"\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=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000000\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002264fada514d7eeb5bdccf1cc4fa475645\u0022\u003ETuesday, 22 September 2026\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EThe Speaker\u003C/span\u003E took the Chair at 2 p.m.\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000002\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00228e15bd81e3af31ae79f25de3ec5c2103\u0022\u003EStart of Sitting Day\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000003\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022eb24a22acc2ddc07d9d9870f5f00821c\u0022\u003EKarakia/Prayers\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022 data-id=\u00226567abe71752eaf099032c15d4313297\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000004\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226567abe71752eaf099032c15d4313297\u0022\u003EBARBARA KURIGER (Deputy Speaker) (14:00)\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 the peace of New Zealand. Amen.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000005\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022d7f65a94ad5f187c870f5db1f0951015\u0022\u003ESpeaker\u0027s Rulings\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000006\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022dcb70e0883353a7a892c5dab3dba77db\u0022\u003EDischarge of Bills Under Urgency\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000007\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002258c804fc231e4ea93d581d930347aa6f\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Members, on Saturday, there were points of order taken about a Minister not moving the first reading of a bill that had been introduced under urgency. Had that bill been an order of the day on the Order Paper, it would have been discharged at that point. Bills not on the Order Paper can be dealt with in any order the Government wishes during urgency\u2014see Speaker\u2019s ruling 15/4\u2014that\u2019s what saved the bill from discharge.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000008\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003EThe situation is far from satisfactory. It\u2019s crucial that whips mange the House programme effectively, and that Ministers are aware of their responsibilities. I encourage whoever chairs the Business Committee in the 55\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C/sup\u003E Parliament to discuss whether bills proceeding under urgency that are not on the Order Paper should be subject to discharge if a reading is not moved at the appropriate time. A sessional order to that effect could be agreed. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000009\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022d3149187bf6470795885c2495508a191\u0022\u003EDebates\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000010\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022dc45dbe1f5c215120dc7d970ddf5d17a\u0022\u003EMinistry of Education\u2014Official Information Act\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000011\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022438906f6e6f896002169c58f8c3eb560\u0022\u003EUrgent Debate\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000012\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b840d606d555cf42890eff94e313ee53\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Members, I have also received letters from the Hon Ginny Andersen and Dr Lawrence Xu-Nan seeking to debate, under Standing Orders 399, reports of a Ministry of Education official appearing to provide advice in an attempt to circumvent the Official Information Act. This is a particular case of recent occurrence. Ministers answer to the House for their agencies, including on operational matters. The official information system is an important pillar of our democracy and largely operates on the basis of good faith. Significant challenges to the operation of the Act warrant the attention of the House and the Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000013\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003EWhen I receive two applications for an urgent debate on the same matter, priority is given to the one received first. After oral questions today, I will call on the Hon Ginny Andersen to move that the House take note of a matter of urgent public importance. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000014\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00229bfc9556c220130f2b318bd519400dbd\u0022\u003EPresentation\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000015\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002231ec3ad3b55c66f8e3ded87f2742b6ea\u0022\u003EPetitions\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000016\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e1796ab45d60c655ab8b102fe9947598\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Eight petitions have been presented for presentation to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000017\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022448aa0adc1db64bdfbeb2b9e97f92b6b\u0022\u003ECLERK (14:02): \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000018\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003EPetition of Climate Justice Taranaki Inc requesting that the House urge the Government not to enable an LNG import facility at Port Taranaki\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000019\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003Epetition of Corina Shields requesting that the House increase access to the sex offender register, and stop allowing reduced sentences or permanent name suppression for people convicted of crimes against children\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000020\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003Epetition of Jessica Creedmore requesting that the House urge the Government to support consideration of the Buller Plateaux Continuation Project through the fast-track approvals process\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000021\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003Epetition of Michael Brown requesting that the House urge the Government to establish a 3D fixed-site mammography unit in Whitianga\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003Epetition of Rhonda Fitzpatrick requesting that the House repeal clauses in the Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025 that allow water organisations to set water charges; or require that the boards of water organisations be directly elected\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000023\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003Epetition of Stella Ward requesting that the House review sentencing and deportation sequencing for non-resident offenders\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000024\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003Epetition of The Vegan Society of Aotearoa requesting that the House urge the Government to incentivise farmers to further diversify their farming to include crop growing or rewilding their land for carbon sequestration, and\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000025\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003Epetition of the University of Canterbury Students\u2019 Association requesting that the House urge the Government to introduce a grandfathering provision for current tertiary students who reasonably expected to receive their final year of study fees free.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000026\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fcc6efc4eccefbfb2a81cf9bbfeec877\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Those petitions stand referred to the Petitions Committee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000027\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00221db7543f03dde60e5723ba14931945b3\u0022\u003EPapers\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000028\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022530e38a4b3ebbb22c261560da4a2ece1\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Ministers have delivered 14 papers.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000029\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002243081eede85db4e32a9f59d25eab63af\u0022\u003ECLERK (14:04): \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000030\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003E2025-26 annual reports for:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000031\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003ECity Rail Link Ltd\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000032\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003EElectricity Corporation of New Zealand Ltd\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000033\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003ELocal Government Commission\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000034\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003EMercury NZ Ltd\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000035\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Post Ltd\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000036\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003ERemuneration Authority, and\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000037\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003ETranspower New Zealand\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000038\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003E2025-29 statement of intent for Ferry Holdings Ltd\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000039\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003E2026-27 statement of performance expectations for the Children\u2019s Commissioner\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000040\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003EGovernment response to the reports of the Petitions Committee on the petitions of:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000041\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003EBob Robertson, and\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000042\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003EChristopher Ingram\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000043\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003Enotice of declaration of inconsistency: Prohibition on display of gang insignia in public in the Gangs Act 2024\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000044\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003Edirection to support a whole-of-Government approach to administrative data improvements\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000045\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003EInternational Labour Organization, report of the New Zealand Government Delegates to the 114\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C/sup\u003E session of the International Labour Conference, Geneva, June 2026\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000046\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f7d7b59762cd50a58eed727cf1a190c7\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Those papers are published under the authority of the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000047\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022809b91db61c433c57f566458dd77f4d3\u0022\u003ESelect Committee Reports\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000048\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002228ae30402640ded527516c2876ef4517\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Fifty-nine select committee reports have been delivered for presentation. I\u2019ll just ask members to keep their conversations very, very low. Some of them are quite audible at the moment.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000049\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002249b71261eb41d07edac6fb6c3059662d\u0022\u003ECLERK (14:05): \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000050\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003EReports of the Education and Workforce Committee on the\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000051\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003E2024-25 annual review of the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology (formerly Te P\u016Bkenga)\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000052\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Epetition of Keely Cairns: Recognise and resource Hindi as a language option within NZ Schools\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000053\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003Ereport of the Environment Committee on the petition of Consumer NZ: Require product repairability labels\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000054\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003Ereport of the Finance and Expenditure Committee on the report of the Controller and Auditor-General, \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EChatham Islands Council: Inquiry into sensitive expenditure and procurement\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000055\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003Ereport of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee on the petition of New Zealand Values Alliance \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000056\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003Ereports of the Governance and Administration Committee on the\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000057\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Einquiry into Fire and Emergency New Zealand\u2019s fleet management and related issues\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000058\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Ewhole-of-Government direction to centralise digital investment and procurement decision-making\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000059\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003Ereports of the Health Committee on the\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000060\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Ebriefing from the Prostate Cancer Foundation\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000061\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Ebriefing on blood cancers\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000062\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Ebriefing on genetic discrimination in insurance\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000063\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Epetition of Jas Mcintosh \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000064\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Ereport of the Controller and Auditor-General, \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EProviding equitable access to planned care treatment\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000065\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Ereport of the Ombudsman, \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EOPCAT Aged Care Monitoring, Chief Ombudsman\u2019s Observations 2021-2024\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000066\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Ereports of the Ombudsman, \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EOIA timeliness obligations: Compliance and practice in Health New Zealand and Pharmaceutical Management Agency\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000067\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003Ereports of the Justice Committee on the\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000068\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003EOverseas Adoptions Legislation Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000069\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003ERegulatory Systems (Courts) Amendment Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000070\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003Ereports of the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee on the\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000071\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Ebriefing on Treaty settlement legislation and Report of the Controller and Auditor-General, \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EHow public organisations are fulfilling Treaty settlements\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000072\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Ereport of the Controller and Auditor-General, \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EImproving the public service\u2019s capability to engage with M\u0101ori\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000073\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003Ereports of the Petitions Committee on the\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000074\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Epetition of Aida Tavassoli\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000075\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Epetition of Arthur Anae \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000076\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Epetition of Benjamin Sims \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000077\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Epetition of Brian Webb\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000078\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Epetition of Byron Donaldson\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000079\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Epetition of Consumer NZ\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000080\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Epetition of Diane Cross\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000081\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Epetition of Donna Dabinett\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000082\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Epetition of Ian McLean QSO\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000083\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Epetition of Louisa Wall 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class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Epetition of Ross Hoole\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000090\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Epetition of SAFE on behalf of Commissioner for Animals alliance\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000091\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Epetition of Shane Sharma\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000092\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Epetition of Tamati Warmington\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000093\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Epetition of William Rea\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000094\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Epetition of Zhide Zhao\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000095\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Epetitions of Erika Whittome\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000096\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003Ereports of the Primary Production Committee on the\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000097\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Ebriefing on the New Zealand wool industry\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000098\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Epetition of John Hellstrom\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000099\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Epetitions of NZ Vegetarian Society and Vegan Society of Aotearoa \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000100\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003Ereports of the Regulations Review Committee on the\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000101\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Ebriefing on cost-recovery instruments made under section 130 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Ebriefing on occupational licensing\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000103\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Ecomplaint about the Customs and Excise (Goods Management Levies) Order\u00A02025 and the Biosecurity (Import Levies and Commercial Vessel Levy) Order 2026\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000104\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Ecomplaint about the Electricity Industry Participation Code 2010\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000105\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Ecomplaint about the Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004 and the Vehicle Use and Parking Bylaw 2025\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000106\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003Ereports of the Social Services and Community Committee on the\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000107\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Ebriefing on the Integrated Data Infrastructure \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000108\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Ereport of the Controller and Auditor-General, \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EEffectiveness of arrangements for reducing child poverty\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000109\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003Ereport of the Standing Orders Committee on the \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EReview of Standing Orders 2026\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000110\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003Ereports of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee on the\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000111\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Ebriefing on the conduct of the Civil Aviation Authority\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000112\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Ebriefing to hear from the Commerce Commission\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000113\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Epetition of Andrei Moore\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000114\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Epetition of Rochelle Zajko\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000115\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Epetition of Whakat\u0101ne District Grey Power Association\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000116\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL2\u0022\u003Ereview briefing on the 2024-25 annual reviews of Genesis Energy Ltd, Mercury NZ Ltd, and Meridian Energy Ltd.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000117\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c81dad6b856b955b39f80628dde49071\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The bills are set down for second reading. The briefings and reports of the Controller and Auditor-General and Ombudsman, the complaints, and \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EReview of Standing Orders 2026\u003C/span\u003E are set down for consideration.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000118\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00226747584ee2a679e6c9ed246f6fd6b157\u0022\u003EBills\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000119\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00226fb556f65bb251154430f66372726407\u0022\u003EInspector-General of Police Legislation Amendment Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000120\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00226fb556f65bb251154430f66372726407\u0022\u003EResearch, Science, Innovation, and Technology Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000121\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00226fb556f65bb251154430f66372726407\u0022\u003EBroadcasting (Disestablishment of Broadcasting Standards Authority) Amendment Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000122\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002289587bba967e1a0aa7e4b0a6dd631cb8\u0022\u003EIntroduction\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000123\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bea189b1e404ff5220e56999701d37ce\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The Clerk has been informed of the introduction of three bills.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000124\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002207c8363ab3150c87b81238416ede9b5c\u0022\u003ECLERK (14:09): \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000125\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003EInspector-General of Police Legislation Amendment Bill, introduction\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000126\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003EResearch, Science, Innovation, and Technology Bill, introduction\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000127\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItemSL1\u0022\u003EBroadcasting (Disestablishment of Broadcasting Standards Authority) Amendment Bill, introduction.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000128\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00226b313a74c857af4caf958966f7996639\u0022\u003EPoints of Order\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000129\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002205f2945e92b5b5be448331fa360fb53e\u0022\u003ESpeaker\u2019s Rulings\u2014Discharge of Bills Under Urgency\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b27d6090c07e47fb960e52f168ce01b3\u0022 data-id=\u0022c7f74ff2b1cb4553b571268da005a123\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000130\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b27d6090c07e47fb960e52f168ce01b3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c7f74ff2b1cb4553b571268da005a123\u0022\u003EHon KIERAN McANULTY (Labour) (14:09)\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Thanks very much for coming back to the House on the matter that occurred during urgency. I think it is, certainly, an issue that warrants further consideration, and given the timing of the parliamentary term, it is appropriate that it is for the next Parliament and the Business Committee within it to consider it. I note your reference to Speaker\u2019s ruling 15/4, which is appropriate, but during our exchanges and points of order during urgency, we also referenced 15/5, and the Government indicating to the Speaker that it doesn\u2019t intend to continue with urgency and specifically that if no member moves the introduction of a bill, then that can be taken as such an indication. It might be useful for a future Business Committee to get your thoughts on whether that Speakers\u2019 ruling should also be considered as part of those deliberations.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000131\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cb885fbbdcf3a44c6bd449f65469f34f\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I thank the member for that, it was a difficult situation during the urgency period. I do think that is something the Standing Orders Committee should consider at the earliest convenience, or the Business Committee if it\u2019s sooner. It\u2019s a gap that we have discovered in the Standing Orders that should not be there.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000132\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022a8a3f3617739f3341a3df21d403ddd8c\u0022\u003EOral Questions to Ministers\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000133\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00220b2ae12411b9104e3fdf788990fe8c59\u0022\u003EPrime Minister\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000134\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022c68696b3bbb4ed3bf870fa55e8046f81\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 1\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221eee191991284f59b9f8bb4ea78cbd10\u0022 data-id=\u00227b96009381aa0fc8d251fe66b0af24e1\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000135\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221eee191991284f59b9f8bb4ea78cbd10\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227b96009381aa0fc8d251fe66b0af24e1\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the Opposition) (14:10)\u003C/span\u003E to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EPrime Minister\u003C/span\u003E: Does he stand by all of his Government\u2019s statements and actions?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022 data-id=\u00225e1080548177ec40b3b290c6d7dbc627\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000136\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225e1080548177ec40b3b290c6d7dbc627\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON (Prime Minister) (14:10)\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, and especially our decision to restore interest deductibility, which has led to the lowest rent increases in 20 years, after rents went up $180 a week under the Labour Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221eee191991284f59b9f8bb4ea78cbd10\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c73b9fb191cc8fe488a78b4aa06e8c31\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: How many of the 33 pay equity claims his Government extinguished unilaterally, under urgency, have been settled under the regime that he told this House was now \u201Cworkable and affordable\u201D?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000138\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ba044e14015b45f866c97d9298a86bca\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: As you know, we made a much more workable, sustainable pay-equity programme. We have those laws in place, and people are free to put claims forward. I am aware of a couple that are going through at the moment. But if I can come back to the member with an answer, I\u2019m happy to do so. [\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EInterruption\u003C/span\u003E]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000139\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224522f0fa7c71a250f67875385e3ffbfe\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Hang on, who\u2019s asking the question?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000140\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221eee191991284f59b9f8bb4ea78cbd10\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f884be6c4ab28d101c1cfade938eacbf\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: How does cutting a further 8,700 public sector jobs help New Zealand families who are struggling with the cost of living, when there are already tens of thousands of fewer people in employment today than when he became Prime Minister?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000141\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e35a2b73734c87bee9984d4964ddb60a\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019ll tell you what does help families that are struggling with the cost of living: not putting more taxes on them. When you see a capital gains tax that\u2019s going to hit businesses and Kiwis up and down the country; when you think about a bed tax where two thirds of it will be paid for by New Zealanders\u2014that\u2019s not the way forward. No new taxes is the way forward, in which we get people to keep more of their own money, in their own pocket.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000142\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221eee191991284f59b9f8bb4ea78cbd10\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e87d6998eb36bfaa9e030fee26e68900\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: If he\u2019s committed to no new taxes, why is he proposing to increase fuel tax by 25c per litre?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000143\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ca4314db231c13edb30f82ab8a2efac7\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: Well it\u2019s not a new tax; it\u2019s an existing mechanism. We\u2019ve said very clearly, we won\u2019t have it in place. But, as I note, the member is very excited about tax. Which roads are you going to cut to have $4.5 billion? I am looking forward to seeing the $18 billion worth of new taxes that will fund all the unfunded spending that he has on the plan.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000144\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221eee191991284f59b9f8bb4ea78cbd10\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224376b0eddafc2e40fefd181a26c43f5e\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: Will it be cheaper or more expensive for a young New Zealander to begin an apprenticeship or a degree next year than it was when he became Prime Minister, particularly given tuition fees alone are up by almost 20 percent since he became Prime Minister?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000145\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e58bc74afde61e87ffe6c153412d6fd2\u0022\u003EHon Simeon Brown\u003C/span\u003E: Are you bringing back fees free? [\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EInterruption\u003C/span\u003E]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000146\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002293446c46429d586223223a9ad1202003\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Excuse me, just one person answering.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000147\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221eee191991284f59b9f8bb4ea78cbd10\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022aad235da4e10a4c66dc6696c5dbd9e81\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: He\u2019s practising for Opposition already.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000148\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227c52b563bef9b32914c1c7e4c9faa8bc\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: That doesn\u2019t help order. Or give comfort to the Speaker. The right honourable Prime Minister.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000149\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d4223d487b7d4679f7d596a450a050af\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: Well, actually, that\u2019s what\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000150\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d45b2a4f3ea7cbff4931a945488b416c\u0022\u003EHon Members: \u003C/span\u003EHa, ha!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000151\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221eee191991284f59b9f8bb4ea78cbd10\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002231bc3e49656226237e7c7b2d7d285489\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: Supplementary question, Mr Speaker. Does he stand by his statement in the House just last week that \u201Cmost importantly, wages will be growing faster than inflation and prices\u201D; if so, why do the latest treasury forecasts suggest it\u2019s going to be at least two more years of pain for working New Zealanders before that happens?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000152\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222c9917b5259d9ed5999e7e75ddd256db\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019d just say to the member, isn\u2019t it exciting that we had a 2.6 percent GDP growth over the last year. Isn\u2019t it fantastic to see manufacturing on full song and actually doing incredibly well. Isn\u2019t it great to see services returning to expansion, a record number of exports, tourism back on track again, wholesale electricity prices going down 35 percent, and building consents up over 20 percent. Look at the progress we\u2019re making on construction and jobs, there, too.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000153\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221eee191991284f59b9f8bb4ea78cbd10\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225a04776d209cbf06484969ca18debfe1\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: When real wages have fallen; power prices have been going up; insurance prices have been going up; rates have been going up; and other household costs, like food, have been going up\u2014all by more than 20 percent under his leadership in just the last two years\u2014will he now admit that the cost of living crisis is not only not over, it\u2019s been getting worse under his leadership?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000154\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002205a156a8f7d6d9b3b1ada9dc1d9d819d\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: I refute the characterisation in that question, but what I\u2019d say to the member is that if he feels so strongly about rates increases, why doesn\u2019t he come out and reverse his position again and vote for the rates cap.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000155\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cf9e1eb91ef740868a26db659355f7e9\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002239958475a6c49fc3852547c4e61e6f3f\u0022\u003ERt Hon Winston Peters\u003C/span\u003E: Can I ask the Prime Minister as to whether or not he knows anyone, or if anyone\u2019s been reported to his department, who took 34 months to understand the interest deductibility policy?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000156\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002242f620573346a9e1f37c2a6cfd0c788e\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I think the member raises a very, very good question, which is that under the previous administration, rents went up $180 a week, and that hurts working New Zealanders. Under this Government, we\u2019ve restored interest deductibility, and, lo and behold, we\u2019ve had the lowest rent increases in 25 years.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000157\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022a809dc272e9901afc5fbce3a9dbbb65d\u0022\u003EPrime Minister\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000158\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002269b200620eea1c8c1fcfb0c2afd5b1cf\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 2\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00229340db0d6051493982fc3db81fee975a\u0022 data-id=\u0022c827a00865a81ca9f6150d42bd222d68\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000159\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229340db0d6051493982fc3db81fee975a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022c827a00865a81ca9f6150d42bd222d68\u0022\u003ECHL\u00D6E SWARBRICK (Co-Leader\u2014Green) (14:15)\u003C/span\u003E to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EPrime Minister\u003C/span\u003E: \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003EE tautoko ana ia i ng\u0101 k\u014Drero me ng\u0101 mahi katoa a t\u014Dna K\u0101wanatanga?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000160\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003E[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EDoes he stand by all of his Government\u2019s statements and actions?\u003C/span\u003E]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022 data-id=\u0022ba3270865a7e2bdb2d5b73c0fb2dd549\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000161\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ba3270865a7e2bdb2d5b73c0fb2dd549\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON (Prime Minister) (14:15)\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, and especially our decision never to introduce a capital gains tax.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000162\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229340db0d6051493982fc3db81fee975a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d9d6686197cab645c907455f6e829840\u0022\u003EChl\u00F6e Swarbrick\u003C/span\u003E: Why does he think that New Zealand fell in Transparency International\u2019s Corruption Perceptions Index in 2025?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000163\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225815d3729248316ee40ac7c539224a5a\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I\u2019m actually proud of the actual policies that we have in place to make sure we manage conflicts, the way that we engage with stakeholders from all sorts as we develop policy. I\u2019m actually proud of that progress.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000164\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229340db0d6051493982fc3db81fee975a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002203e7d70f0c8067862e768a2d41ec7e0b\u0022\u003EChl\u00F6e Swarbrick\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree that we need better regulation of lobbying practices, and, if not, why not?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000165\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229f643c65e991de5c049aad7d047b29e7\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: Well, again, it\u2019s not something that I\u2019ve considered deeply at this point, but I\u2019d just say to the member: I notice that, you know, there\u2019s a lot of union influence on Green Party policy, and I don\u2019t know what the definition of a lobbyist would be under their proposal, but that\u2019s something that I\u2019m sure they\u2019d give consideration to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000166\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229340db0d6051493982fc3db81fee975a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f7911f8bac989a7f89d7aa4b20c27aa0\u0022\u003EChl\u00F6e Swarbrick\u003C/span\u003E: So does he not agree, then, with his finance Minister, who in 2024 said, \u201CThere\u2019s more that should be done\u201D on regulating lobbying, and, if so, why has nothing been done\u2014but, worse than that, his Government came to office and stalled work that was already under way to regulate lobbying?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000167\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002278719d243edbc7a60ab58a0ac4d13ed5\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I just reject the assertion in that question. This is a Government that\u2019s made sure that we\u2019ve got great conflict management, particularly in respect to how our Cabinet and our Ministers operate. We\u2019re very proud of that. Of course, if there are things that we can do to improve going forward, we should all be up for that conversation. But I just put it to the member: how are you going to classify a unionist? Are they a lobbyist?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000168\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022795d2836d546085d41f25619cd333b9d\u0022\u003EHon Members: \u003C/span\u003EYes!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000169\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bb0785722452a31c6cb61537a86922ca\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Would the Prime Minister\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000170\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223b111696b9f040d3b1d5339eead7439f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228ce2051dc86c03d4e88acf01081ec2b4\u0022\u003EHon Chris Bishop\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, OK\u2014Greenpeace?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000171\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224376820dae4516aec98b5f539863789a\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Just a moment\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000172\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223b111696b9f040d3b1d5339eead7439f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002252710970871a68e11161d319488fbd2a\u0022\u003EHon Chris Bishop\u003C/span\u003E: No more meeting with Greenpeace\u2014your mates.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000173\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002272e24f316b0d6eb5d9a285ce2d973315\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Woah, hold on. You don\u2019t want to make it two weeks in a row, do you? I\u2019ve called David Seymour.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000174\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224080aab5c6525ec604dda46babd77a8c\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Would the Prime Minister characterise free business-class trips to London, paid for by a lobby group, as lobbying?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000175\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ba988bbf334174186f0756baee70e407\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m not in the best place to do that, but we make all of our diaries transparent and it\u2019s on the record as to who we meet with, and that\u2019s a good thing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000176\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229340db0d6051493982fc3db81fee975a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002244944770d16c4195f583a87136566789\u0022\u003EChl\u00F6e Swarbrick\u003C/span\u003E: Does he expect his office\u2019s failure to record lobbying from Fonterra and Z Energy on climate liability to improve or worsen the public\u2019s perception of corruption?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000177\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022eb7449ce473c097b21ec56f75b39ef23\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, look, I think the public can be very reassured that this is a Government that\u2019s been highly transparent. We release our diaries, we have very good conflict management processes in place, and I\u2019m pleased at the progress we\u2019ve made.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000178\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226b99476d584f47b19420b8154e6947dc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002288f0d53ed796c490c3c7261b9d5011ec\u0022\u003EHon Nicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: Has the Prime Minister given consideration to proposals by some parties that donations of over $30,000 be banned, and is he aware that those same parties have received multiple donations over that amount in this very term of Parliament\u2014could this be a case of \u201CDo as I say, not as I do.\u201D?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000179\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229f7e15aa98bc6bcab5bcf3434f253744\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: Well, those are obviously decisions left for individual parties, but I\u2019d just say if they believe so strongly, they should reject those donations; particularly, I\u2019ve seen ones of $100,000, $132,000\u2014send them back.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000180\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229340db0d6051493982fc3db81fee975a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223cbb460c837e0ca3291b374484ae2dec\u0022\u003EChl\u00F6e Swarbrick\u003C/span\u003E: Is the Prime Minister comfortable with the average hard-working New Zealander paying double the effective tax rate of multi-multimillionaires and billionaires?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000181\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002215706b17245359690198105b0dcb0977\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: What I\u2019m absolutely comfortable with is that I\u2019ve got a Government that doesn\u2019t labour them up with new taxes. That\u2019s really important, because the single biggest thing we can do is let New Zealanders keep more of their own money in their back pocket to spend it as they see fit and with their own choice.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000182\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226d4f14b9f8ec83bebfd71ce79b1e16ae\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Did the Prime Minister consider it improper lobbying when members of the Government such as Chris Bishop and Simon Court met with Greenpeace and Forest \u0026amp; Bird and the World Wide Fund for Nature in preparing the resource management laws which will triumphantly pass this afternoon?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000183\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002243412a3ce5b9135ccb563ee28b0c3e02\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: No, and I just say, you know, the member raised this issue last week and he was dead right. I mean, which Government wouldn\u2019t want to talk to as broad a set of Kiwis as possible when they develop policy?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000184\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229340db0d6051493982fc3db81fee975a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226db9d5cffda9bde7b3bea6746b3d6408\u0022\u003EChl\u00F6e Swarbrick\u003C/span\u003E: Why should hard-working New Zealanders pay income tax on every dollar that they earn while those who earn millions from returns on investment don\u2019t?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000185\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002210ffce371b818aac8c7855659fb55699\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: Well we just think the best way forward is to grow the economy, make life more affordable for people, and invest in the things that will set the country up for our kids and our grandkids. The way forward is not to spend more, tax more, borrow more, as all the Opposition parties propose to do.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000186\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226c348267c5645e0c20accb724e31ebef\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Can I just say that the people supporting the questioner don\u2019t really need to do the bellowing that they are to get the points made.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000187\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229340db0d6051493982fc3db81fee975a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e09e608c0d4a8babe7961f040dbd89c5\u0022\u003EChl\u00F6e Swarbrick\u003C/span\u003E: Why does the Prime Minister declare that it is \u201Ccommunism\u201D when the Greens propose divestment of the supermarket duopoly, but not \u201Ccommunism\u201D when his party proposes exactly the same thing?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000188\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227c3cbe4abb6b1441ad7d6f7ea558a8e7\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I\u2019m very happy to get into that with the member\u2014I mean, there\u2019s a very big difference with bureaucrats running a supermarket that\u2019s costing us $3 billion and then finding the taxes and increasing taxes to fund that $3\u00A0billion versus letting the market actually compete more strongly.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000189\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022e51f4f8601a8690c3f80105b6e981d43\u0022\u003EFinance\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000190\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022ef4ad6f6f82c064b06ab0019c7328f27\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 3\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b52eff5aa2a94fcc88903b73d0443de3\u0022 data-id=\u002278fe3a1528d9cd487ae55909d5808f37\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000191\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b52eff5aa2a94fcc88903b73d0443de3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002278fe3a1528d9cd487ae55909d5808f37\u0022\u003ENANCY LU (National) (14:20)\u003C/span\u003E to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister of Finance\u003C/span\u003E: What recent reports has she seen on rental prices? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226b99476d584f47b19420b8154e6947dc\u0022 data-id=\u0022fe977c6fbaa29d9be6e02d181ffb5a35\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000192\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226b99476d584f47b19420b8154e6947dc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022fe977c6fbaa29d9be6e02d181ffb5a35\u0022\u003EHon NICOLA WILLIS (Minister of Finance) (14:20)\u003C/span\u003E: Stats New Zealand\u2019s monthly selected price indexes came out on Friday. These showed annual rent increases of\u2014wait for it\u2014zero. This, members, is the lowest annual rent inflation in the history of the data series, which goes back 20 years. In comparison, rent inflation when this Government came into office in 2023 was 4.3 percent a year. At the time of note, there was no interest deductibility for residential rental properties, despite officials warning that that policy setting\u2014which flies in the face of good tax policy\u2014could reduce rental supply and put upward pressure on rents. Well, our Government listened to that advice and restored interest deductibility, and, of course, the lesson, members, is that housing tax settings have real consequences for Kiwi renters.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000193\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b52eff5aa2a94fcc88903b73d0443de3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002253bad958dc986a7381f5e7246931e6cb\u0022\u003ENancy Lu\u003C/span\u003E: Has there been any criticism of the Government\u2019s policy to restore interest deductibility?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000194\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226b99476d584f47b19420b8154e6947dc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022814451a28df8a566c1a21de5633d0101\u0022\u003EHon NICOLA WILLIS\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, yes, there was a constant barrage of criticism from some people about so-called \u201Ctax cuts for landlords\u201D. This was nonsense, of course, as tax should be paid on profit, not on revenue, and so the Government was simply restoring normal business tax settings. None the less, \u201Ctax cuts for landlords\u201D became a mantra that was recited ad nauseam, with one member of Parliament stating that \u201CThis Government has consistently made the wrong choices. They\u2019ve prioritised tax cuts for landlords.\u201D, another stating that \u201CWe certainly wouldn\u2019t be giving tax breaks to landlords.\u201D, another saying that \u201CIt makes no sense to me.\u201D, and another saying that \u201CIt\u2019s about what you choose to prioritise.\u201D Those members were all members of the Labour Party.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000195\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228b1d1d492b30a6ea60ab8ba1ede143fc\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Yeah, good\u2014OK.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000196\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226b99476d584f47b19420b8154e6947dc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002264f6af40397505ecac66d4f23acb5691\u0022\u003EHon NICOLA WILLIS\u003C/span\u003E: They should eat their words.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000197\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c5f1f5e959f8c93ee3d1d8881267b42d\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, you know the rules about using supplementaries to attack the Opposition, and so we\u2019ll go straight to question No. 4, the Hon Barbara Edmonds. [\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EInterruption\u003C/span\u003E] Yeah, no one else talk while your member, your Minister, your\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000198\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d2742e1d5da4db8985354d2641589c0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ff7afecffe15e87bfdf49936b41eb577\u0022\u003EHon Barbara Edmonds\u003C/span\u003E: \u201CMinister\u201D\u2014yeah!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000199\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221eee191991284f59b9f8bb4ea78cbd10\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226b6deb9f05f2d9b33c7916149e160955\u0022\u003ERt Hon Chris Hipkins\u003C/span\u003E: Not yet\u2014a few more weeks.