek to further marginalise our people and exacerbate discrimination and an inherently racist system. T\u0113n\u0101 koe e te P\u012Bka. T\u0113n\u0101 t\u0101tou e te Whare.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022 data-id=\u00226e139d53bc4b4f8db9314738f5a900d6\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000584\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226e139d53bc4b4f8db9314738f5a900d6\u0022\u003ERICARDO MEN\u00C9NDEZ MARCH (Green):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. Look, I think it\u2019s been really clear that everybody in this House thinks road safety is an issue that needs addressing. I think the problem lies in how we choose to do so, and the Green Party has been really clear that we need to take an evidence-based approach that centres the research and lived experiences of people. If we were to go using that, we would know that the answer often will lie in things like reducing speed limits, so making a road safer to use, and it includes things like greater awareness from the public about impaired driving and the impacts that it has on people.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003EI think, to me, there\u2019s an issue that this bill is trying to address, which is the impairment that often comes because of the use of drugs\u2014alcohol notwithstanding, as we do have a regime already for that. The challenge, I think\u2014and Julie Anne Genter has already expressed, on our behalf, some of those challenges\u2014lies in that this bill feels more like an experiment rather than something genuinely grounded on the best-available evidence on, for example, whether there is a strict correlation between THC\u2014is one substance that\u2019s been used as an example\u2014in someone\u2019s blood or saliva, and then levels of impairment. That correlation does exist in other substances such as alcohol, which is why the regime that we have had has proven more effective in terms of addressing issues that come from impairment due to substance use.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000586\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003EI don\u2019t believe\u2014and certainly nor did the submitters, who are experts on these issues\u2014that the kits that we have available to do testing (a) are accurate enough, at least the first one that is used before going to the laboratory, nor (b) that we\u2019ve developed the technology that will ensure that there is a very direct correlation with the results that are being given by these tests and then levels of impairment. I have heard members from the other side talk about things like the fact that they are developing technologies that they will hope will improve this level of accuracy and reporting.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000587\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003EI think if that is the case, if this is an area that is still being developed, I don\u2019t see the need to continue moving forward with this bill without actually getting to a place where the tools that we have at our disposal to curtail impaired driving are there to actually guarantee the safety of our communities. It\u2019s concerning to have a bill that may make people feel safer without actually doing so, and for the people who have been injured or have lost loved ones because of road accidents\u2014and I\u2019ve certainly been in a handful of car crashes myself; as a passenger, to clarify. I think of the fact that this bill actually does not do many people who have been affected by issues of road safety justice.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000588\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003EThe previous speaker, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, also mentioned issues around interactions with the police. We can\u2019t deny\u2014because we have had multiple reports around how some people have described the systemic targeting of police to specific communities, mainly Pasifika, M\u0101ori, black people\u2014that the way that this bill is assigned will inevitably entrench that systemic discrimination that exists. This, in some ways, actually is counter-productive to a public health approach to substance use. Actually, if what we want to create are communities that are aware of the dangers of driving while impaired and then we create fear amongst our communities on how they will be targeted, we will actually end up having the worst of both worlds: a regime that does not follow best-available evidence, nor communities that feel empowered to have genuine conversations with their peers around the dangers of driving while impaired.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000589\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002219ed20db-5d6c-4464-9327-6cdd072bb4fe\u0022\u003EAgain, the Greens won\u2019t be supporting the bill as it is. We do look forward to new technology, to evidence that allows us to have a regime that keeps our communities safe, because that is what our communities are calling for and what they deserve. With that, I will end my contribution and I look forward to finally having a debate on both road safety and drug use that is centred on evidence.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022 data-id=\u00224eafc47508f94eb39d946e96551c3935\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000590\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224eafc47508f94eb39d946e96551c3935\u0022\u003EGRANT McCALLUM (National\u2014Northland):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. I\u2019d just like to, before I enter into this very, very important debate, quickly acknowledge the people of Mangawhai and what\u2019s been going on there. I\u2019ve spent the last two days there, and it\u2019s been pretty tough. I acknowledge people that have had their homes devastated; I\u2019m thinking of them, I\u2019m sure that the House is too, and I wish them all the best.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000591\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003ERight, so I\u2019d like to begin by thanking the chair of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee and the other members of the committee. It has been a very collegial committee. It\u2019s rather ironic that as I rise to speak on this bill, this will be the last day I rise as a member of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee, as I\u2019ve now moved on to another committee. I thank the other people for working\u2014it has been a very constructive discussion and debate within the committee. I think it\u2019s important to also acknowledge and thank all the officials\u2014in particular, Dr Helen Poulsen. We had a fascinating day out at the Institute of Environmental Science and Research, watching how the process works, and it gave us all a level of confidence in the professionalism of the saliva-testing process.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000592\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EI think we\u2019ve got to remind ourselves why we are doing this\u2014what is the why? Well, the why is very simple: it\u2019s about road safety and lessening the chances of people getting hurt and killed on our roads. That is the reason. We\u2019ve heard the stats and the correlation with alcohol- and drug-driving. We all immediately think about marijuana or P when we talk about these issues. Recently in Australia, there was an horrific bus crash\u2014a group of people going to a wedding, I think it was, from memory. Ten people were killed. The driver was over the limit on tramadol; addicted to tramadol. I think that is a timely reminder of why this sort of legislation is so important.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000593\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EYes, there are elements in there that might not be absolutely perfect and give you a 100 percent result, but it\u2019s that balance between the safety of the community, and the individual\u2019s rights, which brings me to the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act (BORA) report, and that\u2019s the weigh up. I\u2019m personally very comfortable, and the Government\u2019s comfortable overall, with the fact that the safety of the population and people driving on the road overrides the concerns of the BORA report.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000594\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EThere were two main other contentious issues on the committee. One of them was about impairment. It was quite timely, actually, that a person known to many of us\u2014the Hon Dr Nick Smith\u2014submitted on the bill. He reminded us, as the Minister did when he spoke, of the fact that when they did the alcohol legislation back in the early 1990s, the random breath testing, the same discussion about impairment came up, where you could have someone who was a very robust individual, big athletic person, I don\u2019t know, maybe like the honourable member Peeni Henare on the other side of the House, versus myself, a lean, fit individual\u2014that might be taking a little bit of licence\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000595\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223c2e977b11334100b6cc4d2ea4909ad3\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The member is just opening himself up for more debate. Back to the bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000596\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002259486a4655114001a1833aa0a86873e3\u0022\u003EGRANT McCALLUM\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, yes. Look, with all due respect, Madam Speaker, it is relevant because what we\u2019re saying is that we had the same discussion, because they were saying a larger person could drink the same amount of alcohol as a smaller person and, therefore, wouldn\u2019t be as impaired, and, therefore, they shouldn\u2019t be held to the same standard. Well, they just said no\u2014that was an irrelevant argument. We went with a level that they accepted that was the level, and it was accepted by everybody, and look where we are today. Generally, we accept the fact that we have levels that the public recognise that if you\u2019re above that level, then you are deemed to be unsafe to drive, and we\u2019ve moved well on from that debate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000597\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003EThe other issue was around the whole randomness and the time limit side of it. First of all, the time limit. There was quite a discussion about this because people were worried that the police were going to hold people on the roadsides for a long, long, long period of time. Actually, when you think about that, that\u2019s not actually what happens. The police don\u2019t want to hold people for a lengthy period of time; their job is to process people as quickly as possible on the side of the road. If they get someone who they feel needs to be tested, if you have a time limit, then that could potentially be someone gaming the system. That is not what we want.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000598\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002244967dc4-6cc7-4567-b8ef-cc3a9b354544\u0022\u003ELook, I think most of the issues have been well and truly canvassed here. I\u2019d like to thank everybody involved in this. I certainly commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b464a62e-d900-452a-b842-e3cf4ccc6149\u0022 data-id=\u00226b6ebe6b41c04072a76bbdf931f3ae22\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000599\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b464a62e-d900-452a-b842-e3cf4ccc6149\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226b6ebe6b41c04072a76bbdf931f3ae22\u0022\u003EARENA WILLIAMS (Labour\u2014Manurewa):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Madam Speaker. I will take a minute at the beginning of my speech to lay out some of the concerns that the Labour Party still has with this legislation. There are a number of changes which will be litigated. They will be argued in court rooms around the country, and they will be argued on the roadside with police officers, so it is important to get those concerns up front as we move forward with this on the statute book. Then I\u2019ll make some observations about the select committee process and the way that this might work, particularly when we come back to being able to review legislation like this.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000600\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b464a62e-d900-452a-b842-e3cf4ccc6149\u0022\u003EFirst, I will touch on the heart of this issue. New Zealanders are good drivers and our attitudes to sober driving all of the time are changing for the good, and we need to be proud of that. We need our legislation to reflect New Zealanders\u2019 changing attitudes about zero tolerance for drug-driving and for drink-driving. That\u2019s happening at our sports clubs, at our pubs, and at family occasions. There is no tolerance around the country any more for going out and creating an undue risk to people who use the roads by drinking or by being under the influence, and so our law needs to reflect that. That was the exercise here. It wasn\u2019t about creating new punishments. It was certainly not about setting out rules for drugs that we consider bad and harmful to society.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000601\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b464a62e-d900-452a-b842-e3cf4ccc6149\u0022\u003EThis was about making sure that New Zealanders can have a reasonable expectation that our societal changes to the way that we expect ourselves to conduct safe driving on the roads are then reflected in our legal system and we have a testing regime which puts sensible and reasonable rules in place about how the police are then meant to also live up to the public expectations of them. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000602\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b464a62e-d900-452a-b842-e3cf4ccc6149\u0022\u003EIt doesn\u2019t do that perfectly, and I listened to the contributions of Ricardo Men\u00E9ndez March and Julie Anne Genter, a member of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee who I very much respect and admire for her work in this space. But I disagreed with a few things. I disagreed with the idea that, if this was evidence based, it would be easy. It certainly isn\u2019t. There is no standard test for impairment in these kinds of testing kits, and both of them were at pains, to be fair to them, to set that out in these speeches. That\u2019s why we\u2019re having this argument in the first place about the kind of allowances and pragmatism that our empowering legislation should empower police to enact our general Kiwi consensus that sober driving all the time is the only thing we should accept on our roads. It\u2019s a hard thing to do.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000603\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b464a62e-d900-452a-b842-e3cf4ccc6149\u0022\u003EThe thing that I think will be litigated is the amount of time that it is fair for a driver to spend on the roadside when they have approached the system completely innocently. We talked at length in the select committee room, and I found some agreement from the ACT Party here on the idea that I, as a mum, could have picked my kids up from school and been detained on the roadside for a number of reasons for much longer than 15 minutes, which the Attorney-General found to be a breach of my rights. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000604\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b464a62e-d900-452a-b842-e3cf4ccc6149\u0022\u003EOn the first test, I might not be able to produce the amount of saliva required. In fact, we had our expert doctor Helen Poulsen, whom we are very grateful to, in the room with us. She gave us all the tests and one of our members\u2014Andy Foster, the chair\u2014could not produce the amount of saliva required in that 15 minutes. It just illustrates that ordinary people under ordinary circumstances, certainly not even members who aren\u2019t stressed out on the side of the road with a cop and their kids in the back, can\u2019t even manage to achieve it. That\u2019s one issue that\u2019s really weighing on my mind. The second one is that, in terms of these devices, we don\u2019t actually know what we\u2019re talking about. We\u2019ve got the legislation empowering the procurement before the procurement has happened, and so we are making the most permissible rules that we possibly could.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000605\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b464a62e-d900-452a-b842-e3cf4ccc6149\u0022\u003EWhat I want to get on the record here is that, if police are successful in procuring devices that take three or four minutes, as some do overseas, or if technology improves in time and they take like 30 seconds, like a breath-alcohol test, we do not expect that police will ever detain a driver on the roadside, on their first test, for more than 15 minutes. That is an unreasonable abrogation of their rights. That is something the committee desperately wanted to include in this legislation, but we could not because officials told us we could not include it, because their view of this procurement was that we could not procure those devices. We know things will change. That is not how legislation should be done, and we still have some discomfort around that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000606\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b464a62e-d900-452a-b842-e3cf4ccc6149\u0022\u003EThe legislation should set out what we think is an appropriate protection of New Zealanders\u2019 rights, and I think that someone in that situation who has come with clean hands, has not been at a party, and poses no danger to themselves or others around them on the road should never expect that they would be pulled over for more than 15 minutes on their way home with two kids in the car. That is not appropriate, and that is not something that we would have agreed to were it not put to us in very plain language by officials that that was not something that the procurement process would allow at this time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000607\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b464a62e-d900-452a-b842-e3cf4ccc6149\u0022\u003EWhen things change, we must come back to that and we must say to New Zealanders really clearly that they are not going to be subject to arbitrary detention on the roadside because of these rules that we have introduced now, given the kind of devices that will be used later.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000608\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b464a62e-d900-452a-b842-e3cf4ccc6149\u0022\u003EI want to reflect on the role of the select committee, and to the member who has just resumed his seat, the outgoing deputy chairperson of the committee, I say I have very much enjoyed not only the contribution of New Zealand First through the chair, Andy Foster, but contributions from the National members, and that member in particular. We have managed to have a collegial discussion, not because it is a cross-party issue but because there are a number of members who showed up with really open minds to this very technical discussion about what kind of procurement process we would have and what kind of tests were available, and also a very legalistic discussion about the kinds of rights that New Zealanders can enjoy and the role of the State in their lives.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000609\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b464a62e-d900-452a-b842-e3cf4ccc6149\u0022\u003EThis was an example of a select committee making best use of the resources available to it, not only through the very able advice of the Office of the Clerk, and I do thank our select committee clerk for that, but through the advice of experts like Dr Helen Poulsen, and through the use of submitters who came to the committee and wanted to share with us their expertise. This is an example of where select committees can do their best work. I am really proud of the report we have put together for this House and I would encourage anyone who is interested in this area of law to read it. These are changes to the Land Transport Act that are coming from a place of pragmatism and a meeting of the minds of those in the House who would ensure that New Zealand\u2019s laws are keeping up with New Zealanders\u2019 expectations of safety.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000610\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b464a62e-d900-452a-b842-e3cf4ccc6149\u0022\u003EThe last thing I want to say is that there is a lot of room for improvement in the procurement processes that we can expect from the Public Service in this. A number of states in Australia are now reviewing the kinds of testing they are using, because people are raising issues and there is delay in the court system around the kind of evidence required and the kind of systems that allow police to present the evidence from the testing kits. This is really messy. We cannot rely on the science to do the job of the values that we as parliamentarians need to bring to this, because the science isn\u2019t clear. The science doesn\u2019t test for impairment. It doesn\u2019t test how dangerous somebody is when they get behind the wheel of a car. But what we need to be able to do in this House, very clearly, is say that we will do everything to try to minimise the risk of drug-driving of those people who are using the roads, and this is one step towards that. The power in this legislation to be able to come back and review it, though, is incredibly important.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000611\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b464a62e-d900-452a-b842-e3cf4ccc6149\u0022\u003EAgain, I hope that when we come back for that review, we are in a mind-set as parliamentarians to approach it with open minds and to not let whatever is the politics of the day colour that mind-set and weigh into our decisions. Whether this works will come down to whether New Zealanders believe in it and whether they believe they should comply with it. We have to set rules that make sense, rules that people want to get behind and want to follow. I would like this to work. I hope that police can procure tests that work for everyone, are quick, are simple and effective, and can be relied upon, but we should be constantly monitoring that because we\u2019ve made legislation here that is incredibly permissive\u2014more permissive than usual\u2014and so we have a duty as parliamentarians to watch what we have created here.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022 data-id=\u002202fae8524b8f45e59050df565dbcf802\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000612\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002202fae8524b8f45e59050df565dbcf802\u0022\u003ETOM RUTHERFORD (National\u2014Bay of Plenty):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. As previous members have spoken to throughout this debate, it has been a fantastic piece of legislation to debate in the Transport and Infrastructure Committee, to really hammer it out and find a really good landing place, which I believe we have and which I believe the Minister articulated in his speech to the House previously at the start of debating this legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000613\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003EI do want the record to show very, very clearly that the Green Party and the M\u0101ori Party will be opposing this legislation to enable the New Zealand Police to test people who drive vehicles in New Zealand for drugs, full stop. The Green Party and the M\u0101ori Party will not be supporting legislation to make our roads safer in this country. They will not be supporting legislation to enable our police to protect New Zealanders on our roads, full stop. That is an absolute disgrace in 2025. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000614\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003EIt is a disgrace that political parties opposite don\u2019t want to get in behind legislation which isn\u2019t targeting specific individuals; it\u2019s protecting New Zealanders and tourists visiting this country who drive on our roads every single day\u2014protecting them. That is the intention of this legislation: to enable our police to have the ability to test drivers to ensure that they are in a position to legitimately operate a motor vehicle. That is the primary focus of this legislation, and it is a disgrace that the Green Party and the M\u0101ori Party will not get in behind and support this legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000615\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003ELet\u2019s remember that, in 2023, there were 64 deaths where the presence of drugs was detected in the driver\u201464 preventable deaths in this country where the driver had detections for drugs in their system. A further 32\u2014half of that 64\u2014had both drugs and alcohol in their system at the exact same time. There is a direct correlation between the two of those, and it is a very, very dangerous combination. We definitely, definitely need to do anything we possibly can to protect New Zealanders and tourists on our road, and enabling this legislation does exactly that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000616\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003ELet\u2019s talk about the process. Drivers who failed the first oral screening test would be required to undergo a second. That plays that sort of safety net there. That false positive which can occasionally happen\u2014they are required to undergo a second one. An oral fluid sample will also be sent to the laboratory for analysis, as we\u2019ve talked about this evening as well. Drivers who receive two positive tests at the roadside are prohibited from driving for 12 hours. The reason behind that is to ensure that we protect the others on the road over that 12-hour period if we know they\u2019re impaired.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000617\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003EJust remember, this is a coalition Government committed to giving the police the tools they need to improve the detection of drug-driving, and we\u2019re setting them an ambitious target that we want them to undertake 50,000 oral fluid tests per year once the drug-driving testing regime is implemented. It\u2019s ambitious, but we know our New Zealand Police are incredible people across this country who, every single day, pull on their uniform to do their best to protect our communities.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000618\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d64de4c1-ef68-477e-9c50-db5cbdf99404\u0022\u003EI\u2019m proud to have a brother who\u2019s a police officer down in Christchurch. I know that he goes to that job every single day to protect our vulnerable communities and to protect all New Zealanders. It doesn\u2019t matter who it is; when they ring, they go. This enables them to do their job to protect people on our roads to detect drugs. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022 data-id=\u00225c29e5fb589046159ed0d9c1f5e927a1\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000619\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002261720d2e-5b1d-4742-b4f0-30424316ccc1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225c29e5fb589046159ed0d9c1f5e927a1\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: This call is a split call.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00229c069cdb-968c-4f11-b126-92f9c655148b\u0022 data-id=\u002266f161c2101d46db891c290a67b305ac\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000620\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229c069cdb-968c-4f11-b126-92f9c655148b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002266f161c2101d46db891c290a67b305ac\u0022\u003ESHANAN HALBERT (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E T\u0113n\u0101 koe, Madam Speaker, and, if I may, I\u2019d like to take this opportunity for my first speech in this House in 2025 to acknowledge the passing of my friend, mentor, and matriarch Ann Hartley. Ann Hartley served in this House\u2014and, in fact, in that Chair, Madam Speaker\u2014from 1999 to 2008. She was a fierce wahine and everyone knew where she stood on particular issues. She stood for the right issues, and I know that many colleagues around this House valued the contribution that she made both to being the MP for Northcote and to Aotearoa New Zealand. E te whaea, moe mai r\u0101. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000621\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229c069cdb-968c-4f11-b126-92f9c655148b\u0022\u003EI stand today to speak on the Land Transport (Drug Driving) Amendment Bill. As I listened to the speeches across the House, I\u2019m reminded particularly of what both the industry and sector asked of us as we look forward in transport and infrastructure, and that was a sense of unity and collaboration to address the issues that this country faces in this particular area. I agree with Ricardo Men\u00E9ndez March, who invited a debate in this House around road safety, because while I\u2019m incredibly passionate about this particular subject, I find the intent of this particular piece of legislation inconsistent with the way that this Government has prioritised road safety in other legislation and, particularly, political hits under Minister Simeon Brown across their term in Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000622\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229c069cdb-968c-4f11-b126-92f9c655148b\u0022\u003EWhat I hope is that under the new Minister, Minister Bishop, he takes, as the sector asks for, the more sensible approach to addressing issues in the transport sector of not just prioritising roads but, in this instance, prioritising road safety. People have been very clear about what they want this Government to achieve in this area, and, yes, in fact, this particular bill is consistent with the appetite of our public. Mr Assistant Speaker O\u2019Connor, you may in fact remember, in your time as chair\u2014and I continued along from yourself as the chair of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee\u2014the work that we completed in initiating this particular bill. We heard very loudly the road safety issues\u2014the deaths, the issues that we heard at roadside\u2014and I do acknowledge the work of this term of Parliament\u2019s Transport and Infrastructure Committee, ably chaired by Andy Foster from New Zealand First. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000623\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229c069cdb-968c-4f11-b126-92f9c655148b\u0022\u003EWhat I do take away from that time is that, actually, this is a very sensitive topic. I acknowledge that others in the House\u2014Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori and the Greens\u2014aren\u2019t supporting this bill, and that\u2019s not because they don\u2019t support the intent of it of addressing the issues around road safety; it\u2019s because under our system of the past, actually, we\u2019re still overcoming the impact of bias in the system against M\u0101ori and against Pasifika, and there is an imbalance of evidence in many respects\u2014as Labour has raised in select committee\u2014on this issue that does feed into the sensitivities that many in this country feel, and I look at the number of submissions that came through in that sense. I don\u2019t accept the member from the National Party taking an attack on those two parties. It actually shows that he misunderstands what the public is telling him when it comes to addressing this particular issue. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000624\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229c069cdb-968c-4f11-b126-92f9c655148b\u0022\u003ELabour does stand by moving this through. I think it\u2019s very clear that the technology still needs to evolve, and so, in two years\u2019 time, five years\u2019 time, or 10 years\u2019 time, we will be able to update that technology to secure, I guess, a level of evidence that we are all comfortable with. We do know that there is an issue around road safety, drug use, and people driving. We want to address that. It started under Labour, it\u2019s continuing with this piece of legislation, and I commend it to the House. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022587eeeae-8af5-4e11-ac7f-a7690f9c7c3a\u0022 data-id=\u00229b9653d0bb2d4150862c50722f95f145\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000625\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587eeeae-8af5-4e11-ac7f-a7690f9c7c3a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00229b9653d0bb2d4150862c50722f95f145\u0022\u003EDr CARLOS CHEUNG (National\u2014Mt Roskill):\u003C/span\u003E Tomorrow is Chinese New Year. I would like to use this opportunity to wish everyone who celebrates Lunar New Year a happy New Year. \u606D\u559C\u53D1\u8D22\uFF0C\u65B0\u5E74\u5FEB\u4E50. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000626\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587eeeae-8af5-4e11-ac7f-a7690f9c7c3a\u0022\u003ENow, let\u2019s go back to the bill. We want to mention that this Government is committed to improving road safety and restoring law and order. It is disappointing to hear that the Green Party and the M\u0101ori Party are opposing this bill, because this bill is going to save lives. Alcohol and drugs are the number one contributing factor in fatal road crashes in New Zealand, responsible for approximately 30 percent of overall death. In every year, more than 100 precious lives are lost because of road crashes related to alcohol- and drug-driving. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000627\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587eeeae-8af5-4e11-ac7f-a7690f9c7c3a\u0022\u003EJust now we heard from a previous speaker from the Green Party that one of the reasons why she opposed this bill is she believed that most of the fatal car crashes are caused by alcohol, not drugs. Straight away, there\u2019s an incident that goes through my mind: two years ago, a drug-driver who goes behind the wheel, who is high on P, armed with a loaded gun, reaching a speed limit between 200 to 250 kilometres per hour before he lost control and killed an innocent father of two driving home from work. On that day, a lovely family was destroyed. It is heartbreaking. I doubt that that member from the Green Party can actually stand in front of this family, this heartbroken family, and tell them that this is just one of the exceptional cases. I don\u2019t believe that anyone should experience this pain.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000628\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587eeeae-8af5-4e11-ac7f-a7690f9c7c3a\u0022\u003EThis is why we\u2019re bringing back three strikes, this is why we\u2019re capping the sentence discount, and this is why we are giving our police the tools they need to get some of the highest-risk drivers off our roads. This is what New Zealanders have asked us to do, and we are delivering. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000629\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587eeeae-8af5-4e11-ac7f-a7690f9c7c3a\u0022\u003EWith these amendment bills, I\u2019m looking forward to seeing police testing anyone they think is under the influence of drugs, both on the streets of Mt Roskill and across the country. I\u2019m looking forward to this bill driving down the numbers of drug-related crashes and deaths on our roads, and I\u2019m looking forward to this bill serving as a deterrence to anyone on drugs who thinks of getting behind the wheel. My final message to anyone who thinks they can use drugs and get behind the wheel is that your time is up. You can expect to be stopped, you can expect to be tested, and you can expect to face the consequences. I commend this bill to the House. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022 data-id=\u0022f175c3b1bb6749e2bf39b1ba65053149\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000630\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022f175c3b1bb6749e2bf39b1ba65053149\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E T\u0113n\u0101 koe, Mr Speaker. Thank you very much. It\u2019s good to see this bill progressing. It has taken its time, and part of that delay has been the technology that\u2019s available and making sure that we have a legislative process that reflects what technology can do in this space.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000631\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003EThe process, as I understand it, is that once pulled over, someone completes a saliva test. If that\u2019s negative, they\u2019re on their way; if that\u2019s positive, they have a second test. If that second test is positive, they are then taken off the road for 12 hours and that saliva is sent to a lab for testing to show what the substance is that has turned up in the saliva. The saliva won\u2019t show what drug is in the system; it\u2019ll just say there is a drug. There have been some issues raised around what the science can do, and it\u2019s important that we outline those limitations because we\u2019re soon going to find out about those limitations as this legislation is implemented and as people encounter this law when it\u2019s enforced.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000632\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003EWe foresee that these things will play out in the courts, and the courts will need to interpret what this legislation has intended and how it is played out, but if you listen to the ACT Party, the courts don\u2019t make laws at all. Under the Treaty principles bill, only Parliament makes law in New Zealand, according to the ACT Party. So good luck to the courts, according to them, because they can\u2019t do that function.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000633\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003EWhat lab tests can do\u2014it\u2019s important to note that they will only pick up a drug family. We looked into this, and I looked into this as the Minister of Police when I was there. Things like opioids\u2014it will pick up not only heroin but also tramadol, poppies; anything in the opioid family will be recognised in that space. Similarly with amphetamines, P will be picked up as an amphetamine, but there\u2019s also diet pills, there\u2019s also ADHD medication; there\u2019s a whole lot of things that get picked up in that drug family of amphetamines. Similarly with things that have been prescribed through medicinal cannabis, cannabidiol (CBD) oil or even topical treatments that have CBD oil and THC within them, that will be picked up within that testing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000634\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s really difficult to show impairment, and that is the main issue that will be problematic. With alcohol, it is quite clear; when you\u2019re above a certain level, it\u2019s clear you can\u2019t be able to drive a car. It\u2019s not as cut and dry with drugs, because someone can have, long term, an amount of THC, for example, in their system but not be impaired. That\u2019ll be an issue for us to sort through as we see people who are on prescriptions going before the courts, having to show the medical evidence that they followed the direction from the doctor in taking the medication. If they were prescribed and told not to drive and they did, then clearly that\u2019s fine; but if they are taking their medication as directed by their medical professional and have subsequently been ticketed or taken by this legislation, then that is something that we\u2019re going to have to understand how that works.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000635\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003EIt is my sincere hope that having this legislation in place will have a deterrent effect on people who are thinking about taking any substance and driving. I\u2019m always hugely heartened by the real change in attitude the younger generation has; young people just don\u2019t drink and drive. Sadly, it\u2019s the older generation who still try and fail and cause huge damage to the lives of others when they make those careless mistakes. I really do hope that it\u2019s not seen as a way of circumventing the system now that we have, hopefully, a method that\u2019s workable in place, that can test\u2014that that will be a strong message out to New Zealanders that you cannot take substances that impair your ability to drive and get away with it, because it risks the lives of those around us.