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000200\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002232fed1f8dbda55b064770016bf83b777\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Yeah, well it could be months or it could be years\u2014you never know\u2014but the Hon Barbara Edmonds.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000201\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002289b5d771aae17dee5f16853bb68c77d1\u0022\u003EFinance\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000202\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022824d172478cd064575968f5cd025290e\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 4\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00223d2742e1d5da4db8985354d2641589c0\u0022 data-id=\u00225ce96e43a48d1aee84c845652bda1c42\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000203\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d2742e1d5da4db8985354d2641589c0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225ce96e43a48d1aee84c845652bda1c42\u0022\u003EHon BARBARA EDMONDS (Labour\u2014Mana) (14:23)\u003C/span\u003E to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister of Finance\u003C/span\u003E: Does she stand by all her statements and actions? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226b99476d584f47b19420b8154e6947dc\u0022 data-id=\u00229e8cb30108a06ece848b94e177df3114\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000204\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226b99476d584f47b19420b8154e6947dc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00229e8cb30108a06ece848b94e177df3114\u0022\u003EHon NICOLA WILLIS (Minister of Finance) (14:23)\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, particularly this Government\u2019s decision to restore interest deductibility, a decision which has proven the test of time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d2742e1d5da4db8985354d2641589c0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002247119ab9691445310d1be0db45cab620\u0022\u003EHon Barbara Edmonds\u003C/span\u003E: Is real GDP per capita higher or lower since she became Minister of Finance?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000206\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226b99476d584f47b19420b8154e6947dc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222e3e4e54fdceec951fd076e0202026ee\u0022\u003EHon NICOLA WILLIS\u003C/span\u003E: Well, as I traversed in detail in the House this week, the New Zealand economy had a protracted downturn which, in part\u2014according to an independent review released today\u2014was because of monetary policy mistakes made by the Reserve Bank under the mandate of the previous Government. Subsequently, however, as our policies have come into effect, we have seen real GDP per capita grow more strongly, reaching almost 2 percent in the previous year, which shows that as our policies come into effect, growth is recovering.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000207\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d2742e1d5da4db8985354d2641589c0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002232cde0eeef1dc32bbf0f51082120cad7\u0022\u003EHon Barbara Edmonds\u003C/span\u003E: Is unemployment higher or lower since she became Minister of Finance?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000208\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226b99476d584f47b19420b8154e6947dc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225df0330c51d8ae513bb0e148482c4f32\u0022\u003EHon NICOLA WILLIS\u003C/span\u003E: Well, as the independent review into monetary policy makes clear today, ill-judged decisions by the Reserve Bank in response to COVID, in part enabled by the loosening of the guard rails by the previous Government, meant that unemployment is now higher than it was during the pandemic, and this independent report notes that that could have been prevented if better guard rails had been in place and better decisions had been made by the Reserve Bank. We all share the intention for more Kiwis to be in work, and it is my view that more Kiwis would be in work today if the Reserve Bank hadn\u2019t made such terrible mistakes under the guidance of the previous Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000209\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d2742e1d5da4db8985354d2641589c0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a45b8b09bc974a8d9bd7797835f86b52\u0022\u003EHon Barbara Edmonds\u003C/span\u003E: Is the cost of living higher or lower since she became Minister of Finance?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000210\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226b99476d584f47b19420b8154e6947dc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002284c0fbf7494d6661f6566046043be53e\u0022\u003EHon NICOLA WILLIS\u003C/span\u003E: Well, that depends on which aspect you\u2019re looking at, and for which household. For households who have received tax reduction, it is the case that their incomes are higher than they would otherwise be. For renters, the fact that rent increases have reduced so dramatically and have been zero in the past year, that is better for their cost of living. What is clear, overall, from our policy programme is also that targeting inflation and not letting it reach 7.3 percent, as it did under the last Government, during which it went out of target for 33 months\u2014that, fundamentally, is what\u2019s required to ensure that the cost of living is controlled; and that\u2019s also combined with very clear stats that show that, under the previous Government\u2019s watch, food price inflation reached over 12 percent, and today it\u2019s at 1.9 percent. This shows that orthodox economics matters and you ignore it at your peril.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000211\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d2742e1d5da4db8985354d2641589c0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ddca0e186203503804d3e97912d588b4\u0022\u003EHon Barbara Edmonds\u003C/span\u003E: Why, when she promised to get the economy moving, to get people back into work, and to lower the cost of living has she failed to meet her promises and has just made things worse?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000212\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226b99476d584f47b19420b8154e6947dc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a4204c71407df038e8cdea4c0c9b345d\u0022\u003EHon NICOLA WILLIS\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I\u2019d utterly reject that conclusion. What is very clear, based on the independent analysis of experts, is that decisions made by the previous Government made the downturn following COVID much, much worse and much longer than needed to be the case. Our Government has heeded the lessons of history. We have restored a single mandate for the Reserve Bank, we have brought spending under control, we have restored inflation targeting, and the worst decision that New Zealanders could make is to go back to the policies that created hardship in the first place. [\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EInterruption\u003C/span\u003E]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000213\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224477eb01824e5930448aff5f1abe72e3\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Good. Whenever we\u2019re all ready.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000214\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022d15159cc497fbd3eba0065d20044e026\u0022\u003EPrime Minister\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000215\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002264e4ea34524a14e18770d0f9fc71605a\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 5\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e0e2403c87194ab09a0bd954cda7ab12\u0022 data-id=\u00226bccd574beb63660e0b497fc0146d9b9\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000216\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e0e2403c87194ab09a0bd954cda7ab12\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226bccd574beb63660e0b497fc0146d9b9\u0022\u003ERAWIRI WAITITI (Co-Leader\u2014Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori) (14:27)\u003C/span\u003E to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EPrime Minister\u003C/span\u003E: \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003EE tautoko ana ia i ng\u0101 k\u014Drero me ng\u0101 mahi katoa a t\u014Dna K\u0101wanatanga?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000217\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003E[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EDoes he stand by all his Government\u2019s statements and actions?\u003C/span\u003E]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022 data-id=\u00223cde3a69f8d40b5f28c356ad8c14c34e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000218\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00223cde3a69f8d40b5f28c356ad8c14c34e\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON (Prime Minister) (14:27)\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, and particularly our decision not to introduce a gift or death tax.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000219\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e0e2403c87194ab09a0bd954cda7ab12\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224f5eddcf17ad39e7d5044f7232d664e4\u0022\u003ERawiri Waititi\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree with his response to my question on 15 September 2026 that \u201CThe best way to meet our obligations under the Treaty is to focus on delivering better outcomes for M\u0101ori, and that\u2019s what this Government has been doing.\u201D?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000220\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229a182f2297bbfd7b9a40b5b3c2274cf4\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, I do. I think actually delivering improved outcomes rather than just performative statements is always a good course of action.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000221\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e0e2403c87194ab09a0bd954cda7ab12\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228ff61da750138a59b5dc1c7f1aa7b8d4\u0022\u003ERawiri Waititi\u003C/span\u003E: Does he think that increasing the M\u0101ori unemployment rate from 6.8 percent in 2023 to 10.8 percent in 2026 is a better outcome for M\u0101ori?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000222\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022aca6ac1e9ab64e143220270b13c9e12d\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: There is more work to do, as we\u2019ve just talked about. We\u2019ve got spending under control, we\u2019ve got inflation down, we\u2019ve got interest rates down, we\u2019ve got an economy growing, and what follows after that is growth and employment, and that\u2019s a good thing. We look forward to all of that happening, but what I am proud about is M\u0101ori youth offending is down 28 percent.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000223\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e0e2403c87194ab09a0bd954cda7ab12\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002227040d61f822b09d27b3ae6cb07dabb2\u0022\u003ERawiri Waititi\u003C/span\u003E: There it is. Does he think that having tamariki M\u0101ori experiencing severe material hardship at double the national rate is a better outcome for M\u0101ori, and, if not, what is he doing to address the Children\u2019s Commissioner\u2019s call for a Tiriti-led approach to child poverty reduction?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000224\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b92c75b4b111e685efdc966176b1d341\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: Well, that\u2019s why I\u2019m very proud that we\u2019ve taken 1,000 plus M\u0101ori families out of emergency housing. That\u2019s been really important for them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000225\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e0e2403c87194ab09a0bd954cda7ab12\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c745e17816bf0ff407206b7aefb75e5e\u0022\u003ERawiri Waititi\u003C/span\u003E: How can he continue to deflect legitimate questions around his Government\u2019s constant attack on Te Tiriti o Waitangi by saying that he is focused on better outcomes for M\u0101ori when outcomes for M\u0101ori have only got worse over the past three years?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000226\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cd896dd87395460c8de853bbf60dbf66\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d814a5adc2c88332cb7a280ff04f751c\u0022\u003ERt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON\u003C/span\u003E: I reject outright that proposition. I mean, the number of tamariki M\u0101ori immunised at 24 months is up from 60 percent to 71.5 percent. I\u2019m sure the member would think that would be a good thing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000227\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00227fe9bc1657bfadd84e7d6c7ac60b91dc\u0022\u003EHousing\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000228\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022217e2203cabd413b083646638bb05011\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 6\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022cf22a832d14a4c99ab5dfd16e24446e5\u0022 data-id=\u002279afb8e6f9bf40c6426139c47710e217\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000229\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cf22a832d14a4c99ab5dfd16e24446e5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002279afb8e6f9bf40c6426139c47710e217\u0022\u003ERIMA NAKHLE (National\u2014Takanini) (14:28)\u003C/span\u003E to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister of Housing\u003C/span\u003E: Is the Government considering removing interest deductibility on residential property?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00223b111696b9f040d3b1d5339eead7439f\u0022 data-id=\u002232d5e8ae2967fe709308d8a96dbf06f3\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000230\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223b111696b9f040d3b1d5339eead7439f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002232d5e8ae2967fe709308d8a96dbf06f3\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS BISHOP (Minister of Housing) (14:29)\u003C/span\u003E: As I\u2019ve said eight or nine times now in the last month or so, no.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000231\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cf22a832d14a4c99ab5dfd16e24446e5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220a437f9b4f72bc208ca68186800aa6b7\u0022\u003ERima Nakhle\u003C/span\u003E: Is the Government considering introducing a capital gains tax and removing interest deductibility on residential property?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000232\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022083a816abbb847f0a99aff178b1bbba2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022457bfd3c7360ab9fad6a724ea61934cc\u0022\u003EHon Carmel Sepuloni\u003C/span\u003E: They can\u2019t talk about anything they\u2019ve done because they\u2019ve done nothing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000233\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022deedbae1b84f4d3daec0e149e7566bb5\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Hang on, wait a minute. Interjections should be rare and reasonable, the Hon Sepuloni, not a barrage like that before the Minister even starts.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000234\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002254aa7c61326f4a0395e6e4031c554ba3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c4f5e76a2ebbbf4d64a299f256edb91b\u0022\u003EHon Dr Megan Woods\u003C/span\u003E: That wasn\u2019t a barrage. You haven\u2019t heard it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000235\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d580a811900f1c3b510e69200d0607a1\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: If Dr Megan Woods is threatening a barrage, then I\u2019ll just say this answer is to be heard in silence.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000236\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223b111696b9f040d3b1d5339eead7439f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d6b3289ffb0d285d6427fea21a44346f\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS BISHOP\u003C/span\u003E: No. The Government is not considering what some would call a double tax quagmire. A capital gains tax plus removal of interest deductibility creates a double tax, because they both apply to the same income. In 2021, when interest deductibility was removed, the previous Government had an explicit carve-out to allow deductions when the property was taxable on sale. That comes directly from the IRD\u2019s 2021 regulatory impact statement (RIS).\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000237\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cf22a832d14a4c99ab5dfd16e24446e5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226e0c13acb21c0cf7f87fd6e2e72bcbc8\u0022\u003ERima Nakhle\u003C/span\u003E: What reports has he seen on interest deductibility?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000238\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223b111696b9f040d3b1d5339eead7439f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c181fd3241f204a1c779f64b5981c796\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS BISHOP\u003C/span\u003E: I have seen many reports. Obviously, there is the classic, the IRD\u2019s 2021 regulatory impact statement, but there have been many reports over the last three years of people calling interest deductibility a so-called tax cut for landlords. It seems that position no longer holds.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000239\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cf22a832d14a4c99ab5dfd16e24446e5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002212ab99bfd54c5fe49dc1ae3726891323\u0022\u003ERima Nakhle\u003C/span\u003E: What other reports has he seen on interest deductibility?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000240\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223b111696b9f040d3b1d5339eead7439f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002208825f276653f068e0d913ae564a3c31\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS BISHOP\u003C/span\u003E: Well, let me quote from the IRD\u2019s 2021 regulatory impact statement. The first point was the recommendation: don\u2019t do it. IRD said every option to remove or limit interest deductions on residential property was worse than the status quo. They said it would put upward pressure on rents; have negative impacts on housing supply and high compliance costs for 250,000 taxpayers; and erode the coherence of the tax system. They said the people who would pay would be leveraged property investors but also renters, including low-income households, young people, M\u0101ori and Pacific peoples, and the 42 percent of children who live in rental homes. The highest performing criteria in the RIS was raising tax.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000241\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022eccf819cc664026072112b5c5df92fa4\u0022\u003EEducation\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000242\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00228a5827b289216cbd2108c88e2305205a\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 7\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00220750364c2c1444d0ae00bced720f964e\u0022 data-id=\u00227c3380783e6b08ccfa817285426ecc04\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000243\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220750364c2c1444d0ae00bced720f964e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227c3380783e6b08ccfa817285426ecc04\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN (Labour) (14:32)\u003C/span\u003E to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister of Education\u003C/span\u003E: Is she confident that her staff and her officials have always met their obligations under the Official Information Act 1982; if so, why?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002237b40d11275f4dba8e36c41507f8a1c5\u0022 data-id=\u00229eb69cdde62121267def7295a3d1bb88\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000244\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237b40d11275f4dba8e36c41507f8a1c5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00229eb69cdde62121267def7295a3d1bb88\u0022\u003EHon ERICA STANFORD (Minister of Education) (14:32)\u003C/span\u003E: With respect to my staff, I\u2019ve always made my expectations clear that we are to comply with the Official Information Act (OIA) and have done so to the best of our ability. Regarding officials at the Ministry of Education, I\u2019ve also made my expectations clear that they are to comply with the OIA. My staff and I have never suggested or directed otherwise. I\u2019m aware of recent media about a particular ministry official, and I have reiterated to the Secretary of Education the importance of complying with the Official Information Act. I\u2019m confident that she is taking this matter seriously. She\u2019s contacted the Public Service Commissioner and the Ombudsman, she\u2019s undertaking an internal review, and an internal employment process is under way.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000245\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220750364c2c1444d0ae00bced720f964e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022775d36e870cb95d4b299b650ba4fd34f\u0022\u003EHon Ginny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: Who instructed her senior official to tell staff working on the curriculum rewrite to refrain from putting information in writing to hide that it went \u201Cbackwards and forwards\u201D between the ministry and the Minister\u2019s office?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000246\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237b40d11275f4dba8e36c41507f8a1c5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002214ad4bfba790d39c62d42dbb8690e3e3\u0022\u003EHon ERICA STANFORD\u003C/span\u003E: Well, as I\u2019ve already raised in my primary answer, neither myself or any of my staff have ever either intimated or asked anybody not to comply with the OIA. What I can say, though, is the Secretary of Education is undertaking an internal review to get to the bottom of this.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000247\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220750364c2c1444d0ae00bced720f964e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002220234ab4536391f21a10b80076355ded\u0022\u003EHon Ginny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: Was the political adviser in her office aware of the arrangement with the Ministry of Education not to put feedback from her office in writing in order to avoid the Official Information Act?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000248\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237b40d11275f4dba8e36c41507f8a1c5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b3de23e9f39aad2f635960de9e50bdc4\u0022\u003EHon ERICA STANFORD\u003C/span\u003E: Absolutely not.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000249\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b78723aefdc74b11a47482993ca56a74\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fb039cb3aa2c1631a922ad3f50762d73\u0022\u003EHon Dr Duncan Webb\u003C/span\u003E: Check your Gmail.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000250\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022568e12535d0cf1d39ecbc50146f6f97c\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Just one person asking a question only.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000251\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220750364c2c1444d0ae00bced720f964e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bb2609f2c6391a274ccf733d3e2f9276\u0022\u003EHon Ginny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: Why, then, did her senior official state, \u201CWhat we do not need is anything in response in writing that shows that this stuff has gone backwards and forwards between them and us.\u201D when talking about her office\u2019s involvement in developing the curriculum?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000252\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237b40d11275f4dba8e36c41507f8a1c5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002268ce519687701585d94b0e8496db5463\u0022\u003EHon ERICA STANFORD\u003C/span\u003E: Well, this meeting that is being talked about in the media is in relation to the 74 Phase 5 curriculum documents that have been finalised and are needing ministerial sign-off. It is an entirely normal process for all documents that come from the Ministry of Education to go first to the Ministry of Education private secretary, who is seconded to my office and who is not a political staffer. It is their role to ensure that the documents make sense before they are processed through to the Minister, and they asked questions about the material in anticipation of any questions I might ask. This is a normal process for any papers that come to my office. These papers have not been given to me or my political staff as yet to sign out or to review, but I expect that all of these processes are covered by the OIA, and anybody who is suggesting that they are not is now going to go through a process with the Secretary of Education.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000253\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220750364c2c1444d0ae00bced720f964e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f6b5c9c64f1e371ebb262b3415960fe5\u0022\u003EHon Ginny Andersen\u003C/span\u003E: Does she expect New Zealanders to actually believe that her senior official was acting entirely on her own, and, if so, will she commit to proactively releasing all communications between her office and ministry officials regarding the curriculum, including summaries of instructions that weren\u2019t provided in writing?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000254\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237b40d11275f4dba8e36c41507f8a1c5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223277cd7d8800fc17725e795c8a80a3b7\u0022\u003EHon ERICA STANFORD\u003C/span\u003E: We will always comply with the Official Information Act, and if any of those requests come to our office, we will comply with them, as we always have done.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000255\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00221459ddf4b950df5ff8dd794a328e067c\u0022\u003ERevenue\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000256\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00228bf44cd30aef735374bd6b41bdc75175\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 8\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226c562dc86e974914b8878595e580f138\u0022 data-id=\u0022e2f56ebc82579c16d0a58aab65cef25b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000257\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226c562dc86e974914b8878595e580f138\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e2f56ebc82579c16d0a58aab65cef25b\u0022\u003ECATHERINE WEDD (National\u2014Tukituki) (14:36)\u003C/span\u003E to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister of Revenue\u003C/span\u003E: Is the Government considering implementing a comprehensive capital gains tax?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00229fb4ce970d4f47d9853d2ea64ddc5b74\u0022 data-id=\u00222c1f212a017c0541d2b17025dc53fef5\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000258\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229fb4ce970d4f47d9853d2ea64ddc5b74\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222c1f212a017c0541d2b17025dc53fef5\u0022\u003EHon SIMON WATTS (Minister of Revenue) (14:36)\u003C/span\u003E: Any form of capital gains tax would, in fact, be the wrong move, and Kiwi households and businesses will pay more. That is why we are not considering a comprehensive capital gains tax.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000259\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226c562dc86e974914b8878595e580f138\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223858acd16da277ddf037ce7daefa0f9f\u0022\u003ECatherine Wedd\u003C/span\u003E: Has he seen any reports on a comprehensive capital gains tax?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000260\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229fb4ce970d4f47d9853d2ea64ddc5b74\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229eb2f863e0914a002d8b61ca91e8a2dd\u0022\u003EHon SIMON WATTS\u003C/span\u003E: As a matter of fact, I have. I\u2019ve seen recent reports by the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions with input from Craig Renney, calling for one with work behind it. The sad reality is that this report is completely detached from the reality Kiwis are facing. Kiwis need a growing economy that creates jobs and lifts wages, so that they have more money in their back pockets, not a comprehensive capital gains tax that will take money away from them.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000261\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226c562dc86e974914b8878595e580f138\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ee220258c6b1cdfb26437b0681167583\u0022\u003ECatherine Wedd\u003C/span\u003E: What is the difference between a comprehensive capital gains tax and a capital gains tax?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000262\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229fb4ce970d4f47d9853d2ea64ddc5b74\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022038b4fa837498a91ca6634656d3f1f38\u0022\u003EHon SIMON WATTS\u003C/span\u003E: Well, any capital gains tax in any form would hurt Kiwi households and businesses. A comprehensive capital gains tax, however, would apply to potentially all types of assets, including KiwiSaver, shares, land, and the family home. If a comprehensive capital gains tax or any capital gains tax is introduced, it would be to the detriment of every hard-working New Zealander.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000263\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226c562dc86e974914b8878595e580f138\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022da3041b198bb219665bb07ae6dc002a8\u0022\u003ECatherine Wedd\u003C/span\u003E: Would a capital gains tax be bad for the hard-working Kiwis in the fruit bowl of New Zealand?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000264\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229fb4ce970d4f47d9853d2ea64ddc5b74\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221ae1e2be55583aebc956710cf1fdf9bd\u0022\u003EHon SIMON WATTS\u003C/span\u003E: Well, a capital gains tax would be bad for all New Zealanders. If one was to be introduced, anyone with a home, a business, an orchard, or a store would face new costs. That means less money to invest higher and to grow, and less opportunities for economic growth. The responsible thing for any Government to do is to not introduce any new taxes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000265\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00228ccd5c35bba9ce2131b5ca2e873aa831\u0022\u003EPublic Service and Digitising Government\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000266\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022721d81d2c0819890c3ba482aec1b9a53\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 9\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022db2ea575110f43e6b325fc2758d0d15b\u0022 data-id=\u00227fe7a832d8156607d32039e0e3390f82\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000267\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db2ea575110f43e6b325fc2758d0d15b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227fe7a832d8156607d32039e0e3390f82\u0022\u003EHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL (Labour) (14:38)\u003C/span\u003E to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister for the Public Service and Digitising Government\u003C/span\u003E: What public services, if any, on which Kiwis rely is the Government planning to cut?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022 data-id=\u0022b493e48d596b29044f5600dd77ae07dd\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000268\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b493e48d596b29044f5600dd77ae07dd\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN (Acting Minister for the Public Service and Digitising Government) (14:38)\u003C/span\u003E: None.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000269\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db2ea575110f43e6b325fc2758d0d15b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229863d0f38985c2b83d24ba9d69acecc2\u0022\u003EHon Dr Ayesha Verrall\u003C/span\u003E: How will cutting almost 9,000 jobs, including services that Kiwis rely on, help families with the cost of living?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000270\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223bc349d4dec672503047e61a72cd74b0\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: As the member well knows, the member is assuming that fewer staff automatically means worse or fewer services. We want to ensure we\u2019re investing in high-quality public services that are modern, focused, productive, and financially sustainable over the long term, with a core focus on front-line delivery. We also want to be attracting high-quality talent and ensuring the Public Service is always an attractive place to work. Our goal is better services and better value for money, not fewer services.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000271\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db2ea575110f43e6b325fc2758d0d15b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d79a964d4b06d8a1d74469562ff1a2b8\u0022\u003EHon Dr Ayesha Verrall\u003C/span\u003E: When he said to Mike Hosking last week, \u201CWe need to keep going further. There is no question about that.\u201D, did he mean he would cut even more jobs?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000272\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223649f943cc2a80beae0317f032db39a3\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: Now, on behalf of the Minister for the Public Service and Digitising Government, the Minister is focused on making sure that we get efficiency out of Government expenditure, because, ultimately, every single dollar that the Government spends is paid for by taxpayers, and they expect to get good services and they expect money to be spent wisely.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000273\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db2ea575110f43e6b325fc2758d0d15b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222cfa05a855f741e4e462e1c8b7214dd5\u0022\u003EHon Dr Ayesha Verrall\u003C/span\u003E: Now that Public Service chief executives have reported back, what programmes will he cut?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000274\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224b029c56424f7c3ea11b776c5ca8c845\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: As I said in the primary answer, the Government is not cutting public services.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000275\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db2ea575110f43e6b325fc2758d0d15b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022faf45d88a217a8512d59c39c1f7fd886\u0022\u003EHon Dr Ayesha Verrall\u003C/span\u003E: Why should New Zealanders trust a Government who promised public service cuts won\u2019t impact the front-line services, and who now face crowded emergency departments, nursing vacancies, and a crumbling fire service?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000276\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002276109ca9c1c74181a1e2734802d7f46f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221aad71d26a50799ec1bb8753bcc9616f\u0022\u003EHon SIMEON BROWN\u003C/span\u003E: This Government is focused on ensuring we get good outcomes and improved outcomes. The previous Government saw the number of public servants in the core public service grow from around 47,000 to more than 65,000\u2014three times faster than the workforce at large. Ultimately, at the same time, people saw their public services and the outcomes go backwards across health, across education, across law and order, and we are turning that around, focused on outcomes, focused on value for money, and making sure that every single dollar of taxpayers\u2019 money is respected.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000277\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002286de88a97a004661dca3364365e91f2d\u0022\u003EResources\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000278\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022fe60270ab8f6ac3ef661a7a205d2c5c2\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 10\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d92a09db28c44070bbfdcc9f0e6f3cca\u0022 data-id=\u0022d5788dafb82f55a0e3981ddb971a2157\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000279\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d92a09db28c44070bbfdcc9f0e6f3cca\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d5788dafb82f55a0e3981ddb971a2157\u0022\u003EJENNY MARCROFT (NZ First) (14:41)\u003C/span\u003E to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister for Resources\u003C/span\u003E: What reports, if any, has he seen on the resources sector?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002271d8acf3a6f0476999f9d03b4ae70e7d\u0022 data-id=\u0022d63b0a4cc128645e433f4e37493aaddd\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000280\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002271d8acf3a6f0476999f9d03b4ae70e7d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d63b0a4cc128645e433f4e37493aaddd\u0022\u003EHon SHANE JONES (Minister for Resources) (14:41)\u003C/span\u003E: Multiple reports. Of course, we set an ambitious target to double New Zealand\u2019s exports in a decade and I can report, within three years, sadly, my characteristic modesty called me to underestimate the period of time that would elapse before we achieved $3.1 billion worth of product to the world, 5,520 jobs, and now the sector represents export revenue that has jumped ahead of export sectors such as wine and seafood. It is an extraordinarily positive result reflective of a deregulatory approach and not backing down or cowering in the face of misinformation from ill-informed green creatures.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000281\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d92a09db28c44070bbfdcc9f0e6f3cca\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f6bc125eb5186cd17d8cc99bfff5f3ee\u0022\u003EJenny Marcroft\u003C/span\u003E: Why is the resources sector important to the regional economy?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000282\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002271d8acf3a6f0476999f9d03b4ae70e7d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ba3978c57ae203c7d980e7a1b516cd11\u0022\u003EHon SHANE JONES\u003C/span\u003E: The regional economies are the backbone. They are happy that I record in this House that mining is responsible for 22 percent of economic activity in the Hauraki region, despite the presence of certain discordant, loud, ill-informed voices; 17 percent in Buller; 27 percent of GDP in Waitaki. Now, of course, those who want to stop this legitimate activity of mining, and hobble the growth of those regions, do not take account of the unemployment, social dislocation that takes place in the absence of this industry. Of course, because we have stopped the weaponisation of contrivances related to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and the catastrophising of green things, we\u2019re full steam ahead.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000283\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d92a09db28c44070bbfdcc9f0e6f3cca\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a6576015b430c6a8857e294d3ef35ed3\u0022\u003EJenny Marcroft\u003C/span\u003E: How many petroleum and mineral permits were approved in the last year and how does that compare to previous years?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000284\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002271d8acf3a6f0476999f9d03b4ae70e7d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022223a021f131fc18b48e9875db4f46dc1\u0022\u003EHon SHANE JONES\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m extraordinarily happy to report that in 2025, there were 434 petroleum and mineral permit approvals, the highest number on record. Of course, that has been a steep climb to recover from the fateful day that this industry was cancelled. The momentum is continuing, and, since the beginning of 2024, more than 1,000 permits have been issued. This Government is bringing about the golden age of extraction, and we mean to continue at pace.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000285\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d92a09db28c44070bbfdcc9f0e6f3cca\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d31292fc3fa8dc2d7a0750ed59c25914\u0022\u003EJenny Marcroft\u003C/span\u003E: Why has there been such strong growth in the extractive sector under this Government?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000286\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002271d8acf3a6f0476999f9d03b4ae70e7d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022116e46e9bbaa0ea9e819bee5d96fbd1e\u0022\u003EHon SHANE JONES\u003C/span\u003E: Undoubtedly related in part to my advocacy\u2014worked tirelessly against considerable challenges of misinformation. But we\u2019ve sought to bring confidence back into New Zealand for investors. Yes, there may be loud voices jumping up and down on Queen Street, but they have no conception that without the extractive sector, all of the tools, the accoutrements, the gadgets that they flash around would not be possible. Investment follows confidence, and confidence is built on not only clear policy but clarity from politicians; not saying one thing on a Tuesday, doing something on a Wednesday, or\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000287\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229340db0d6051493982fc3db81fee975a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a01b1f28e2308e01aed4679be7ea170b\u0022\u003EChl\u00F6e Swarbrick\u003C/span\u003E: Tell us about the oil and gas ban.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000288\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002271d8acf3a6f0476999f9d03b4ae70e7d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221767d5c935dc796e25445d98ad956ee5\u0022\u003EHon SHANE JONES\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014sorry, I won\u2019t respond to more Luddite contributions\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000289\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002291e7215bab90904ffdb8be506b139d87\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: No, just conclude the answer. It\u2019s been a long one.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000290\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002271d8acf3a6f0476999f9d03b4ae70e7d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229a4bf26d59e7d87ad8d76b6156983dd6\u0022\u003EHon SHANE JONES\u003C/span\u003E: I beg your pardon?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000291\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d9ffade40f2a64bc44b0bfe45f4f169d\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I just suggest you conclude it shortly. I mean, we\u2019re all very impressed by the modesty being exhibited, but\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000292\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002271d8acf3a6f0476999f9d03b4ae70e7d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002240613e64d658e219d88bb94bf85a0d01\u0022\u003EHon SHANE JONES\u003C/span\u003E: The mineral sector is no longer treated like a red-haired stepchild and has returned to its rightful place at the centre of New Zealand\u2019s economic narrative. Not only is this good news but it shows after the last three years, we are at the forefront of nations who are prepared to use our extractive resources, including oil and gas, to overcome these fairytales that the lights will stay on purely through green dreams.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000293\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00228b2b5fc839b5a2f3afeb178d927db1cb\u0022\u003EAgriculture\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000294\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022e5e166deee0052634898a75b2c3cbe0c\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 11\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00221a8ff6e3602c492880b65258f59645c0\u0022 data-id=\u00223f0c6ce4398cd1f41a61604667706584\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000295\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221a8ff6e3602c492880b65258f59645c0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00223f0c6ce4398cd1f41a61604667706584\u0022\u003EDANA KIRKPATRICK (National\u2014East Coast) (14:46)\u003C/span\u003E to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister of Agriculture\u003C/span\u003E: Is the Government considering a comprehensive capital gains tax on farms and orchards?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00228d19240ed9ca4f5597e2bb804e0e32fb\u0022 data-id=\u0022d50c83fe0769d88a141db9dfb60e33da\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000296\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228d19240ed9ca4f5597e2bb804e0e32fb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d50c83fe0769d88a141db9dfb60e33da\u0022\u003EHon TODD McCLAY (Minister of Agriculture) (14:46)\u003C/span\u003E: No. Not only have we ruled out a comprehensive capital gains tax on farms and orchards; we\u2019ve ruled out any new taxes. The Government is keeping taxes low so all New Zealanders, including rural New Zealand, can keep more of what they earn and have more choices about what they and their families can spend their money on.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000297\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221a8ff6e3602c492880b65258f59645c0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225b368c1efe329febf4d9cfbcdf44c30e\u0022\u003EDana Kirkpatrick\u003C/span\u003E: What reports has he seen about a capital gains tax on farms and orchards?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000298\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228d19240ed9ca4f5597e2bb804e0e32fb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c75ac7727f3a74529cc7e54a110ff3a8\u0022\u003EHon TODD McCLAY\u003C/span\u003E: Well, I\u2019ve seen a report from Craig Renney of the Council of Trade Unions that talks about a tax system that ensures all sources of income, including capital, are properly taxed. It says the starting point is to introduce, and I quote, \u201Ca comprehensive capital gains tax\u201D. It\u2019s clear that this would include farms, forests, orchards, packhouses, farmhouses\u2014everything. This would significantly harm the New Zealand farming sector. That\u2019s why the Government has ruled out any new taxes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000299\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221a8ff6e3602c492880b65258f59645c0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002264b6b28ff0a6b49e4bbb839e3791cc68\u0022\u003EDana Kirkpatrick\u003C/span\u003E: Has he seen any other reports about a capital gains tax?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000300\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228d19240ed9ca4f5597e2bb804e0e32fb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220b1efc97a2378d608ea9ac1a6a05a530\u0022\u003EHon TODD McCLAY\u003C/span\u003E: Well, yes. An expert at the Auckland University of Technology said economists have identified potential downsides, including the added compliance costs, valuation challenges, and incentives for investors to defer asset sales. A capital gains tax would increase uncertainty and add considerable cost to farmers and growers\u2014complexity that they would either have to absorb or pass on to consumers and households. That\u2019s why we\u2019ve ruled out a capital gains tax, a land tax, a wealth tax, a ute tax, a fertiliser tax, a methane tax\u2014in fact, every one of the taxes that we\u2019ve been hearing about for rural New Zealand and all New Zealanders.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00221a8ff6e3602c492880b65258f59645c0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022721d38279237f766d3db1264a1005948\u0022\u003EDana Kirkpatrick\u003C/span\u003E: Has he seen any other reports about taxes on farms and orchards?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000302\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00228d19240ed9ca4f5597e2bb804e0e32fb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022485e490548efe2bbede6e5dcba8a6f37\u0022\u003EHon TODD McCLAY\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019ve seen questions about the effects a capital gains tax would have on rural New Zealand. For instance, would worker accommodation on an orchard be included if a house was exempt? Would the worker accommodation that was near a farm be included or not? Would a dairy farm be included if it didn\u2019t have a house? What about a processing facility on a farm or nearby? The primary sector will be responsible for $64 billion worth of exports this year, and they are already taxed enough. That\u2019s why we will not introduce any new taxes, including no capital gains tax.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000303\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022dafce43c297931ffaca8116c366ec8ac\u0022\u003ECommerce and Consumer Affairs\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000304\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022860a75bc108d723887f5003283424e92\u0022\u003EQuestion No. 12\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00223de6e6d6d57d40b483b9b558769ce301\u0022 data-id=\u0022b7f89d91265d2da12bc355db534b971e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000305\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223de6e6d6d57d40b483b9b558769ce301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b7f89d91265d2da12bc355db534b971e\u0022\u003EARENA WILLIAMS (Labour\u2014Manurewa) (14:49)\u003C/span\u003E to the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs\u003C/span\u003E: Is the Government\u2019s policy still \u201Csustainable food price increases\u201D, as he has stated, and is that why the Government has been unable to increase competition in New Zealand\u2019s supermarket sector dominated by two giants with 80\u00A0percent market share?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022587d574de1174371be09e431d9060e87\u0022 data-id=\u0022a6156bc65aa4d70137897105be8c1240\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000306\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587d574de1174371be09e431d9060e87\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a6156bc65aa4d70137897105be8c1240\u0022\u003EHon CAMERON BREWER (Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs) (14:49)\u003C/span\u003E: I reject the premise of that question. The Government has done many things to increase competition in the grocery sector. As the Commerce Commission and OECD have identified in numerous reports, this is a highly concentrated market with significant barriers to entry. The Government has acted on those barriers by making it easier to build supermarkets, strengthening supplier protections and competition sectors, and commissioning detailed analysis of structural reform. But there is still much more to do. That is why we commissioned the cost-benefit analysis, which identified restructuring Foodstuffs as an option worth testing for consumer benefit.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000307\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223de6e6d6d57d40b483b9b558769ce301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d312002d8624058497b5611c913cf90e\u0022\u003EArena Williams\u003C/span\u003E: Why has the Government made no move to respond to its own official advice to break up the supermarket duopoly that he referred to just then?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000308\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587d574de1174371be09e431d9060e87\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002254db70fb91b2b8a7f44552b0135ced0e\u0022\u003EHon CAMERON BREWER\u003C/span\u003E: We have commissioned a cost-benefit analysis\u2014an independent cost-benefit analysis\u2014which sits on the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment website for all to consider. What the Opposition had was a chance of six years to push through reforms, and, as we know, food prices, in one year alone, increased 12.5\u00A0percent in the year to June 2023; that compares to just 1.9\u00A0percent under this administration, in the year to July 2026.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000309\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223de6e6d6d57d40b483b9b558769ce301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002283b345bb2a7a5e90a0cb4c018ff7da27\u0022\u003EArena Williams\u003C/span\u003E: Is it a surprise to him that food prices are still higher under this Government, with lamb up 28\u00A0percent, mince up 36\u00A0percent, and beef steak up 39\u00A0percent, when the Government\u2019s only concrete action on supermarkets actually benefits the incumbent supermarket giants by fast tracking and centralising their consents, as he has read out to this House?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000310\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587d574de1174371be09e431d9060e87\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b4e4be9997be8325d1a19aec5174aa3a\u0022\u003EHon CAMERON BREWER\u003C/span\u003E: Again, this Government is doing a lot more than the last Government achieved, and the fact that the increases in food prices have slowed is evidence of that. I know the member likes waving around tins of spaghetti, but, under this Government, spaghetti has actually fallen; under that Government, in one single year, a tin of spaghetti increased by nearly 35\u00A0percent.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000311\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223de6e6d6d57d40b483b9b558769ce301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d2ee06cdf264dacc5270096e23b4ec36\u0022\u003EArena Williams\u003C/span\u003E: Where is the third entrant that Nicola Willis said she wanted to get on and work with to get them in the door, who she would do a deal with to give them the VIP treatment?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000312\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587d574de1174371be09e431d9060e87\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bd3273d6364e6ca0b25448fb8e7d3e61\u0022\u003EHon CAMERON BREWER\u003C/span\u003E: What we won\u2019t be doing, as\u2014[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EInterruption\u003C/span\u003E] oh, well, if we want to look at new entrants, you can have a look at the \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EAnnual Grocery Report\u003C/span\u003E, and, as the member knows, that \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EAnnual Grocery Report\u003C/span\u003E shows a number of entrants coming in and competition increasing. It shows a lot of middle-sized supermarkets coming in, such as Kai Co, for example; it shows\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000313\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223de6e6d6d57d40b483b9b558769ce301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222804cc9d6377920cd98bf9260bb09d58\u0022\u003EArena Williams\u003C/span\u003E: Because of the last Government\u2019s regime.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000314\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228d4f991de21f2aebed27bc76e46fd683\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Woah, woah!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000315\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587d574de1174371be09e431d9060e87\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b8f17a33de343adfd06d5818046123ae\u0022\u003EHon CAMERON BREWER\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014the impacts of Costco; and it shows the impacts of the likes of the Chemist Warehouse on different category ranges.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000316\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226b99476d584f47b19420b8154e6947dc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022242c11cdbf9eb5cc286c7c4052125b3c\u0022\u003EHon Nicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: Can the Minister confirm that, in the past year, the following foods have reduced in price: chicken, pork, bacon, tomatoes, lettuce, butter, and eggs; and does the Minister have any view on why those somewhat significant reductions\u2014[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EInterruption\u003C/span\u003E]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000317\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002230f0c8aafc2dfeb1d4235e23b18b14a5\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Just a minute. That was a question being asked. You don\u2019t call out or interject when a question is being asked. Please start the question again.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000318\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226b99476d584f47b19420b8154e6947dc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b97cf862eff544f5725296413d1f17d9\u0022\u003EHon Nicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: Can the Minister confirm that, in the last 12 months, the following foods have reduced in price, according to Stats NZ data: chicken, pork, bacon, tomatoes, lettuce, butter, and eggs; and has it occurred to the Minister that the member asking him questions today from the Opposition regularly fails to mention those facts?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000319\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bc813222d16d6a62bff3aa1800511bae\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: You are not responsible for other members\u2019 questions. The first part of the question may get some response.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000320\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587d574de1174371be09e431d9060e87\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229f801e00e56e4bc2ad69c1d283bc3776\u0022\u003EHon CAMERON BREWER\u003C/span\u003E: I can confirm those increases\u2014[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EInterruption\u003C/span\u003E] ah, decreases, at least. The increase I can confirm is the 22\u00A0percent that fruit and vegetables went up in the year to June 2023 under Labour\u201422\u00A0percent. That compares to a 1\u00A0percent decrease in fruit and vegetables in the year to July under this Government. [\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EInterruption\u003C/span\u003E]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000321\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c475b054010f8715acb17ad136a18335\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Just a moment\u2014just a moment. We\u2019ll go back on this side of the House, so we\u2019ll go to Ricardo Men\u00E9ndez March.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000322\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298c1995a3396432382c4b04f94f6462f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e3c03d1f68da1ee71405b826c91d084a\u0022\u003ERicardo Men\u00E9ndez March\u003C/span\u003E: Does he support the creation of KiwiMart, a publicly owned, fair competitor with a starting market share of 15\u00A0percent, to immediately compete with the supermarket duopoly and bring down food prices?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000323\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587d574de1174371be09e431d9060e87\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227beff9654361075d013c9b323c5388f9\u0022\u003EHon CAMERON BREWER\u003C/span\u003E: I do not agree with any concept that might be named \u201CPak \u2019N Soviet\u201D, nor would we agree to or lead a wholesale-retail split. That is because analysis commissioned by MBIE under the previous Government ranked wholesale-retail split the lowest of every option considered and called it\u2014this is MBIE\u2014\u201Cfundamentally flawed.\u201D The Commerce Commission found a wholesale-retail split was not \u201Cnecessary or desirable\u201D.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000324\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227765afe047ae9bcacbbd68eef3622e1a\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Does the Minister stand by the answers to his last three questions that many new competitors are entering the market at the margin; that critical food prices are falling, as he answered in response to the Minister of Finance, and that heavy-handed Government intervention might be described as \u201CSoviet\u201D; and if so, what does he make of proposals for heavy-handed intervention in the market?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000325\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587d574de1174371be09e431d9060e87\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221e1f5f6c18a2c36d429a7eeadd174382\u0022\u003EHon CAMERON BREWER\u003C/span\u003E: I welcome that question and I can confirm that we as a Government, a tripartite Government, agreed in Cabinet to commission an independent cost-benefit analysis, which identified restructuring Foodstuffs as an option worth further testing for consumer benefit. Not only can we thank the National Party Cabinet Ministers and New Zealand First New Cabinet Ministers\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000326\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223ee9d2d3109057aa79f3f691448c8df0\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Yeah, good. Just get on with it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000327\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587d574de1174371be09e431d9060e87\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e16bffcb33deb02417e6b19cb51ee25a\u0022\u003EHon CAMERON BREWER\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014but also the ACT Party Cabinet Ministers.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000328\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220a153fc9832a62f3b54db25fb5751f89\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Yeah, excellent. Arena Williams\u2014we\u2019ll go side to side.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000329\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223de6e6d6d57d40b483b9b558769ce301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002273d1e40bc27c7fd2c4abe390da6290cc\u0022\u003EArena Williams\u003C/span\u003E: Is the price of a basket of goods from the supermarket lower today than on the day that Nicola Willis promised to lower grocery prices?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000330\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587d574de1174371be09e431d9060e87\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002217a86667ca4aacee90c7219f4ee1326b\u0022\u003EHon CAMERON BREWER\u003C/span\u003E: Food prices have increased at a much slower rate under the last three years compared to the last three years of a Labour Government. In the last three years, under a National - ACT - New Zealand First Government, food prices increased 6.8\u00A0percent\u2014[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EInterruption\u003C/span\u003E]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000331\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002278ec5038cf70e0f865c244be89ec9dea\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Just, sorry\u2014just stop.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000332\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587d574de1174371be09e431d9060e87\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227e56af2fb2bcaf1d38f2cd23bd275b61\u0022\u003EHon CAMERON BREWER\u003C/span\u003E: In the last three years of Labour\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000333\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022934254aa5e99f22ffb5d396964527d76\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Stop\u2014stop.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000334\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587d574de1174371be09e431d9060e87\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002273cb14e4f2c7a35c6596485b70fe152f\u0022\u003EHon CAMERON BREWER\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014they increased nearly 22\u00A0percent.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000335\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225f6e0d451b2e9b001e56b0af5ea85823\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: OK, well, if you\u2019re not going to follow instructions to stop, then you\u2019re going to get the barrage all through the question.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000336\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226b99476d584f47b19420b8154e6947dc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f593ca74060e3537fd5cd40f0416a763\u0022\u003EHon Nicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: Is the Minister aware of reports received from orthodox economists at the IMF and the OECD highlighting that New Zealand\u2019s grocery sector is a global anomaly in its degree of consolidation and recommending that pro-competition measures are needed to address these challenges, including, in the OECD\u2019s case, a specific recommendation that structural solutions may be required?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000337\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587d574de1174371be09e431d9060e87\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002290fe1a450779718f73e098f23841d9ca\u0022\u003EHon CAMERON BREWER\u003C/span\u003E: Yes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000338\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223de6e6d6d57d40b483b9b558769ce301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220a29fa21ad7c4316022164a31d65e52f\u0022\u003EArena Williams\u003C/span\u003E: Are the small grocers gaining market share from the incumbent supermarket giants that the Minister has pointed to accessing wholesale because of the Labour Government\u2019s rules for grocery supply?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000339\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587d574de1174371be09e431d9060e87\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022be46156d72391087bc049214529d171c\u0022\u003EHon CAMERON BREWER\u003C/span\u003E: We can see\u2014and I know you like props\u2014in the 2025 grocery report that the middle-sized players are making a small difference. Yes, we\u2019ve got a lot of work to do, but we also know any proposal, whether hypothetical or not, to split wholesale and retail is not going to work, nor was it what they commissioned in the previous Labour administration, where MBIE and the Commerce Commission spoke out against it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000340\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225de7459583cb63ac368f5cf860b11fc0\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Is the Minister aware of the country of Finland, which has a similar population, topography, and size to New Zealand and has two supermarket chains with 82.5 percent market share, and yet their Ministers have all read widely and resisted getting their knickers in a knot about supermarket concentration?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000341\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e3b8bde14cadddaef407af5c75df3f46\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: This should be a very brief answer.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000342\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587d574de1174371be09e431d9060e87\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223345356e6515492ce82fcb35be2ea9f7\u0022\u003EHon CAMERON BREWER\u003C/span\u003E: Again, as the Minister of Finance has said, we have commissioned independent analysis that has made several suggestions and shows exactly what can be achieved, and a future Government will have the ability to unleash the Commerce Commission to look at this and make recommendations.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000343\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298c1995a3396432382c4b04f94f6462f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227dccafb96614dfdceb7ab2b9a19e5972\u0022\u003ERicardo Men\u00E9ndez March\u003C/span\u003E: Does he agree with Daniel Shields, owner of chilled distribution company Cool \u0026amp; Fresh, who said, \u201CWe\u2019re probably one of the only countries in the world where individual supermarket owners can be on the rich list.\u201D; if so, why won\u2019t he back a publicly owned supermarket that prioritises affordability instead of letting their owners go into the rich list while Kiwis struggle to put food on the table?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000344\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223a14944065c7b23022f2ced31b8bb5a8\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: A brief answer.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000345\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587d574de1174371be09e431d9060e87\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022151dafc33ed7e99d6244d753981861a2\u0022\u003EHon CAMERON BREWER\u003C/span\u003E: We will not support \u201CPak \u2019N Soviet\u201D.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000346\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223de6e6d6d57d40b483b9b558769ce301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022144b47ad26b16e361d1072f3e1488537\u0022\u003EArena Williams\u003C/span\u003E: If the Minister is so convinced of the efficacy of a supermarket break-up, as his own officials have advised, why won\u2019t he move to do that now?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000347\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587d574de1174371be09e431d9060e87\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002276862ec0a714679a4eca921ae345ba21\u0022\u003EHon CAMERON BREWER\u003C/span\u003E: As has been articulated, the independent analysis is on the MBIE website. This Government will seek a mandate and then we will unleash the Commerce Commission to do the necessary work. If there are benefits for the New Zealand consumer, then we will proceed. We make no apology for putting more competition into the supermarket sector in New Zealand and backing New Zealand consumers.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000348\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298c1995a3396432382c4b04f94f6462f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221587a9d0a03d1ec1ec021703f4c5ce01\u0022\u003ERicardo Men\u00E9ndez March\u003C/span\u003E: Have any of the actions he has taken enabled a third competitor with enough of a market share to genuinely compete with the duopoly and bring food prices down, or will he just use terms like \u201CPak \u2019N Soviet\u201D to hide the fact that his actions haven\u2019t resulted in meaningfully lowering food prices?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000349\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587d574de1174371be09e431d9060e87\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002253c202c5b2c4952150fa064f91066592\u0022\u003EHon CAMERON BREWER\u003C/span\u003E: Again, I\u2019m happy to articulate what we\u2019ve done as far as opening the fast-track process to supermarkets, creating a nationwide consent pathway, increasing penalties for fair-trading breaches, and, of course, making it easier for new entrants to use proven supermarket designs. We will continue to turn every stone over to get a better deal for New Zealand consumers.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000350\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226b99476d584f47b19420b8154e6947dc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226e7cd30d146b34bb93a637363d05b348\u0022\u003EHon Nicola Willis\u003C/span\u003E: Does the Minister agree that a fundamental underpinning principle of effective market capitalism is workable competition that ensures that suppliers and owners in an economy are competing to offer the best deal to consumers, and that it should be enforced by a Commerce Commission and competition regulator, or does he prefer the Soviet preference for monopolies and duopolies?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000351\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587d574de1174371be09e431d9060e87\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022083de57b6763e50abc6804e015751417\u0022\u003EHon CAMERON BREWER\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, creating more competition is the best way to lower prices, not asking a regulator to decide the correct pricing. If, for example\u2014[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EInterruption\u003C/span\u003E]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000352\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022de9b0b4d0c1e3cb1cb660443f09673f5\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Sorry, just a moment. Minister, sorry. What\u2019s wrong over there? [\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EInterruption\u003C/span\u003E] Well, then, just keep the noise to reasonable interjection, not screaming and yelling. And wind it up quickly.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000353\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587d574de1174371be09e431d9060e87\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022635d9b40573d53aa7899304cca2766a9\u0022\u003EHon CAMERON BREWER\u003C/span\u003E: Yep. Thank you, Mr Speaker. If, say, just hypothetically, banning price gouging actually worked, it would have been done a long time ago. In fact, Australia\u2019s experiences\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000354\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223de6e6d6d57d40b483b9b558769ce301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226d1f08aac892ff8cc1f6a5a66ba0c7ed\u0022\u003EArena Williams\u003C/span\u003E: It was in every other country!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000355\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022824b15d30546679dd5749670a0dfeb08\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Woah. Listen, just stop again. Hang on. That\u2019s just completely unnecessary. That\u2019s just straight out yelling and screaming. Are you finished?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000356\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002209c5098e3dbce9ffa7d4dd12571315a8\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Was he aware the Soviet Union allowed duopolies before just now?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000357\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022587d574de1174371be09e431d9060e87\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220634d3b7606b319455e4e9cecdb7d78f\u0022\u003EHon CAMERON BREWER\u003C/span\u003E: Again, I want to thank the Deputy Prime Minister for helping us to commission that work that\u2019s now on MBIE\u2019s website. I hope he reads it closely, and, after the election, I hope he can help us push play on getting a better deal for consumers.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000358\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f8e26f8083eb95355c0bff507e9d23d9\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: That concludes oral questions. Before I call on the Hon Ginny Andersen to move a matter of urgent public business, we\u2019ll just take a slight break while all those who need to leave the House for other activities and other parliamentary business can do so quietly and very quickly, please.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000359\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022e7c9c748bfd96f03048c3dd10f1355f9\u0022\u003EDebates\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000360\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u002210a2ebcd5a8828cf933443b11e4282db\u0022\u003EMinistry of Education\u2014Official Information Act\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000361\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00226daca575296547c306683573b80ae813\u0022\u003EUrgent Debate\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000362\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bb9f3a9123fe58108ee9cf59a3197033\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I call on the Hon Ginny Andersen to move to ask the House to take note of a matter of urgent public business.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00220750364c2c1444d0ae00bced720f964e\u0022 data-id=\u0022027a41f0c47aa700d266b9e350711b51\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000363\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220750364c2c1444d0ae00bced720f964e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022027a41f0c47aa700d266b9e350711b51\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN (Labour) (15:06)\u003C/span\u003E: I move, \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EThat the House take note of a matter of urgent public importance\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000364\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThank you very much, Mr Speaker. Thank you for the opportunity to raise this issue of importance. I think it\u2019s important to note, for those people who aren\u2019t aware of what has been conveyed in the media this morning, that a senior education official working on the Government\u2019s curriculum update has told staff within the Ministry of Education not to put their work in writing that they were discussing on the curriculum changes with the Minister of Education\u2019s office so that it couldn\u2019t be uncovered by the Official Information Act. This is an issue of serious importance for New Zealand\u2019s democracy, for the neutrality of our Public Service, and for accountability within Government. It also goes to the heart of people having trust and confidence in our Government institutions and encouraging people to be engaged with democracy. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000365\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe person in question, the senior official, said, \u201CThis is them helping us.\u201D Those are the words that were used. \u201CThis is them helping us. What we do not need is anything in response in writing that shows that this stuff has gone backwards and forwards between them and us.\u201D The senior official in question said that she would present feedback as, \u201Cjust some feedback from me.\u201D, implying that it was actually from the Minister or her office, and the official was saying that it would be from her instead. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000366\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, this is a clear attempt to avoid transparency, and it is a clear attempt to hide the Minister\u2019s involvement in determining the exact content of what our children learn in the school curriculum. It is absolutely inconceivable that this Minister of Education, Erica Stanford, had no knowledge of this, as she tried to point out today. What this tells us is something very important, and while the Minister may want to say this is just about officials and this is something that an official did and it\u2019s not to do with her\u2014it\u2019s not. It is about the culture that she has led from the top. It is about a culture of cover-ups not only within the Ministry of Education but wider in Government as well. This should be deeply concerning for New Zealanders because it goes to the heart of our democracy, it goes to the heart of having a Public Service that is neutral, and it goes to the heart of transparency and accountability, all of those strong facets of what we should be upholding as democracy in New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000367\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhat this has told us today is that it is clear that, for those officials who were working on the curriculum, there was a culture of cover-ups, and that there was a clear culture that they were operating to avoid accountability. That was the culture in which they were operating in, and that video that has been available via \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Herald\u003C/span\u003E today demonstrates clearly what that culture was. Officials working on the curriculum considered that this was to be a \u201Cpolitical exercise\u201D. Those are the words that were used in that video\u2014a \u201Cpolitical exercise\u201D with the Minister; not our children, not our education system, not the things that will actually strengthen teaching and learning in New Zealand, but instead a political exercise that the Minister was intricately involved with and was using officials as a cover to be able to do that, and that is absolutely, absolutely unacceptable. Rather than setting high standards herself\u2014this Minister often talks about setting high standards\u2014for accountability, for democracy, for transparency, instead, that Ministry has bred a culture of cover-ups, that she has led herself, and she is accountable for that ministry.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000368\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThere is a clear pattern of behaviour with this Minister\u2014there is a clear pattern of behaviour. And today in the House, in question time, we heard that the Minister stated that she always complies with the Official Information Act. Well, I went back\u2014since she said that\u2014and I checked. From 1 July 2025 to 31 December 2025, which is a period of six months, and in that period of six months, there are four separate occasions where the Ombudsman has ruled that decisions made by that Minister, in relation to the Official Information Act, required remedial correction. So in a six month period, there were four times that the Official Information Act had not been applied appropriately according to the Ombudsman. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000369\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ELet us remember, also, the recent history of Erica Stanford and her emails. The Minister of Education herself, in the past, has been caught using private email to conduct ministerial business. This, in the past, included budget details, policy changes, and communications with schools and with members of their ministerial advisory group. It was used hundreds and hundreds of times, and it only stopped when it was called out publicly. It was only stopped when that was captured publicly.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000370\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBut it\u2019s not just this Minister; the rot starts at the top. There was also clear information that a former staffer in the Prime Minister\u2019s office, that Christopher Luxon received a lobbying document from Fonterra. The document was sent to, again, his private email inbox, also suggesting an attempt to circumvent the same Act\u2014the Official Information Act\u2014especially, given those documents were not released in response to an Official Information Act request, when they should have been. The staffer was a former chief policy adviser to the Prime Minister. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000371\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThere is a clear pattern of behaviour, not only with this Minister but with this Government, to circumvent democracy, to circumvent transparency, and to do that in a way that actually makes New Zealand a less strong country, in terms of transparency. And that is absolutely unacceptable. It is important that New Zealanders know that this is the integrity, which is zero, and the calibre of this Government, going into a general election. We have a Public Service that should be based on integrity, that should be neutral, and should be accountable\u2014and those are fundamental parts of why we have those in place. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000372\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThat is exactly why Labour is proposing to remediate this mess by establishing an independent council for curriculum and assessment. We believe that that is what is required to stop the sort of political interference in the day-to-day operations of what should be happening in the Ministry of Education. I think it is important that we speak up for those public servants who don\u2019t have a voice; those public servants that aren\u2019t allowed to speak back; those public servants that time and time again, like an abusive relationship, get thrown under the bus when this Government makes mistakes. It is absolutely unacceptable that they take advantage of those who can\u2019t fight back. And we say that is not acceptable; that those who are voted in with ministerial warrants, they hold the accountability, and they should stand up and take responsibility for the actions that have caused so much trouble within our Public Service. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000373\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis erodes democracy, this puts public servants in absolutely impossible situations\u2014when they lose their jobs, when they lose their reputations, when they lose their ability to hold their heads up in Wellington because of the politicisation that this Government has put them under. It is absolutely unacceptable in New Zealand. We should be world leading at being transparent and enabling people to interact with their democracy without fear, without favour.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000374\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EUltimately, it is the Minister of Education who should be responsible for this. And while we are about to hear, no doubt, while there is an internal review, while someone else will be blamed about what has happened here, at the end of the day, the buck stops with her. She has got a person clearly now broadcast on platforms showing that there was a process and a culture in place designed to undermine democracy, designed to hide information from public eyes, and designed to circumvent the Official Information Act. That is wrong. That Act is in place for a good reason, and New Zealanders deserve to have the truth. They deserve to have clear answers, and they deserve a Government that does not hide facts from them, and that is exactly what this Government is. It is deceitful and it is corrupt in the way it is operating, and we should vote them out. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002237b40d11275f4dba8e36c41507f8a1c5\u0022 data-id=\u0022505c02bef614118d99cfd319e73ade08\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000375\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002237b40d11275f4dba8e36c41507f8a1c5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022505c02bef614118d99cfd319e73ade08\u0022\u003EHon ERICA STANFORD (Minister of Education) (15:15)\u003C/span\u003E: Mr Speaker, as I have already raised in this House today in answer to questions that were raised by the Opposition, my political office and myself always comply with the Official Information Act (OIA) to the very best of our ability.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000376\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, people should have trust and confidence, and it was very disappointing to see that Ministry of Education officials were making comments that were reported in the \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Herald\u003C/span\u003E today. I want to be very clear and put on the record in \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EHansard\u003C/span\u003E that not myself or anybody else in my office has ever directed or even suggested that anyone should not comply with the OIA, or do anything other than fully comply with it, or should not be subverting it in anyway. This is a very serious matter, which is why, yesterday, I called in the Secretary of Education to reiterate my expectations that the OIA is always fully complied with.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000377\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI am confident that the Secretary of Education has got the issue in hand. Yesterday, she alerted immediately the Public Service Commissioner, the Ombudsman, and she\u2019s now undertaking an internal review and an employment process because this did not meet either my expectations or hers. I want to also be very clear about the meeting that was recorded in relation to this issue. This meeting was in relation to the 74 senior secondary curriculum documents that have not been given to me or my political office to review or to sign out. I\u2019ve not seen them as of yet. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000378\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe process that was talked about in this meeting was between the Ministry of Education and their secondee, the private secretary in my office, who reviews these documents, and who checks them before they come to me. She asks a number of questions back and forward with the Ministry before they come to me to make sure that they are in order. This is an entirely normal process that happens with every single document that comes to my office, and it is my expectation that this process that they were talking about in this meeting, like every single process, is subject to the OIA. I\u2019ve made this very clear to the Secretary of Education; and yes, I am responsible for the Ministry of Education, which is why I called them in, which is why I\u2019ve reiterated my expectations and made sure that the correct processes are underway. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000379\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI\u2019m also responsible for the results of the Ministry of Education, and I am extraordinarily proud in the last three years of the results that we have gained. We have put out an English and maths curriculum that has been in place for two years. The results are phenomenal. For the first time in decades, finally, we are seeing an improvement in results. Phonics last year between term 1 and term 3 from 36 to 58 percent of young 5-year-olds at expectations for their early reading or phonics ability. The maths curriculum has seen an improvement in year 6, a statistically significant improvement of 6 percent, and it was up every year\u2014year 3, year 6, year 8\u2014the curriculum insights saw. The same thing in writing: a 5 percent increase, the first time we\u2019ve seen an increase of this statistical significance in years in writing at year 6 after years of decline and stagnation. The same thing we\u2019ve seen with the Programme for International Student Assessment as well, where the bottom quartile of the most disadvantaged kids are improving significantly, closing for the first time that equity gap that I talked so much about.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000380\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, it was really interesting that the member before me spoke about her idea that the unions gave her for an independent curriculum committee. This is exactly why we need an hour of reading every day and a focus on comprehension and oral language, because while Ginny Andersen has taken this union policy on for herself, she confirmed on \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003ETVNZ\u003C/span\u003E when asked how this independent committee would be selected, she said, without any expression on her face at all, \u201COh, by the Minister.\u201D Now, the definition of \u201Cindependent\u201D is not that the Minister of Education will be the person who selects the people that go on the independent committee. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000381\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ELet\u2019s not forget that this is just a reheated policy by Labour, because, in 2020, they also thought about having a curriculum group. They spent tens of millions\u2014in fact, more than $100 million creating this idea of some kind of committee. It was called the \u201CCurriculum Centre\u201D inside the Ministry of Education. Then they spent six years putting together a whole lot of other groups, going around the country, thinking about it, having a think, and then did not deliver a single curriculum document to the sector\u2014not a single one. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000382\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBut the one that they did, where they did start to talk about with the curriculum\u2014let\u2019s have a look at this. The 2023 leaked draft\u2014this is after six years of having a think about it and spending tens of millions of dollars; the leaked science curriculum that had no mention of physics, chemistry, or biology, which worried the sector so much that they leaked it in advance. Some of the comments that they made\u2014just remembering this is what we\u2019re going to get with these guys\u2014were that they had grave concerns; it was embarrassing; it will lead to appalling declines in student achievement; it was likely to leave pupils bored with science. They were shocked at the lack of physics, chemistry, and earth and space sciences\u2014they were very surprised about that. They warned that the draft was heavy on philosophy and light on actual science, and they asked where the actual science was. That is what you are going to get with an independent, delivered by the Minister of Education Curriculum Centre, which actually delivers philosophy but not actual science. Let\u2019s not forget that that\u2019s what happened for six long years: hundreds of millions spent, and not a single curriculum that was delivered.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000383\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI want to say one final thing in relation to the previous speaker Ginny Andersen\u2019s comments. The reason that my Gmails were all were all out in public was because I complied fully with the OIA. Every single one of those emails was captured and put out in the OIA\u2014the Official Information Act\u2014because by myself and everyone in my office, the expectation is clear that we always comply with the Official Information Act to the very best of our abilities. My expectation is that the Ministry of Education do exactly the same, which is why I\u2019ve reiterated those expectations with the Secretary for Education and made sure that all of the appropriate steps are being undertaken. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022bac3dcb6103a48d3bcead8563342a856\u0022 data-id=\u00225a2918531ba94de9714c215087ab0004\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000384\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022bac3dcb6103a48d3bcead8563342a856\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225a2918531ba94de9714c215087ab0004\u0022\u003EDr LAWRENCE XU-NAN (Green) (15:23)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Mr Speaker. This is an egregious breach of our democratic process. It is an egregious breach of our transparency that is expected of any Government, but, to be honest, we don\u2019t expect anything less. I\u2019m interested to hear the fact that you have a Minister who says that \u201CI have called the Secretary for Education to relay my expectations.\u201D The thing is, what is on the New Zealand public\u2019s mind is: what is the content of that conversation? Could the content of that conversation be, \u201CI expect you to hide it better next time.\u201D? I think that is going to be the question that people are going to be thinking about.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000385\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI think this is something that we actually need to tie to the Wai 3553 report that was just released last week. It is important for us to know that in the Waitangi Tribunal\u2019s finding, they have found that this Government has been lobbied by external providers\u2014Australian providers such as Learning First, with a complete conflict of interest\u2014over experts here from Aotearoa New Zealand, over our obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We have seen under this Government an unprecedented and significant increase in the usage of non-disclosure agreements. It should be a concern for every parent, for every teacher, for every student, for every school in Aotearoa New Zealand that you have a Government that is not being transparent with you, as the public, on how they conduct their affairs and how they are drafting their curriculum.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000386\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn Wai 3553, and in the speech by that Minister, we\u2019re seeing a Government that continues to try and gaslight the New Zealand public and gaslight our experts into thinking that they are the ones in the wrong, that they are the minority. Whereas we have seen in today\u2019s breach that clearly the Government has a political agenda and an ideology that has been imported from overseas, in how our students should be learning. We have seen by this Government a complete centralisation of power and allowing the Ministers to make decisions around the appointment of the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand, among other things.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000387\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, when it comes to the proposal\u2014this is the thing about this Government: when we\u2019re looking the proposal of the independent curriculum and the assessment council, that is proposed and endorsed by quite a few political parties, including New Zealand First, but that is proposed by an independently elected New Zealand Principals\u2019 Federation. It might be that this Government and the Minister is foreign to the idea of what good governance looks like and what it means to actually listen to the sector. Maybe it\u2019s a Government that is foreign to the idea that maybe, just maybe, we should listen to the many and not the few\u2014that we should listen to the teachers and the education experts, but not do it in a way that is like \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EThe Emperor\u2019s New Clothes\u003C/span\u003E, where the Government is surrounding themselves only with people that they like.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000388\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis is something that requires the serious attention of this House, but beyond what the ministry themselves will conduct, beyond what the Public Service Commissioner will conduct, we also think that the Ombudsman needs to be involved as an independent analysis of what has happened and what has transpired here. For the Greens, we absolutely do think that transparency is important. We think that we need a quality public education system where everyone should be involved and that is founded on Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We can do that by having that independent curriculum assessment council and restoring independence to the Teaching Council.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022443f23de4cbd464f91833e6c466c98c0\u0022 data-id=\u0022825dc03f5f7ca98897f1ec6c3ce458f4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000389\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022443f23de4cbd464f91833e6c466c98c0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022825dc03f5f7ca98897f1ec6c3ce458f4\u0022\u003ETODD STEPHENSON (ACT) (15:28)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Mr Speaker. For the second time today, the Minister of Education has outlined her expectations in relation to the Official Information Act (OIA) and what transpired in relation to a Ministry of Education official. Members of the Opposition, I\u2019m afraid, are the ones who are going off on a tangent here, talking about things well outside the scope of this debate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000390\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003EThe Minister has outlined that she expects that the OIA is completely complied with and has asked the Ministry of Education to look into these issues, and we in ACT also expect the OIA to be taken seriously. What I do not take seriously is being lectured to by members of the Opposition when we know a former Labour Cabinet Minister told her caucus colleagues to avoid OIA of all communications. Here we have a Minister who twice today has now outlined what she is doing and the action she is taking\u2014a very responsible Minister. What I\u2019m looking forward to is actually getting back to the business of this House and getting on with the Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002248ce26e54d83406399b875df20400dec\u0022 data-id=\u00226cd468cab9920a1d0d9edc46b69bdf87\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000391\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248ce26e54d83406399b875df20400dec\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00226cd468cab9920a1d0d9edc46b69bdf87\u0022\u003EANDY FOSTER (NZ First) (15:29)\u003C/span\u003E: Yeah, thanks, Mr Speaker. Look, New Zealand is regarded as one of the most open, transparent, and uncorrupt countries in the world, and we take that very, very seriously. We treasure it, and when something goes wrong, we do something about it. I was just having a quick look before this debate, and I looked at a number of examples. Look up corruption in New Zealand; you\u2019ll see what happens. There are a number of examples of that, where it\u2019s been alleged and it has been responded to, and that is exactly the right thing to do there.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000392\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis seems to all come from an article in the \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Herald\u003C/span\u003E\u2014at least that\u2019s what it\u2019s highlighted; that\u2019s what the Hon Ginny Andersen was talking about\u2014and what you see shot through that also is the response. So something was done, and there is a response to that. If I can just look at a couple of the things which I said in there, the ministry said it\u2019s inconsistent with the behaviour it\u2019s expected. They emphasised adherence to Official Information Act (OIA) obligations. They\u2019ve launched an internal review, and the Minister of Education has met with the secretary and the secretary has already met with or talked with the Ombudsman and the Public Service Commission. So, shot through that same article, there is an issue here and there is a response to that issue, and that is what we should expect. That, I think, is the most important thing here, that this is being taken seriously by the Minister and by the ministry, and it is not what they anticipate to happen.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000393\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ELook, can I just finish off by saying, because this assertion has come from the Hon Ginny Andersen, she talked about the Minister\u2019s track record, but if you look at her own track record of the things that she has alleged, the things that she has said are facts and then has had to backtrack on them\u2014so, not that long ago, it was around how road maintenance was funded. Oh, it wasn\u2019t done through the national road transport fund; she was berating the Hon Mark Mitchell in a radio programme, and she was 100 percent wrong. This is the pattern that we get from that member over there, that she has time and time again been 100 percent wrong. There is something that I usually refer to, and I think others do as well: they\u2019re called \u201CGinny facts\u201D, and those are facts which are undoubtedly wrong.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000394\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI think we should conclude this debate as quickly as possible. There is action being taken in response to this OIA issue, and that is the right thing to do to protect the transparency and honesty and integrity of this country.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b78723aefdc74b11a47482993ca56a74\u0022 data-id=\u0022129c540d91ea1799824deeea604912d2\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000395\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b78723aefdc74b11a47482993ca56a74\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022129c540d91ea1799824deeea604912d2\u0022\u003EHon Dr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour\u2014Christchurch Central) (15:31)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Mr Speaker. The programme lead for the curriculum development, Catherine Law, essentially, directed her staff to keep secret information. Her words were \u201CWhat we do not need is anything \u2026 in writing that shows that this stuff has gone backwards and forwards between them and us.\u201D They\u2019re talking about the Minister\u2019s office and the department, so they\u2019re covering their tracks. I was astounded to hear Erica Stanford say, \u201CYes, my private secretary gets information and, essentially, curates it and sends it back.\u201D\u2014\u201CThe Minister won\u2019t like that.\u201D; \u201CReword that.\u201D That is exactly the kind of behaviour that should not be going on, and I could not believe that she said that in the House with a straight face.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000396\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhat we have is a Minister who is developing a culture of secrecy, who is treating the Official Information Act (OIA) with disdain and contempt. For her to say out of one side of her mouth, \u201COh, I\u2019ve told my staff what my expectations are.\u201D and at the very same time running an operation where her private secretary is curating information to make sure it doesn\u2019t quite get to her is, frankly, despicable. The whole principle of the Official Information Act is the free availability of information, and if Erica Stanford is managing her department in a way to circumvent those rules, it is despicable. It\u2019s contemptible. The idea of a transparent Government is what this country rests upon. The Official Information Act has two basic principles: transparency and freedom of information for citizens, and accountability of Ministers, and that is what she is seeking to do away with.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000397\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EYou know what? One of the things we need is for the Official Information Act to be given more teeth, because behaviour like that should be punished. There is a dusty old section in the Crimes Act, section 107, which is wilfully contravening a statute. I must say it looks to me very much like this senior official has looked at the Official Information Act and simply said, \u201CI don\u2019t want to do that. It might be my legal obligation to keep good records\u201D\u2014in the Public Records Act as well, of course, to make sure that Government business is on the record and is archived correctly. This senior official seems to have looked at her obligations and said, \u201CI don\u2019t want to do that.\u201D or \u201CThe Minister wouldn\u2019t like me to do that, so I won\u2019t do it.\u201D\u2014a wilful contravention of law. There is in fact a provision which could deal with that. Section 107 of the Crimes Act, wilful contravention of the statute. You cannot blatantly disregard your obligations, particularly in the Public Service.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000398\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ESo what we have here is a Minister who is guiding and politicising the Public Service. The Public Service has never been under attack as much as it is now, not only through job cuts but through being instructed to pursue their tasks in a political way. Now, we all know that the Government of the day can progress their agendas, but to engage in a political dialogue\u2014and Catherine Law also said that this is political; she was taking the politics of the situation into account when she was making decisions about the OIA. \u201CWe\u2019ve got to be really mindful\u201D, she said, \u201Cthat this process comes before we start the formal process, which is the one through bags\u201D\u2014that is, ministerial information bags\u2014\u201Cand that is all formal, public, and transparent.\u201D They were running parallel processes: the real process and the formal process. That is duplicitous, and it\u2019s under this Minister\u2019s watch. Erica Stanford is presiding under a duplicitous process which is not transparent, it\u2019s not honest, and she\u2019s saying out of one side of her mouth, \u201CI expect transparency.\u201D and on the other side of her mouth she\u2019s doing the opposite. It\u2019s despicable. It should stop.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022784f4e929aed4ea6a05d1a10add6eccb\u0022 data-id=\u0022bfbb9cd8a9b876dbe6dd45de9ae2b4f8\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000399\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022784f4e929aed4ea6a05d1a10add6eccb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022bfbb9cd8a9b876dbe6dd45de9ae2b4f8\u0022\u003ERYAN HAMILTON (National\u2014Hamilton East) (15:36)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Mr Speaker. As the Minister of Education has already said, she\u2019s made her expectations very clear to the Secretary for Education about ministry servants following the Official Information Act (OIA). She\u2019s also noted that no instructions regarding avoiding the OIA have been passed on to the Ministry of Education. With two days left of Parliament, this is just a cynical attempt by the Government to try and upset what has been a tremendous three years of education reform. They\u2019ve done more in three years than that previous Government did in the last six.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00223de6e6d6d57d40b483b9b558769ce301\u0022 data-id=\u0022ba28eec89f269fefb381daaee8fc3a94\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000400\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223de6e6d6d57d40b483b9b558769ce301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ba28eec89f269fefb381daaee8fc3a94\u0022\u003EARENA WILLIAMS (Labour\u2014Manurewa) (15:37)\u003C/span\u003E: I concur with the previous speaker, Ryan Hamilton: this is a cynical move by the Government to attempt to limit participation rights of ordinary New Zealanders, because the Official Information Act has been part of New Zealanders\u2019 public and constitutional law arrangements since 1982, and the rights of public participation are something that we are proud to protect. New Zealand was one of the first countries to adopt these sorts of official information powers in the way that they\u2019re formulated here, and like countries like South Africa and the UK and others who have adopted these process rights formally, they make up not only the ability of ordinary New Zealanders to meet with their parliamentarians, to petition them, to put their point of view forward like everyone else, but they also ensure that public servants are also accountable to the ordinary working New Zealanders who are trying to just get ahead in life and to make sure that, in this case, their education system responds to the needs of their children and their communities.