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000636\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003EI think it\u2019s also important to note that there\u2019s been some issues raised in terms of detainment. Particularly the Attorney-General, under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act\u2014there\u2019s been some areas raised around freedom from reasonable search and seizure, and also the right not to be arbitrarily detained. I know that police will be going through a thorough process of making sure, in terms of police instructions, that officers have all of that information as part of this legislation being implemented to a point of when it\u2019s able to be enforced. It\u2019ll be really critical that that\u2019s followed closely, particularly given this has not yet been tested in the courts and it will be that first case that comes that we\u2019ll have to watch closely to see where things are working and where things need to be improved.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000637\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003EI think that\u2019s good that we have a level of agreement in this House about road safety and what\u2019s important to make sure that we make our roads safer, that we\u2019re sending the right messages to our communities about how to approach road safety. It\u2019s also important that we are giving people who don\u2019t have the right to speak back or to represent themselves access to justice. One of the concerns we\u2019ve seen with limitations to legal aid, with taking away some of the assistance for people who can\u2019t afford a lawyer, is that it is a real concern that if someone does encounter this legislation but doesn\u2019t have the right information, the right access to justice, and the right supports, they might be less likely to get the ability to argue their case than others. That\u2019s always a concern\u2014so, keeping a close eye on the statistics we see, of those who are coming up against this law, and understanding whether access to justice was, in fact, one of the factors that resulted in this occurring. I think it\u2019s also important to note that this is a demerit and a fine system, and so we need to make sure to see if that\u2019s working effectively or not.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000638\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003EOverall, I look forward to seeing this implemented. I look forward to seeing how it works, and I would like to commend the Transport and Infrastructure Committee for the thorough job they did in trying to make this legislation as workable as possible. When you see a select committee has actually gone to the effort to go and visit an Environmental Science and Research lab and understand how the science works, that shows that those MPs are working hard and doing their job. I thank them for the effort of understanding an area that can be complex in order to try and get the best piece of legislation possible before we\u2019ve completed this work. I commend it to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00222837c142-c937-468e-9984-bc646d066687\u0022 data-id=\u0022e661a693b1c447a0bb039eaa76730de9\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000639\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222837c142-c937-468e-9984-bc646d066687\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e661a693b1c447a0bb039eaa76730de9\u0022\u003EDr HAMISH CAMPBELL (National\u2014Ilam):\u003C/span\u003E Excellent. Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is with great pleasure that I stand in support of the Land Transport (Drug Driving) Amendment Bill. Before talking about the bill itself, I do just want to acknowledge the hard work of the New Zealand Police in keeping our roads safe. I also want to acknowledge the first responders who often have to come when there has been a traffic accident. We know that a lot of those are very traumatic situations, so I do just want to acknowledge the first responders that turn up. We\u2019ve heard a lot about the work of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee. I also want to commend them on their work that they do.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000640\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222837c142-c937-468e-9984-bc646d066687\u0022\u003EThis is an important piece of legislation that will significantly improve the safety on our roads. For too long, drug-impaired drivers have been a serious threat, causing preventable deaths and injuries. This bill will finally provide the necessary tools to tackle that problem very effectively. The statistics are alarming. I won\u2019t go into too many details, because we have heard them over and over again. In 2023, 64 fatalities involved drivers with drugs in their system. A further 32 had both drugs and alcohol. These figures are not just numbers but these are real lives lost. These are real families shattered and we must act to prevent further tragedy. Of course, this does not include those that are seriously injured but do not pass away from their injuries.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000641\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222837c142-c937-468e-9984-bc646d066687\u0022\u003EThis amendment bill will reflect those critical flaws in our current legislation, paving the way for a roll-out of roadside oral fluid screening tests. This is about targeting those who choose to drive under the influence of drugs; not about infringing the rights of responsible citizens. Now, I do just point out that we do have support across the House, except for the Green Party and Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori. I suppose it\u2019s not really that surprising. The Green Party opposition\u2014I don\u2019t know whether their opposition is actually to the driving part or the drugs part; I\u2019m not quite sure. They did mention they had some difficulty between the presence of drugs and the level of impairment, but when we think about this a little bit, these tests detect a wide range of drugs and, in turn, families of drugs, which, of course, have a wide range of pharmacokinetics, which, of course, has different impacts on different people and move through our systems at different rates. This is on the roadside ability to have a quick screen and then, of course, we can go for a blood test further on, which brings it in line with our alcohol testing as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000642\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222837c142-c937-468e-9984-bc646d066687\u0022\u003EI think it\u2019s very important that we send a very clear message. I think this side of the House especially is sending the message that, if you do drugs, don\u2019t drive. Of course, you can choose to take drugs or not, but you can\u2019t choose whether you\u2019re crashed into by a driver that\u2019s drugged out of their brain. It does come back down to that being a choice, then, whether you get behind the wheel after you have taken drugs. All in all, I think this is a good thing. It gives the police the tools they need. It must be very frustrating, when they pull over a driver and they know drugs are in the system, not to have the tools to really kind of make sure that our roads are safe, and I think this bill will give them that. Therefore, I commend it 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=\u0022550ada20936c4496a7d1c316108907cb\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000643\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022550ada20936c4496a7d1c316108907cb\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: The question is that the amendments recommended by the Transport and Infrastructure Committee by majority be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u00220e3b8e869efa4adfa58898e44593b1e8\u0022 name=\u0022division\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, That the amendments be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAyes 102\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 49; New Zealand Labour 34; 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 21\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EGreen 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\u003EAmendments agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca id=\u00223e57e784a9d84597a171fbb735c545fe\u0022 name=\u0022division\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022HpsDivision\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000644\u0022\u003EBill read a second time.\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022\u003EBills\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000645\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002218921785665142239579929f6600825b\u0022\u003EPrivacy Amendment Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000646\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022bd1108ad8ef648198d662964e70098e0\u0022\u003ESecond Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022 data-id=\u0022a14acbdc0d2740a6a4cefd83479f4e60\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000647\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a14acbdc0d2740a6a4cefd83479f4e60\u0022\u003EHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (Minister of Justice):\u003C/span\u003E I present a legislative statement on the Privacy Amendment Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000648\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a5a7d11412dd4f8ca4f91e83d857e8f6\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: That legislative statement is published under the authority of the House and can be found on the Parliament website.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000649\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222938f42be9304cfcbbf0931dba60a6aa\u0022\u003EHon PAUL GOLDSMITH\u003C/span\u003E: I move, That the Privacy Amendment Bill be now read a second time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000650\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EThe purpose of the bill is to improve transparency for individuals about the collection of their personal information and to better enable them to exercise their privacy rights. It amends the Privacy Act 2020 to introduce a new information privacy principle 3A (IPP 3A). Under the new IPP 3A, an agency that collects personal information from a source other than the individual themselves must take reasonable steps to ensure that the individual is aware of specified matters. These specified matters include the fact that the information has actually been collected, the name and address of the collecting agency, the purposes for which the information is collected, the intended recipients of the information, and the rights of the individual, relating to access and correction of the information. The bill also makes several technical amendments to address some minor issues that have arisen since the principal Act came into force.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000651\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EThe collection of information from a source other than the individual concerned was highlighted as a gap in our privacy regime by the European Union during its assessment of our EU adequacy status. Having EU adequacy means Kiwi businesses can share information with the European Union without more onerous requirements, and places New Zealand in a small cohort of international peers recognised for our commitment to protecting individual privacy. Progressing the bill will support New Zealand to retain our adequacy status into the future.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000652\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EI want to thank the Justice Committee for its diligent consideration of the bill. The committee received 55 submissions. I also want to thank those submitters for taking the time to contribute to the development of this bill. Many submitters supported the bill, either unreservedly or with minor clarifications or changes and a number of concerns about how the bill would apply to certain sectors or how the new IPP 3A should be implemented in different contexts. I\u2019m pleased to see that the committee has taken these on board and has made some, I think, important changes to the bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000653\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EI want to highlight some of those key changes. First, the committee heard concerns from gallery, library and archives, and the museum sector that the new IPP 3A could disrupt their operations and have a chilling effect on organisations collecting personal information for archival purposes. In response to these submissions, the committee has recommended an exception to IPP 3A for archiving practice where it\u2019s in the public interest. The exception means that the agencies indirectly collecting personal information would not have to notify the individual concerned if they\u2019re engaging in archiving practices and the notification would seriously impair their purpose. This new exception will ensure that our country\u2019s heritage is preserved for future generations.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000654\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EThe committee also recommended expanding the range of exceptions to IPP 3A relating to national security, defence, and trade secrets. The exceptions in the bill as introduced were narrower than the grounds in other sections of the Act that relate to these matters. IPP 3A (6) and (7) mirror the matters set out in sections 51 and 52 to ensure that the areas are treated consistently across the Privacy Act. The committee has also recommended amending the Policing Act 2008, which would exempt Police from complying with IPP 3A when assessing someone\u2019s suitability for employment. At the moment, Police are exempt from complying with several information privacy elements for that purpose, and the exemptions allow Police to robustly vet applicants as part of an employment process.