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000401\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ESection 4 of that Act was pretty world leading for countries that we compare ourselves to. It says that access to information enables people to participate more effectively in making and administering laws and policies and promotes the accountability of Ministers and officials. It\u2019s that accountability that is at issue today. This is something that New Zealand should be able to pride itself on, and we have heard from members of Government parties that New Zealand is a country well known for its accountability and transparency around the world. That\u2019s what\u2019s at stake here. When New Zealand is falling in the accountability and transparency indexes, we should all be concerned in this House about not only what it says internationally but what it says to the people in New Zealand who we represent.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000402\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ESection 5 sets the basic rule out that \u201Cinformation should be made available unless there is [a] good reason for withholding it.\u201D It used to be in New Zealand that information like this was secret. It is good that New Zealanders can expect that information won\u2019t be secret in the future, and that should be something which Ministers uphold. That participation right matters particularly in education, because parents entrust their children to the education system, and teachers have to implement the curriculum. They need the confidence that consultation is genuine, that professional advice is professional advice, and when Ministers make political choices, those transparent choices are on the public record.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000403\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBut this is not the first public law concern raised about how this Government has handled the curriculum.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000404\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENational curriculum statements are secondary legislation. They are law. Anyone who is a professional working in the education system has to do what the Minister says, because the curriculum is the law which this Parliament announces to them that they must follow. Parliament has a specialist committee\u2014the Regulations Review Committee\u2014which scrutinises whether instruments like these have been made fairly and consistently, and on 2 June this year, the committee formally took up a complaint about the curriculum statements. I chaired that committee, and that complaint demonstrates something important: the curriculum is not simply a political document belonging to the Minister. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000405\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EShe accounted to this House, in question time today, that she had managed this process like any other Minister in her Government would, but she is accountable for a law which is the secondary legislation, which is the curriculum statements. Those are an exercise of public power, which she has a ministerial warrant to carry out, subject to the public law requirements and parliamentary scrutiny afforded to her as Minister when exercising that public power. Avoiding emails does not avoid the Official Information Act. Official information can include information known to officials but never written down and to the Minister. What\u2019s the problem here? The problem is that the Minister has created a culture and intimated, at all steps along the way, that this would be perfectly acceptable practice under her watch. It\u2019s not. The Public Records Act separately requires public offices to create and maintain full and accurate records, which has not happened here. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000406\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe former Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier specifically addressed officials avoiding records because they might be subject to a request under the Official Information Act, and what has happened here is in direct contravention to his findings. He called it \u201Cdeeply troubling\u201D, and said, \u201CDeliberately keeping information off the written record to avoid discovery can be fundamentally unlawful.\u201D, and it is. This Government has already been warned about exactly what provenance and record-keeping matters, and associate health Minister Casey Costello supplied officials with tobacco policy notes, but neither she nor her office could establish who had written them. The notes were used for ministerial purposes and contributed to the policy adopted by the Government. Casey Costello inevitably released the document, but only after denying that it even existed at all.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000407\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis Government cannot be trusted with the official information under which it is operating, but in education, it is special. It is not only the exercise of public confidence but the exercise of public law which the curriculum fits into. It brings this debate back to the Minister\u2019s conduct. These were communications going backwards and forwards with her office. What did she know about them, has she knowledge, or was she reckless about its effect?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c96149a439844ecfa86967f9caf5f50d\u0022 data-id=\u002212a2b4572b17f3b4c24df000edd97403\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000408\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c96149a439844ecfa86967f9caf5f50d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002212a2b4572b17f3b4c24df000edd97403\u0022\u003EKATIE NIMON (National\u2014Napier) (15:42)\u003C/span\u003E: I think I\u2019ll be the fifth person to reinforce what the Minister has said\u2014most importantly that she\u2019s made her expectations very clear to the Secretary for Education and that there have been no instructions from her office to avoid the Official Information Act. The most important point here is actually the very significant work that has been done in the education portfolio in the last three years\u2014the parts that the parents very much care about when I\u2019m out on the door. Just to name a few: an hour a day of reading, writing, and maths; expanded maths and p\u0101ngarau support; and actually delivered a major increase to the teaching workforce, 1,800 teachers in 2024; and, of course, structured literacy and structured numeracy; adding to that expanded classroom infrastructure. Just the other week, I was at Taradale Primary School, which had gone back to single-cell classrooms.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000409\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThese things are significant in education, and to make a mountain out of a mole hill in such occasion where the Minister has made very, very clear her expectations and reinforced her position, I\u2019d sooner get back to debating the issues that very much matter to Kiwis, like the resource management reform. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000410\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe debate having concluded, the motion lapsed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000411\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002248ca194c4f9ab77a2615a08448a6b99d\u0022\u003ESittings of the House\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000412\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00224c6868a3867043d8ad33472a32aec2ae\u0022\u003EExtended Sitting\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022fa370c0016e740998a2816116c8e4365\u0022 data-id=\u0022ada74e4a92267136f84b193131a0ddfb\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000413\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022fa370c0016e740998a2816116c8e4365\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ada74e4a92267136f84b193131a0ddfb\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW HOGGARD (Minister for Biosecurity) (15:43)\u003C/span\u003E: on behalf of the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003ELeader of the House\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order. I move, \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EThat the sitting of the House today be extended into tomorrow morning to consider the following Government orders of the day: the remaining stages of the Secondary Legislation Confirmation Bill (No 4), the first reading and referral to select committee of the R\u0113kohu Wharekauri Shared Redress Bill, and the third reading of the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Amendment Bill and the Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) (3-Day Postnatal Stay) Amendment Bill\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000414\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000415\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022368f8710d28699c16d7e80cef3a07fec\u0022\u003EBills\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000416\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00225404f4d0c6cb910d7225fcd7c52ee937\u0022\u003EPlanning Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000417\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022838211dd8eeaed15a8cea1f3a5d8daf3\u0022\u003ELegislative Statement\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00223b111696b9f040d3b1d5339eead7439f\u0022 data-id=\u00220c63468b37fe959949deb30dda906d58\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000418\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223b111696b9f040d3b1d5339eead7439f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00220c63468b37fe959949deb30dda906d58\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS BISHOP (Minister responsible for RMA Reform) (15:44)\u003C/span\u003E: I present a legislative statement on the Planning Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000419\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c4943fd1cf914de0befcb7a16280f910\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022eb6a9acc0ba088fc01c368e8ceb075e4\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u0027Connor)\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=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000420\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022472d1a62c0bb4010fcb318b0a9bab091\u0022\u003EThird Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00223b111696b9f040d3b1d5339eead7439f\u0022 data-id=\u00221f09922f4c77ff637e3d532e9edf4fdc\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000421\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223b111696b9f040d3b1d5339eead7439f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221f09922f4c77ff637e3d532e9edf4fdc\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS BISHOP (Minister responsible for RMA Reform) (15:44)\u003C/span\u003E: I move, \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EThat the Planning Bill be now read a third time\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000422\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI would like to begin by thanking those who\u2019ve worked very hard on both the Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill: the expert advisory group led by Janette Campbell; the Environment Committee, led very ably by Catherine Wedd; my Parliamentary Under-Secretary Simon Court, who\u2019s done an excellent job on a very important piece of legislation; and the officials across the Public Service, but particularly those at the former Ministry for the Environment, the now Ministry of Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport led by Nadeine Dommisse.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000423\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EToday is a good day, and it\u2019s the culmination of years of hard work to replace the Resource Management Act (RMA) once and for all. For 30 years, the RMA has held New Zealand back from its full potential. Today, we are scrapping it, breaking free from a system that has stifled opportunity and economic growth for too long. We are restoring the freedom for New Zealanders to shape their own futures by using property as they choose\u2014a once-in-a-generation shift towards growth, choice, and prosperity.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000424\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAt the heart of these reforms is the enjoyment of the use of your own land. No Western democracy has ever succeeded without adhering to the ideal that liberty cannot occur without the protection of property. Members opposite have raised concerns repeatedly about these reforms enhancing private property rights. They\u2019ve scaremongered and painted property rights as some evil right-wing plan. It\u2019s a weird and pernicious view. Secure property is the shield that protects citizens from arbitrary power. It\u2019s what stops politicians eroding the values and freedoms we count on every day. If property rights fall; soon follows speech, movement, religion, and on it goes. Property rights affirm that individuals are not subjects of the State but, instead, are stewards of their own future. On this side of the House, we\u2019re proud to be restoring the ability for New Zealanders to have more freedom to do what they want with their own property.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000425\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe truth is some people have got used to telling people what to do with their own land. They like being able to limit the use of land because they think they know better how to use it. On this side of the House, we know that the right to enjoy and use land and the confidence this certainty creates fuels innovation, investment, and progress. It creates the foundation for what we have come to call the Kiwi Dream\u2014the ability to use our own little slice of paradise, and the freedom to earn our wares and raise our family on it. For too long, the RMA lost sight of this basic preset, and this simple ideal is what underpins these reforms. The new planning system enshrines the enjoyment of property rights in the purpose and goals of the Act itself by providing for the enjoyment of land.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000426\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EFor New Zealanders, here is what our new system looks like for them: fewer consents and fewer permits; fewer plans developed faster; long-term certainty to developers, council, and the Government; more consistency through standardisation; and a more proportionate system; and relief for impositions on property. In short, we are fundamentally changing most of what has failed in the RMA and what the previous Government\u2019s reforms failed to deliver.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000427\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, sir, the planning system does generate litigation, and it will inevitably continue to do so. I want to take this opportunity to be absolutely clear on what Parliament\u2019s intent is when passing these bills into law. For future courts reading the \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EHansard\u003C/span\u003E, take note. First and most importantly, the goals: they highlight a critical and fundamental change from the RMA. The goals tightly define the scope of what the system is trying to achieve. All tools in the system serve goals through what we\u2019ve called the funnel. They are the foundation for the planning system. The goals are given effect through the funnel with national policy direction, and national standards and plans all working together to seek to achieve them. They are not a choose-your-own-adventure path for councils like the RMA was.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000428\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EUnlike the RMA, effects management is not part of the purpose or the goals; they are not an end unto themselves. Effects management is a means of understanding how an activity can be managed to achieve a goal via the funnel. The old ways of effects management is out; the new goals-focused world is in. For example, when consenting a wind farm, the focus should be on the outcomes that development delivers rather than minimising effects so they are invisible to the naked eye. The Planning Bill deliberately excludes a range of effects from the system that, frankly, should never have been in the system in the first place. Getting these out is critical to driving the culture change we need, but by no means does excluding things change the focus of the bills from the goals. This is the same for both the Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000429\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn relation to national instruments, I want to make it clear that they are a tool for providing detailed direction on how Parliament\u2019s framework is implemented in practice. On national policy direction, its primary purpose is to particularise all goals under the Acts by providing greater specificity of the goals themselves and how these goals are to be achieved, and providing direction on resolving conflicts between goals where they\u2019re identified within the Act and across the Acts. National standards implement the national policy direction (NPD) by providing detailed implementation tools such as rules, methodologies, and standardised provisions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000430\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EResolving conflicts is also a core NPD function and a critical improvement upon the RMA. As part of the NPD development, the Minister needs to look at the goals as particularised, or proposed to be particularised, and identify any apparent conflicts and how to resolve them. Not all goals need to be achieved everywhere or at all times, and not all conflicts need to be resolved nationally. As part of the development of the NPD, Ministers are required to first try to achieve compatibility between goals, where possible, before preferring one outcome over another. The bills also require that Ministers should seek compatibility within an Act before moving to conflicts across Acts. This is the same for the Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000431\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI was particularly proud to see the new independent statutory officer added into the bill to support competitive urban land markets. This officer\u2019s role is to develop a framework for assessing urban land market competitiveness and make determinations about competitive urban land markets. Councils will be required to take action to address non-competitiveness. Clear parameters for assessing competitiveness will be established so that the expectations on councils are clear, including on how they will need to respond to the officer. These will be set out in national standards and regulations.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000432\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EOn regulatory relief, I do want to highlight a few things. Councils have a duty to assess the impact of specified rules\u2014for example, historical heritage\u2014when making a plan and providing relief according to the council\u2019s finalised relief framework, only where the impact is significant. Separate to the regulatory relief process, councils may provide and landowners may accept voluntary incentives, noting that a landowner cannot be eligible for relief under a framework in respect of the same land for which they have received a voluntary incentive. Otherwise, eligible landowners may decline to receive relief or if a landowner requests and endorses a specified rule being applied to their land through the submissions process, then they are not eligible for relief. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000433\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ERegulatory relief is not compensation. Instead, the regulatory relief provisions in the bill ensure there is consideration and recognition of the impact of specified rules on landowners, while still providing some flexibility to councils about how relief is provided. Relief also does not need to fully address the impact of a specified rule. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000434\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EFinally, on the transition, we have introduced further measures to support a smooth transition for farmers and growers. The bill defers some farm environment plan and consent requirements under the Waikato Regional Plan Change 1 and it has quantified nitrogen reductions under Horizons Regional Council\u2019s Plan Change 2 until 31 December 2032. Further amendments to sections 70 and 107 of the RMA will also enable rules and consents to authorise discharges where specified effects occur, provided those effects are reduced over time. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000435\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA transitional consenting system means that some matters are out of scope under the RMA to ensure some benefits of the reforms are felt sooner and last until the transition period ends. The bills apply this directly to consenting decisions, make it easier to remove out-of-scope matters from district plans or to get deemed permitted activities, and make clearer exactly what matters are out of scope for district land uses during the transition. These are a subset of the effects out of scope in the Planning Bill. This is intentional to ensure that they are easier to implement within existing RMA plans. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000436\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ECan I finish by saying that these are good reforms. They are a once-in-a-generation reform effort to set New Zealand up for success in the 2030s. They will ensure that it is easier to build things and grow things in this country and to make a good living for ourselves and our kids. For too long, it has been too hard to consent a wind farm, too hard to be a farmer, too hard to be a grower, too hard to build houses, too hard to build infrastructure, too hard to develop an aquaculture development, too hard to be a farmer, and too hard to be a grower. So many New Zealanders, probably a generation\u2014a lot of them have just given up because it\u2019s too hard. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000437\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe want to be a First World country. If we want the prosperity that New Zealanders deserve, then we need to change our planning system. That\u2019s what this bill does, and I\u2019m proud to commend it to the House. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000438\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c4943fd1cf914de0befcb7a16280f910\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022936b6635fe7dec6672cf80b976362816\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u0027Connor)\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=\u00222c6463d70604436695b4f49ebe8951ef\u0022 data-id=\u002261bb357a08cd5ab36226911e82a4ba9a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000439\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222c6463d70604436695b4f49ebe8951ef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002261bb357a08cd5ab36226911e82a4ba9a\u0022\u003EHon RACHEL BROOKING (Labour\u2014Dunedin) (15:54)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Mr Speaker, for this opportunity to talk on another version of a Resource Management Act repeal bill, and this is this Government\u2019s go. We are here, in the penultimate sitting day\u2014the last full day when a bill can be before the House\u2014and we\u2019re at the third reading of this bill. That is a great shame because, of course, this Government had the option of looking at the thorough and well-researched work that Labour did when we were in Government and they could have amended it to take it further away from Labour and closer to National. But, instead, they have gone in very much the opposite direction. They have gone to ACT, and that is a real shame when the Minister responsible for RMA Reform has said time and time again that he is interested in having bipartisan support. But going to ACT is not the way to get bipartisan support with Labour. That\u2019s quite basic politics, and I thought he would have known that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000440\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EHowever, unlike that egotistical and vain party, Labour in Government will be much more grown up and will make amendments to this legislation, and so let me talk about some of those amendments, because we will not be doing the flip-flopping that that Government has done. I\u2019ve heard a lot of political commentators talk about \u201COh, there\u2019s so much flip-flopping. It\u2019s so much flip-flopping.\u201D\u2014no, it is that lot that does the flip-flopping. It has not happened like this before. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000441\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe have this insertion of regulatory relief, and we know that that is going to cause either chaos, great expense, and a lot of time being taken to make up plans to work out how to deal with regulatory relief\u2014and that will cost ratepayers more. We\u2019ve just heard the Minister talk about back-pocket issues, and this is a back-pocket issue. It will cost ratepayers more. The alternative is that the councils will not do that and, instead, they will give up on environmental protections. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000442\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe Minister talked about growing and building things, and that means more pollution. That means a reduction in our protections for biodiversity, and so our threatened native plants and animals, the ones that we hear coalition Ministers say \u201CGoodbye Freddie.\u201D about\u2014well, this is another way to get rid of that habitat. That is what this bill is doing, and that is shameful. Labour will repeal those regulatory relief provisions, easy-peasy: Amendment Paper 667 on this bill and Amendment Paper 666 on the other bill. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000443\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, I mean, it\u2019s interesting, isn\u2019t it? This is the bill we\u2019re speaking about at the moment. For anybody reading this in the \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EHansard\u003C/span\u003E, it has to be combined with a rubber band because it is so big, and then it is repeated again in another bill, plus there is the Fast-track Approvals Act as well. They are all part of the same scheme, and so nothing is simplified in this. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000444\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThen we have a meaningless yet still horrific purpose statement and goals that could be in conflict with each other, and we\u2019ve heard the Minister there, saying, \u201COh, future courts, listen to me. Let me tell you how to interpret this. Let\u2019s have it on the \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EHansard\u003C/span\u003E. Let me tell you about my funnel.\u201D Well, it\u2019s very interesting that you\u2019ve got a funnel, Minister, but what the funnel does is say that where there is a dispute in those goals and where there needs to be a hierarchy, who gets to choose, and it\u2019s that one person. It\u2019s the Minister, and that is no way to have a major, important regulatory system for this country. It\u2019s one person\u2014the Minister\u2014who gets to decide. It won\u2019t work. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000445\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe heard time and time again from a range of professionals and the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, when giving the Environment Committee advice, that this just simply won\u2019t work. Even if you agree with their politics\u2014which I don\u2019t\u2014it still won\u2019t work, and so this will lead to a big, muddy mess. It will not improve efficiencies and it will not improve the cost burden on the public. It might be a bit better for the odd individual who wants to build something, but not for the public, who will have to pay for the council fees when things are taken to court and when there are judicial reviews about all of these decisions that the Minister is making, and that is a problem. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000446\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe also have this shift to everything\u2014if you own the land, you can do whatever you like on it. That is not something that has historically been around in New Zealand\u2019s laws. What the Minister was saying about the importance of private property rights being somehow the most important thing that Government can ever do\u2014that is not consistent with New Zealand\u2019s approach at all. We have always had constraints on what you can do with a piece of land that you might own, so this is new. This is a paradigm shift in that respect, and it should not be taken lightly.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000447\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhat it also means is that if you can do whatever you like on your land and your neighbour is not allowed to complain about it, and your neighbour is not allowed to be involved in any planning about what can happen on your land, we are going to resort to the common law and torts\u2014torts of nuisance. That is very inefficient and expensive, so, again, this is just going to end up costing people more. It could be fixed, and I put up a number of amendments\u2014many of them are published, some of them are tabled\u2014to try and do that fixing. Some of that fixing is based on submissions that were given and advice that was given to the select committee as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000448\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe Minister says that this is a once in a generation attempt to fix the Resource Management Act (RMA)\u2014well, of course, anybody who was in the House in the 53\u003Csup\u003Erd\u003C/sup\u003E Parliament would have known that there was a once in a generation attempt to repeal the RMA, which has happened.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000449\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223b111696b9f040d3b1d5339eead7439f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002221020a5ed50f16e312084ecb209d3c30\u0022\u003EHon Chris Bishop\u003C/span\u003E: Didn\u2019t fix it. It was worse.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000450\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222c6463d70604436695b4f49ebe8951ef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221087dcf1a4ee8712a5763778fe697b64\u0022\u003EHon RACHEL BROOKING\u003C/span\u003E: Well, it was absolutely fixed, and if the Minister thinks that this is a fix, then he is sadly mistaken and he should have listened to the Labour Party throughout the process, rather than just looking to ACT\u2014looking to Simon Court time and time again.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000451\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223b111696b9f040d3b1d5339eead7439f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227fd50df1592d943b1df3e876ee7d650d\u0022\u003EHon Chris Bishop\u003C/span\u003E: No, we don\u2019t listen to failed environmental lawyers.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000452\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222c6463d70604436695b4f49ebe8951ef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fc9767afdc3123718447669ed0b82459\u0022\u003EHon RACHEL BROOKING\u003C/span\u003E: This is going to be great for lawyers. I couldn\u2019t quite hear what the Minister said, but this is all going to be great for lawyers, and the whole point of Labour\u2019s reforms was to be bad for lawyers\u2014apologies to my ex-colleagues.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000453\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBut we absolutely need to have a simplified process. We had a Spatial Planning Act; spatial plans are very important and there needs to be very good community engagement in those plans. We can also have more standardisation and we absolutely need to decrease the number of plans. We had done that in our legislation. This Government, had they chosen to, could have passed a law\u2014probably two years ago\u2014that did some amendments to make it more right-wing, but they did not do that. Instead, they decided to go backwards from the Resource Management Act in terms of involvement of M\u0101ori, so that was bad.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000454\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThen we had, after the select committee reported back at, I don\u2019t know 2 o\u2019clock\u2014was it 2 o\u2019clock on the Monday the select committee reported back? At 4 o\u2019clock on the Monday, or thereabouts, there was a post-Cabinet meeting where they said, \u201COh, you know how the select committee\u2019s just been looking at this bill for quite some time and has made a few changes, but not many, around Mana Whakahono \u0101 Rohe? Oh, we\u2019re just going to get rid of those completely.\u201D So all those iwi and hap\u016B groups who had been, in good faith, negotiating with councils to lead to agreements\u2014Mana Whakahono \u0101 Rohe\u2014that would have led to more efficient decision-making, that was just all gutted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000455\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe Minister will say, \u201COh, well you had noticed that we were going to make this change. We announced it on a Monday after a Cabinet meeting.\u201D That is not good lawmaking; it is terrible lawmaking.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000456\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223b111696b9f040d3b1d5339eead7439f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022315c6822e2f21e5029e4742772a1ced5\u0022\u003EHon Chris Bishop\u003C/span\u003E: How else do you think law gets made?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000457\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222c6463d70604436695b4f49ebe8951ef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002216ca61e52ce3b53a3f0220ff03d0bde9\u0022\u003EHon RACHEL BROOKING\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, how else does law get done?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000458\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223b111696b9f040d3b1d5339eead7439f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fa4d8211abb8a6200885fe8690c70b5e\u0022\u003EHon Chris Bishop\u003C/span\u003E: Cabinet makes decisions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000459\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222c6463d70604436695b4f49ebe8951ef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225c88e24bb52987b461700a8118c468a7\u0022\u003EHon RACHEL BROOKING\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, Cabinet makes decisions, and then they send it to this House and then to a select committee and then back here. The Mana Whakahono \u0101 Rohe came out after it had been to select committee, and this is something that this Minister does time and time again, and he should go and read \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EFitzgerald v Muldoon\u003C/span\u003E on his wall.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00229340db0d6051493982fc3db81fee975a\u0022 data-id=\u0022fa224782df1059d766aabf9fb50753e2\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000460\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229340db0d6051493982fc3db81fee975a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022fa224782df1059d766aabf9fb50753e2\u0022\u003ECHL\u00D6E SWARBRICK (Co-Leader\u2014Green) (16:05)\u003C/span\u003E: T\u0113n\u0101 koe\u2014[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EInterruption\u003C/span\u003E] If I may, \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003Et\u0113n\u0101 koe e te M\u0101ngai. T\u0113n\u0101 koutou e te Whare.\u003C/span\u003E It was really interesting at the top\u2014and, actually, throughout the Minister responsible for RMA Reform\u2019s third reading speech just now\u2014he was talking a lot about the Resource Management Act (RMA) and how much of a handbrake that is on his perceived issues with regard to development and growth in this country and in many of our cities and towns. I think it is, therefore, just really important to underscore the fact that we actually had replaced the RMA under quite a considered and thorough process with the last Government. This Government came to office and\u2014I believe, actually, under urgency in their first few weeks\u2014reinstated the Resource Management Act that they have now spent the last three years railing against. Now, in their final dying breaths of this one-term Government, on this final sitting day before we get to the adjournment debate speeches tomorrow, they are passing it through its third and final reading.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000461\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI do have to say, I agree with the Minister that this was a once in a generation, once in a moment in politics opportunity to get this stuff right. It\u2019s really interesting, because I\u2019ve heard the Minister speak at plenty of different planning forums where he has spoken about the need for cross-party consensus to get these things right, to ensure that they stick through changes of Government. I acknowledge the work that he has done in other areas of his portfolios\u2014the likes of the Infrastructure Commission\u2019s pipeline\u2014but unfortunately with the bill that we are debating today, we do not have that cross-party consensus and we therefore do not have a piece of legislation which is going to stand the test of time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000462\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EUnfortunately, what we as a House will, by virtue of their Government majority, will be passing today represents a sidelining of conservation, of the fundamental necessities necessary for life on Earth as we know it: our soil health, our water health, a climate necessary for stability of food growing capacity and so on and so forth\u2014things that this Government proclaims that they care about\u2014let alone our communities and the founding document of this country, Te Tiriti o Waitangi.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000463\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe Green Party has long campaigned on making it easier to build where people want to live, work, and play. I\u2019m an Aucklander, so I can absolutely recognise that over the last 40 years, at the very least, we have seen a planning system where both central and local government politicians have kicked the can down the road on really critical decisions around where housing and growth should go. What that has meant is that instead of grappling with the opportunities that other cities have shown us are entirely possible and feasible in terms of our development\u2014building up, protecting green spaces, ensuring that we do density well\u2014T\u0101maki-makau-rau, our largest city, is an example of where we have seen sprawl further and further out, decimating our productive food-growing capacity but also generating far higher costs for the transport infrastructure that is necessary to connect those people and, in turn, generating far more congestion by virtue of car dependency.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000464\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI just, again, lament this missed opportunity that we had to work on a cross-partisan basis, because I know that the Minister, in his heart of hearts, probably could have found a lot more common ground with us in the Greens than I believe his colleagues, who have been trying to prevent any form of development happening in Epsom. The Minister said that he want this, our country, to be a first-world country. If we were seeking genuinely to fulfil those very aspirations as laid down by the Minister, we should be a country that is actively working to protect, restore, and regenerate our biodiversity, our soil, our water, and to uphold our climate commitments. Instead, what we have represented in this legislation that we are debating this evening is a bunch of amendments that tick off the wish list of some of the biggest polluters in our country and in our economy. In fact, what we see is a reflection of the World Wildlife Fund\u2019s recent report, which states\u2014and I quote\u2014\u201CThe Government\u2019s communications on fossil fuels amount to climate misinformation and closely mirror obstruction narratives used by the fossil fuel industry to delay climate action\u201D.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000465\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI don\u2019t think there is any clause that reflects that as accurately and as explicitly as clause 15A in this legislation, which explicitly\u2014explicitly\u2014prevents considering the negative impacts of greenhouse gas emissions. Not only is that absolutely shocking and such an abdication of responsibility not only to future generations but to present generations, in terms of the bill that is mounting with regard to actually fulfilling our commitments under the Paris Agreement\u2014which this Government apparently is still committed to\u2014it also echoes exactly what was asked for by Federated Farmers in their submission, as we know, in workshops that were facilitated by the Minister and his officials.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000466\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI just make the point that, following that very workshop that occurred with the agriculture and horticulture sector, there was official advice on the potential narrowing of climate emissions consideration in this legislation. Officials said this move\u2014and I quote\u2014\u201Chas a high risk of unintended consequences and is generally not advisable\u201D. Isn\u2019t that interesting? That the same Minister who is introducing this legislation today, in question time just a few hours ago, was talking about the importance of following official advice in certain circumstances, but clearly not where it accords with the ideology\u2014or, rather, the dogma\u2014of the political parties that currently make up this one-term Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000467\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, the final point that I really want to drive home, and why it is that we oppose this legislation, is not only the sidelining of concerns around biodiversity\u2014I don\u2019t know, water, soil, those things that are kind of necessary for life as we know it\u2014but the regulatory relief. It\u2019s important to spend a moment really unpacking this, because what we have represented in this legislation is an implied property right to, effectively, destroy biodiversity.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000468\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227d19573a8ba4d8283b17374978c8ea2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bdfe6c52b5642ed77cc3d62979ad885e\u0022\u003EGrant McCallum\u003C/span\u003E: Rubbish!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000469\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229340db0d6051493982fc3db81fee975a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224fd808e1f0a4afc9d9662d8f72638d72\u0022\u003ECHL\u00D6E SWARBRICK\u003C/span\u003E: We\u2019ve heard from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, we\u2019ve heard from the Environmental Defence Society, we\u2019ve heard from plenty of independent experts who submitted on your legislation, Grant, that this would look like a bureaucratic and litigious hot mess.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000470\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003EIn Auckland alone, there are around 24,000 property-level protections. Right now, if this bill is to be implemented, as is intended, to be passed through the House today by this Government, in order for Auckland Council to reinstate just the basic same protections that already exist, they will have to go through an incredibly, incredibly time-consuming and uncertain process to do so. MartinJenkins estimates that implementing just the baseline protections that already exist\u2014not increasing them, just those protections that already exist at a property level; the likes of properties that border on the Waitakere Ranges\u2014we are talking about a cost to local governments of anywhere between $7\u00A0million to $2 billion. Riddle me that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000471\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248ce26e54d83406399b875df20400dec\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222a8d7647490eca764fe95449a4bd2c00\u0022\u003EAndy Foster\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s pretty broad.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000472\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229340db0d6051493982fc3db81fee975a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f427ec98d44df28a2cd39e781d51a891\u0022\u003ECHL\u00D6E SWARBRICK\u003C/span\u003E: The same Government who, right now\u2014it is pretty broad, Andy Foster. Do you know why it\u2019s pretty broad? Because of the fact\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000473\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222ee25fbe21d0f87a38367ee858505f15\u0022\u003EHon Member: \u003C/span\u003EThey don\u2019t know. They\u2019ve got no idea.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000474\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229340db0d6051493982fc3db81fee975a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f6a3cb2edc888bfe38a2814f8c2023c3\u0022\u003ECHL\u00D6E SWARBRICK\u003C/span\u003E: Exactly! I\u2019m so glad there is consensus breaking out in the House right now that local government has no idea how to apply your legislation that you are passing through third reading today, by virtue of the implied property right to destroy biodiversity. You could drive a bus through this because nobody knows how it\u2019s going to be applied.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000475\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAs my colleagues have already outlined, this is going to make a lot of work for lawyers and, therefore, not actually make things any more efficient. In fact, this implied property right to destroy biodiversity is going to do the opposite. It is going to slow down the processes that the Ministers say they want to speed up. This is the same Government that is decrying rates increases and saying that we just have to put a rates cap in place, as they actively pass legislation that their own members are now declaring they don\u2019t know the impacts of and will inevitably cost local authorities across this country more.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000476\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis past weekend, I was in Auckland Central with around 35,000 New Zealanders who were marching down Queen Street, who were incredibly frustrated to watch this Government sideline our country\u2019s values of care for each other and the planet that we all share. This legislation that is passing through as a result of their majority does not represent the values of New Zealanders. We have real issues in terms of the infrastructure deficit and the climate crisis and the housing crisis, but this legislation goes nowhere towards actually, meaningfully addressing those problems, and we cannot support it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00220838e5f9bac748d2a59aea595e5226a0\u0022 data-id=\u00221aa6df627f282e68cf04a687784dcde3\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000477\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220838e5f9bac748d2a59aea595e5226a0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221aa6df627f282e68cf04a687784dcde3\u0022\u003ESIMON COURT (ACT) (16:15)\u003C/span\u003E: ACT supports this bill because it restores a basic presumption: people should be free to use, develop, and enjoy their land unless there is a justified reason to limit them. For too long, the planning system has put process and planner discretion ahead of property rights, homes, infrastructure, and growth. This bill reverses that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000478\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe intention is to resolve the big questions once, at the right level, rather than relitigating them, plan by plan, consent by consent. That is the logic of the planning funnel in the new system. Scope is clearly established, statutory goals define what planning is there to achieve, the range of effects it can manage is narrowed, and the bar for intervention is much higher and more proportionate. National policy direction turns the goals into concrete national priorities and direction, and resolves conflicts between the goals. National standards then turn that direction into repeatable rules, methodologies, and standardised provisions. Regional spatial plans set strategic direction, land use plans apply locally, and consenting sits at the bottom.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000479\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EParticipation also follows the funnel logic. There should be meaningful opportunities to influence national instruments, regional spatial plans, and land use plans for M\u0101ori and non-M\u0101ori alike. At consent level, a higher notification test and tighter bounds of who has standing focus participation on those genuinely affected. Officials estimate about 45\u00A0percent of consents and permit applications currently required under the Resource Management Act (RMA) could be removed under the new system. Where consents do remain necessary, the narrower scope, higher thresholds, and tighter participation settings will make them much easier and faster to process.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000480\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENational instruments in the new system are powerful, but targeted engagement, allowing for submissions and reporting requirements, provides clear and transparent guardrails around powers already available under the RMA. Where activities, effects, and provisions are common and well understood, the system should codify proven approaches instead of reinventing the wheel, consent by consent. For instance, New Zealand has around 1,175 planning zones\u2014Japan has 13. A builder should not have to face subtly different rules every time they cross a council boundary. There will always be cases when national standards are not quite fit for local circumstances. That\u2019s why bespoke plan provisions remain possible, but the pathway is incredibly sticky. Local departures must be justified rather than becoming the default. Regional spatial plans will identify long-term growth and infrastructure corridors, strategic assets, and significant constraints, including natural hazards. For designated infrastructure, strategic need can and must be settled at a broad level rather than relitigated when it comes time to deliver the infrastructure.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000481\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EFor property development, this bill goes even further. It puts competitive urban land markets into statute and creates an independent statutory officer to assess whether markets are actually competitive. That means examining real signals of scarcity and, where the councils rezone land in response, because their action or inaction has contributed, they will be required to respond. In plain English: the aim is abundant, responsive development capacity, not theoretical capacity that still leaves developable land artificially scarce. We\u2019ve also removed barriers to private plan change requests. Proposals should be considered on their merits rather than rejected out of hand by councils at the first gate. Together, these provisions tackle planning-driven land shortages that push up the cost of housing and business.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000482\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ERegulatory relief\u2014which the Opposition still can\u2019t quite seem to get their heads around, so I\u2019ll explain it for you\u2014is a broad principle that public impositions on private property for a public good should be recognised. That\u2019s not new; it\u2019s familiar from the Public Works Act: where specified planning rules significantly affect the reasonable use of private land, councils must confront their impact. Relief may include payments, rates relief, additional development rights, offering land in exchange, and access to grants to the landowner. Now, making councils face these costs changes their incentives. The need to justify to ratepayers who stands to benefit helps reveal genuine public value, and if ratepayers cannot be convinced that the proposed benefits are worth paying for, it can hardly be justified to impose those costs on the affected landowner. Where that public value is real, it\u2019s only fair that those who do benefit contribute to the cost.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000483\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe Akatarawa example\u2014it\u2019s just up the road here in Wellington\u2014makes the point starkly. A private property backing on to a regional park was proposed for inclusion in an Outstanding Natural Landscape, layering a public value restriction on their private property. Just announcing the Government\u2019s regulatory relief intentions helped put that proposal on ice. Reflecting the same property rights principle in the Regulatory Standards Act, courts will also remain available to landowners who believe plan rules severely impair the reasonable use of their land and place an unreasonable and unfair burden on them. The Planning Tribunal provides another accountability mechanism: an accessible referee for disputes, including over information demands, consent processing decisions, consent conditions, and aspects of regulatory relief that should not require full Environment Court proceedings.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000484\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThere\u2019s far more on this bill than 10 minutes can cover, but this bill replaces 100\u00A0planning documents with 17 regional combined plans, and for that, I expect, the Opposition members will be grateful. It protects Treaty settlement redress and provides stronger national data and digital foundations for better decision-making. Targeted transitional changes will avoid duplicating work while the new system is being built. Among other things, the parliamentary process has clarified the role of registered permitted activities and replaced expansive Mana Whakahono \u0101 Rohe with narrower iwi participation agreements that respect the need for councils to retain a democratic mandate for entering into long-term agreements which have implications for property owners and resource users. There are targeted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA), as well, and existing plans to smooth the transition.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000485\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EImplementation is now critical. The time frame for making instruments and the transition was extended from 30 to 39 months in response to select committee feedback. The illustrative national policy direction recently released for feedback will inform the statutory process that will follow. National standards will then follow, prioritised to support implementation milestones, but Kiwis will not need to wait for full implementation to feel the change. One month after Royal assent, new procedural principles and scope reductions begin operating through the transitional RMA framework. Existing RMA plans and consents continue while the new system is built, and the planning tribunal can be switched on in 2027.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000486\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EPlanning rules are not abstract. Every unnecessary restriction shows in the price of a home, a road, a power project, or a business investment. This bill shifts the balance back towards people who own the land, take the risks, employ people, and build their country. It restores the presumption of freedom, sweeps away needless inconsistency\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000487\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222c6463d70604436695b4f49ebe8951ef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225162fe73e3fd5ca3ff6e53a482ca5c4f\u0022\u003EHon Rachel Brooking\u003C/span\u003E: What do you mean, \u201Crestores\u201D? Restores from what?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000488\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220838e5f9bac748d2a59aea595e5226a0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a6420448452c3e3167d34f6191c525a7\u0022\u003ESIMON COURT\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014and, Rachel Brooking, makes regulators confront the costs they impose. It gives landowners certainty, investors confidence, and New Zealand the freedom to build, produce, and grow. ACT has fought for this reform for years. It will help unlock New Zealand\u2019s potential. ACT supports it, and I commend it to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002248ce26e54d83406399b875df20400dec\u0022 data-id=\u0022a1c53e2b58d99693a2094aebdfc81447\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000489\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002248ce26e54d83406399b875df20400dec\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a1c53e2b58d99693a2094aebdfc81447\u0022\u003EANDY FOSTER (NZ First) (16:24)\u003C/span\u003E: Thanks, Mr Speaker. I rise on behalf of New Zealand First. Now, we weren\u2019t represented on the Environment Committee; we don\u2019t have quite enough MPs yet, so we\u2019re looking forward to an increased representation. I just wanted to, in saying that, recognise all the hard work that has been done to get this bill to this point, particularly to recognise the Hon Chris Bishop and Simon Court for the hard work they have done, and also the select committee, chaired by Catherine Wedd\u2014a huge amount of work to get us to this point.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000490\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe key thing for us here is that we must raise productivity. That is something that\u2019s front and centre for New Zealand First. We must raise productivity and we must raise incomes, which is exactly what the Hon Chris Bishop was talking about as he concluded his speech. This is the only long-term and sustainable way that we can actually address the cost of living crisis, as well. It\u2019s not just by driving every little bit\u2014a nickel here and a dime there. It\u2019s by raising incomes, because once, we were up there with the likes of the Swiss. If you doubled everyone\u2019s income, a lot of those other cost of living challenges would go away.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000491\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EHow is this relevant to this bill? It\u2019s absolutely relevant, because this bill is about\u2014and its partner there, which we\u2019ll come to very shortly, the Natural Environment Bill\u2014reducing the cost burden that there is on our economy. We know, from the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, that just the cost of consenting infrastructure alone\u2014and that\u2019s the direct cost; I don\u2019t think that includes the costs of delay, of uncertainty, and so on\u2014is estimated at $1.3 billion every year, year after year after year. There is a really material cost, and that\u2019s just infrastructure, let alone housing, let alone other activities, on farmers and so on. It is really, really important we do get some of those costs removed, because, as the Hon Chris Bishop said, if we don\u2019t do that, if we aspire to be a First World country, we have to reduce some of these costs. That\u2019s what this bill is all about doing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000492\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI do hear messages about the bill not being perfect. I heard some of the things that the Opposition have said. You know, there\u2019s areas which undoubtedly need to be panel-beaten. The Resource Management Act (RMA) itself, I think, has been amended\u2014I don\u2019t know how many times it is, but it\u2019s a lot of times, and it was formally amended, I think, six or seven times in its first 10 years or so. You\u2019d expect, as a new regime comes in, that there will be some panel-beating to do, and fine, that\u2019s good. The other message that I hear from people is \u201CGet it passed. Get it passed so we can start that work.\u201D\u2014start all that extra work that needs to be done on the national policy directions, the national standards, the spatial plans that need to be done, and give people some certainty, because that is key. I was one of a number of people here\u2014the Hon Rachel Brooking was there, the Hon Chris Bishop was there, Simon Court was there, as well\u2014at a planning conference not that long ago. That was their key message: \u201CPlease give us stability, please give us certainty, because that is how it is going to work best for \u2018New Zealand Inc.\u2019\u00A0\u201D \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000493\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn that light, can I just finish off with one other message, and it\u2019s a message that I got from speaking to a senior planning consultant the other day. It\u2019s a message for councils and for people who do, essentially, regulation administration everywhere: please make sure that you treat with respect the people who are applying to you for consent to do something. Treat them as though their time is valuable. Give them certainty, because not understanding that their time is valuable, you delaying them, has real cost to them and to the economy. It\u2019s really, really important that we do that. This is a milestone day for legislation in the House. The RMA is something which is in our lexicon. We all know what it means. Now we will move to the Planning Act and, soon, to the Natural Environment Act. I commend the bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000494\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c4943fd1cf914de0befcb7a16280f910\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d11a92d3df8c342f8d05944eba56fec5\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u0027Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke\u2014five minutes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022420f72e8bcc84c869a366ff712af8e49\u0022 data-id=\u0022430bacdaf531084d1ae8c292a05236d7\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000495\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022420f72e8bcc84c869a366ff712af8e49\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022430bacdaf531084d1ae8c292a05236d7\u0022\u003EHANA-RAWHITI MAIPI-CLARKE (Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori\u2014Hauraki-Waikato) (16:28)\u003C/span\u003E: \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003ET\u0113n\u0101 r\u0101 koe e te P\u012Bka, otir\u0101 t\u0113n\u0101 r\u0101 t\u0101tou e te Whare. E t\u016B ana ahau ki te waha i ng\u0101 k\u014Drero m\u014D Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori i t\u0113nei o ng\u0101 rangi ki t\u0113nei o ng\u0101 pire, ar\u0101 ko te Planning Bill, on the third reading.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000496\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EThank \u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003Eyou, Mr Speaker; indeed, greetings to all of us in the House. I stand to give voice to the M\u0101ori Party\u2019s statements today on this bill, that is, the Planning Bill, on the third reading.\u003C/span\u003E]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000497\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThere\u2019s a specific amendment and change in implementation within this bill that directly affects my pepeha and Hauraki-Waikato specifically, and that is PC1\u2014plan change 1. To explain to the House what that means, 31 years ago, in 1995, we had the Waikato-Tainui Treaty settlement, signed by Te Arikinui Te Atairangikaahu and, also, Queen Elizabeth, which was one of the first Treaty settlements. Then, years after that, we had the 2008 Waikato River settlement. Through that came Te Ture Whaimana o te Awa o Waikato. Te Ture Whaimana is actually a law that is implemented through this House, which is one of the laws that most needs to be recognised, and through Te Ture Whaimana comes PC1. PC1\u2014plan change 1\u2014is all of the tikanga and kawa to the visions, protection, and restoration of our awa.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000498\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhat has happened is that this Government has paused PC1 for more than six years, for up to six years. That is going to have detrimental effects on the kids who swim in Waikato Awa. That is the life force of Hauraki-Waikato. What has happened is that is 14 years\u2019 worth of mahi into plan change 1 that has gone from our iwi and of all the people who have worked on PC1 itself and Te Ture Whaimana, with partnerships across the board. What\u2019s interesting here is that two landowners that took PC1 to the Environment Court have actually given $780,000 worth of political donations to the governing parties on the right, and then it was taken into this Planning Bill to pause PC1. It is pretty outstanding that you can actually influence a law.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000499\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002235984f61527b4059ae9284acf3c4076b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002266e3203a51a45f70fb3e75348d4766d1\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Maureen Pugh)\u003C/span\u003E: Not the Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000500\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022420f72e8bcc84c869a366ff712af8e49\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228f22045b5d12dad82682a9969d69ac46\u0022\u003EHANA-RAWHITI MAIPI-CLARKE\u003C/span\u003E: Not you, Madam Speaker. How we see it, as Hauraki-Waikato\u2014Rawiri has a saying\u2014\u201CYou may not know your awa, you may not know your pepeha, but your pepeha knows you.\u201D For me, it\u2019s:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000501\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000502\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000503\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003Ebut I can\u2019t swim in my awa, I can\u2019t access my awa, and legislation like this, with PC1 being paused, is going to cause detrimental effects for our constituents, for our people in Hauraki-Waikato who reside there. Plan change 1, Te Ture Whaimana, the Waikato River settlement, and also the Waikato River Authority, have been longstanding ture and laws within this country to uphold the vision of not polluting our awa even more than it already is.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000504\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThere was a test and some data collection done recently where I\u2019ve seen that the Waikato River is nearly just as polluted as the Mississippi River in the United States, and to pause PC1 after 14 years\u2019 worth of mahi in this space for our people is a huge detriment to our life force and to polluting our awa even further. Our awa cannot wait six years. Our awa doesn\u2019t have that time, after plenty of work that\u2019s been done to restore the visions of making sure that our awa is no longer polluted. Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori is in complete opposition to this bill, the Planning Bill, but as the member of Parliament for Hauraki-Waikato and as a descendant of my pepeha, \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000505\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000506\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000507\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003Eit is a huge, huge devastation, how dangerous this actually is, for the people who live in Waikato. \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003ET\u0113n\u0101 r\u0101 koe e te P\u012Bka\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226710095aa1204b3793448571c208ccd4\u0022 data-id=\u00224994460fffb1740c4f4bbb4afbd7c9c7\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000508\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226710095aa1204b3793448571c208ccd4\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224994460fffb1740c4f4bbb4afbd7c9c7\u0022\u003EHon JULIE ANNE GENTER (Green\u2014Rongotai) (16:33)\u003C/span\u003E: T\u0113n\u0101 koe, Madam Speaker. A good planning and environmental protection system in Aotearoa New Zealand would deliver us so much. It would mean towns and cities where people can walk and cycle and take public transport. It would mean that they could walk to the local shops and a local medical centre and the school because the housing is provided close to where the town centres are. It would ensure we had clean air. It would ensure we could hear native birdsong, that there is sufficient native tree cover, that there\u2019s shade in the summer, and that there\u2019s not as much run-off when we have heavy rainfall events, as we\u2019ve had so many of in the last few years, because there\u2019s plenty of green space.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000509\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAll of these things are actually more affordable and better for people and the environment. If we have a good planning system, it will be easy to deliver these outcomes. If we have a good planning system, we will have oceans teeming with fish. Who doesn\u2019t want that? Who doesn\u2019t want oceans teeming with fish? Who doesn\u2019t want Aotearoa full of indigenous biodiversity that is recovering from the brink of extinction? We all want that. We all want that, and we all celebrate that. Yet the bill that is before us today, this bill, is not going to deliver that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000510\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThat\u2019s because the current Government is still caught in this old paradigm where they believe what\u2019s good for big business and vested interests is somehow good for all of us,\u00A0when it\u2019s very, very clear that that is what has led us to this situation of being in the sixth mass extinction, a biodiversity crisis, and an affordability crisis. All of these things are interrelated. While the Minister, Chris Bishop, may have said and we may agree on some aspects of cities\u2014he\u2019s very happy about the City Rail Link, which the Greens campaigned on for years before that side of the House got on board. We campaigned for allowing more density in our cities so that there could be affordable housing close to where people work and where there\u2019s nightlife and where there\u2019s places where you can actually buy the essentials, like shops.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000511\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAll of that was necessary, and so the Greens have for the longest time been campaigning on the type of planning reform that would simplify urban planning zones, and I acknowledge that that is one thing that is enabled by this, but so much more is enabled by this which will actually hurt our biodiversity and hurt our natural environment and create more red tape and higher costs for those who want to protect life on Earth and ensure that humans are living in harmony with the rest of life, not destroying it to the point where we are going to struggle to feed ourselves. That is the trajectory we are on.\u00A0It\u2019s because the parties in this Government, whether it\u2019s their dogma or whether they are just too close to vested interests and big lobbyists, cannot help themselves. They consistently protect the interests of those who are already making money by exploiting and destroying our natural world or exploiting people rather than enabling a system where we can all have enough and do our city and town development in a way that enables us to live in harmony with nature.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000512\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EObviously, if we think longer term, as the Greens always have, we realise that it saves us all money to regulate the vehicles that are driving around our cities, because we don\u2019t pay the price in terms of the extremely high rates of asthma and respiratory problems and\u00A0cardiovascular disease, which is caused by diesel emissions, for example. Or if we regulate housing to make sure that it\u2019s healthy, we don\u2019t pay the price with the  hospitalisation of our children because they\u2019re in cold bedrooms. We\u2019re paying the price of this. The costs that Andy Foster referred to are all externalised. The issue is trying to get them more internalised. That was what was promised at the beginning of this process but which has not eventuated as a result of the select committee process, because, in the end, this Government is all about big, vested interests continuing to profit at the expense of our planet and our people. That is what is happening.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000513\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe Green Party will not be supporting this bill. It is not a good piece of legislation, and it is a shame that this opportunity was wasted. Luckily, there is an opportunity to change to a Government that will actually represent the interests of our people in the long term and of all other life on these beautiful, beautiful two islands that we call Aotearoa New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226c562dc86e974914b8878595e580f138\u0022 data-id=\u0022ec99dd2a424aba6f5f547e346985ff8f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000514\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226c562dc86e974914b8878595e580f138\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ec99dd2a424aba6f5f547e346985ff8f\u0022\u003ECATHERINE WEDD (National\u2014Tukituki) (16:38)\u003C/span\u003E: Look, this Resource Management Act (RMA) reform marks the most significant reform of our planning system in more than 30 years. This is a major milestone for our country and for future generations. The Planning Bill will create more efficiency, make it easier and faster to get things built, and drive our economy forward, creating jobs and opportunity. It\u2019s time to say yes to renewable energy and critical infrastructure. It\u2019s time to slash the red tape for farmers and growers and our industries across New Zealand. It\u2019s time for a better planning system, which will see less plans, less duplication, and a more streamlined planning system that respects property rights.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000515\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI want to acknowledge the extraordinary amount of work that has gone into this legislation, and the Minister for his leadership and vision to replace a broken RMA with a planning system that is simpler, more efficient, and better suited to modern New Zealand. I also want to acknowledge the members of the Environment Committee, officials, advisers, and the thousands of submitters who took the time to provide us with valuable feedback. We listened, we heard, and we made hundreds and hundreds of improvements to ensure these reforms are practical, durable, and workable into the future.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000516\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ESome of the most powerful feedback came from the sectors that are trying to build, grow, power, and drive New Zealand forward. Submitters from across the electricity sector were clear that if this country is serious about electrification, energy security, and lower emissions, then we need a planning system that enables renewable energy generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure to get consented faster. The energy sector is calling out for more efficiency and more certainty, and we are delivering it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000517\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe heard from the building, property, and development sectors about the real-world consequences of a planning system that has failed to deliver enough land, enough houses, and enough certainty. This bill supports more competitive urban land markets, reducing unnecessary barriers, and making it easier to deliver the homes and infrastructure that our communities need.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000518\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe also heard strongly from the food and fibre sector. They spoke about the frustration that rural communities have felt under a system that is too often layered with cost, delay, and uncertainty onto their day-to-day farming and growing. They called for more practical, proportionate, and risk-based approaches\u2014one that recognises farmers as producers, innovators, land stewards, and environmental partners. That feedback mattered and it has helped shape a system that gives farmers more certainty while maintaining strong environmental expectations.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000519\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EHorticulture New Zealand also made an important contribution on behalf of growers. Growers need confidence to invest in productive land, water storage, frost protection, pack houses, transport links, and the infrastructure that supports our high-value food production. The horticulture submissions support planning rules that protect the resources growers rely on, while also allowing sectors to keep producing healthy food, creating jobs, exporting dollars, and supporting regional communities. Whether it\u2019s the electricity companies trying to build a wind farm, a farmer investing in their land, a grower expanding production, or a builder trying to deliver more homes, the message was clear: New Zealand needs a planning system that is faster, clearer, fairer, and more focused on outcomes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000520\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA key part of the Planning Bill is the move to a clearer system of spatial planning. For too long, New Zealand has planned growth in a fragmented way, with too many overlapping plans, too much duplication, and too little certainty about where housing, infrastructure, business growth, and productive land should be enabled. The new spatial planning approach is about looking ahead and making better long-term decisions at a regional level. It will help identify where growth should go, where infrastructure needs to be delivered, where natural hazards need to be managed, and where important environmental, cultural, productive, and community values need to be recognised. That matters because good spatial planning gives communities, councils, iwi, developers, farmers, growers, infrastructure providers, and investors more certainty. It means fewer surprises, fewer delays, and better alignment between planning rules, infrastructure investment, and the future needs of each region.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000521\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe goals of the reform are also deliberately clear. They are about enabling economic growth and change, creating well-functioning urban and rural areas, making land available for housing and business development, planning and providing for infrastructure, reducing natural hazard risks, protecting important places and values, and providing greater certainty about how M\u0101ori interests are recognised. In simple terms, the goals focus the system on what matters most. They narrow the scope for endless relitigation, give clearer direction to decision makers, and help ensure that early decisions can stick. That is how we create a planning system that is more predictable, more practical, and more outcomes-focused. We need a planning system that stops getting in the way and starts getting things done. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000522\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe Resource Management Act (RMA) reform makes it easier to consent renewable energy, EV charging, and other lower-emission developments. Today is a landmark day, a day when New Zealand turns the page on a failed system and embraces a planning framework fit for the future. On this side of the House, we are fixing the basics and building the future. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022 data-id=\u002291bd290140c7484d56eee1506b92f546\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000523\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002291bd290140c7484d56eee1506b92f546\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON (Labour) (16:45)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Well, that\u2019s a shocking speech from a member who obviously has no awareness in terms of what her Government has done in terms of M\u0101ori interests.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000524\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003EAs Rachel Brooking has pointed out very well over the 30 hours that she covered this kaupapa, M\u0101ori interests have been insulted and ignored. That was epitomised very much by Tainui leader Tukoroirangi Morgan. It\u2019s a shame the member wasn\u2019t at Ng\u0101ruaw\u0101hia, but Paul Goldsmith and Tama Potaka were there, and Tuku Morgan was very, very clear that we have to kick this lot out. It\u2019s not because M\u0101ori don\u2019t want to work with this Government\u2014M\u0101ori would work with this Government tomorrow. M\u0101ori, particularly iwi, don\u2019t have a choice in terms of when they\u2019re trying to set a future up for their mokopuna, for the generations to come. It doesn\u2019t matter who\u2019s the lead in Government\u2014whether it\u2019s National, Labour or whatever\u2014M\u0101ori don\u2019t have a choice on this. But when M\u0101ori set up a deal with Nick Smith and the previous National Government in terms of mana whakahono \u0101 rohe [\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003Eiwi participation arrangements\u003C/span\u003E], they expect Governments to respect those deals. They expect Governments to honour those deals.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000525\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220838e5f9bac748d2a59aea595e5226a0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222d361a82dac8d0186d76a7a0ae6f42e6\u0022\u003ESimon Court\u003C/span\u003E: We\u2019re changing the law.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000526\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022325b161c40c8dc74e6fe0e79ed8f8406\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: They don\u2019t expect Governments to change the law\u2014change the law\u2014break the law, ignore the courts like the ACT Party wants to do. That\u2019s what they want to do. They want\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000527\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cb40eb85aab340879622563050ab25fa\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d155ffc20b4c898d615b4cf1ea04acf5\u0022\u003ETom Rutherford\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s rubbish.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000528\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222f6997d186ffa359dde173ff5e58c383\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: No, it\u2019s not rubbish. It\u2019s a fact. They\u2019ve said that. You say \u201Crubbish\u201D\u2014that\u2019s just not true. David Seymour\u2019s said, \u201CWhat do these judges know?\u201D What are you saying rubbish for? He\u2019s documented and he\u2019s clear that judges don\u2019t know what they\u2019re doing, courts don\u2019t know what they\u2019re doing, and anyone who acknowledges partnership in terms of M\u0101ori don\u2019t know what they\u2019re doing. That\u2019s not rubbish; that\u2019s an absolute, undisputed fact\u2014that the ACT Party does not agree with the professor over here. Duncan knows. That\u2019s true, isn\u2019t it? The professor\u2019s acknowledged it; he\u2019s given me the green light.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000529\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003EThat\u2019s a fact, and I just need to tell some on the other side: mana whakahono \u0101 rohe [\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003Eiwi participation arrangements\u003C/span\u003E] agreements were great agreements. It was a great strategy from National: bringing in iwi input, bringing in iwi leaders, bringing in support, working with the M\u0101ori, not telling M\u0101ori what to do. What I want to say today is I acknowledge the work that National did in that area. But this Government is shaming all the work and embarrassing all the work that had been done in the past. How do I know this? Because I ran into Chris Finlayson the other day and he told me this. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000530\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cb40eb85aab340879622563050ab25fa\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002202326bb13e0dc1025c37546749ce48c5\u0022\u003ETom Rutherford\u003C/span\u003E: Talk to the bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000531\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225a10fbf03c9fb5b0e4d81e742bd677d9\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: He did. Now, Chris Finlayson knows more about mana whakahono \u0101 rohe [\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003Eiwi participation arrangements\u003C/span\u003E] and iwi agreements; more than everyone on that other side, and most people\u2014well, I won\u2019t say most people on this side, because myself and Rachel and Duncan probably know a little bit more than him. But the reality is when you have learned leaders of that stature embarrassed by this Government, embarrassed the way that they\u2019re treating M\u0101ori, you have to make that statement here in Parliament. Not only Chris Finlayson\u2014he told me he rang Sir Doug Graham, who is the sort of godfather of Treaty settlements and everything, and Sir Doug Graham is embarrassed by this lot over there. That\u2019s right, and none of them can look at me at the moment, because they\u2019re hanging their heads in shame because the senior kaum\u0101tua of this useless Government has said they don\u2019t know what they\u2019re doing\u2014they don\u2019t know what they\u2019re doing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000532\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002235984f61527b4059ae9284acf3c4076b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c850d186493a90a2002be6b00250be3f\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Maureen Pugh)\u003C/span\u003E: Is your speech going to circle back to the bill, Mr Jackson?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000533\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ffdd991cf79bb377506bf55869dc5468\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: Tukoroirangi Morgan said that. He actually said, \u201CWe know this is election year, but this [kaupapa] is bad news for people and organisations who follow the rule of law and [then] in the next breath have the government step in to override judicial directions at\u201D\u2014at; here\u2019s the key\u2014\u201Cthe behest of their political donors.\u201D That\u2019s what Tukoroirangi Morgan said. He said, \u201COur catchments will now be subject to another six years of degradation which is completely and utterly unacceptable. PC1 levels the playing field for everyone who has a vested interest in the health and wellbeing of our environment and that must surely be a positive thing\u201D\u2014but not so for this Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000534\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis is such an embarrassment, because as people have said, the Government has swung the pendulum too far towards private property rights. I think those points have been made. The new purpose centres on the enjoyment of land, which we argue risks putting the interests of individual landowners ahead of good planning for entire communities. Putting property rights before human rights creates a situation where councils could be financially punished for protecting communities. This isn\u2019t a planning bill for our communities or the common good of society; it\u2019s a blueprint for big polluters to hold our democratic institutions to ransom if they dare enforce environmental concerns against them. The reality is the big polluters in this country seem to have a direct line to Minister Bishop and the Prime Minister. The reality is ratepayers, ultimately, carry the costs here. Instead of the polluter developer bearing the cost of environmental damage, councils, and therefore ratepayers, could face the cost of compensating property owners for restrictions imposed in the public interest.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000535\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe system doesn\u2019t adequately plan for climate resilience\u2014these points have been made, but I\u2019m just reiterating these points. We have specifically highlighted the need for drainage, trees, green infrastructure, and public green space as extreme weather becomes more frequent. The reality is this bill doesn\u2019t give any of that sufficient weight. We worry that the property rights emphasis encourages maximum development of private land without corresponding mechanisms ensuring adequate public green space. The bill produces more bureaucracy rather than less. Land use planning cannot sensibly be separated from the environment in which that development occurs.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000536\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn terms of the M\u0101ori section, again, I have read out some of the things from Tuku Morgan, but it is appropriate to talk about the principles of the Treaty because we have a few dingbats on the other side who don\u2019t understand how important the principles of the Treaty are, and we know who those people are. Our view in terms of giving effect to the principles of the Treaty\u2014we stand by it, so we wanted that introduction, as what we\u2019ve got now is a worsening in terms of the Resource Management Act (RMA). Section 8 of the RMA states that \u201Call persons exercising functions and powers under it, in relation to managing the use, development, and protection of natural and physical resources, shall take into account the principles of the Treaty\u201D. The general Treaty clauses in these bills have been removed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000537\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220838e5f9bac748d2a59aea595e5226a0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022dc4da9415d442f00991f91a02ae5c003\u0022\u003ESimon Court\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s right.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000538\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a363f222aca41306c3e633eb57f89e26\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s right\u2014I knew you knew that, yeah. There are specific actions\u2014clause 8, the section 6(e) relation of M\u0101ori to lands, water, and taonga equivalent, is downgraded. It is expected this approach would limit how the Treaty is interpreted. That is the problem\u2014that is the problem.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000539\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003EI want to acknowledge in particular, obviously, our representatives who\u2019ve worked on this, Rachel in particular, but I also want to acknowledge David Parker and Kiritapu Allan, who had to traverse this in our time in Government, and it was not an easy area in terms of giving effect to the Treaty. Well, all Governments have struggled with that, giving effect to the Treaty, but you don\u2019t give effect to the Treaty by walking away from the obligation and the responsibility, which is what this Government has done. What they\u2019ve done with this is watered down the obligations, watered down the rights in terms of M\u0101ori, and have barely acknowledged M\u0101ori as partners through this process. It\u2019s a sad, sad indictment on a Government that only has six more weeks in office, and then Tuku Morgan and all the other iwi leaders will be happy because we\u2019ll see the end of the most anti-M\u0101ori Government from the past generations. Kia ora, Madam Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002227d19573a8ba4d8283b17374978c8ea2\u0022 data-id=\u0022a38cf8fe85440d4da7212ba2e265076c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000540\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227d19573a8ba4d8283b17374978c8ea2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a38cf8fe85440d4da7212ba2e265076c\u0022\u003EGRANT McCALLUM (National\u2014Northland) (16:55)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Speaker. It\u2019s a real pleasure to rise and take a call in support of the Planning Bill. For more than three decades, New Zealanders have had to deal with a resource management system that is too complicated, too costly, and too slow. The Resource Management Act (RMA) has too often become a barrier to the very things our communities need: new homes, reliable infrastructure, renewable energy, and productive businesses that can grow and create jobs.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000541\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThat matters greatly in an area like Northland. Our region has enormous potential, but too often progress has been held back by complexity and delay. Whether it is building a home, upgrading a road, strengthening electricity networks, establishing a new business or investing in the primary sector, Northlanders know how unnecessary processes can add cost and be an uncertainty.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000542\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI particularly want to focus on the area of homes. We\u2019ve always supported a property-owning democracy as a foundation of our society. Homeownership is fundamental to a well-functioning society. I\u2019ve got two children, both in their 20s, who will soon be wanting to buy their first home. It would be great if they didn\u2019t have to rely on the bank of mum and dad to come and do that, as, unfortunately, as one of the legacies of the previous RMA, that has definitely been one of the things, unfortunately, that has to happen. It\u2019s important that every person growing up in New Zealand has the opportunity to buy their own home in their own right. For that to happen, the price of land and the cost of housing developments need to be reduced. This will be one of the great outcomes of this legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000543\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand cannot afford to keep planning for delay, complexity, and constraint. We need a system that gets the balance right, one that protects what matters, respects property rights and affected people, and gives communities the confidence to build for the future. For Northland, this reform means a better chance to turn opportunity into jobs, homes, infrastructure, and stronger communities. This is a practical and long overdue replacement to the RMA, and I commend the Planning Bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000544\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002235984f61527b4059ae9284acf3c4076b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bd5e0dce64c9cd79b50b193fa4cb49e9\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Maureen Pugh)\u003C/span\u003E: This is a split call.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b13aa8ffbae34ee4972a7ab313f6b300\u0022 data-id=\u00221b211e4bc8a2f58393df3ee1c7e8b844\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000545\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b13aa8ffbae34ee4972a7ab313f6b300\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221b211e4bc8a2f58393df3ee1c7e8b844\u0022\u003EHon Dr DEBORAH RUSSELL (Labour) (16:58)\u003C/span\u003E: I, from time to time, joined the Environment Committee as they\u2019ve considered aspects of these two bills. I\u2019ve listened to our experts within our own caucus who\u2019ve worked on these bills, the Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill, but, in essence, I\u2019m coming to it fresh today. This is the first time I\u2019ve had a speech on this bill, and I have to say it\u2019s quite daunting picking it up and understanding what the Government over there has chosen to do.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000546\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, I guess I\u2019m finding a couple of things distressing about what I\u2019ve heard in the House this afternoon. I think I found it distressing that members on the other side, despite being now well-established members of this House, read their speeches, that they couldn\u2019t do as we\u2019re supposed to do in this House and genuinely speak to the bill that\u2019s in front of us. So I come here comparatively fresh to this and ready to grapple with it and speak from the heart about some of the problems I see in this bill, and the thing is, it\u2019s a glaring problem that starts right from the start.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000547\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI want to go, in clause 4\u2014it\u2019s the purpose clause. What is the purpose of the Planning Bill? It\u2019s such a limited purpose. It says, \u201CThe purpose of this Act is to provide for the enjoyment of land by establishing a framework for planning and regulating the use and development of [that] land.\u201D Here\u2019s the thing: purpose clauses often give a direction as to how the courts are to interpret the law. Where, in the purpose of this bill, is the need to plan for our natural environment? Where is there, in the purpose of this bill, to plan for huge issues like climate change? Where is it, in the purpose of this bill, mentioned that one of the things that New Zealanders value, that we love, is our access to the outdoors, to open spaces, to green, to the freshness of nature? We have just seen the annual Bird of the Year competition this year, where so many New Zealanders enter in this vote to choose the bird of the year, because we love where we live. This Planning Bill does not acknowledge that love.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000548\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBut then I think the other gap that just comes right out of this bill is going to the sections which talk about what is to be considered or not considered when undertaking decision making under this bill. There\u2019s a whole lot of issues that should be considered. But where was the climate? Then it turns out there is a clause specifically for considering climate change effects, and it says that when anyone is exercising a power, function, or duty under this bill, they may consider any positive effects of the activity that are associated with avoiding, reducing, removing, or displacing greenhouse gas emissions. That\u2019s a good section to see in there. But then they say that they \u201Cmust not \u2026\u201D\u2014\u201Cmust not\u201D\u2014\u201Cconsider any adverse effect on climate change of any greenhouse gas emissions that will or may result from or be increased by the activity, whether directly or indirectly;\u201D\u2014\u201Cmust not \u2026 consider any adverse effect on climate\u201D.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000549\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe have seen an absolute litany of shameful actions from that Government, who on the one hand say that they intend to honour our climate commitments and on the other hand have taken action after action after action that have totally negated what they\u2019ve said up front. Here it is again in this bill: \u201Cmust not \u2026 consider any adverse effects on climate\u201D. They\u2019ve written it into law. This is a shameful bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022784f4e929aed4ea6a05d1a10add6eccb\u0022 data-id=\u00222fcaba4537eabd2140560c6e0ac439fe\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000550\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022784f4e929aed4ea6a05d1a10add6eccb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222fcaba4537eabd2140560c6e0ac439fe\u0022\u003ERYAN HAMILTON (National\u2014Hamilton East) (17:03)\u003C/span\u003E: This was a wonderful bill, and I\u2019m so pleased to be able to speak to it. Can I just take a moment to acknowledge the courage that our Minister, the Hon Chris Bishop, ably assisted by Simon Court, has taken to create this part one of two planning bills. We had the members opposite saying that they\u2019d created a bill, and why didn\u2019t we just support it?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000551\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222c6463d70604436695b4f49ebe8951ef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002271bed63d10a5a7048938eb0a29913f5f\u0022\u003EHon Rachel Brooking\u003C/span\u003E: An Act\u2014it was an Act that you repealed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000552\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022784f4e929aed4ea6a05d1a10add6eccb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d153a26fb9860a3cd92b7a58929ff0dd\u0022\u003ERYAN HAMILTON\u003C/span\u003E: Well, the reality\u2014an Act, an Act. Thank you for that correction. The reality why we didn\u2019t support it is because it was dumb, because it was the Resource Management Act 2.0, and we had to repeal it and make something that was workable and that would fundamentally shift the productivity disease in this country. This bill, the Planning Bill, in conjunction with the environment bill, is going to be fundamental to the production and the prosperity of this country. It will be one of the hallmarks of this Government, and I\u2019m pleased that we can celebrate this today in the third reading and what will be a significant shift in the ability to get stuff done in this country. Very quickly, changing things from 100 regional plans to 17, changing things like over 1,300 zones to what I imagine\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000553\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222c6463d70604436695b4f49ebe8951ef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022079fc740589f06e8c0675a468fb17260\u0022\u003EHon Rachel Brooking\u003C/span\u003E: That sounds like our legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000554\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022784f4e929aed4ea6a05d1a10add6eccb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227e11752f4a8d8dd4883c160161f4b959\u0022\u003ERYAN HAMILTON\u003C/span\u003E: You had your call, Ms Brooking. Why don\u2019t you just be quiet now, please? From over 1,300 planning zones to less than 100 potentially. It\u2019s with pride that I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022eb80a9df83044b88a00c174ea7a61925\u0022 data-id=\u0022806e4cedb73029ca8197fdfbc61ed449\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000555\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eb80a9df83044b88a00c174ea7a61925\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022806e4cedb73029ca8197fdfbc61ed449\u0022\u003ETANGI UTIKERE (Labour\u2014Palmerston North) (17:05)\u003C/span\u003E: Kia orana. Thank you, Madam Speaker. It is a disappointing day in the New Zealand Parliament when we are looking to progress through the final stages the two remaining bills. As you\u2019ve heard already, the Labour Party continues to be opposed to this bill, but it needs to be noted that when it comes to Resource Management Act (RMA) reform, this has been a change in direction and in tack because, originally, when bills were sent off to the select committee, there was actually quite a bit of hope that what would come back to the House would be legislation that would address some of the issues that we had raised in the first reading contributions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000556\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve been fortunate to be able to provide a contribution at first, second, and now third reading for this bill, and what is really disappointing is that not only have those issues that were identified at first reading made their way through to select committee\u2014and we supported the bill going to a select committee\u2014what we actually have in front of us now, having emerged out of the committee of the whole House stage, is a completely different bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000557\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI heard, earlier, my colleague the Hon Rachel Brooking talk about that particular Monday when the select committee report had come back, and then a matter of hours\u2014or less than hours, actually\u2014afterwards, a completely new approach was identified by this Government. What that signals to the numerous individuals, organisations, and community groups that took their time to engage with Parliament\u2019s process is an absolute kick in the guts. They, effectively, engage with this process that this Parliament establishes for our community to provide their feedback on a bill, the select committee works through that, reports it back, and then a matter of hours later, on the same day, they simply land something that has a completely different tack, not only from the select committee but in terms of the issues that had been identified. What is the point of a select committee process? I can accept that there might be a few tweaks to address certain things, but when you have a Government that basically lands on the Table a complete alternative approach to things that had been worked through as part of the select committee process, that is deeply disturbing. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000558\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe continue to oppose this particular bill, which is very different from when it was at the first reading. Now, I\u2019ve also heard about the concerns that have been expressed by one of the few statutory officers of this Parliament, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, who himself has identified that, actually, there is a lack of synergy between this bill and the one that is about to follow over the course of today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000559\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe issue around dispute resolution, effectively, and the process around that being problematic is something that we still stand by. Why? Because these are decisions that will be taken by Ministers of this Government\u2014for the next few weeks, at least\u2014and there is far too much discretion that sits at ministerial level, and there is far too much power that sits with one Minister in particular. That is the particular issue that I think needs to be highlighted. I know that it has been highlighted before, but it is an issue none the less.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000560\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve heard in this House, from members opposite, around how we don\u2019t need to worry about the regulatory relief implications for local councils. Well, I do want to just identify what this will mean for local councils and, by default, members of the community who will feel it hard, potentially, in terms of the compensation in the regulatory relief provisions. This is one of the most serious concerns that I have with this legislation. It will force councils and communities to make decisions that are actually not about what is in the best interests of the community and the environment but are actually in the best interests of the back pocket. Fundamentally, that\u2019s what these regulatory relief provisions seek to kind of indicate\u2014some concern. Local government itself as a sector has identified concerns in the same space. Across Aotearoa New Zealand, over decades, councils have spent time pulling together plans and opportunities throughout communities that reflect really strong value in terms of what communities value in their own backyard.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000561\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhen we look at the list, some of those are around biodiversity protections, some of them are around what natural areas would be considered as being significant, others around heritage buildings and precincts, and actually we talked about this just in the last few days around earthquake-prone buildings and what that might mean. Others are around the outstanding nature of landscapes, coastal protections. New Zealand, as we know, is an island nation that has coastal opportunity that is second to none than other parts of the world. Also around hazard management provisions. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000562\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, these protections should not be seen as something radical, they should be seen as actually being something that is astutely part of New Zealand and Kiwi life and our own sense of identity. Yet, we have a Government that seeks to focus on private interest, private implication at the expense of public and community value. And I don\u2019t think that\u2019s right. Where councils will be forced into considering actually, \u201CWill compensation be required? Will regulatory relief be sought or required? What will this financial exposure be to us?\u201D \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000563\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhen I talk about \u201Cus\u201D and \u201Cwe\u201D, I\u2019m talking about the community that are outside of these four walls, because at the end of the day, when this regulatory relief is being sought and this compensation is going to have to be paid, it is going to come out of the back pockets of communities all around Aotearoa New Zealand. It\u2019ll come out of back pockets by way of an increase in rating capacity. It will come out of their back pockets in terms of a reduced level of service when councils reflect on what it is they will continue to provide at what level, or indeed what it is they will no longer provide because they don\u2019t have adequate revenue to be able to do that. It will result, perhaps, in delayed infrastructure projects in communities. Why? Because councils will be forced to prioritise what they may wish to do as a result of turning their mind to regulatory relief and possible compensation. It may lead to the disposal of council assets, something that is the mantra of this particular Government, in terms of assets owned by the community\u2014you\u2019d actually want to make it easier to hock them off. That is the focus of this particular Government. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000564\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EFundamentally, it will result in the reduced investment in areas like recreational facilities\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000565\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022258b65104d9046dfb49eb940c68bddda\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bb45a768101cbbf701b6591a08bd9377\u0022\u003ELemauga Lydia Sosene\u003C/span\u003E: Libraries.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000566\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eb80a9df83044b88a00c174ea7a61925\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f3d92dc499600318323050c9b790aac3\u0022\u003ETANGI UTIKERE\u003C/span\u003E: Libraries\u2014thank you\u2014pools, museums.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000567\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022258b65104d9046dfb49eb940c68bddda\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bd4cfafdb49adfb4a65e2cc15e1f22f9\u0022\u003ELemauga Lydia Sosene\u003C/span\u003E: Parks.