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000655\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003EFinally, the committee recommends an exception to IP P3A for information-matching agreements. The bill, as introduced, provided that it does not apply to personal information collected before, on, or after, 1 June 2025\u2014the commencement date of the bill\u2014under an approved information-sharing agreement that is in force immediately before this date. An information-matching agreement is another type of information-sharing mechanism set out in the Privacy Act, which enables Government agencies to compare their respective records of personal information. The recommended amendment will extend the exemption to information-matching agreements for consistency between the two mechanisms.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000656\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003ESome submitters were concerned about the compliance burden imposed by IPP 3A. There\u2019s no denying it will impose additional compliance burdens on agencies who indirectly collect information. We consider there are several ways in which this burden is minimised whilst still upholding important privacy protections. First, I consider the changes outlined before will make a difference. Second, the bill has been designed to minimise compliance costs. There is flexibility in how an individual may be notified and reasonable periods within which this can occur. There are also several practical exemptions drawn from comparable IPPs that that agency will be able to rely on under scenarios where notification is not appropriate. These include when compliance is not reasonably practicable in the circumstances of a particular case, or where the compliance would prejudice the purposes of the collection.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000657\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002253f86481-33c1-48b2-893b-c11cc0bd673d\u0022\u003ETo further support agencies, I intend to submit an Amendment Paper during the committee of the whole House to change the commencement date of Part 1 of the bill so that the agencies benefit from a six-month lead-in period after the bill is passed, to prepare for the new requirements. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner will also be able to issue guidance under the new IPP 3A, which I\u2019m sure agencies will find useful when considering how to meet their obligations. The changes recommended by the committee will help ensure the bill contains workable requirements which also strengthen our reputation for being a country with a strong commitment to providing privacy. 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=\u0022781a6bdc20d1408a94f16d27195c55e6\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000658\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022781a6bdc20d1408a94f16d27195c55e6\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: The question is that the motion be agreed to. I call the Hon Duncan Webb.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022 data-id=\u0022a196855b9c454c1dbd7ee6b75d4ce959\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000659\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a196855b9c454c1dbd7ee6b75d4ce959\u0022\u003EHon Dr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour\u2014Christchurch Central):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. I was hoping you were going to do that, Mr Speaker. Thank you for that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000660\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003EThat was well read, Mr Goldsmith, considering you\u2019d clearly only just seen that speech\u2014good to see that the literacy of the National Party is still holding up. The idea of a legislative statement is that you don\u2019t have to read it; you can actually say what you really think, but, you know, let\u2019s hold that on for another day. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000661\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003EThe issue underlying this bill is actually a relatively simple one, despite the long speech of the Minister of Justice. The fact is that we\u2019ve got pretty good rules around the collection of privacy when information is collected directly from the person who it relates to. If someone wants to collect information about me from me, they have to let me know what the scope of the information is and what they propose to use it for and a whole lot of other details. All very straightforward and one we\u2019ve got really used to actually since the original Privacy Act was passed. But there is a bit of a hole\u2014a gaping hole that you could drive a truck through\u2014in the sense that there are agencies out there that collect all kinds of personal information, but they don\u2019t do it directly from the person it relates to; they obtain it from third-party sources. Supermarket loyalty cards, or loyalty cards generally, are a classic example of this, where information is gathered\u2014quite significant personal information\u2014and then traded.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000662\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003ENow, that\u2019s fine, because when you tick the box, you\u2019ve agreed to it. but if there\u2019s some third-party organisations out there, going and hoovering up information about you to use for a particular purpose, then the fundamental principle underlying this piece of legislation is that you\u2019re entitled to know about it. Of course, a key precept of the Privacy Act is that you are able to know who holds information about you, what that information is, and really importantly, to require it to be accurate. And, of course, if you don\u2019t know that this third party has this information, then how on earth can you exercise your privacy rights, your right to ensure that information is both correct and used only for the purpose for which it was gathered?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000663\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003EThe bill as it came to the Justice Committee\u2014one of the many bills; one of the less invidious bills currently being considered by the Justice Committee\u2014actually cast the net, arguably, a little wide. I do want to recognise that some businesses came to the committee and made the case; these are businesses that, essentially, trade in personal information, mobile phone numbers, buying habits, those sorts of things, essentially for marketing purposes. They don\u2019t like this bill because this makes their life more difficult. They, arguably, will now have to\u2014if the information isn\u2019t already publicly available, they will have to let people know that they\u2019re collecting information about them. They made a decent case, but at the end of the day\u2014and I want to recognise that the committee did deliberate on this\u2014it was thought that, no, those people who for their own commercial purposes gather information, it doesn\u2019t matter how responsible they are, they don\u2019t get a kind of carve-out just because they can.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000664\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003EOn the other hand, we heard from a range of people in the kind of information and curation sector, if you like, including hearing examples about geological samples being collected with students\u2019 names on them. It\u2019s an important part, to be able to trace back where some biological or geological sample has come from, that you write down that it was Duncan Webb and \u201CI collected it down in Otago\u201D\u2014on this date, at this place, and so on. It\u2019s all part of the record.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000665\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003ENow, at least on one analysis, that\u2019s personal information, because it tells you who collected it, where they were, so on and so forth. Quite rightly, it would be an entirely unnecessary fetter on the gathering of information if, when that information about that sample was catalogued in another institution, we had to go back to the student from the 1980s and say, \u201COh, by the way, we\u2019ve collected information about you.\u201D The same with any other kind of archiving curation: art galleries, museums, libraries, archives. The information is kind of quasi-public, but even if it\u2019s not, it would totally undermine an important public purpose. That\u2019s, in essence, why we listened very carefully to those people and thought that the public interest weighed quite differently in that situation and there was an exclusion for that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000666\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003EThe other interesting one was we decided it should apply to the Realm countries, in terms of some of the other exceptions. There are exceptions around national security and national interest and defence, and we just thought we should throw in Tokelau and the Cook Islands\u2014oh, and I see even the Ross Dependency, just in case that crops up. They\u2019re tidy-ups, but really just making sure it was complete.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000667\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f7fc7ac3-5ce1-43ca-8cd6-dbb0941bf3ae\u0022\u003EAgain, it\u2019s not a contentious bill, but, Minister, next time why don\u2019t you actually just have a chat about the bill itself and get away from your speech notes? Kia ora.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00223cc9806d-f7ef-4e23-a218-442f20bf8591\u0022 data-id=\u0022e5dc989331d54e0496b69b7e27cfdba8\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000668\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223cc9806d-f7ef-4e23-a218-442f20bf8591\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e5dc989331d54e0496b69b7e27cfdba8\u0022\u003EDr LAWRENCE XU-NAN (Green):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker, and also I would like to wish everyone in the House a happy Lunar New Year, today being Lunar New Year\u2019s Eve. I rise on behalf of the Green Party of Aotearoa in support of this particular bill. There are a couple of points that other people have mentioned, but I think we would just like to mention some of these points again in context. I think the first part is this bill is set out to add a new information privacy principle\u2014or IPP\u2014which allows for the requirements around information that is collected about an individual indirectly.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000669\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223cc9806d-f7ef-4e23-a218-442f20bf8591\u0022\u003EAs part of the select committee process, we\u2019ve heard from a number of submitters. A lot of the submitters did in fact support the bill, but there have been concerns that were raised as part of that. The first thing that we have heard\u2014and the previous speaker, the Hon Dr Duncan Webb, has also spoken on the fact\u2014is that some of the submitters, particularly in the gallery, library, archives, and museum sector, spoke on the potential impact that this will have. As a result, the Justice Committee has made amendments to this bill that will, hopefully, address some of that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000670\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223cc9806d-f7ef-4e23-a218-442f20bf8591\u0022\u003EWe also heard from businesses that this will add, sometimes, an administrative burden to the bill. However, I would say that, in terms of this, particularly in light of the ever-changing technology and digital landscape, some of these\u2014and particularly in alignment with the much more robust EU legislations around data protection\u2014are necessary. I think, for a lot of businesses, for example\u2014and particularly some of the businesses that have ties to or are in collaboration or cooperation with the UK or EU, particularly as part of the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement\u2014we\u2019re actually required to have to upgrade their privacy protection to include some of these provisions anyway, to be in line and to be able to operate within the EU context. That, I think, is the crux of a lot of this bill and for a lot of the submitters: what is the goal for privacy in Aotearoa?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000671\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223cc9806d-f7ef-4e23-a218-442f20bf8591\u0022\u003EI mentioned before that in the context of privacy, and particularly in a much newer and ever-changing media and also social media and also in terms of tech, we do need to be nimble in terms of our approach to information security and data security and how information can be collected by third parties. This is particularly true not just of the agencies and of the various elements that are mentioned in this particular bill, but also thinking about it more broadly.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000672\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223cc9806d-f7ef-4e23-a218-442f20bf8591\u0022\u003EThere is one particular element of this around exceptions related to national security, defence, and trade secrets that I would like to address. I think that in terms of when you have exceptions related to national security and defence, certain aspects of that is understandable, but I would like to know from the Minister\u2014and I will be really interested in asking the Minister more questions around this during the committee stage\u2014around the scope of what is considered trade secrets. Again, understandably, there is a level of commercial sensitivity that we need to be upheld, but as we see with some of the social media giants in particular, the collection of big data and the use of big data\u2014whether they\u2019re collected directly or indirectly\u2014is often a grey area both in domestic legislation but also under international law. In this particular case, what is some of the advice that has been taken around the broader scope and the broader boundaries of this particular trade secret or commercial sensitivity aspect of the exception we see in sections 51 and 52 of the principal Act?