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000568\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eb80a9df83044b88a00c174ea7a61925\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226f123f17775a4a0f0c4ae3b1e427675b\u0022\u003ETANGI UTIKERE\u003C/span\u003E: This will be a\u2014parks. You keep going, that\u2019s great. These are the sorts of things that really will have an impact on local communities. And while Mr Court might say, well, you know, it\u2019s only about increased revenue, or it might be about a land swap here and there, at the end of the day, this is going to hit communities at its heart.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000569\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227d19573a8ba4d8283b17374978c8ea2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221edbb5d02f6494d77ad6bd56bac296de\u0022\u003EGrant McCallum\u003C/span\u003E: What about the property owners?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000570\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eb80a9df83044b88a00c174ea7a61925\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223361a96d0df6e43446aab86608a8de8d\u0022\u003ETANGI UTIKERE\u003C/span\u003E: And what about the property owners? There we go. We have it exactly there, that is what this is all about; it is about private interest as opposed to community and public good. That is what it is. I\u2019m not surprised to hear that from a Government member, because over the last week alone we have, yet again, heard that this is a Government that has a completely different view of localism. They campaigned at the last election on localism and what this means, but actually it\u2019s about removing local choice and forcing councils into a particular corner. I\u2019m not surprised by the interjection from the member opposite around that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000571\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003EThis is an approach that is going to also undermine the long-term planning opportunity for councils around the country. I\u2019ve talked about the fact, and you yourself notice, Madam Speaker, that councils have, over decades, built up what things look like in their local community. Councils are very good at long-term planning. They are very good at long-term planning. And what\u2019s really important is that councils can adapt to change. We all know that; they can absolutely adapt to change. Under this Government, they\u2019ve certainly had to think a wee bit about that. But what they do actually also need is a Government that\u2019s going to work alongside them in partnership. And what this Planning Bill does is it actually says to all of those community organisations, all of those councils, all of those individuals who submitted to a process acknowledging that reform is needed within this sector, actually what it is that you\u2019ve had to say to this Parliament is worthless, is meaningless. At the end of the day, this bill reflects that. We don\u2019t commend it to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b27d8609c612411686d517d0f9b09b28\u0022 data-id=\u0022ca92eb0036052a9f951df232e79d3e53\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000572\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b27d8609c612411686d517d0f9b09b28\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ca92eb0036052a9f951df232e79d3e53\u0022\u003EDAVID MacLEOD (National\u2014New Plymouth) (17:15)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I want to start this contribution in saying resource management is an incredibly complex area. I think it\u2019s shown in the fact that the speaker on the other side of the House lifted the one document of this particular bill and the size of it. And if you didn\u2019t know, the Resource Management Act (RMA) is actually the second largest Act that we have on the statute book, only behind the Income Tax Act. It is significant in size, nearly 1,000 pages long. This stage here is step one of two steps that we\u2019re taking this evening to be able to change the RMA, with this being the Planning Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000573\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMy experience is that back in 1991 when the RMA first came out, I think it was seen as a world-class piece of legislation. I actually do believe that, and I think that over the succeeding 30 years we saw multiple amendments, multiple uses of national instruments, whether they\u2019re national policy statements or national environmental standards. The fact is that it became an incredibly litigious Act to use. It became very frustrating for anybody to get anything done. It took far too long to get consents and permits. It cost way too much. We used the commonly-used example of the wind farm here in Wellington, on the coast. The example there that it actually took two years to build. It was a big project to construct, itself. It took eight years to consent. No wonder we are the most expensive country in the OECD to get things built: infrastructure, everything like that. The red tape in the RMA has just been out of control. We need to fix that and this is what we\u2019re endeavouring to do here. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000574\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI want to acknowledge the Ministers that have been involved here, both the Hon Chris Bishop and also Simon Court with the huge amount of work you\u2019ve done at your level. But I also know the army of officials, we saw that at the select committee, that actually have been involved with the huge amount of work behind this bill here, as well as the Natural Environment Bill that\u2019s still to come this evening. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000575\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI also want to thank the submitters. We did have a significant amount of interest, not unusually. Of course, everybody\u2019s very keen to be part of this conversation, and it was so important to have that. And also the multiple lenses of the people that are around the table of the select committee, a number of them are here today. I was pleased to see the various conversations, the various angles that people looked at, because it was the select committee\u2019s job to bring this bill back to the House in a better shape. We did see late amendments made as well by the Government, but we\u2014sorry, I commend the bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000576\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EThat the Planning Bill be now read a third time\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000577\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBoldCentred\u0022\u003EAyes 67\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000578\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 48; ACT New Zealand 11; New Zealand First 8.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000579\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBoldCentred\u0022\u003ENoes 54\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000580\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 14; Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori 4; Ferris; Kapa-Kingi.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000581\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000582\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBill read a third time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000583\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00224384e4a36207a908c700009952c5d0d7\u0022\u003ENatural Environment Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000584\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002291d55fa388f9dd2603eb4591192d01dc\u0022\u003ELegislative Statement\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00223b111696b9f040d3b1d5339eead7439f\u0022 data-id=\u0022e71efc5d516b760e8dd9b6213fc524a1\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000585\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223b111696b9f040d3b1d5339eead7439f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e71efc5d516b760e8dd9b6213fc524a1\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS BISHOP (Minister responsible for RMA Reform) (17:19)\u003C/span\u003E: I present a legislative statement on the Natural Environment Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000586\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002235984f61527b4059ae9284acf3c4076b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cadc706e70d012af903f9788c61ecde0\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Maureen Pugh)\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=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000587\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00224b9824b55e2665f029deb4c904bc2e73\u0022\u003EThird Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00223b111696b9f040d3b1d5339eead7439f\u0022 data-id=\u002216791156b3f20e924a0d4301599cf915\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000588\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223b111696b9f040d3b1d5339eead7439f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002216791156b3f20e924a0d4301599cf915\u0022\u003EHon CHRIS BISHOP (Minister responsible for RMA Reform) (17:19)\u003C/span\u003E: I move, \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EThat the Natural Environment Bill be now read a third time\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000589\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThere have been moments in which I thought this day would never come. It has been a long process to get to this point. There have been some who say, \u201COh well, isn\u2019t it bad that the Government is moving to repeal the Resource Management Act (RMA) on the final\u201D\u2014or second to last\u2014\u201Csitting day of the Parliament.\u201D And it has taken a long time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000590\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt is perhaps worth reflecting on the amount of progress that has happened in this term. In these three years, the Government has passed fast track in its first year, with 34 projects approved under fast track. We have passed the biggest series of changes to national direction under the RMA, ever\u2014in three years; a new national policy statement for infrastructure, which we never had before; a much more strengthened and reliable national policy statement for renewable electricity generation; new national standards for granny flats; for the first time ever, a national environmental standard for papa k\u0101inga housing to allow iwi to use their whenua to build papa k\u0101inga for wh\u0101nau; national environmental standards for telecommunications, that have just been promulgated, that will make it easier to build telecommunication towers; national environmental standards for electricity vehicle charging infrastructure, to stop ChargeNet and Meridian and all the EV charging companies having to go out and get individualised resource consents for projects that are, basically, functionally the same around the country; national environmental standards changes to freshwater; and a variety of other environmental changes through the national direction. All of that, and fast track and some changes to the RMA to allow for more housing in Auckland, and now today: the second of two bills\u2014a duo of bills\u2014to finally repeal and replace the RMA, once and for all. The RMA will be \u201Cgone-burger\u201D\u2014once it receives Royal assent.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000591\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI want to reflect on the environment, because the RMA\u2014and I think this is now widely understood\u2014has been a disaster for infrastructure and housing, and we\u2019ve canvassed that in the Planning Bill, but it\u2019s also been a failure when it comes to protecting the environment. Most metrics have degraded since 1991. Study after study shows two-thirds of our rivers have impaired ecological health. To the contrary to what members opposite, I think, sometimes say\u2014or perhaps even believe\u2014the Government\u2019s view is that we can have a growing, thriving economy and we can do that whilst protecting the environment. In fact, the two go hand in hand. We should not pretend that it\u2019s some binary choice between the environment and the economy. Actually, both work together. New Zealanders share pride in our pristine environment. We have a joint national collective belief in protecting this very special part of the world for our children and our children\u2019s children.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000592\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI want to spend a little time in this speech talking about how this new system will better protect the environment. One of the failures of the RMA has been the inability to introduce proper environmental limits. We are introducing environmental limits through the new Natural Environment Bill to improve resource efficiency and improve the environment. Enforcement will be more effective and consistent. We\u2019re considering a national regulator with a regional presence to monitor and enforce environmental rules.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000593\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThere will be a huge focus on data-driven decisions through a digitised planning system. This hasn\u2019t received a lot of attention\u2014and that annoys me a little bit\u2014but the Government has invested considerably, and will continue to invest, in a digitised back end for councils and for central government to drive better decisions, better monitoring, and better measurement. It\u2019s extremely important, and I\u2019ve been flabbergasted, frankly, over the last three years at some of the gaps in our information, the gaps in our knowledge. But with better data, you can make better decisions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000594\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI want to be clear on what Parliament\u2019s intent is when passing these bills into law. On environmental limits, central and local government decision-makers will be required to set binding environmental limits informed by data and community aspirations. National limits will protect human health. Regions will set ecosystem health limits for fresh water, coastal water, land and soil, and indigenous biodiversity, using methods set out in national standards. Ecosystem health limits will make sure that communities who know their rivers and waterways the best are able to make decisions over how they\u2019re managed. It\u2019s their aspirations for the environment that matter most, and they should be the loudest voices.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000595\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ERequirements to manage limits through a cap on resource use have been removed\u2014that is true. That does not prevent caps from being used, but means councils and Ministers have flexibility to decide best how to manage resource use to a limit. Limits will have effect the moment the relevant provisions in a natural environment plan become operative\u2014not in 10 or 15 years\u2019 time, as some in the Chamber continue to claim. Councils must take all reasonable steps to avoid breaching a limit. Where a limit is breached, the decision maker must set a target date for remedying the breach. If the target is more than 10 years away, temporary interim limits must be set to apply over 10-year intervals. These must be accompanied by actions to be achieved. Both the target date and interim limits must be credible, achievable, and avoid unnecessary delay.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000596\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ELimits cannot be token. Decision makers must set limits and, in doing so, must prioritise the most urgent and important matters by considering the scale and pace of environmental degradation and the difficulty reversing that if action is delayed. The limit-setting process requires a deliberate, informed, and transparent decision about what level of environmental protection is acceptable. Decision makers must have regard to the impact of the proposed limit or method, including on communities, economic, social, environmental aspirations; the existing capacity of the natural environment to withstand or recover from pressure; and a cost-benefit analysis of the proposed decision. This way, any economic, social, and environmental trade-offs are surfaced and considered up front rather than being relitigated every time someone wants to develop. Limit-setting is a policy choice which includes a range of considerations. It is not intended to be a wholly scientific decision. The current state of the environment will be a relevant factor in this decision, but the limit may be set at above or below this level.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000597\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ELet me be really clear: limits are critical to the Natural Environment Bill. They are the most important tool in protecting the environment in the bills, but they are not the only tool. The starting premise of the environment bill is protective in that the use of natural resources is not permitted unless allowed by a national standard, a rule, or a permit. Not all things are best managed through limits, and for these other things the intention is that plan rules and national standards can be used to manage impacts on the environment.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000598\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn relation to freshwater farm plans, we\u2019ve made changes to create a simpler, cheaper system focused on real risk. A farm will be required to have a farm plan if it has more than 50 hectares in pastoral, arable, or viticultural orcharding land use, or more than 5\u00A0hectares in horticultural production that is not viticulture or orchards.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000599\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EFarm plans are required to be certified and audited in three scenarios: first, if they\u2019re undertaking activities prescribed in regulations as high risk, and in this situation, only the activities that are prescribed are subject to certification and auditing; second, where the catchment is prescribed in regulations; third, where the farm operator is using the freshwater farm plan to meet other regulatory requirements.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000600\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn relation to upholding Treaty settlements and other arrangements, Treaty settlement legislation gives effect to redress and arrangements that interact with planning processes and is independent of the provisions in both the Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill. There are provisions in the Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill to ensure this redress can be upheld in the new system, including by requiring the Crown to work with post-settlement governance entities (PSGEs) and other entities, if they wish to do so, to seek agreement on how settlement redress can operate in the new system.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000601\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe bills also set out specific requirements that relate to more complex arrangements\u2014for example, aspects of Te Ture Whaimana. Until agreement is reached, decision makers in the new system are required to give the same or equivalent effect to Treaty settlement redress as it had under the RMA to the greatest extent possible in the new system. Some Treaty settlements include redress relating to wildlife. For wildlife approvals, I want to be clear that permit authorities must notify only those iwi authorities or PSGEs where necessary to give effect to Treaty settlement redress. A relevant iwi authority in this context is limited to one with relevant Treaty settlement redress. There is no requirement to notify iwi authorities or other M\u0101ori groups more generally.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000602\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe explicit intent of these bills is to deliberately reshape how we interact with the planning system. We are purposely and deliberately creating a system where we incentivise earlier participation at the planning stage, including in regional spatial plans, with more focused and targeted participation at later stages, consistent with the funnel concept. That includes iwi engagement. Iwi should not be consulted as a right on each and every consent. They don\u2019t want that, the public don\u2019t want that, and it erodes social licence for the planning system. Iwi should have a role in contributing and shaping plans for a region, not a role in consenting unless that consent directly affects them\u2014in other words, the same as everyone else. This applies across both the natural environment and the planning bills.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000603\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIf I could just take one more second to say that these reforms signify a large shift in how we plan and manage our land, environment, and development\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000604\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002235984f61527b4059ae9284acf3c4076b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224c359808798b1e047be02f2a73047e7a\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Maureen Pugh)\u003C/span\u003E: The Minister\u2019s time has expired. The Hon Rachel Brooking.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00222c6463d70604436695b4f49ebe8951ef\u0022 data-id=\u00220cecb669c6d25113b1ab5cfc8a40c498\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000605\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222c6463d70604436695b4f49ebe8951ef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00220cecb669c6d25113b1ab5cfc8a40c498\u0022\u003EHon RACHEL BROOKING (Labour\u2014Dunedin) (17:29)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000606\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002235984f61527b4059ae9284acf3c4076b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f485976a022b41fba0db97438a2768ad\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Maureen Pugh)\u003C/span\u003E: Before you start, can I just say that the question is that the motion be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000607\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222c6463d70604436695b4f49ebe8951ef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c7b4463145150b237023da40286b33ba\u0022\u003EHon RACHEL BROOKING\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you. Thank you, Madam Speaker. I\u2019m interested in some comments that we\u2019ve just had from Ryan Hamilton about the Planning Bill that is related to this bill. He called Labour\u2019s reforms, our Natural and Built Environment Act and Spatial Planning Act, the Resource Management Act (RMA) 2.0, but then he didn\u2019t explain why, and then he listed a whole lot of things about this legislative scheme, which is the same as what was in Labour\u2019s legislative scheme. Those good things\u2014the spatial plans, the standardisation, the moving the focus of the system away from consent by consent, very expensive processes into the plans and into the national direction\u2014those are all things that we agree with, and that is all the stuff that was in what that member called RMA 2.0. What does that make this legislation then? Is this RMA 3.0, given that logic?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000608\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, I\u2019m interested in the Minister\u2019s comments, just then, about limits. The Minister has said that the RMA has not worked for the environment and the environment has got worse. I totally agree with that premise, and that is why Labour undertook its reforms. Now, Labour had a limits-setting process in our legislation, and the Minister has made a lot of the fact that this legislation also has a limits-setting framework. But what we heard in the committee of the whole House stage of this bill, and what we saw by amendments that were made by the majority in select committee and then by subsequent amendments as well, is that any limit is going to be able to be avoided, which rather defeats the purpose of saying there is a limit.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000609\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA limit is a limit. If you\u2019re driving your car at 120 and the limit is 110\u2014you\u2019re on one of those fancy new roads\u2014then you are breaching the limit, and you can\u2019t do it. But that is not what the limits mean in this legislation. The limits mean in this legislation that the Minister can just decide that something can ignore it. That\u2019s not a limit. We also heard in the committee of the whole House stage that when deciding what these limits will be, at some point in the future\u2014we could have already had the limits in play, but, no, we\u2019re going to put out those limits further and further\u2014that they\u2019ve got to go through a cost-benefit analysis. How much is this going to cost some users of the system? Presumably users of the commons\u2014that is users of a water resource\u2014how much is it going to cost them? And if it\u2019s a bit too much, we won\u2019t worry about the limit. That is what Simon Court was talking about in the committee of the whole House stage. It is laughable that Government members come to this House and say that this new regime has limits and that it\u2019s somehow going to help the environment, because it just simply is not.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000610\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe are very suspicious of this Government\u2019s approach because what we have seen happen throughout this term of Government\u2014and the Minister was speaking about it\u2014is that there have been little strikes on the Resource Management Act and anything that goes to any environmental protections. We have seen that in one amendment bill and then in a second amendment bill, and with the fast-track legislation and then with an amendment to the fast-track legislation. Where has that led the country? Well, what we have seen, just last week, in urgency, is the Government having to do some sort of fix-up for development contributions for those fast-track projects that the Minister was just in this House skiting about. Those projects include huge housing developments on flood plains without any provision for development contributions. What that means is that ratepayers are going to be paying a whole lot more for infrastructure. It is just typical of this Government\u2019s arrogant approach to lawmaking, that they speed things through, they say, \u201COh, we\u2019re listening in select committee.\u201D, they plop out all these changes by majority, and then it doesn\u2019t work. If only they\u2019d listened to all those submitters who said, \u201CIt just won\u2019t work.\u201D But, no, they don\u2019t do that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000611\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve also seen in the media, today, the Minister objecting to an article that\u2019s been in \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EThe Post\u003C/span\u003E, where I have called this Government\u2019s approach \u201Creckless\u201D\u2014because it is reckless. We saw in the committee of the whole House stage giant Amendment Papers from this Government doing a whole lot of policy changes. Now, sometimes you can have giant Amendment Papers that reorder the bill to make it more logical, that do some little typo fix-its or fine referencing fix-its. But that wasn\u2019t what this was. Instead, we had major policy changes coming in after the select committee process. The Minister says, \u201COh well, we told people about it. We put out a press release about it.\u201D That is not good lawmaking. Putting out a press release is not the same as scrutiny at a select committee. Again, it goes to this Government\u2019s arrogance.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000612\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EPlus the Minister said, \u201CWell, there were 30 hours of the committee stage, and so these things would have been scrutinised.\u201D But those members, on that side of the House, closed down the debate. They closed it down on the part of this bill when we would have discussed the schedules, and what was in those schedules? Just these farm plans that the Minister was talking about. Were we able to discuss that? No, not in any real way. Did we discuss the wildlife approvals? No. Did we discuss in any detail the huge changes to fisheries that came in after the select committee process and by Amendment Paper of the Government? No, we did not. We had articles this week by Andrea Vance about the huge loss that people are feeling about the\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EMotiti\u003C/span\u003E decision and how that\u2019s all been upended by changes that this Government made under stealth, not in good faith. That is so typical. Nothing is ever in good faith by this Government. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000613\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThen we also have this removed resource cap. That comes in after the select committee process. Plus, we had a decision made by the Environment Court about the Waikato Regional Council\u2019s plan, and this plan would have been implementing some policy statements, the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management. It would have been doing better for our rivers and for that environment. The Environment Court decision came back. A couple of people with some phone numbers in their phones didn\u2019t like it. So what did they do? They lobbied this Government to change the law. And what did this Government do? What a surprise. What a surprise. Just like they\u2019ve done time and time again, they changed the law. They did it by Amendment Paper in this House where they said, \u201COh, the court wants to do something. You know what? We think we\u2019ll just overturn it. Oh, we won\u2019t say we\u2019re going to overturn it. We\u2019ll just say, \u2018we\u2019re just pausing it for a few years.\u2019\u201D There was something that was going to decrease pollution, there was a plan that was going to do better for our environment, and what did this Government do? Well, just like they had done with the two previous amendments to the RMA and their fast-track legislation that they had to amend and then they\u2019ve just had to amend it again, what did they do? They said, \u201CYes, we want more pollution.\u201D It\u2019s so typical. They don\u2019t want to do anything about improving the environment. They don\u2019t want to do anything about reducing climate change pollution. We\u2019ve seen in these bills, \u201CYou can think of it as a positive effect, but at no other time can you consider it.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000614\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, what is the future that we want on this side of the House? I think everybody here agrees that we want rivers that are swimmable. We want to reduce the pollution and we want to think of those things that are our commons, about how the public can benefit from them, rather than the private few that have the phone numbers of those members over there. We want to increase biodiversity; that is, we like Freddy the frog, we like the bats, and we need to do better for them. But on that side of the House, no, that\u2019s not what they want. They\u2019re happy for species to say goodbye to different species and that is a disgrace. That is what these bills are doing, and in no way should they be passed in this form. We need to make strong amendments, as I tabled, before the committee of the whole House stage.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000615\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EDebate interrupted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000616\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00228e41898de4409d2e16287fc85bd15044\u0022\u003EValedictory Statements\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000617\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022488fd934bdde2df0a67b731a093adcfc\u0022\u003EHon Brooke van Velden\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000618\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227808587bcf034f56ebb715000849683c\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Members, in accordance with the Business Committee, I\u2019ll now call on a member to make a maiden speech. Can I indicate that at the conclusion of that speech, the House will suspend\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000619\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227d19573a8ba4d8283b17374978c8ea2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222598d0f8a872f5aeb9fc0472d77af8e8\u0022\u003EGrant McCallum\u003C/span\u003E: A valedictory\u2014valedictory.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000620\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222204e041e14c40fcbec76cc14f0da486\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226287062bb2c1e930976885ddbd0ae580\u0022\u003EHon Brooke van Velden\u003C/span\u003E: A valedictory, not a maiden.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000621\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a2d138cbb839455d9754acbe91a75102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e77b7fc035e62b5ab84ac3df2ad78cd4\u0022\u003ESPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I haven\u2019t got there yet. Are you in the Chair or not? I tell you what, you\u2019ll be watching it on the TV outside if you keep that up! In accordance with the Business Committee, we now come to a valedictory statement. Can I tell the House that at the conclusion of that statement, the House will suspend for the dinner break. I now call on the Hon Brooke van Velden to make her valedictory statement to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00222204e041e14c40fcbec76cc14f0da486\u0022 data-id=\u0022d1c86ac74bce8d4af3c194dc03dd6320\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000622\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222204e041e14c40fcbec76cc14f0da486\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d1c86ac74bce8d4af3c194dc03dd6320\u0022\u003EHon BROOKE VAN VELDEN (Minister of Internal Affairs) (17:40)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I stand in this House for a final time to give my valedictory speech. If I start to get too emotional during this contribution, I swear it\u2019s pregnancy hormones and not me letting my guard down in the last week of Parliament.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000623\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAs I retire from Parliament, I\u2019ve reflected on what an honour and a privilege it has been to serve my community, my party, and my country. I leave Parliament decades younger than most MPs when they enter, yet I feel I\u2019ve experienced more of New Zealand than most would in a lifetime. I have always been clear that I never wished to be a career politician. I came here to do a job, not to hold a position. I am proud of my contribution to public service, and it is time now to take on a new challenge outside of it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000624\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EOne of the true privileges of being a member of Parliament is the people we meet. We in this House shape the laws of this country, but it is those interactions out across the country that have shaped me. Whether it\u2019s a shoulder to cry on for the woman who lost her home in the Auckland floods, sitting with a woman who lost her son to suicide, or helping an elderly man with no family understand his medication, those interactions stay with me.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000625\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve been shown through Kiwi companies, from fibreglass factories, forestry plantations, steel fabricators, rocket and precision electromagnet assemblies, and ports, and listened as small business owners and farmers described the daily battle to keep the lights on for their employees and provide for their own families. I\u2019ve visited drug rehabilitation centres, rest homes and dementia care facilities, and animal welfare refuges. Every day as a member of Parliament has been different.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000626\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI am grateful for the thousands of connections I\u2019ve had with New Zealanders, each sharing their own personal stories, and I\u2019m humbled I had the opportunity to listen, advocate, and bring their voices to Wellington. Those conversations confirmed something that I came to this place believing. Government decisions touch each of our lives a thousand times a day, through rules, regulations, limits on freedoms and choices. We should never treat the decisions before us lightly. People deserve honesty and justification.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000627\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMy first thanks tonight must go to ACT Leader David Seymour. Thank you for nine years of working together over three Parliamentary terms\u2014nine years of leadership, mentorship, and friendship. Thank you for showing me what can be achieved by one MP with conviction and the willingness to act on it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000628\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI believe advocating for and passing the End of Life Choice Act was the morally and ethically right thing to do. Before I entered this House as an MP, I worked here with David Seymour to write and pass a law that has now provided compassion and choice for hundreds of people suffering at the end of their lives. That law rests on a simple principle: your life is your own. Who are we to tell a terminally ill person how much suffering they must endure before the end?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000629\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI wish to acknowledge those who assisted in passing that law: parliamentarians, legal drafters, advocates, but most importantly, the many New Zealanders who shared their stories and who passed away during the passage of the bill and after. Working on that law will remain one of the greatest privileges of my life. I told you I was going to cry! It convinced me to dedicate the past few years to public service, to advance more laws that benefit New Zealanders.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000630\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMy second thanks go to the ACT Party board and ACT members who selected me as the party\u2019s deputy leader in 2020, backing a young, liberal woman to help lead the party in Opposition and in Government. Thank you for your trust and for your support over my six years in the role. I have aimed to repay that trust in my words and actions in this House, and by supporting the wider ACT caucus and team.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000631\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAs deputy leader, I sought to be a support, a trusted sounding board, and a voice of honesty to the leader. Thank you, David, for providing that for me also. As I step back to join ACT\u2019s old guard, I\u2019m comforted that my colleague Nicole McKee will be a steady pair of hands helping to lead ACT forward.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000632\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EDavid, I will miss our Monday evening dinners and debriefs at the Thistle Inn. I won\u2019t miss the early-morning phone calls or running to keep up with your walking pace in these corridors.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000633\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhen I entered Parliament in 2020, I also took on the role of party whip. It was a role I took seriously. I was stringent. To my ACT colleagues from 2020, thank you for putting up with my monthly key performance indicator meetings. Every month, I sat down for half an hour with each MP one-on-one to go over what had been achieved, goals for the next month, and to hear any concerns. These were warmly welcomed by some, tolerated by others, and refused by only one caucus member\u2014the leader. I didn\u2019t tell anyone at the time, in case the others got a whiff that they could be optional. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000634\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI was and remain impressed by how good our caucus was to work with. Thank you Nicole, Chris, Simon, Karen, James, Mark, Toni, and Damien for being good natured, hard-working MPs who got on with the job and left personal politics at the door. That caucus is only rivalled by our current caucus. Thank you, also, to Andrew, Todd, Laura, Parmjeet, and Cam. You have all made my decision to step away much easier, knowing that I leave the party in such good hands.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000635\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EDuring my time in Opposition, I advocated for a number of causes. I brought a motion, unanimously supported across this House, expressing grave concern at the human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minorities in Xinjiang. I hosted fundraisers for the Ukrainian effort. And I advocated for pregnant New Zealand women unable to re-enter their own country under COVID restrictions. Those causes might look unrelated, but what they have in common is a belief in freedom, choice, and democratic rights. I believe in democracy. I believe it is the best system we have to protect the rights and freedoms of individuals, and to allow individuals with very different beliefs to live alongside one another with choice and dignity.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000636\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAt the start of 2023, I asked two ACT T\u0101maki-based volunteers out for a coffee, and I asked what they thought about me campaigning to win the seat. They didn\u2019t know it at the time, but I wouldn\u2019t have gone ahead if they\u2019d told me they didn\u2019t back the idea. The answer came back. I had my first two volunteers. Thanks to Don and Mike, I put the wheels in motion\u2014writing a plan, getting sign-off from the board, hosting a campaign launch in Kohimarama, and setting about painting T\u0101maki pink. I had pink bunting, a pink blazer, and a pink car. What followed were some of the most rewarding, tiring, and fun moments of my life.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000637\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI still recall the very first door I knocked on with Don, the day after the announcement. My pamphlets hadn\u2019t arrived, so I printed 200 flyers at the Warehouse and met Don in the rain at the corner of Vale Road and Maskell Street. I knocked, and before I could finish my pitch, the lady who answered said, \u201COh, I saw you on the news last night\u2014you already have my vote!\u201D That single interaction spurred me on for days.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000638\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhat followed was true grassroots activism. I held 130 street corner meetings across the electorate with my pink coat and affordable microphone. I remember the first one, driving to Stonefields, bracing for no one to show up. I was greeted by 40 people at the corner of the park, all curious to meet the new candidate. By the end of the campaign, over 120 locals were volunteering in some capacity, most of whom had never been involved in a political party. Thank you to my campaign manager, Jaden; to electorate committee chairs, Carolyn and Tony; and electorate committee members and volunteers. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000639\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe warmth and support I felt in T\u0101maki from the start has never left. It has been a true pleasure to be your local MP. To the people of T\u0101maki, thank you. Thank you for voting for me to represent you. Thank you for your warmth, your kindness, and your genuine care for my welfare. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000640\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve lost count of how many times a conversation in a local shop has led to someone thanking me for my service, or even comments like \u201CYou\u2019re too nice for that job. It must be horrible. How do you do it?\u201D I joke back that I grew up the youngest of four kids and the only girl, and I can handle anything. But the truth is it can be tough at times: the abuse, the personal attacks, and the concern for safety. While I can\u2019t control other people\u2019s actions, I can control how I respond. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000641\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe have a duty, as leaders in this House, to be role models for those who watch us and for those who come after us. Those attacks have been met by turning the other cheek and getting on with the job. The clear exception was the fateful day of the \u201Cc\u201D word, when a clearly misogynistic article was brought into a debate in this House to belittle me and other senior members of this Government\u2014don\u2019t worry, Mr Speaker, I won\u2019t repeat those quotes today. I\u2019m proud to have stood up to that misogyny, for my colleagues and for every woman who stays silent out of fear of being labelled the wrong kind of woman. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000642\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAs I leave, I ask my colleagues to reflect on their words and actions. We are all sent to this place to represent the people of New Zealand and to make the hard decisions that need to be made. The standard should be to hold the Government to account for the decisions it makes, without resorting to personal attacks. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000643\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhen we came out the other side of coalition negotiations, I had no idea what position I would be offered. I was happy to be placed wherever the party thought best. As it turned out, that was in Cabinet, working on some of the most extensive employment reforms in decades and overseeing the serious operations of government at the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA). On both fronts, I knuckled down, learnt a lot, and made the hard decisions leaders are expected to make. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000644\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA quote from economist Thomas Sowell I constantly come back to is that \u201CThere are no solutions. There are only trade-offs.\u201D Nowhere is that clearer than in Government. With limited finances, limited time, and limited people, where is the effort best spent? If I\u2019d listened to my officials, I fear I would have achieved half of what I\u2019d set out to do. There is a constant call for more people, more time, and more money. With a few pushes here and there, I ticked off every Government work programme handed to me, and a few more. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000645\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EOne of the most meaningful actions I could take in my workplace relations portfolio was reform of the Holidays Act, which had caused decades of confusion about how to pay staff. This shouldn\u2019t be complicated, but our laws had made it so. A law that an ordinary employer cannot follow without hiring a consultant is a bad law, however good the intentions behind it. Complexity is never neutral. It is a tax on the small operator who cannot afford the advice, and it quietly favours those who can. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000646\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ETwo former Ministers who\u2019d tried and failed wished me good luck as I took on this immensely technical law. It required real work, balancing different interests, and a lot of attention to detail. I leave proud of the effort it took to repeal the Holidays Act and replace it with a simpler one. Thank you to every person who helped me champion that reform. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000647\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ETo my adviser Jenesa, I\u2019m proud to have worked alongside such a strong and precise rational thinker. My successes are also your successes. To know you can trust someone fully and rely on their honest opinion is rare in politics. You have a huge future ahead of you, and I\u2019d be lucky to work with you again. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000648\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWithin the Department of Internal Affairs, I focused on the efficiency of Government and better governance. It\u2019s been pleasing to see processing times for citizenship applications drop from 180 days at the start of the term to a low of 32 days, to oversee reform of the lottery grants system, and\u2014a personal favourite\u2014to see the National Library and Archives New Zealand work together to produce Anzac Stories, an accessible online tool all Kiwi kids can use to learn about a pivotal time in New Zealand\u2019s history, providing future generations access to our war records in an interactive way. Lest we forget. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000649\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ETo my adviser Nick, you\u2019re a shining light in Wellington\u2019s dark bureaucracy I think of DIA as an engine constantly at risk of spontaneous combustion\u2014you never know when the next fire will light\u2014but, Nick, you\u2019ve extinguished flames on the daily. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000650\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EOn the Public Service, I have met several very skilled public servants who are badly let down by the structure they work within, and I believe radical reform is needed. The Public Service Commission should be abolished. It does not work for the public and it does not work for elected Governments. It works for the Public Service to preserve the status quo, and enable public servants to shuffle between agencies while leaving the failures of their roles behind, with no accountability or meaningful consequences. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000651\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMinisters should hire chief executives directly and be responsible for their agency. One agency; one Minister. If that were the structure, I believe we\u2019d see better accountability and transparency over decision making and over where the money goes. It is what the people paying our taxes deserve, and it shouldn\u2019t be hard in a country as small as ours. The Public Service should serve the public, not itself. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000652\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThere are a few more people I wish to thank this evening. Thank you to all the staff who keep our democracy running: those in the Speaker\u2019s Office, the Office of the Clerk, the messengers, and especially the security team, who have been a delight to greet every day. This House does not work without you, and you are rarely thanked for it. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000653\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMiranda, I remember interviewing you to be responsible for my office and asking how you\u2019d look after it. You said you\u2019d do one better and look after me. You\u2019ve kept your word. You\u2019ve provided warmth to my days and taken many weights off my mind. Thank you. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000654\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ECami and Florence, my press secretaries, thank you for making me look good in the news. You\u2019re both stars. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000655\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EJaden, you\u2019ve made the difficult balance of ministerial and electorate work much easier. Thank you for caring for T\u0101maki on the days I\u2019m down here, and for managing the office so well with Cynthia, Jan, Felix, and Charlotte. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000656\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThank you to the VIP drivers. It felt like I\u2019ve had a team of aunts and uncles on standby. There are too many to name, but I\u2019ll give one example of going above and beyond. When one of the drivers heard that my partner was buying me apricot Danishes\u2014because that\u2019s what the baby wanted, and I couldn\u2019t find anything like it in Wellington\u2014one morning I arrived at work and found a delicious apricot Danish on my desk with a note, and they kept coming. Thank you. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000657\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThank you to my parents for your support over these years. I said in my maiden speech that no status, wealth, or career I chose to pursue would ever earn my parents\u2019 respect; only my character could do that. Respect is hard to gain and easily lost. I sincerely hope I have earned yours, and that I\u2019ve kept it. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000658\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ETo my love, I know it\u2019s not easy to have a partner in the public eye. Thank you for putting up with it quietly, for supporting me emotionally, and for challenging me intellectually. I\u2019m excited to spend more than one or two days together in a row, in the same city. I\u2019m excited for the future, for this baby, and for the new challenges ahead. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000659\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI\u2019ll leave with the sign-off I\u2019ve sent in my newsletter every month: \u201CAs always, it\u2019s a pleasure being your MP. See you around the community.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000660\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EApplause\u003C/span\u003E]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000661\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterItalicsCentred\u0022\u003ESitting suspended from 6.01 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000662\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c4943fd1cf914de0befcb7a16280f910\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c9ed50d85db2f1013b23fb46a61958a8\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u0027Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Good evening, members. In accordance with the determination of the Business Committee, I call on Government order of the day No. 8.