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000673\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223cc9806d-f7ef-4e23-a218-442f20bf8591\u0022\u003EFor the next part, a number of submitters have also spoken in terms of the monitoring and also in terms of the accountability. We see that the Privacy Act has just gotten a refresh in 2020, and, again, we are seeing that within a few years\u2019 time we\u2019re doing an overhaul. Prior to that, we haven\u2019t seen an update to the Privacy Act for a number of decades. Again, we are seeing this increased need for us to play catch-up with some of the overseas jurisdictions. A lot of that does come down to, if that does happen, when we do see a potential violation, what is the accountability and what role is the privacy commission being able to take on monitoring the compliance with the IPP\u2014the information privacy principles\u2014and particularly this new one that has been introduced?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000674\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223cc9806d-f7ef-4e23-a218-442f20bf8591\u0022\u003EFinally, in connection with this particular bill and the broader context of privacy in Aotearoa, I think the importance around education and the importance around education of cyber-security is absolutely crucial in making sure that the people of Aotearoa, both as individuals but also as businesses, are able to keep their data safe; and for businesses, and also for the various sectors, understanding their obligations under the Privacy Act.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000675\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223cc9806d-f7ef-4e23-a218-442f20bf8591\u0022\u003EI think if we\u2019re looking from a particular cyber-security perspective, we\u2019re looking at some of the overseas jurisdictions around what they are doing, particularly around the physical, logical, and also the virtual layers of cyber-security\u2014and in this case, I\u2019m referring to the logical layer of cyber-security around the education of scams, of cyber-security, of privacy, of personal information\u2014this is something that we have seen that hasn\u2019t been done particularly well, both in terms of our education system, in terms of our community education system, but also in terms of educating and also keeping up with the compliance with our businesses.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000676\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223cc9806d-f7ef-4e23-a218-442f20bf8591\u0022\u003EAs the privacy officer of my previous workplace, we had to ensure that all of our staff went through like a suite of education programmes around the privacy principles and the update of the privacy principles. However, we\u2019re often finding that those sort of education bases are based around a singular session, a singular workshop, without the consistent reinforcement of our staff when it comes to understanding of the privacy principles. I think, in this particular case, it is also empirical\u2014and also a golden opportunity\u2014as we are looking at the passing of this bill, considering that there is a number of support for this bill. How is the Government going to be able to work with the Privacy Commissioner on ensuring that when we are rolling it out, when we are rolling these new principles out, that there is a robust education system that is able to be reinforced over and over again so that way people don\u2019t inadvertently and unintentionally violate our Privacy Act?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000677\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223cc9806d-f7ef-4e23-a218-442f20bf8591\u0022\u003ETo finish, as the Green Party, we do support this bill and there are a number of things, as I mentioned, that I would be interested to ask the Minister during the committee of the whole House stage. But, broadly speaking, we are incredibly heartened by the submission process and also by the calibre of submission that we saw during the select committee stage and the succinct sort of feedback that we did receive from the communities and also the Justice Committee\u2019s adaptability, being able to incorporate some of this feedback and making the required and necessary updates to the legislation. With that, the Green Party supports this bill and we look forward to further discussions during the committee stage.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b2672720-3dfe-421a-af8c-20f00d44da3d\u0022 data-id=\u00225f6faee041f24112911fdf1def4cfc44\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000678\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b2672720-3dfe-421a-af8c-20f00d44da3d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225f6faee041f24112911fdf1def4cfc44\u0022\u003ETODD STEPHENSON (ACT):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker, and happy New Year to you. This is my first opportunity this year to address the House, and it is my pleasure to speak in support of the Privacy Amendment Bill. There is actually probably nothing more important than ensuring that we actually do continue to protect privacy. It is actually a fundamental human right, along with freedom of speech and a number of other foundational rights in our\u00A0important democracy. While this is a fairly simple bill doing some tidy-ups, it was actually taken very seriously, I can report, by the Justice Committee, which I am lucky enough to be a member of. We did diligently work through the issues, and it is very pleasing that the Minister of Justice has actually accepted the changes recommended by the Justice Committee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000679\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b2672720-3dfe-421a-af8c-20f00d44da3d\u0022\u003EAs has been outlined already this evening, this bill originated, really, in feedback from the EU and wanting to ensure that New Zealand did continue to have the adequacy status in relation to privacy laws. That\u2019s how this came about, and then there were, obviously, also, some other minor improvements we were able to put into the bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000680\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b2672720-3dfe-421a-af8c-20f00d44da3d\u0022\u003EWe really recommended four major changes, and, again, it\u2019s just worth reiterating that this creates a new privacy principle, 3A, which, as Dr Duncan Webb, another colleague on the Justice Committee, has outlined, really is specifically around this third-party collection of privacy information. It is very important that New Zealanders do understand what organisations hold their personal information, what they\u2019re doing with that personal information, why they are holding it, etc. Again, it\u2019s this idea that when this information can move through a number of parties, it may not be as clear to the individual who actually has their information. Again, that\u2019s why this privacy principle is being introduced into the Privacy Act of 2020.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000681\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b2672720-3dfe-421a-af8c-20f00d44da3d\u0022\u003EAs has been outlined tonight, and as I said, we really made four suggestions as a select committee. The first I want to talk about briefly was this public interest exception, and we did have some submissions on this bill\u201455, and we had 16 oral submissions. A number of them were from the sector representing, really, galleries, libraries, archives, museums, and they really outlined to us how important this public interest exception was for archiving. Again, we had some really practical examples where you could have a historic exhibition of photos or a historic archive of photos, and if they didn\u2019t have this public interest exception, you\u2019d actually be required to go back and try and actually contact everyone in the photo, and that might not be possible. It could have been a collection of photos of just people on the streets of Wellington in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s\u2014whenever. It would be very difficult to comply with the law if it didn\u2019t have this public interest exception. We do want to be able to let these very important institutions actually capture our history, whether that\u2019s oral history, photography, or other things. We had a number of submissions around that, and we listened intently, and we worked through a way to put in place this public interest exception.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000682\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b2672720-3dfe-421a-af8c-20f00d44da3d\u0022\u003EAs has been outlined already tonight, some other sectors of the community also wanted exceptions, and, again, we did listen to their arguments but, on the balance, did not agree that they should require it\u2014only this public interest exception for archiving.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000683\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b2672720-3dfe-421a-af8c-20f00d44da3d\u0022\u003EOne of the other amendments we did was just, yeah, really tighten up this area around exceptions or expand this area around exceptions for national security, defence, and trade secrets, and I can assure the House that we did look at this carefully. There are some already established rules around trade secrets, etc., so, really, it was just tidying up where that exception would be allowed and making sure that was appropriate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000684\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b2672720-3dfe-421a-af8c-20f00d44da3d\u0022\u003EAgain, as we diligently work through this process\u2014and I can say this is one of the bills where everyone on the select committee was contributing, and we\u2019re actually taking a very positive approach. That often happens in the Justice Committee, despite reports to the contrary. Another area which we did uncover, working with our officials, was that we needed an amendment related to the police Act. The police Act actually already has some exceptions for when it\u2019s complying around privacy principles, and we wanted to make sure that, when we\u2019re introducing this new 3A, those same exemptions for the police remain. Really, it was just making it consistent, and this hadn\u2019t been picked up earlier, so we\u2019ve worked through that and made sure that happened. There was another issue around information and data-matching agreements, which, again, we worked through and make sure this bill was consistent.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000685\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b2672720-3dfe-421a-af8c-20f00d44da3d\u0022\u003EAgain, I would say it wasn\u2019t the most controversial piece of legislation that we\u2019ve had before the Justice Committee, but, as I said at the outset, it is very important that we actually do look after our privacy laws. Privacy is a fundamental human right, as I said, and just making sure that we update these laws and make sure they are fit for purpose and that New Zealanders can rely on them is a very important function of both select committees and this Parliament.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000686\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b2672720-3dfe-421a-af8c-20f00d44da3d\u0022\u003EPrivacy will continue to evolve. Again, some speakers earlier in this debate have talked about some of the issues. We have seen data links. There obviously are large data-collection companies now all over the world. What\u2019s most important is that people are willingly able to give up their personal information if they wish\u2014but they know that they are doing so and they are informed when they are doing it. Actually, our modern society and world couldn\u2019t operate without us providing some personal information, but it\u2019s making sure that that\u2019s done in a way that we understand, that it\u2019s disclosed to us, we know who holds it, and we know how we can correct the record if necessary. I am delighted to be recommending this bill to the House on behalf of ACT. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022 data-id=\u00222c2c7080030646b9a049a7ad5c834343\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000687\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222c2c7080030646b9a049a7ad5c834343\u0022\u003EHon CASEY COSTELLO (Minister of Customs):\u003C/span\u003E I rise to speak on behalf of New Zealand First, in support of the Privacy Amendment Bill. The key note, I think, we have to acknowledge is that a privacy Act exists to ensure that New Zealand citizens have the ability to exercise their fundamental rights of protection. This bill seeks to address the fact that you cannot exercise your fundamental rights if you\u2019re unaware that your rights have been breached. We are, by nature, becoming an increasingly data-driven economy; information is a valuable commodity and it is traded as such. The knowledge of the individual of their rights is essential, and this is why the new principle, information privacy principle 3A, has become so important.