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000663\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00226ae10305ceafb42c7a62118cb2ccd4f4\u0022\u003EBills\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000664\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00225d31bc8590566129eaf967756edcf33c\u0022\u003ENg\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri Claims Settlement Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000665\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022275b2ee465660b3ae91d10416cf4e6d5\u0022\u003ELegislative Statement\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00229d5b13d601794bb282d99453116ad395\u0022 data-id=\u002202ef84a8a98baedf1a2db40c435f1e6d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000666\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229d5b13d601794bb282d99453116ad395\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002202ef84a8a98baedf1a2db40c435f1e6d\u0022\u003EHon TAMA POTAKA (Acting Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations) (19:30)\u003C/span\u003E: I present a legislative statement on the Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri Claims Settlement Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000667\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c4943fd1cf914de0befcb7a16280f910\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227a205d5b961dca5c7cc70c054fbbceaa\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u0027Connor)\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=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000668\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00220003b7bedde237db25b013936b9fa4ee\u0022\u003EFirst Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00229d5b13d601794bb282d99453116ad395\u0022 data-id=\u0022df04297763e37665b01e6de12f058478\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000669\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229d5b13d601794bb282d99453116ad395\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022df04297763e37665b01e6de12f058478\u0022\u003EHon TAMA POTAKA (Acting Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations) (19:30)\u003C/span\u003E: I move, \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EThat the Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri Claims Settlement Bill be now read a first time\u003C/span\u003E. I nominate the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee consider the bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000670\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000671\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000672\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI wish to thank and acknowledge Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri for making the journey here today to join us in Te Upoko o Te Ika Wellington for this significant milestone. I speak on behalf of the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, Paul Goldsmith, who has followed Andrew Little in chaperoning this mahi through on behalf of the Crown and alongside with, and ultimately for, Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri. I acknowledge and extend a warm welcome to iwi members in the public gallery and to wh\u0101nau watching from throughout the motu on television this evening.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000673\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt is a significant milestone for the relationships between Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri and the Crown. This bill gives effect to the deed of settlement negotiated between Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri and the Crown and marks an important step towards resolving historical, and \u201Cherstorical\u201D, Treaty grievances and building a renewed set of relationships for the future. The deed-signing ceremony was wet, wild, windy, with the warmth of Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri manaakitanga and promise of k\u014Dura and r\u0101waru distinctly Wharekauri. I was humbled by the manaakitanga of Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri and the abundance of outstanding aroha, generosity, and also kaimoana. The way that everyone adapted and persevered despite the elements reflected the resilience, strength, and wairua o Wharekauri, particularly the hearty rangatahi who sat for over an hour and a half on cold, probably damp grass, stoically awaiting the conclusion of the p\u014Dhiri and the signing ceremony. \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003EE mihi ana ki ng\u0101 rangatahi\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000674\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBefore speaking to the settlement itself, I wish to acknowledge those whose commitment, determination, and leadership have brought us to this point. Firstly, the people\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000675\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000676\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000677\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u2014this settlement is your settlement alongside and shared with the Crown. It belongs to the whakatupuranga, or the generations, that have maintained identity, tikanga, and their connection to Wharekauri and kept the embers glowing on those islands through periods of profound challenge and change. It belongs to those that carried the historical, and \u201Cherstorical\u201D, burden of these grievances, yet never gave up hope that, one day, these would be resolved in a manner that could lead to legislation\u2014and, importantly, that those experiences and those stories are heard and accounted for in the appropriate record.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000678\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe current trustees of Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri Iwi Trust\u2014Melodie, Monique, Deena, Di, Megan Lanauze-King, John Preece, and Paula Page, and others, including the mandated negotiators Tom McClurg and Hariroa Daymond, and all those who represented the iwi through the settlement processes. Of course, prior to the current Government, the mahi that you did alongside the Hon Andrew Little, \u201C\u0100naru Paku\u201D, and now with Paul Goldsmith, \u201CP\u0101ora Metek\u014Dura\u201D.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000679\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ETreaty negotiations require a lot of patience, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to future generations. The work undertaken on behalf of the iwi has culminated in the legislation before the House today, honouring the efforts of those who have tirelessly advocated and pursued this kaupapa to realise the aspirations of the iwi, to resolve the claims settlement process, and, of course, to further create balance for the health, wealth, and wellbeing of the people, of the land, and of the sea.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000680\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI also acknowledge the kaum\u0101tua, tauheke, and kuia whose knowledge, leadership, and stewardship ensured stories of Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri were never lost. They persevered and passed through the generations, many of whom are depicted in the pictures out in the Grand Hall this evening, some whose memories remain etched in the hearts and the minds of those that have gathered here today, but the legacy that they bring, and that now you uphold, we reflect through this settlement legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000681\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ETo the wh\u0101nau who attended the hui and cast votes during the mandating and ratification processes, provided guidance, challenged decisions, and did the mahi\u2014did the mahi\u2014who remained engaged in negotiations: this sort of process can be quite challenging and quite fraught at times, but you\u2019ve stayed the course, and the strength of any settlement lies in the support and the tautoko or the participation of the people it represents.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000682\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI also wanted to acknowledge the Te Tari Whakatau Crown negotiators, officials, advisers, and all those who worked in good faith throughout the negotiations that led to the deed of settlement, and on behalf of the Crown, Justine, and others, \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003Ee mihi ana ki a koutou katoa\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000683\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe Treaty of Waitangi settlements/Te Tiriti o Waitangi settlements require us to confront difficult chapters in our nation\u2019s experiences and stories. The settlement deed records a range of Crown actions and omissions that breached Te Tiriti o Waitangi/the Treaty of Waitangi and caused significant prejudice to the people from Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri here today and their predecessors. The Crown has acknowledged that these failures have had enduring economic, social, cultural, political, and, indeed, spiritual consequences for the iwi.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000684\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn March 2015, Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri entrusted the trustees of the Iwi Trust with the mandate to recognise a settlement with the Crown and to carry it through to negotiation. What followed was years of dedicated work, as both parties navigated complex engagement, cultural, and commercial matters. A significant milestone was reached in November 2022 with the signing of an AIP, an agreement in principle, and culminated in the initialling of the deed of settlement; and I understand some of those people who initialled that settlement are here with us this evening. Then there was a successful ratification process, demonstrating the iwi support for the proposed settlement and a pathway forward. With that endorsement, the Crown was able to sign the deed of settlement, on a fantastic day out at Wharekauri attended by members of all parties, I recall\u2014all or most of the parties of this House\u2014and a range of officials, bringing a long and significant journey to the point where it can now be considered formally in this the first reading of the settlement legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000685\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhile no settlement can ever fully compensate for the losses, settlements do provide the opportunity for the Crown to acknowledge wrongdoing, to accept responsibility for the breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and to seek to restore and enable relationships that are damaged by those actions. The settlement package reflected in this bill seeks to support the aspirations of the iwi for a thriving, healthy, and economically sustainable community on Wharekauri, grounded in its people, its culture, and its enduring connection to place.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000686\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe cultural redress recognises the unique cultural, historical, spiritual, and traditional associations of Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri with place and the surrounding areas. An important component of that, of course, are the relationship arrangements and the redress alongside Te Papa Atawhai, the Department of Conservation; and while the two parties already work closely together, the relationship with Te Papa Atawhai strengthens the mahitahi and provides an ongoing pivot for ongoing collaboration in matters of shared interest and responsibility. The financial and commercial redress, of course, is providing a platform or springboard upon which the members of the iwi of Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri can grow longer-term wellbeing, growth, and, ultimately, self-determination for the iwi.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000687\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis settlement marks neither the beginning of the end, or the end of the beginning, nor the end of the relationship between the Crown and Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri, but it actually just signifies further markers in the Te Takarangi, or the double helix spiral, of relationships that already exist and will exist into the future, particularly with the younger rangatahi and mokopuna here today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000688\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EKia koutou katoa Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri. Today marks the first of three readings that this House will consider for this particular bill, but tomorrow morning, we will be back for the first reading of the shared redress bill, which we look forward to welcoming you back, particularly if we have oysters for breakfast! Kia ora.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000689\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI consider that the bill should proceed without delay to the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee, of course led by my colleague the honourable and very, very legendary David MacLeod, your whanaunga. I commend this bill to the House. T\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou katoa.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00220750364c2c1444d0ae00bced720f964e\u0022 data-id=\u0022ca06dc80285e3f8a987462019801a377\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000690\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220750364c2c1444d0ae00bced720f964e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ca06dc80285e3f8a987462019801a377\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN (Labour) (19:40)\u003C/span\u003E: T\u0113n\u0101 koe e te M\u0101ngai o te Whare.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000691\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000692\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000693\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI rise on behalf of the Labour Party to stand in support for the Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri Claims Settlement Bill. It was a real honour to be there today for the mihi whakatau, and to sit with you and hear those speeches and to thank you for the oysters; they were delicious. It was really nice to sit and hear those stories and share time with you this afternoon and to meet some of you, as well. I appreciate that it\u2019s been a long journey for many of you to come here today. I acknowledge those who are here and have made the journey, and I also acknowledge those t\u016Bpuna that you have brought with you today and who are with us here in the gallery. I acknowledge that as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000694\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EToday is a really important day for Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri, for Wharekauri, and R\u0113kohu, and for New Zealand, as well. This bill gives effect to the deed of settlement signed between Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri on 17 August 2026, bringing us another step closer to being able to address those historical grievances and to be able to strengthen the relationship between M\u0101ori and the Crown.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000695\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAs members of this House, I always believe that we have a responsibility to acknowledge our history honestly. Treaty settlements are not ever about rewriting history. They are about confronting it, about recognising where the Crown got it wrong and failed to uphold its obligations, and taking meaningful steps towards redress and reconciliation; also, for Wharekauri, for the infrastructure and the important things that you need for your motu, and having those things in place for the future. Labour has long believed that settlements are an essential part of honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We believe that acknowledging historical injustice is not in any way a sign of division; it is in fact a sign of maturity as a nation, as we grow together. It allows us to move forward with a shared understanding of our past and also, hopefully, a shared commitment to our future together.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000696\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis settlement reflects many years of work. The Crown has recognised the mandate of Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri iwi trust back in 2016. Negotiators continued over several years, leading to an agreement in principle in 2022, and that led, ultimately, to the signing of the deed this year. That journey required perseverance and leadership. It required difficult conversations, patient negotiations, and determination to see that progress through. Today, I acknowledge the claimants, the negotiators, the trustees, kaum\u0101tua, and wh\u0101nau whose commitment has brought us to this point in time. I also acknowledge those who began this work and were not able to be with us today. This achievement belongs to them, as much as it belongs to those who are gathered here now.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000697\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI was thinking back to the first time I ever got to visit Wharekauri. It was back in 2004, when I was a lot younger than I am now. I was lucky enough to attend the opening of the first Moriori marae, alongside Helen Clark, who was the Prime Minister then, and Margaret Wilson, who was the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi negotiations. I have never ever seen crayfish so big in my whole life, and I\u2019ve never seen them that big again. I was told\u2014[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EBell rung\u003C/span\u003E]\u2014they were called \u201Cpackhorse\u201D. Oh, I might have to get going with it! The settlement contains an agreed historical account, and it\u2019s important that we acknowledge those things. I thought I had 10 minutes, Mr Speaker. That\u2019s not fair\u2014I had heaps more material. I hadn\u2019t even got on to the weka.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000698\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EOn behalf of the Labour Party, I acknowledge those who have contributed to the settlement. I also want to congratulate Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri on this significant milestone. It\u2019s important to note that we can\u2019t change the past, unfortunately, but we can change how we move forward together. I genuinely hope that this is a good first step in reconciliation between iwi and the Crown, that this settlement provides you with redress and some hope for your rangatahi for the future. N\u014D reira, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 t\u0101tou katoa. Kia ora.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002233a8db41ad0c4278b7eb829406824bb5\u0022 data-id=\u0022f4dea3fec0a18e843331460cf9f2ea0b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000699\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002233a8db41ad0c4278b7eb829406824bb5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022f4dea3fec0a18e843331460cf9f2ea0b\u0022\u003ESTEVE ABEL (Green) (19:45)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Kia ora koutou, Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri. It\u2019s wonderful to have you in the Chamber today for this historic first reading of your settlement claim. I want to acknowledge my colleague in absence, H\u016Bhana Lyndon, who would have liked to have been here but is out of the city, unfortunately, on other business. She hugely valued her trip out to the motu. I also knowledge my colleague the Hon Julie Anne Genter, who is the member for Rongotai, much more appropriately named than Wellington Bays. I don\u2019t see how Wellington Bays captures the Chatham Islands, but it\u2019s wonderful to have you in the gallery here today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000700\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhen I read this account, the historical account, of the injustices committed to your people by the Crown and the failures of the Crown to uphold its obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi, there are so many things over so many years and so many generations, and so we stand today in the House and acknowledge the injustices that the Crown has committed against you. It is the day in which the Parliament of Aotearoa New Zealand recognises it is the Crown that committed these wrongs; that is what the settlement is about. It is in your generosity that you accept this settlement, which is, as we well understood, but a fraction of what has been lost\u2014but a fraction of the cost of the impacts of those failures of the Crown. Thank you for coming here today to accept this settlement.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000701\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn recounting your history with Taranaki and your journey from there in 1835, and then back, the relationship with Parihaka, and the peaceful resistance against colonisation, I couldn\u2019t help but remember the words of Ruakere Hond from Parihaka, who said the winds of war still blow through our minds after all these generations. I think of all those decades of conflicts and harms and how it is such a profound and deep journey for a people to travel on, to make amends and to heal from those harms\u2014those winds of war that still blow through the minds of people impacted by the injustices of the Crown. I salute you in your resilience and your determination, and in surviving and being here today as the descendants of your t\u016Bpuna who have been on this long journey.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000702\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe Crown recognises that it applied mentalities around land acquisition that divided up traditional collective ownership, and that is, sadly, an all too familiar story that we see across the country. It also acknowledges, in this historical account, the denial of the right of your people to speak te reo M\u0101ori; that your t\u016Bpuna were punished for speaking your language. That is such a deeply sad and profoundly wrong act. It recognises the repeated failure of the Crown to properly invest and support the infrastructure of Wharekauri, and to actually fulfil its obligations under Te Tiriti, to recognise your full rights as citizens of Aotearoa New Zealand, but here\u2014by this settlement, by these acknowledgments, by this apology\u2014the Crown acknowledges today that Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri are fully fledged citizens of Aotearoa New Zealand. Through this settlement, it pledges to build a relationship with Ng\u0101ti Mutunga that is based on respect for Te Tiriti o Waitangi, for its principles, and for you as a people. We as Te P\u0101ti K\u0101k\u0101riki commend this bill to the House today. Thank you for being here. Kia ora.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022440a125e85954bae9f5d470b7551e4f3\u0022 data-id=\u0022ea97c915e608bee28b81e87e68015ae2\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000703\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022440a125e85954bae9f5d470b7551e4f3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ea97c915e608bee28b81e87e68015ae2\u0022\u003ECAMERON LUXTON (ACT) (19:50)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000704\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000705\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000706\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThank you very much for making the journey here, those of you who had to cross great distances of ocean that connect our sometimes far-flung brethren from the mainland of this country that we are proud to be citizens of. As this bill puts into place \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003Eng\u0101 uri o\u003C/span\u003E Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri, you will also be recognised properly and accounted for as citizens in this country. But citizenship comes with a story, and your story has been laid out in this historical account, for all to see. I always say, when I have the privilege of doing a speech in a reading of a Treaty settlement bill, that all New Zealanders should read the historical accounts of our Treaty settlement bills to understand the history of this country.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000707\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI won\u2019t take long on this. There\u2019s been a long journey here from 2016, 2020\u2014the hurdles go a long way back, to the 1840s and before. The Islands that you are proud to be mana whenua of are an intrinsic part of New Zealand\u2019s story in these South Pacific Islands, and are incredibly important and historic ones.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000708\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI will say that I hope very much to see the economic potential of your Islands realised through this settlement, the one we\u2019re going to read tomorrow, and ones that have gone before. There is so much there. The connections through the mainland to Australia and beyond for kai moana are going to offer so much, and I hope the economic redress starts a proper journey of development and finances and connections that you, your people, and the Island that is so important, can really benefit from. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002211e9e1f818754d97b60bba4b18e5dc03\u0022 data-id=\u00228c7fe35d8dc3ec90a5eaddf57eee4a26\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000709\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002211e9e1f818754d97b60bba4b18e5dc03\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00228c7fe35d8dc3ec90a5eaddf57eee4a26\u0022\u003EHon MARK PATTERSON (Minister for Rural Communities) (19:52)\u003C/span\u003E:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000710\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000711\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.] \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000712\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt is very rare for me to speak on Treaty bills, and I do so on behalf of New Zealand First. There are usually far more appropriate speakers within our caucus. But this bill is different. As Minister for Rural Communities and Associate Minister for Regional Development, I had the privilege of travelling to Wharekauri four times\u2014the Chatham and Pitt Islands\u2014and it\u2019s an enormous honour to have the opportunity to play a role in these acknowledgments today. I\u2019ve been hosted by the warmest of hospitality. I\u2019ve witnessed a deep sense of pride in your whenua\u2014your place, your home\u2014I\u2019ve got to know many of you personally, and I\u2019ve been invited into your homes. There are too many people to mention, but could I mention here Monique Croon, the former mayor, of course, and kuia of Ng\u0101ti Mutunga.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000713\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThey are cherished memories from this term of Parliament. I think back, actually, to one of them: in true Shane Jones style, we turned up with the delegation in an Air Force Hercules, complete with the R\u0101tana Brass Band. Shane brought a chilly bin full of kumara on the way in, and it left full of crayfish, oysters, p\u0101ua, and blue cod.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000714\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002233a8db41ad0c4278b7eb829406824bb5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228cd22428b3c3857b208bd5b07cdefacb\u0022\u003ESteve Abel\u003C/span\u003E: That was a good trade.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000715\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002211e9e1f818754d97b60bba4b18e5dc03\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222611c45179924ec30873f2ca5ca30504\u0022\u003EHon MARK PATTERSON\u003C/span\u003E: It was a great trade, but the isolation over there is a constant challenge. It is a beautiful place, it is a special place, and it is steeped in history. Today, we acknowledge some of that history, a confronting part of your history\u2014specifically, the wrongs perpetrated on Ng\u0101ti Mutunga by the Crown.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000716\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EYou have been dispossessed of your lands not only in Wharekauri, actually, but also in Taranaki. Your t\u016Bpuna have been treated, at times, with contempt, and the justice system was weaponised against you. We cannot change those historical wrongs, but today we rightfully seek to acknowledge redress and apologise for those wrongdoings.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000717\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EYou\u2019ve also provided, in my experience, lessons for us all. You do have a challenging history, particularly with the Hokotehi Moriori. But the way that you have worked together, the way you have put your collective shoulder to the wheel for the Chatham and Pitt Islands\u2014and your young leaders have returned the collective sense of purpose to rejuvenate the Islands. You are an inspiration.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000718\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAs you will well know, I do have a frustration with you as well: your propensity to call the mainland \u201CNew Zealand\u201D\u2014as in, \u201CWe\u2019re off to New Zealand.\u201D You are New Zealanders, and I will keep reminding you of that. You are very special New Zealanders. Today, we salute your resilience, your patience, and your dignity. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022420f72e8bcc84c869a366ff712af8e49\u0022 data-id=\u0022e7295bbc5392f769969686bef9cd7f79\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000719\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022420f72e8bcc84c869a366ff712af8e49\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e7295bbc5392f769969686bef9cd7f79\u0022\u003EHANA-RAWHITI MAIPI-CLARKE (Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori\u2014Hauraki-Waikato) (19:57)\u003C/span\u003E:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000720\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000721\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000722\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI rise on behalf of Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori to support the Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri Claims Settlement Bill at its first reading. This bill brings before the House a history defined by the endurance of Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri, and by a Crown that treated Wharekauri as distant and marginal for far too long. But Wharekauri was never distant to the people whose whakapapa, identity, and future are bound to those islands. The Crown annexed Wharekauri in 1842, without consulting Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri. The deed acknowledges that this was a profound failure to recognise and respect their mana and tino rangatiratanga. That failure set the pattern for what followed: limited engagement, inadequate services, and decisions imposed upon Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri without their meaningful participation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000723\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn 1870, the Native Land Court awarded most of the land on Wharekauri under the \u201C10-owner rule\u201D. Many customary rights holders were dispossessed, while the individualisation and fragmentation of title made the remaining whenua increasingly difficult to manage and develop. Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri were also taxed for decades while being denied representation in Parliament. They were excluded from voting in parliamentary elections until 1922. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000724\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn 1890, two iwi members were imprisoned after refusing to pay a dog tax strongly opposed by their people. The Crown was painfully slow to provide essential infrastructure and services; land was taken for roads in the early 1880s, but construction did not begin until 1945. There has never been a secondary school on Wharekauri, and Ng\u0101ti Mutunga children were punished for speaking te reo M\u0101ori at school. The consequences have been intergenerational: loss of language m\u0101tauranga; poor housing and health; restricted economic and educational opportunities; and the displacement of many uri from their island home. Despite all of this, Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri endured. They maintained their whakapapa, their connection to whenua and moana, and their visions for many generations to come.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000725\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAfter the recent second coronation of our Queen, Te Arikinui, \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000726\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000727\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe are a 31-year settled Treaty settlement iwi for us in Waikato-Tainui, and we know of the many olds who sacrificed blood, sweat, and tears to get a Treaty settlement over the line; to see, 31 years later, you, and also different iwi throughout the motu, come to your first Treaty settlement reading here today, \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000728\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000729\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b27d8609c612411686d517d0f9b09b28\u0022 data-id=\u00223c2629b05a5c3caab2cf7518edcacc0f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000730\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b27d8609c612411686d517d0f9b09b28\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00223c2629b05a5c3caab2cf7518edcacc0f\u0022\u003EDAVID MacLEOD (National\u2014New Plymouth) (20:02)\u003C/span\u003E: \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003ET\u0113n\u0101 koe e te P\u012Bka.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000731\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000732\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000733\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI proudly stand here as an uri of Ng\u0101ti Mutunga, myself. It was a blessing for me to be able to have the journey over there just recently for your signing\u2014my first time to Wharekauri. Although the Hon Tama Potaka talks perhaps of the weather that day, of being rather cold, and I see some of the people up in the audience that experience that coldness, it was indeed a privilege to finally get to Wharekauri and enjoy the hospitality and have a very short look around. I managed to get myself to Waitangi and have a look there, as well. It\u2019s pleasing to see that we\u2019ve got the first reading this evening, and, of course, in the next stage, the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee\u2014which I have the privilege of chairing, along with many of the members here on the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee\u2014will be, indeed, opening this up for submissions as the first step of our process as a select committee and we\u2019ll be doing that tomorrow, after we\u2019ve had this meeting. We want to get this on the road and get it going.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000734\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ETalking about on the road and h\u012Bkoi, some and my colleagues here, where we speak of Ng\u0101ti Mutunga and many understand Ng\u0101ti Mutunga of North Taranaki, and they\u2019re trying to get the connection. I\u2019ll probably do a poor job with this, and I know that possibly Jamie and Dion might pick up my history, here, but I wanted to talk a little bit about the h\u012Bkoi of getting across to the Chathams of Wharekauri. Of course, it started in North Taranaki and it was actually Hana\u2019s ancestors that started the journey off; Waikato-Tainui, Maniapoto. It was actually\u2014many people don\u2019t realise, but Ng\u0101ti Toa had a famous rangatira who had the famous haka Ka Mate, Ka Mate\u2014Te Rauparaha. He was of Ng\u0101ti Toa, and they were basically moved out of their home at that time of Kawhia, down to North Taranaki. They actually lived with Ng\u0101ti Mutunga for about a year, there, and obviously grew some strong ties but the conquest which was Waikato-Tainui and others didn\u2019t stop there. It started to get a little bit risky, and they decided to journey on their way down, this way here; settled a little bit of time on the K\u0101piti Coast. Ng\u0101ti Mutunga obviously settled down here on the shores of P\u014Dneke Wellington, and the conquest didn\u2019t stop. It was back in the days where there was lots of conquest, the Musket Wars. Once the M\u0101ori got the muskets, it was all on at that particular point in time. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000735\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENg\u0101ti Mutunga jumped on a ship called the \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003ERodney, \u003C/span\u003EI believe it was, and that was back in 1838\u2014[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EInterjection from the gallery\u003C/span\u003E]\u201435, thank you; before the Treaty of Waitangi was signed, and they went out there. Another fact is a lot of people don\u2019t realise that the Chatham Islands wasn\u2019t actually officially part of New Zealand at the time of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. It wasn\u2019t until 1842 that it got annexed, along with the Auckland Islands, as well, which is all part of the history with Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri. It\u2019s got quite some history, there, with regards to how Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri got all the way out to the islands out there. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000736\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EOf course, there is interesting history on Wharekauri itself, and tomorrow, as you will know, we\u2019ve also got another bill that we\u2019ll be talking to, which is the redress bill with Moriori and yourselves, also, so we look forward to having the first reading of that and bringing it to our select committee to open it up. So just a little bit of a history, all the way from North Taranaki and all the way out to the islands there. Just reading some of the history: one other little matter I\u2019ll try and get in my time that I\u2019ve got here: it was talking about the medical centre that wasn\u2019t actually achieved after a request for it; it took 50 years for it to arrive. The first doctor was a person by the name of Dr George Redpath. The second doctor was Dr Edward P\u014Dhau Ellison, and that was my grandfather, so I have a connection there as well. With that, I commend the bill to the House. Thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022 data-id=\u0022bfc13ae07afefb4b63f1249f9f11d639\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000737\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022bfc13ae07afefb4b63f1249f9f11d639\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON (Labour) (20:07)\u003C/span\u003E: Kia ora, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000738\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000739\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000740\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWell, it\u2019s a fascinating history, isn\u2019t it? Fascinating history; I\u2019m Ng\u0101ti Mutunga, too, Mr MacLeod, as you well know, and you all know the history, you heard it all. Everybody\u2019s been reading it out, but I don\u2019t think people can quite get their heads around it, eh? Really, if you ever think about it\u2014you take a step back and you think, how does this work? Jamie Tuuta\u2019s got it all down, you know, because he works it all out, but I mean\u2014because people look at who\u2019s the coloniser and how long were the Morioris there? Are we all related? Did you go down and knock off the Morioris? Yes, you did, and they were there 400 years, but then we\u2019ve got \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003Etake raupatu\u003C/span\u003E and all that, which I told you I totally support. We support all of that, but it\u2019s a complex sort of thing, because we know that the Crown ripped us off but then we\u2019ve got the whole coming together of the two groups on the island. And now you\u2019re related anyway, aren\u2019t you, Jamie? So everybody\u2019s tied into everyone anyway.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000741\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI just think when you sit back and you look at this, this is a fascinating story and we\u2019ve seen the challenges from the Moriori in the courts, quite rightly so. We\u2019ve seen the defence from the relations and I think that\u2019s quite right, too. I think we\u2019re not far off coming together, I think; I really do. I\u2019ve followed this for many, many years, so that redress kaupapa tomorrow is going to be good in terms of \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003Ewhakakotahi motukaupapa\u003C/span\u003E. From our side, and I should say Mutunga\u2019s side, we have absolute rights because the Crown has breached the rights of our people without a doubt, in terms of the way they annexed stuff, the way they never provided support, and the way they just left our people down there.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000742\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThen the other side, if we\u2019re being fair, is saying, well, the whole argument about who really has tino rangatiratanga\u2014it\u2019s a heck of a bloody question, isn\u2019t it? It\u2019s a heck of a blood good question. Who has the tino rangatiratanga in terms of the Chathams? It\u2019s almost like a Palestine question, isn\u2019t it, if you really want to analyse it. I like it in terms of as I\u2019ve watched through the years, and I\u2019ve only been over there once. I went over with Ronnie Mark, who took me over there, and we went to the last M\u0101ori Battalion\u2019s h\u0101ng\u012B down there. It was a beautiful time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000743\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve known the wh\u0101nau, all the different wh\u0101nau there, grew up with the Solomons in South Auckland, been a mate of Maui Solomon. I don\u2019t know if he\u2019s any of your\u2014is he your mate, Maui, Jonah? Probably not. I\u2019m sure he is\u2014I\u2019m sure he is.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000744\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis history is incredibly important, because it\u2019s about our life, it\u2019s about our history in terms of this country, it\u2019s about \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003Etake raupatu\u003C/span\u003E, it\u2019s about tino rangatiratanga, it\u2019s about the rights of Moriori, it\u2019s about the rights of M\u0101ori, and then the Crown comes in and mucks things up. Then the Crown, on the other side, is trying, in its own way, to fix things up\u2014mucking up along the way, but slowly, slowly getting there in terms of the type of redress that\u2019s put in place for Moriori and for Ng\u0101ti Mutunga. I\u2019m pleased that we\u2019ve been able to go down that track and address and give compensation to both sides, but the biggest challenge, I think, with this kaupapa will be how the two groups come together, how we traverse that, how we manage that for all the mokopuna, and how the Crown operates in the years to come. Good luck to all of us. \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003EKia ora an\u014D t\u0101tou katoa\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022cf22a832d14a4c99ab5dfd16e24446e5\u0022 data-id=\u00228e8b5b2b0320436604e1aa6926564a7d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000745\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cf22a832d14a4c99ab5dfd16e24446e5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00228e8b5b2b0320436604e1aa6926564a7d\u0022\u003ERIMA NAKHLE (National\u2014Takanini) (20:12)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I rise in support of the Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri Claims Settlement Bill in its first reading. It\u2019s so interesting how we all know M\u0101ori until we\u2019re in front of a lot of M\u0101ori, and then we just freeze up, but anyway.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000746\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s been an interesting read, and I say this often: I was born and raised in Australia, a Lebanese wahine from Australia, so I\u2019m continuously learning about the nuggets of history of New Zealand. Reading about the history for the Chatham Islands\u2014before I knew about the history, I just knew many years ago, before I met my husband, for some reason I was drawn to the Chatham Islands. I just always used to think I just wanted to go to the Chatham Islands, maybe when I\u2019m 47 or 50\u2014that\u2019s a few years away. Now that I\u2019m here in New Zealand, I feel it coming soon, that I\u2019m going to go visit your beautiful rohe.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000747\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI must be honest, as I always am, that I was a little bit confronted when I was reading the history. I started thinking, as one does, and basically I came to the bottom line where two wrongs don\u2019t make a right. There\u2019s been wrongs in the history, and the beauty of settlement treaties is that, as my colleague said earlier to me today, settlement treaty bills just really put a spotlight on this for everyone to learn more and actually to go out into our communities and share what we\u2019ve learnt and why settlement bills are very important. I\u2019m looking forward, as well, to tomorrow\u2019s reading of the redress bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000748\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhen I come back to two wrongs don\u2019t make a right, we all have our dark spots in our histories, but with you there\u2019s some pretty deep dark spots. When we talk about, as we\u2019ve been hearing, the annexation, and we talk about the fact that the Crown used your land to detain prisoners of war without trial, when we talk about decades of taking taxes from your hard-working ancestors but they didn\u2019t even have the right to vote\u2014it\u2019s pretty sick thinking about it, actually. There\u2019s not even a secondary school there\u2014there wasn\u2019t for so long, and there still isn\u2019t, but that\u2019s OK, we can work on that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000749\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAlso, as our colleague Steve Abel said, something that I really struggle with since moving to New Zealand and learning about this type of history from my beautiful friend whaea Anne Kendall is the M\u0101ori language being forced out of you at school, getting in trouble for speaking that beautiful native tongue. These are points of the history that cut deep, and so I\u2019m glad that these wrongs are being addressed with this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000750\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EFor those of you that are not parliamentary nerds like some of the people in front of me, we\u2019re finishing Parliament tomorrow. We\u2019re going into an election. Us on the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee, we don\u2019t know (1) if we\u2019ll be back to Parliament, but (2) if we are back, if we\u2019ll have the honour and the privilege of being on the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee again. I\u2019ve loved it so far, and even if I\u2019m not, I will be following the public submissions, because I think it\u2019s important to put those pieces of the puzzle together in my mind, so I look forward to that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000751\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThank you for coming all the way. I\u2019ve heard about your hospitality; it seems like we\u2019re in competition\u2014the Chatham Island people and the Lebanese\u2014but we\u2019ll see about that when I go there. But I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll win, you\u2019ll beat me. Thank you very much. I\u2019m looking forward to smoothing of some waters as we progress on these bills. God bless you all and I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227f988bc72b5e47b8856ba70e41dfbbaf\u0022 data-id=\u00224ea4623152712e5e42e77d74d2b54b67\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000752\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227f988bc72b5e47b8856ba70e41dfbbaf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224ea4623152712e5e42e77d74d2b54b67\u0022\u003EGEORGIE DANSEY (Labour) (20:16)\u003C/span\u003E:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000753\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000754\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000755\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI rise on behalf of the Labour Party to speak in support of the Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri Claims Settlement Bill. At its heart, this bill is about acknowledging history, acknowledging wrongs, and creating a pathway for a better relationship between Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri and the Crown. I want to, firstly, acknowledge the iwi, hap\u016B, and wh\u0101nau who have come today and the relevance of this day and this reading to all of your wh\u0101nau, to the rangatira and the rangatahi and the tamariki, and how much influence this has probably already had and will come, and will have in, hopefully, decades to come.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000756\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI sit on the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee, so it\u2019s been a great privilege to be able to work through and learn more about a few iwi who we have had the privilege of working through their claims settlement bills. One of the things that always strikes me is the discussions and the k\u014Drero that comes from the iwi about those that have passed and the reflection on the hard mahi that has already been done before this point, and many people who have contributed to get to this point who not be here with us today, so I want to acknowledge those who are no longer with us from your iwi, your wh\u0101nau, who have made a contribution to this. I know there will be many, many people who have worked very, very hard over many generations to get to the point we are now.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000757\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe know that the journey to a settlement is a long journey. The Crown recognised the mandate of Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri Iwi Trust in 2016, and the terms of negotiation were signed in 2016. An agreement in principle was reached in November 2022. The deed of settlement was initialled in December 2025 and ratified on 17 August this year. So, already, it has been a long process getting this bill through, and I am very pleased that we are able to hear the first reading on this side of the parliamentary term. As colleagues have mentioned, Parliament rises tomorrow. Does Parliament rise tomorrow or do we just finish the parliamentary term tomorrow? I can\u2019t remember the exact term, but we finish in Parliament tomorrow, so this will be heard for the second reading when the new Parliament comes together, but I\u2019m very, very pleased that we\u2019re able to get to this point, and I know that you\u2019ve travelled a long way here today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000758\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI was regretful to not be able to come to the Chatham Islands on the recent visit, but I saw all of the amazing photos, I saw everyone rugged up in their warm clothes, and I hope that I can make it in the future.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000759\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI think one of the important parts of any settlement bill\u2014and I\u2019m going to give credit to my colleague from the Greens, Steve Abel, because he gave me this little bundle of information that has formed quite an important part of my understanding of the Treaty settlements\u2014is that these Treaty settlements give that opportunity to write the wrongs of the past and the wrongs of the Crown into law, into our legislation, and it becomes part of New Zealand legislation. I think that\u2019s a really important part of this. Although we know that the wrongs of the past can never be rectified, can never be resolved, that the impacts that they have had for generations are long-lasting and no settlement bill can address that, I think that having it written into legislation is a really important step for us to acknowledge what has gone on and to look towards the future for your iwi. All the very best as you carry on this journey for your people and your whenua. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227ef423fda7b143b890e93f8018529ebe\u0022 data-id=\u0022ef3572256ac2ed079fa73efdb379bb17\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000760\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227ef423fda7b143b890e93f8018529ebe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ef3572256ac2ed079fa73efdb379bb17\u0022\u003EGREG FLEMING (National\u2014Maungakiekie) (20:21)\u003C/span\u003E:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000761\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000762\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000763\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000764\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBill read a first time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000765\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022874de998a8a4d8728bdc78229311df98\u0022\u003EReferral to Select Committee\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022c4943fd1cf914de0befcb7a16280f910\u0022 data-id=\u0022e7ca838086868dd6c2808512e691fbee\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000766\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c4943fd1cf914de0befcb7a16280f910\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e7ca838086868dd6c2808512e691fbee\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u0027Connor) (20:23)\u003C/span\u003E: The question is, \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EThat the Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri Claims Settlement Bill be considered by the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000767\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000768\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBill referred to the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000769\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c4943fd1cf914de0befcb7a16280f910\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002280754158a23426a7365a0d623d397e7e\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u0027Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: I now turn to the guests in the gallery. I understand you have a waiata.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000770\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EWaiat\u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003Ea\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000771\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00222ce708d813e1877b307d602a9e6e29f9\u0022\u003ENatural Environment Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000772\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00221c3f5dd1172f0691edc8584c045c7888\u0022\u003EThird Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000773\u0022\u003EDebate resumed.