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000688\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022\u003EI would like to acknowledge the Justice Committee, which has an enormous workload and has been incredibly diligent in all the legislation that it has put forward. I think it\u2019s important to note that despite this being a small piece of legislation, it was carefully reflected on and it was important to note that there were some nuances. I think, as the previous speaker, Todd Stephenson, talked about, it was really considered around the practicability and public interest test as to whether they were sufficient to address all the concerns that were raised.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000689\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022\u003EI think that is a key component in this space, because it is a complex area, but our application of law has to be practical, it has to be weighing up public interest, and not onerous to the point that we are constraining ourselves from being able to collect information in any shape or form. It is necessary\u2014and I think this has become more apparent\u2014that there are so many ways which our data and information can be gathered about us, and the fact that we tick a box and we sign and we know is the only mechanism we have; once we have done that, we need, as citizens of a free country, to be able to know what happens after that point, and this piece of legislation is a positive step to allay those concerns. Because we need to be able to collect information, we need people to have faith in their ability to hand over information and know that they have the protections of a good piece of legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000690\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022feb2e3ca-4ad3-4c7c-9958-b10d28c83bc8\u0022\u003EI have, without hesitation, on behalf of New Zealand First, great pleasure in commending this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022 data-id=\u0022b23c511762c548078fa1d601bdae526c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000691\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b23c511762c548078fa1d601bdae526c\u0022\u003EHon JULIE ANNE GENTER (Green\u2014Rongotai):\u003C/span\u003E T\u0113n\u0101 koe, Mr Speaker. T\u0113n\u0101 koutou e te Whare. Happy New Year to everyone. The Green Party, as my colleague Lawrence Xu-Nan mentioned earlier, is supporting the Privacy Amendment Bill. It is a very technical change, but it enhances our privacy law and it\u2019s in line with other jurisdictions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000692\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003EThe Privacy Amendment Act would require companies and other organisations to notify people when they indirectly acquire their data from another party. The idea of the law, as many of the speakers tonight have referred to, is to improve transparency so individuals know who is using their data for what purpose. I think that\u2019s really important. This is an amendment to an Act that was just passed in 2020. It seems like not that long ago, five years ago, but, actually, in terms of the evolution of technology, it\u2019s moving very, very fast and seems to be increasing, the speed with which it\u2019s changing, at an exponential rate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000693\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003EI think that privacy is something that we have probably taken for granted, that democracy is something that we have taken for granted, and this amendment is striving to promote and\u00A0protect that fundamental right in a changing environment. I think, particularly with the\u00A0rise of artificial intelligence, we are going to have to continually review the legislation aligned with these changes to ensure that people\u2019s personal information\u2014they know how it\u2019s being used; they know how it\u2019s being shared with others. I just think about how much social media has enabled some players to gather so much personal data about people, and that is being used often to target advertising, and maybe that\u2019s very effective, although I think it\u2019s really important that there\u2019s clear transparency about who is using information and for what\u00A0purposes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000694\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003ENow, I note from the select committee report\u2014I don\u2019t sit on the Justice Committee, so my colleague would have sat on that and heard all of the submissions\u2014that it does sound like some really useful submissions were made, particularly by library archives, people in the museum sector, talking about how the initial proposal could disrupt their operations, which could have really negative effects. There is an amendment to clause 4 to insert a new exception in new information privacy principle 3A, which Todd Stephenson referred to at length, and I think that\u2019s a really sensible change. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000695\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002258f935f1-6646-40ab-9d99-17029396850c\u0022\u003EI myself have had to fill out compliance with Privacy Act stuff when being interviewed by an archivist specifically. And this might happen to other members here, where they want to interview you at length about different aspects of campaigns you\u2019ve run in\u2014I think it was a by-election that I ran in\u2014and you have to go through this whole process. Obviously, they have to take privacy very, very seriously, but we don\u2019t want to put an enormous administrative burden on them or disrupt their operations. I think, overall, this legislation is good, and we are supporting it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022 data-id=\u002201be3c716df646e2b102e3fce12c4832\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000696\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002201be3c716df646e2b102e3fce12c4832\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: The Hon\u2014and I believe it is the first time you\u2019ve been called as \u201Cthe Hon\u201D\u2014James Meager.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022ef094bb1-be4f-48b8-bb53-52ce955a1c2d\u0022 data-id=\u0022cb8a759977d34035942b4019ad3390da\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000697\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ef094bb1-be4f-48b8-bb53-52ce955a1c2d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022cb8a759977d34035942b4019ad3390da\u0022\u003EHon JAMES MEAGER (Minister for Hunting and Fishing):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker\u2014thank you for that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000698\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ef094bb1-be4f-48b8-bb53-52ce955a1c2d\u0022\u003ELook, I\u2019m very pleased to take call No. 7 on the Privacy Amendment Bill, a bill which was referred to the committee way back in May of 2024, so it seems a while ago since we did consider the bill. As many speakers today have said, it is a bill which is, essentially, supported across the House and one which was discussed and considered in quite good spirits. I just thought I would take the House through some of the key changes that are being recommended in the select committee report, and also just speak a little bit about some of the submissions we received. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000699\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ef094bb1-be4f-48b8-bb53-52ce955a1c2d\u0022\u003EUnlike some of the other work the Justice Committee has been doing in the past few days, we received a relatively modest number of submissions. We heard oral evidence from only 16 submitters, but what I would say about those submitters who came in\u2014and I\u2019m sure members who were on the committee would agree\u2014is that, I think, to a submitter, they all provided something of substance and quality. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000700\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ef094bb1-be4f-48b8-bb53-52ce955a1c2d\u0022\u003EI actually quite enjoyed hearing from a range of submitters from across sectors who would be impacted by this bill, including from what I first heard termed the GLAM sector, and that is the\u2014now, I\u2019ve got to get the actual acronym; come on, Mr Brewer, help me out here\u2014galleries, libraries, archives, and museums. That\u2019s the GLAM sector. When they came and made a submission, they were concerned about the provision in the bill which would require them to notify someone when they had collected information from a third party, or they were a third-party collector, and it was their view that this could impact some of the work that they undertook, whether that\u2019s in archiving or whether that was the oral historians. When you\u2019re putting together a large collection and you have a donation of perhaps tens of thousands of photographs, the risk that they thought that the bill might cause was that in going through those photographs, if they were ever to display them, they would then have to go and notify, or try and do the work to identify individuals in each individual photograph\u2014and I think Sir Ed Hillary, Mr Brewer, was used as one of the examples. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000701\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ef094bb1-be4f-48b8-bb53-52ce955a1c2d\u0022\u003EThe risk that they saw was that that might be overly onerous to the value of the exhibition and that it would put so much cost on the process that it would prevent them from doing the work in the first place, and some of that valuable archive material may never see the light of day. We heard those submissions from a number of submitters, and the committee did agree to make an exception for archiving in the public interest, based on some similar exemptions made in other jurisdictions, and I note in the departmental report that it actually refers to initial Cabinet decisions by the previous Government to include an exception which was then removed on the proviso that it could be considered by a select committee if there was merit in doing so. We considered that exception and we thought that it was worth putting in, and so we\u2019re going to recommend that to the House, as well. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000702\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ef094bb1-be4f-48b8-bb53-52ce955a1c2d\u0022\u003EThere were many other submitters who made similar arguments that some of the provisions in here would be overly onerous on their business and may prevent them from operating in a reasonably efficient way. We took those on board and we considered them, but we thought that there were other protections in the bill which would make that change not as overly onerous. That includes the requirement for those agencies to take reasonable steps to notify, and what would be reasonable in each individual situation would differ, depending on whether or not you had readily accessible information or the extent of information which you might need to notify. We thought that those protections for the vast bulk of those industries would be sufficient, so we didn\u2019t recommend any changes to those. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000703\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022ef094bb1-be4f-48b8-bb53-52ce955a1c2d\u0022\u003EThen, finally, in terms of the remaining changes recommended in the bill, they were some alignments with some of the other information privacy principle (IPP) sections that already exist in the Privacy Act. They were things like aligning exceptions relating to national security, defence, and trade secrets which already exist for IPP 3, but haven\u2019t been carried over for IPP 3A. We just tried to align those, as well as amending section 57 of the Policing Act. Look, I think it was another example of where the Justice Committee works really well, and we worked well together to recommend amendments to the bill which will improve the bill. As it continues its journey through the House, I\u2019m sure that it will continue to be supported by many members. With that, I will commend the bill to the House. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022 data-id=\u00222bff75dac67c406bad86312c6fbaf104\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000704\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222bff75dac67c406bad86312c6fbaf104\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN (Labour):\u003C/span\u003E It\u2019s no surprise that the Labour Party supports this bill, because it was ours. I think I remember doing the first reading quite a while back. It\u2019s been interesting to see it progress through the Justice Committee, and we\u2019ve all worked incredibly well to get to this point in time. It goes a long way to strengthening our policy framework and enabling people to be well informed when an agency has their information and to know what they\u2019re doing with their personal information.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000705\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003EAs we live in an age where there\u2019s a lot of that going on and it can be used for nefarious purposes, it\u2019s really important that our legislation is up to date to make sure people have all of those protections in place. That\u2019s exactly what this does. It improves in a real way the transparency of Government, for which we are well known in New Zealand, to make sure that we are holding that personal information in way that is protected, and it should come as no surprise that we were keen to continue to work on this space. As we see breaches of information, as we have people more concerned about how their information is being used, it is incumbent upon Governments to make sure that protections are in place to give people confidence in how they use that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000706\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003EIt was really interesting to get lobbied by\u2014I think it was the librarians and archivists. They came in pretty cross and explained that they were concerned that some of the parts of this bill might actually impede upon their important work in terms of gathering histories and putting together interesting facts of our past and bringing those together and collecting those parts. So an exception for archiving in the public interest has been made. It is not necessary for an agency to comply with requirement in information privacy principle 3A if the agency believes, on reasonable grounds, that non-compliance would not prejudice the interests of the individual concerned. This is a good example of it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000707\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003EIt might be, say, 50 or 60 years ago\u2014you might be using the information or data of someone who\u2019s passed away but you\u2019re wanting to bring that together in a record of how it\u2019s worked. We wouldn\u2019t want to stop the storytelling and the history making within New Zealand. Quite rightly, there\u2019s been a carve-out for that, particularly when that information is already publicly available. It\u2019s not really going to the heart of what that bill was trying to do. It also states that, if compliance is not reasonably practicable in the circumstances\u2014so if someone is going through a huge effort to compile a whole lot of different sources, having to go back and seek agreement for each of those would just simply mean that that history making doesn\u2019t take place. That would have been an unintended consequence. It was a good example of a bill having the right intent but, unaware, catching a group, and through the select committee process, changes being made to make sure that that did not include those who are simply doing archival work in New Zealand. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000708\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c21f4beb-20c4-4b12-bc6f-fdc931e2dc96\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s a good bill. This is an area that continues to evolve and we will have to continue to be vigilant to make sure we give the right protections in place to make our Government transparent but also give people confidence to be able to give their information to Government in a way that is not compromised. I commend it to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002289809535-e289-43e8-ad08-668cf3046ffb\u0022 data-id=\u002276f8ce96370244498291a78bc156386c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000709\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002289809535-e289-43e8-ad08-668cf3046ffb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002276f8ce96370244498291a78bc156386c\u0022\u003ECAMERON BREWER (National\u2014Upper Harbour):\u003C/span\u003E It\u2019s great to stand up in support of the Privacy Amendment Bill. If we reflect, as some of our members on the Justice Committee\u2014Mr Meager; the Hon James\u2014it was referred to the committee back in May, and since then we received a number of submissions, 55 from interested groups and individuals, and 16 oral submitters. Some of the traps were canvassed, that we needed to ensure that this bill excluded those in the GLAM sector\u2014gallery, library, archives, and museum\u2014so they could operate in the public good that they always, always have, and not be caught up by having to allow for provisions that were not workable.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000710\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002289809535-e289-43e8-ad08-668cf3046ffb\u0022\u003EGoing back to the whole purpose and the first principles of this bill, it\u2019s all about aligning New Zealand\u2019s privacy laws with the standards set by international agreements and best practices that we see around the globe. As others have alluded to, it\u2019s not just about protecting the privacy of New Zealand individuals but also ensuring that our businesses remain competitive in the international market, which, of course, is demanding higher and higher standards, as are consumers, in and around data protection.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000711\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002289809535-e289-43e8-ad08-668cf3046ffb\u0022\u003EThe bill introduces new compliance obligations, as has been examined, and it is crafted, as I have alluded to, to ensure there are many practical exemptions to enable those archivists in galleries, libraries, and museums to get on with their business. As it was, there was a real concern that without the new information privacy principle 3A\u2014that is, the agency that is collecting the personal information about an individual from other sources is to take reasonable steps to ensure that the individual is aware of specific matters, including the fact that the information has been collected\u2014this is what was going to be unworkable\u2014that the name and address of the collecting agency be documented, that the purpose for which the information has been collected be detailed, that the intended recipients of the information be named, and that the rights of the individual relating to the access and correlation of the information also be sought.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000712\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002289809535-e289-43e8-ad08-668cf3046ffb\u0022\u003EWhen you are, as I think Mr Stephenson alluded to, talking about photos of the streets of Wellington in the 1960s and trying to get permission\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000713\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b2672720-3dfe-421a-af8c-20f00d44da3d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022920967fe63b34c63805bb9985e950d48\u0022\u003ETodd Stephenson\u003C/span\u003E: I wasn\u2019t there.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000714\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002289809535-e289-43e8-ad08-668cf3046ffb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022877730f3e39d40048e60db3037b9dd03\u0022\u003ECAMERON BREWER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, maybe it was Dr Webb that was talking about those days. But trying to sort out\u2014as the archivists and the historians took us through, and the potential Sir Edmund Hillary Collection was one of them\u2014the permissions, as I\u2019ve just detailed, would be a very difficult task, to find everyone that was alive and/or their descendants in any photo taken in a public setting. This was examined by the committee, and subsequently the chilling effect that that would have on these organisations and their work and the public archive going forward was avoided. Those galleries, libraries, archives, and museums can get going and continue with their work, albeit with very stringent rules around the direct impacts on someone\u2019s privacy, more so than having to scoot around hypothetical, indirect impacts that it might have on people\u2019s privacy that have been included. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000715\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002289809535-e289-43e8-ad08-668cf3046ffb\u0022\u003EOral historians said that all it would take is for someone to mention a person that was part of their life story or their work story, and then that person\u2014it might have just been a momentary glimpse in the life of Sir Edmund Hillary, but then that oral historian would have to go through a whole process of tracking down that person and looking, and then if permission was not granted, that story was gone.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000716\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002289809535-e289-43e8-ad08-668cf3046ffb\u0022\u003EThis has been well canvassed and the GLAM sector are very happy with the work. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022 data-id=\u00228873927fd634462a9a065c314c482c8a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000717\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00228873927fd634462a9a065c314c482c8a\u0022\u003EHELEN WHITE (Labour\u2014Mt Albert):\u003C/span\u003E Thank you, Mr Speaker. It\u2019s lovely to be back in the Chamber. I hope everyone had a good break; I certainly did. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000718\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003EI want to speak about this just really from the point of view of coming in from\u2014I\u2019m not on the Justice Committee, but I do have a background applying the privacy law, and I can see that the committee has done a really good job of looking at the potential unintended consequences of this law. I don\u2019t think that this is a particularly simple area of law; it\u2019s evolving and it\u2019s going to have unintended consequences and they\u2019re going to crop up and we are going to have to change the law fairly frequently if we\u2019re going to keep abreast of a situation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000719\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003EAlso what we had here, which I think was really interesting as an outsider, was a clear discussion in the select committee about the needs of the public and the public purpose of some of the organisations versus, perhaps, private interests and commercial interests in another. The solutions that were found are quite different as a result. I think that\u2019s a really interesting evolution\u2014that people got to that point. They made a distinction between people who might have the protection that the test gave of just reasonable grounds, of reasonable inquiries perhaps being made, but still a compliance and a respect for people in that situation which was higher than a situation where there were perhaps archivists who had a public purpose, who were going to be gummed up by too much compliance in this area and also weren\u2019t looking at self-interest.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000720\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003EThat\u2019s very much our job, so I\u2019m really impressed with what has happened in this committee. It doesn\u2019t mean that with all best intentions there won\u2019t need to be further changes and subtleties in the law of privacy; there certainly will.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000721\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003EI was also really interested to see the exceptions for the police. That seemed really grounded. There are a lot of real discoveries in the area of data matching, etc. We really do have to, again, look at the public need and purpose and not confuse ourselves over that. We really do need police to have more powers in this area than we would give a private institution, and so it\u2019s really nice to see that as another example of where the law has been applied with what looks like common sense in this new law.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000722\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003EI\u2019m really pleased to see what I see. It doesn\u2019t look particularly simple to me. It looks like an evolution in the law of privacy, and a good one\u2014a good step in the right direction to protecting our citizens where necessary, making sure that they haven\u2019t lost their power as data becomes more and more something that we really are going to have to control, because, otherwise, we\u2019ll lose control of it and it will become the property of someone else and we\u2019ll fall victim to a system, or our citizens will. Our job is to protect them; it looks to me like the committee\u2019s done an excellent job of that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000723\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225ec01d23-b55e-45b9-a668-d3bf14212126\u0022\u003EI\u2019d just like to say there were 16 submitters, by the sounds of things, who took the time to orally address the Justice Committee. Those submissions sound like they were really helpful to the committee. Thank you for giving your time and contributing to the process. I\u2019m always telling students in my electorate that the submission process is one that\u2019s very real and genuine, and if you come along and you say something and point out something, people will take that seriously. It looks like, in this case, that\u2019s exactly what happened, as I hear repeated stories of archivists and Sir Edmund Hillary. Obviously, people did have their ears on and they did listen and they did amend. Thank you to the submitters who took the process seriously, and thank you to the Justice Committee for giving it the time it deserved. I commend the bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022 data-id=\u0022b216263f87aa4faa8b46645c0fbb509c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000724\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b216263f87aa4faa8b46645c0fbb509c\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u2019Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: This debate is interrupted and set down for resumption the next sitting day. The House stands adjourned until 2 p.m. tomorrow. Thank you for your efforts today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000725\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003EDebate interrupted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000726\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003EThe House adjourned at 9.59 p.m.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id202501287d1c0e19cab44d76a01468a06b9ec67b000727\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002202e74c40-9529-4e15-adc2-c032eadc2205\u0022\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n  \u003C/body\u003E\n\u003C/html\u003E"