\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000774\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c4943fd1cf914de0befcb7a16280f910\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002255da863942153c8abafff4b3c76dc06e\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u0027Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Members, before we paused for the Hon Brooke van Velden\u2019s valedictory statement, the House was debating the third reading of the Natural Environment Bill. That debate is resumed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002203a9a78995df41d999aa5550770febd3\u0022 data-id=\u00224b11c50eed9c987a6cfa0ce4037f3bcb\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000775\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002203a9a78995df41d999aa5550770febd3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224b11c50eed9c987a6cfa0ce4037f3bcb\u0022\u003ELAN PHAM (Green) (20:26)\u003C/span\u003E: T\u0113n\u0101 koe, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000776\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c4943fd1cf914de0befcb7a16280f910\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226322299b89caecd1520d44f5853af29c\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u0027Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: Just hold on one second. I\u2019d just hold the camera; we\u2019ll just wait until the\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000777\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002203a9a78995df41d999aa5550770febd3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002261387db17f626ece5eef97172b8e0ce7\u0022\u003ELAN PHAM\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I want to start by acknowledging Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri as they leave. I also want to acknowledge the great words that were shared across the House tonight, but I really struggle to marry those words, particularly from Government members across the aisle, with the bills that they are pushing through today, because we saw the same thing happen with the last-minute amendments that came in at the last minute under these bills where, on one hand, they are claiming to uphold the rights and Treaty obligations of Te Ture Whaimana, and then, on the other hand, they\u2019re putting through other last-minute amendments that completely kibosh years and years of community planning, of iwi and hap\u016B desires, to actually set rules and limits that may protect our environment and, particularly when it comes to water quality in the Waikato, offer solutions for Te Ture Whaimana to actually be upheld.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000778\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhen you put this together with the Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill, which we\u2019re speaking to today, it does not add up. It doesn\u2019t add up because iwi M\u0101ori made it so clear across these submissions that they opposed these bills, that they would, and I quote, \u201Ceviscerate Crown M\u0101ori relations\u201D. And yet, the bills are going through even worse than they were when they were first tabled by the Government; even worse after the select committee process where we know that all the solutions were put on the table. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000779\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis is a historic moment in time. It\u2019s historic because we\u2019ve had this Resource Management Act in place for 35 years, and these bills are not the learnings and the understanding and the m\u0101tauranga and the experience that we\u2019ve taken from those 35 years. They\u2019re an absolute assault on the environment, and that is hugely concerning, because all the decline that we\u2019ve seen across biodiversity, across our oceans, our forests, our rivers, our lakes, has primarily happened over that time, and it\u2019s happened with environmental limits and protections that have actually been in place. Now, under these bills, we\u2019re moving into this new era where environmental protections are, essentially, meaningless.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000780\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis Government has been absolutely relentless this entire term with their attacks on nature, and we\u2019ve heard the Minister describe those bills and the Government\u2019s work in the environmental space just tonight as \u201Cprogress\u201D. We\u2019ve seen the disestablishment of the Ministry for the Environment, a dedicated voice that has been at the heart of government for 40 years\u2014not only disestablished but merged into this mega-ministry where the primary purpose is growth and development. We\u2019ve had crippling cuts across the environmental sector with agencies like the Department of Conservation, we\u2019ve had the Climate Change Commission, we\u2019ve had the Environmental Protection Authority, and job losses and cuts across the science sector.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000781\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn the build-up to these new bills, we\u2019ve had resource management changes and amendment after amendment that have done things like make it easier to mine around significant natural areas and wetlands; to kill wildlife where they stand in the way of development; and fast-tracking coal, gold, and sea-bed mining through the resurrection of zombie projects under fast track that communities had already consigned to the waste bin because they were so significantly harmful for both the health of people and the health of environment. Just taking one of those examples of the projects that are contemplated under fast track, we have the most potentially damaging one on the Denniston Plateau, with a new open coal mine contemplated there. The emissions from that one mine would be equal to the net emissions of New Zealand\u2019s annual fossil fuel emissions. This is the scale we\u2019re talking about.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000782\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EOf all of those things that the Government has done, these bills are actually the worst. They\u2019re the worst because this isn\u2019t just talking about places like our conservation land. This is about our everyday environment where people live and work and need and rely on the environment for clean drinking water; for rivers, lakes, or beaches that they can actually swim in without fear of getting sick; for oceans that actually support healthy ocean life and allow communities and future generations to actually head down to their local spot and grab a feed for their wh\u0101nau. These are the things that are going to be increasingly far away for everyday New Zealanders and, certainly, for younger and future generations. These bills are embedding a dysfunctional system where climate denialism and environmental destruction is at the core of what they allow. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000783\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, that\u2019s all hugely depressing, but the reason why I\u2019m not hugely depressed about that is because we had this immense weight of submissions, of experience, of understanding, of m\u0101tauranga, from people across sectors. It was iwi and hap\u016B, it was developers, it was farmers, it was public health experts. They have the solutions for what a functional system could actually be. That is all entirely possible if we have a Government who actually prioritises these things\u2014if we had a Government that actually decided to stand with the tens of thousands of New Zealanders that showed up in T\u0101maki-makau-rau just over the weekend to march to say they want to see conservation land protected, and the hundreds of thousands of people who used their voices to actually submit and help others understand how damaging this Government has been across all of these bills that I\u2019ve been mentioning tonight.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000784\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThey understand that this Government is failing in their duty of care. They want to see a Government of any political stripe protect the environment and set us on a course of certainty and direction, where environmental destruction and exploitation is not the way we\u2019re going. This is simply common-sense stuff. This Government is going to understand that come 7 November, it may be the case that nature itself does not have a voice, but who certainly does is voters, and voters are seeing what is happening to this country and the vested-interest lobbying from industry that are getting their polluting and exploitation wish-lists put directly into legislation and then it\u2019s claimed that this is some kind of balance\u2014that this is some kind of balance of the environment and the economy. That is absolute bollocks. The environment is being taken for granted in every twist and turn of this dysfunctional legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000785\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe absolutely oppose both the Natural Environment Bill and the Planning Bill, and we absolutely stand with New Zealanders to say not only is there a better way but in the next few weeks, it\u2019s coming. It\u2019s one where we prioritise the health of our people and the health of our environment. It\u2019s what every New Zealander wants to see, and to vote for the Greens with a green heart at the centre of this next Government is a clear pathway towards that. That\u2019s what we want to see. We absolutely oppose these bills.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00220838e5f9bac748d2a59aea595e5226a0\u0022 data-id=\u00225dbe55cb3d6c9cce213931db64ec3abb\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000786\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220838e5f9bac748d2a59aea595e5226a0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00225dbe55cb3d6c9cce213931db64ec3abb\u0022\u003ESIMON COURT (ACT) (20:36)\u003C/span\u003E: ACT supports the Natural Environment Bill through its third reading. This bill represents a fundamental change in how New Zealand manages the natural environment. For 35 years, the Resource Management Act (RMA) forced land use, infrastructure, environmental protection, climate policy, and fisheries questions through one sprawling statute. The result was duplication, delay, and the same arguments being relitigated through plans and consents.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000787\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis bill, alongside the Planning Bill, separates different jobs into dedicated statutes, which both follow a clear funnel architecture. It also stops environmental law duplicating the Climate Change Response Act, which already regulates the adverse climate effects of greenhouse gas emissions, and the Fisheries Act, which already controls the effects of fishing within the coastal marine area. The old approach of effects management for its own sake is out.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000788\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe new system is outcomes based. The focus is on achieving its goals\u2014subject to the funnel, of course\u2014not driving effects to zero or near zero, as per RMA practice. These goals enable resource use while requiring environmental imperatives, including safeguarding life, supporting capacity, enhancing the natural environment, and protecting significant indigenous biodiversity. This bill provides the tools to deliver those imperatives. It puts clear limits around the use of shared natural resources, while requiring decisions to be practical and proportionate. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000789\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EEnvironmental limits are at the heart of this bill. They will establish clear expectations for ecosystem and human health so that people know what they are working to. But a sensible limit cannot be an abstract aspiration divorced from the place, the science, or the people that have to live with it. The National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 demonstrates why. To reach those targets, modelling predicts the need for complete removal of pastoral dry-stock farming from Tukituki and its conversion to exotic forestry\u2014around 170,000 hectares of land-use change. That is not a credible or durable pathway for a farming community. Science must inform choices, but science does not itself decide the limit or the level at which a limit should be set. That inevitably involves judgments and trade-offs. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000790\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe bill therefore requires consideration of natural processes and levels, the current state of the environment, and costs and benefits of establishing a limit, including environmental, economic, and social impacts. That is reinforced by the removal of the term \u201Cwithin limits\u201D from the use and development goal, which avoids an unintended hierarchy, and by the removal of the precautionary principle in favour of proportionality. Once the new system comes in, limits will bite immediately. Councils must act to avoid breaches and otherwise prepare action plans to manage resource use back within limits. But the bill does not pretend every catchment is pristine or can be restored overnight. Where time is needed, credible pathways can include target dates and interim limits.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000791\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe bill also doesn\u2019t pretend nationally imported resources can simply be moved. We do not choose where the aggregate is; we do not choose where the wind blows or where our best soils lie. Limits may not always accommodate access to such resources where they are, but the likes of roads, electricity, and food production depend on them. That is why the bill provides a tightly bounded national standard pathway through a limit where there is a net public benefit.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000792\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ESensible environmental management also means having the right tools for the right jobs. Intervention should be graduated. We shouldn\u2019t try to crack nuts with sledgehammers, like the Resource Management Act (RMA) does. That is why resource caps remain available to councils but are no longer treated as the default tool. Natural systems are often complex, but resource caps are useful only where there is a clear relationship between the measurable resource use and the environmental limit. That is why this bill also rejects a rigid effects hierarchy. The response should fit the actual risk. National standards will codify common practices such as drain maintenance and gravel extraction, instead of reinventing them permit by permit.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000793\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ESimplified freshwater farm plans will be another central tool. Minister Hoggard has made vast improvements to the farm planning system, including a recent change through this bill focusing certification on the higher-risk parts of the farm. More restrictive tools including land-use controls should be reserved for where more proportionate approaches cannot deliver.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000794\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EPermits will remain where genuinely needed. A water take might be a good case, but compared with the RMA, the bill narrows the effects that will be considered, raises the notification thresholds, and concentrates participation of people who are materially affected, making remaining permits easier and faster to obtain. That does not mean shutting people out; it means making the major choices once, upfront, and not reopening the same arguments permit by permit\u2014that is the system\u2019s funnel architecture at play.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000795\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ERules alone will not change the culture affecting the current system. Regulators must also be held accountable. The Planning Tribunal gives people a practical way to challenge regulatory overreach. Regulatory relief requires councils to recognise when rules, including indigenous biodiversity controls, impose significant restrictions on the use of private land for a public benefit. It disciplines councils by making the cost of regulation real to the decision maker, and restores fairness by ensuring that genuinely valuable public benefits are not secured at an individual\u2019s expense. This is supported by another practical change: replacing the goal of \u201Cno net loss of\u201D with protecting significant indigenous biodiversity. This addresses submitter concerns around workability between no net loss, biodiversity limits, and regulatory relief.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000796\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThere is far more in this bill than 10 minutes can cover. The parliamentary process has delivered great improvements. As one example, there is now a new goal of supporting and enabling environmental enhancement. Implementation is now critical: Budget 2026 invests $294 million over four years to support implementation, including critical data and digital modernisation. The period to make new instruments as part of the transition has been extended from 30 to 39 months, giving councils more time to do the job properly. But New Zealanders will see the benefits much sooner. One month after Royal assent, several transitional changes will apply, including a narrowing of effects that councils may consider, and a requirement for more proportionate and pragmatic decisions. Illustrative national policy direction is already out for feedback, initial national standards will follow, and the Planning Tribunal will begin operating in 2027, giving people a faster route to challenge poor regulatory decisions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000797\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI\u2019d like to thank some of the people involved in delivering this legislation and the Planning Bill, which I spoke on earlier: Minister Bishop and the staff in his office, and in my office, who have been relentless in interrogating the provisions of the legislation to make sure it delivers on the coalition commitment; officials from the Ministry for the Environment, now the Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions, and Transport, and the private secretaries who have worked in my office and supported my work; the Parliamentary Counsel Office, who worked tirelessly to produce legislation from the introduction, and helped improve it along the way; the expert advisory group, who contributed their specialist knowledge to a problem that required more than one or two people on our ideas about improving what the resource management system could possibly deliver. I thank the urban economists from the urban land management group, and everyone who contributed to improving the bills through submissions, and, yes, advocacy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000798\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand needs environmental protection that is clear and proportionate, a system that respect landowners, recognises who carries the cost, and a system that gives investors confidence. This bill provides for limits that matter, proportionate rules and conditions, and holds regulators to account. It protects what is significant while allowing New Zealanders to farm, build, generate energy, and produce the exports that pay our way. It will help unlock New Zealand\u2019s potential like nothing else that this Government has done this term. ACT supports it, and I commend it to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000799\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022c4943fd1cf914de0befcb7a16280f910\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227bbd9b23d5cfcf9b5fd788f485db149b\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O\u0027Connor)\u003C/span\u003E: For my final time calling a member from the floor, the Hon Mark Patterson.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002211e9e1f818754d97b60bba4b18e5dc03\u0022 data-id=\u002248d56b77fa57aa114b3cb66cdda45d71\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000800\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002211e9e1f818754d97b60bba4b18e5dc03\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002248d56b77fa57aa114b3cb66cdda45d71\u0022\u003EHon MARK PATTERSON (Minister for Rural Communities) (20:46)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you. I rise on behalf of New Zealand First to support this Natural Environment Bill. This is a great day for our primary sector and rural communities. [\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EApplause for Greg O\u2019Connor as he exits the Chamber\u003C/span\u003E] Thank you; appreciate it! It is a great day for our primary sector and rural communities, and it\u2019s great to see the Green Party acknowledging that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000801\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EToday is a day when the noose of red and green tape has been removed from the throats of our farmers and growers. It is a day to celebrate for our miners, our quarriers, those seeking to establish aquaculture projects, our forestry people\u2014the doers that drive this economy. It is a day when pragmatic, proportionate, and, most importantly, effective and risk-based environmental planning rules are passed into law.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000802\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis is part of New Zealand First\u2019s coalition agreement with National, and also part of an agreement between the ACT Party and New Zealand First to reform our resource management planning system. This has been our collective mission. We haven\u2019t always agreed on everything, but we absolutely agreed on this, and I commend Minister Bishop and Under-Secretary Court for their Herculean effort in shepherding this bill through this place. I\u2019d like to commend Catherine Wedd and the Environment Committee. This has been a substantive deliberation, and I say well done to the team. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000803\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBut make no mistake: New Zealand First has provided backbone to ensure that these changes delivered on our collective mandate. We are unapologetically a pro-industry party. Our planning laws are constipated. Well-meaning reforms, 35 years ago, have metastasised into a bureaucratic behemoth. Frustrations have boiled over. There were tractors in the streets up and down this country. That is the system we inherited. I recall being summonsed to a meeting of farmers in Ashburton. There were about 20 farmers that turned up. Each of them read out a written account of their experience. There was mind-numbing detail of information required, going back, sometimes, well over a decade. There was an opaque process, with the timeline stretching into years, and eye-watering expenses into the tens and sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars. With the need for consultants, they could see no way through. I had grown men and women in tears of exasperation, just to roll over a status quo water consent. They aren\u2019t environmental vandals. They were well aware of their environmental stewardship responsibilities. They belong to catchment groups; they employed precision agriculture; but they were asked to comply with impossible standards of water quality at a lower rate than the natural state of the water coming out of the hills.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000804\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThese are stories that were replicated up and down this country. What we are bringing in today is a clearer set of rules. This will mean nearly 50 percent less need for resource consenting. There will be more reliance on environmental farm plans, pragmatic tools to manage farming practices, and nutrient management. We are explicitly enabling the primary production and economic benefit within the purpose of this bill, adding much-needed balance, and we will be restoring property rights. No more can council officials come on to your farm and, essentially, confiscate the right for use.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000805\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand First, through this process, has been pleased that we have removed the market allocation mechanism for nutrients and water. I did signal in our first reading speech that we had real concerns over that. Where that\u2019s been used overseas, that is sometimes with disastrous results, so it\u2019s good, through that process, that we have removed those mechanisms. Water management should be less about allocating a scarce resource and more about storing water and harvesting at times of plenty. That is how we deal with water management, and this bill will assist with that too.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000806\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThere is, of course, a lot more to do\u2014the national directions, the limit-setting, the detail that sits below this huge bill. This is merely the framework, actually, for what the on-the-ground effects will be. We were sent here to fix the Resource Management Act. Today, we have delivered on that promise. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000807\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f1bf41d9654f5b52e0baa7e820d8d79e\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: This call is a split call\u2014Oriini Kaipara.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00223b11bafcf5b5427480393ffeef4fe6e8\u0022 data-id=\u0022f8f80ac21985b55183933d3eb64a8b56\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000808\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223b11bafcf5b5427480393ffeef4fe6e8\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022f8f80ac21985b55183933d3eb64a8b56\u0022\u003EORIINI KAIPARA (Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori\u2014T\u0101maki Makaurau) (20:52)\u003C/span\u003E: Tonight, I carry with me into this House the story of my tipuna Wairaka, daughter of Toroa, chieftainess of Ng\u0101ti Awa, and the woman who saved the Mataatua waka. When the waka began drifting out to sea, custom\u2014tikanga\u2014forbade her from reaching out to the hoe, but Wairaka saw the danger. She understood what was at stake and what would be lost, and she acted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000809\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000810\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000811\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EFrom that act of courage came the name for Whakat\u0101ne. Now, I don\u2019t claim her feat as my own, but I carry the same responsibility she carried as her uri. When the waka is drifting towards danger, we cannot sit back in silence and just watch.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000812\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EToday, the waka is our taiao, and this Government is taking a toki to it. A toki has immense power.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000813\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000814\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000815\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn the hands of a kaiwhakairo, it can reveal whakapapa. A toki can shape a waka and can build something that will carry generations; but in careless hands, that same toki can destroy in minutes what took centuries to grow. This Government has chosen destruction. It\u2019s taken the toki to Te Tiriti. It\u2019s taken the toki to local decision-making and the authority of mana whenua. It\u2019s taken the toki to m\u0101tauranga, to te reo rangatira, and to tikanga, and, now, it\u2019s taking the toki to the laws that protect our ngahere, our wai, our moana, our w\u0101hi tapu, and indigenous biodiversity.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000816\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe bill says it doesn\u2019t extinguish customary rights in freshwater or geothermal resources, but it doesn\u2019t also recognise ownership, settle allocation, or answer the findings of the Waitangi Tribunal. The greatest travesty of this once-in-a-generation reform is the Government\u2019s taking of the toki to axe Mana Whakahono \u0101 Rohe arrangements. They cherry-picked select partnerships from yesterday while denying partnership to all M\u0101ori tomorrow. That\u2019s a toki straight to the neck of every kaitiaki ever born yesterday in our past, present, and future. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000817\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000818\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000819\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWho are we becoming? Kaitiakitanga isn\u2019t a decorative M\u0101ori word to place in a strategy; it\u2019s an inherited responsibility, a duty carried first and foremost by hap\u016B. Hap\u016B shouldn\u2019t need permission from another structure to exercise their mana over their whenua, over their awa, and their w\u0101hi tapu. Kaitiakitanga doesn\u2019t disappear just because this Government refuses to write it into the law. It lives in every hap\u016B restoring an awa, every wh\u0101nau planting a r\u0101kau to grow a ngahere, every community fighting pollution, and every rangatahi demanding a future that they can breathe, swim, and thrive in. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000820\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ETe P\u0101ti M\u0101ori warns that there is a new form of raupatu in the 21\u003Csup\u003Est\u003C/sup\u003E century, not only the taking of whenua but the transfer of authority over whenua from hap\u016B and communities to Ministers and private interests. As the election approaches, let this message bring us all back to the waka that was constructed for every person who belongs to Aotearoa. Candidates and political parties come and go, and if you cannot bring yourself, M\u0101ori m\u0101 o Aotearoa, to vote for either a candidate or a political party, then vote for what you love. Vote for your awa. Vote for your maunga. You vote for your moana. You vote for the stream where your tamariki play. You vote for the ngahere that holds our history, that shelters our living world, and that carries the promise of our future. Vote as if their survival depends on it, because it does. Wairaka did not wait for permission to save our waka. Neither should we. Let your votes become \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000821\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000822\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000823\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003Ethe instruments of restoration. Change the hands that hold power. Change this Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000824\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000825\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002233a8db41ad0c4278b7eb829406824bb5\u0022 data-id=\u00221b73d0bf43486cd31dcfe3f212892073\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000826\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002233a8db41ad0c4278b7eb829406824bb5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00221b73d0bf43486cd31dcfe3f212892073\u0022\u003ESTEVE ABEL (Green) (20:57)\u003C/span\u003E: Kia ora, Madam Speaker. There are so many things wrong with this bill. It is the overarching law to manage the environment that you would expect from a Government that is the most anti-environmental Government in a generation. This is the Government that declared war on nature. On the penultimate day of this parliamentary term, it passes its Natural Environment Bill. The philosophy of this bill does not countenance protection of nature for its intrinsic values. It does not build on the generations of those who have fought to protect our biodiversity and who have tirelessly struggled to bring back numerous taonga species from the brink of extinction and, to this day, continuing that struggle. For that is our duty.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000827\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMy colleague Oriini Kaipara talks about the responsibility of M\u0101ori as kaitiaki. We all are responsible in our duty as guardians of the species with which we share this planet in our generation. It is our generation of every human in this country and on this planet that is responsible for ensuring that we pass on the species with which we share this planet to future generations. Just as in the ancient myths of the Bible, when Noah included every species\u2014not just the humans but every species that crawled and slithered\u2014all of them belonged to be kept and protected. That was the duty imparted by God in that tradition.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000828\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI want to touch on but one momentous exclusion, which is consideration of the negative climate impacts. It seems amazing that in one of these clauses\u2014clause 15A\u2014it says that, in considering climate change effects, \u201CA person exercising or performing a function, power, or duty under this Act \u2026 (a) must not \u2026 consider any adverse effect on climate change of any greenhouse gas emission that will or may result from or be increased by the activity, whether directly or indirectly;\u201D. So climate change can\u2019t be considered. Sit with that for a minute. Climate change is not just the existential challenge of our generation. It is not merely the biggest threat to the global economy this century, threatening to demolish GDP in the coming 50 years. It is not merely the greatest threat to human health this century, bar none. It is not merely the greatest threat to food production, and the ability of us to feed ourselves globally. It is not only the greatest threat to infrastructure from extreme weather events. It is the greatest threat to the natural environment and biodiversity.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000829\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis clause alone damns this bill, for it is by this clause alone that this Government is complicit in allowing, facilitating, and intensifying the biggest threat to the natural environment that the bill purports to protect\u2014the very cradle of our existence. This is the most radically anti-environmental legislation that has been passed in this country, because of its extreme right-wing ideology, where the environment can only be saved if private property owners are paid to not destroy it. The commons is lost. Biodiversity and nature\u2014the basis of our existence on this earth\u2014are now in the realm of private property, owned by those who have the wealth and the means to own it, only saveable if the rest of society is prepared to pay the landowner to not destroy the biodiversity. It is such an inversion of the principle that we are in a collective project of life on this earth, and a collective project of humanity and society, for the good of all. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000830\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt is a victory for the far-right ideology, an inversion of that principle of life as a collective project. That is why I urge my fellow New Zealanders to damn this bill to the rubbish bin, along with this Government, on 7 November, when we will vote in a Government that will care for te taio, that will care for the climate, and will care for the people of this country. Kia ora koutou.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226c562dc86e974914b8878595e580f138\u0022 data-id=\u0022b7942df23e9f9f396debf6eaba2cfb6e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000831\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226c562dc86e974914b8878595e580f138\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b7942df23e9f9f396debf6eaba2cfb6e\u0022\u003ECATHERINE WEDD (National\u2014Tukituki) (21:02)\u003C/span\u003E: We will talk some common sense, and some facts, on this side of the House. I do rise with great excitement to support the Natural Environment Bill in this third reading. This Resource Management Act (RMA) reform protects the environment, while enabling economic development, and the two can actually go hand in hand together\u2014the environment and our economy; we can achieve both. For over 30 years, our farmers, our food producers, our builders, and many of our industries have wrestled with a broken RMA system. At our Environment Committee, we heard submission after submission which acknowledged it was a broken RMA system that needed reform. This is good reform. We heard during that process about the compliance costs, consenting delays, and so much red tape for our primary sector.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000832\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe Natural Environment Bill will draw a clear common-sense line between managing land use and infrastructure and protecting and enhancing our natural environments. As the MP for Tukituki, I see, every day, the broken RMA system every day holding our growers and our farmers back. Hawke\u2019s Bay is the fruit bowl of New Zealand, and we need a sensible resource management system that achieves a thriving agricultural economy and a healthy natural environment. Our orchards, our vineyards, our sheep and beef farms are the lifeblood of our regional economy. For decades, the RMA has treated food production like an activity to be restricted, rather than an essential national industry to be enabled and celebrated. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000833\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis bill finds that balance. It explicitly recognises that economic prosperity and environmental integrity must go hand in hand. The Natural Environment Bill establishes environmental limits. Environmental limits are at the heart of this bill. Under the old RMA regime, environmental management was bogged down by uncertainty and litigation. Applicants spent millions of dollars on lawyers and planning consultants, arguing over discretionary consent conditions, while actual environmental outcomes remained uncertain. The Natural Environment Bill changes this by establishing a robust framework for environmental limits and human health safeguards across air, fresh water, coastal waters, and soil. Environmental limits will be tailored to regional realities through clear management. Where environmental thresholds are met, compliance activities can proceed without requiring complex, expensive consent applications. Where limits are at risk, councils and catchments will have the tools to address it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000834\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EDuring our select committee hearings, we heard extensive feedback from farmers, growers, regional councils, and catchment groups regarding freshwater farm plans. Through the select committee, we have improved the farm-planning system to be more practical. Farm plans under this framework recognise that a hill-country sheep farm in the Ruahine Range operates under vastly different environmental conditions than an intensive dairy farm down in Canterbury, or an orchard on the Heretaunga Plains in Hastings. This empowers local farming communities to work together with catchment groups. Under the Natural Environment Bill, there is also a powerful shift towards expanding and allowing more permitted activities. This new resource management system is expected to save ratepayers and taxpayers over $13 billion, through reduced administrative and compliance costs. It will remove the need for up to 22,000 consents a year. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000835\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EFood and fibre exports are the backbone of our economy. Farmers and growers need certainty. They need common sense. They need a planning system that allows investment, allows them to innovate and grow, while continuing to be excellent stewards of the environment. This legislation strikes that balance. We are fixing the planning system that everyone knew was broken. We\u2019re cutting the red tape; we\u2019re reducing the delays; we\u2019re creating the conditions for more homes, more infrastructure, more renewable energy, and stronger economic growth. We also added a food and fibre goal, in clause 11(1)(a), to the goals in the new bill, which I think shows a real respect for our food production in New Zealand. We\u2019re a trading nation at the bottom of the world; we rely on our food production. The new RMA system will respect that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000836\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe heard from a lot of sectors during the RMA process\u2014from the electricity sector, agriculture, building, and construction\u2014and there was a clear message that we need certainty and we need to have more efficiency in our system, where we can see faster consenting. We can give some certainty to our agricultural sector and also respect our farmers and our growers to do what they do best, and that is grow the best produce in the world. I want to thank our wonderful Environment Committee for all their hard work. It\u2019s been a landmark piece of legislation that we\u2019ve navigated through, and we\u2019re really proud of this. I commend it to the House. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022 data-id=\u002249a1e94822f5bea9805636ee69a89e4d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000837\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002249a1e94822f5bea9805636ee69a89e4d\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON (Labour) (21:09)\u003C/span\u003E: We obviously oppose everything that\u2019s been said on the other side.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000838\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229d5b13d601794bb282d99453116ad395\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022985ad020707508a73ba64a86f05935ea\u0022\u003EHon Tama Potaka\u003C/span\u003E: Sad. Just sad.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000839\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c46178c92ffc02d48d3fb0cb6791e3fb\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: Do you agree with me, Tama Potaka? I\u2019m sure Tama Potaka does agree with me, because the way\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000840\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226b9c1d45985401f63566bae47152558c\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: This guy knows nothing about this topic, or any other!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000841\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022eb89120386cb7d38c8d3cda6414f737f\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, it\u2019s good to see Mr Seymour here, because he\u2019s been one of the main problems with this, because\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000842\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00221dce430d2bb654b4a9f6f25fa8d97f7e\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Tell us how.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000843\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022722e27e56767a3bf5d20af373f0ae65c\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: Well, because of your refusal, Mr Seymour, to acknowledge M\u0101ori rights, to acknowledge Treaty rights.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000844\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c48e9f275d48f3a9e745209a5c84f132\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: I acknowledge everybody\u2019s rights.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000845\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223fe933b6aeee2c5c65c2dcc20cf460d0\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: Because of your refusal, Mr Seymour, to acknowledge that there\u2019s a partnership in this country. You believe in you, thinking you know more than Lord Cooke.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000846\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ff2f799a304f879a4764701cbf4eb367\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Don\u2019t bring the Speaker into the debate.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000847\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224dbfd276f722665b8199b86f12e87790\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: My apologies, Madam Speaker\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000848\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022aa1b6f4c8e97c62b3cac4131172f1727\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: He should have learnt the rules by now.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000849\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002277d714f3b8ec1d8d5a69f283799de1ce\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: Mr Seymour thinks he knows more than Judge Cooke, more than Sian Elias, more than Jim Bolger\u2014who else is there?\u2014more than John Key, more than Jacinda Ardern, more than Andrew Little\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000850\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229aa6d41262facf9203eaac052620972e\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, that\u2019s the member\u2019s opinion; now we\u2019ll come back to the bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000851\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220f33aefa7022e866ebce939542a539cc\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: Oh no, but he\u2019s been asking me some questions. He\u2019s been behind this Resource Management Act reform, basically looking to reduce M\u0101ori rights and Treaty rights.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000852\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002268a620608269b838ef28f8c3e6cd2be6\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: M\u0101ori have the same rights as everybody.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000853\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227aefa9981959dda11b3a8014f1cd8ea2\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: No, no, you want to get rid of M\u0101ori and Treaty rights, and you don\u2019t want to acknowledge things. You\u2019re like\u2014Mr Seymour, Madam Speaker, is like those people who deny anyone landed on the moon; you know, those guys that go to the moon? David Seymour would deny that anyone landed on the moon. It doesn\u2019t matter what anyone says. It doesn\u2019t matter what judge, it doesn\u2019t matter what politician, whatever they say, only David Seymour and the ACT Party know! They are a disgrace to this Parliament, and I want to get that out on the last night.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000854\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c8ccaf3845a53c553bb535d593604f9f\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: And now, with eight minutes to go, we\u2019ll talk about the bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000855\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f165525d82abb3d8186f53d31d6d1d48\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: But I am!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000856\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c4db594ed26b500469ac4a40cf3df218\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: No, you\u2019ve just spent two minutes talking about Mr Seymour; now you can talk about the bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000857\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c053c73853f3d1069b5bce5a16b89730\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: He asked me a few questions. And I know that the ACT\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000858\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002295af73fff6980ac48dc3c3456d4075f3\u0022\u003EHon Member: \u003C/span\u003ESerjeant-at-Arms!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000859\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b3834b153a4837dd108a37abaf171321\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: Ha, ha! The reality is that this is David Seymour and the National Party bowing to their big polluter mates. We already know that. That\u2019s been said a number of times\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000860\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00227dff7a1ee7b93432cef1ee37d1832b72\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Point of order, Madam Speaker. [\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EInterruption\u003C/span\u003E]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000861\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022305ed0293071d2833137ed8f8edc4dbc\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019ve got a point of order, Mr Jackson. [\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EInterruption\u003C/span\u003E] Quiet during points of order, everybody\u2014except for the Hon David Seymour.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000862\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a1a7f71460acf4465ac2dec53b437936\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Every member of this House, no matter how experienced, no matter how adept, knows that you cannot reflect on a member\u2019s motivations as that member just has. He should withdraw and apologise, to uphold the standards of the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000863\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223d52ee4724d2b10031338d81bb1a02b2\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I will ask Mr Jackson to withdraw and apologise, because I did ask the member to focus on the bill; he continued to focus on the Hon David Seymour, and this is not what the topic of the bill is. If the member wishes to continue, he can withdraw and apologise to the Hon David Seymour, and then he can carry on with the bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000864\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e563e8415ba86be1565e1936529390fc\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: Jeez, that\u2019s a big ask, Madam Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000865\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fbbe33562828534921e22ff3db931fbe\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Well, it\u2019s up to the member. I can stop the speech now if he doesn\u2019t wish to do any more.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000866\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e57da066836a54802c770651ff99c9e1\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s big ask, but, for the sake of the kaupapa, and it\u2019s the second to last night here, I have no problems withdrawing and\u2014what am I withdrawing and apologising for? Could you just clarify that again?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000867\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002218e7b671366b97327c660645012912f7\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The comments that you made about the Hon David Seymour\u2019s beliefs and intentions\u2014some words like that. OK, back to the bill, Mr Jackson, otherwise I\u2019ll have to terminate your call, and I don\u2019t want to, because I know you\u2019ve got a good six minutes and 48 seconds about the bill left.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000868\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c569fe55522d0a61db63c30f0eecd349\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019d like to talk about Mr Seymour. I\u2019d be very happy to\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000869\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225bba1046a3e0a181c3330623cb22bc18\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: No, I\u2019m not going to let you talk about Mr Seymour.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000870\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022084af362baa04c62d55fd23d1f1f9a8c\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: I respect that, Madam Speaker\u2014I respect that. The original goal allowing the development of natural resources within environmental limits is all gone.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000871\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002287a852a859c6741193f21332ddd178c4\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: The bill introduces the concept of environmental limits. The member can\u2019t read.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000872\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ec2b3055383b5bf2fb8fc78fd666f2e4\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: You don\u2019t know. We object to interim environmental limits being stretched from around five to 10 years. That point has been made a number of times from this side, hasn\u2019t it?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000873\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003ENew Zealand, this summer, faces the worst El Ni\u00F1o in a thousand years, and we don\u2019t have the luxury of pushing environmental limits to 10 years. The biodiversity test is too weak; that has been said a number of times. The proposed \u201Cno net loss\u201D goal lacks a clear baseline and workable definition and, therefore, may provide little practical protection.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000874\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227d19573a8ba4d8283b17374978c8ea2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022331291a062a44fa192800dd409c4ce73\u0022\u003EGrant McCallum\u003C/span\u003E: Got the talking points?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000875\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c5924dd3fb7d23d0b835656d870406be\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019d rather have a crack at David Seymour.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000876\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229bde759b0812e937d0e1b5d78f38801f\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: But you don\u2019t have that choice.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000877\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e8b8ed81927935f79f2a44404738fd3a\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: Madam Speaker, I do have a choice in terms of talking about how this weakens M\u0101ori rights and interests in terms of natural resources.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000878\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002297604ec1de44c1cef6e4cffc8efe5115\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Yes, you do.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000879\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bc1a3c5b4e3300d6d7c5f30ae56a8708\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: I do have a right there, and David Seymour\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000880\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d9119ee9ffaad9e1077aef781b65dd37\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s a Government bill; it\u2019s not a David Seymour bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000881\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022a330989c6a41e357a456f382a4113eb9\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: No, but he\u2019s behind it all!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000882\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022052df9bc340b758218e4ea295d9bce90\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Honestly, I\u2019ve asked. I know you love talking about the Hon David Seymour, but I\u2019ll ask you to carry on talking about the bill. You were doing well for a minute.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000883\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bae11f930a864d98db3e1308b3127f4c\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: This bill weakens the rights and interests of M\u0101ori. That was conveyed to the Government by Tukoroirangi Morgan. Minister Potaka was there, at the koroneihana. They were attacked for their attack on M\u0101ori rights. Minister Potaka was there, and Minister Goldsmith was there, so it\u2019s important that I say that. It\u2019s important that I also say the future of iwi relationships with regional councils now is very uncertain, with their decision to get rid of the Mana Whakahono \u0101 Rohe relationship.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000884\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003EThe bill doesn\u2019t sufficiently reflect the Waitangi Tribunal\u2019s freshwater findings, specifically Wai 2358, when discussing M\u0101ori freshwater rights and interests, which is something that we as a Government tried to address.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000885\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220f7be4be1d8549114384e11d4df095f8\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: You\u2019re not in Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000886\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002253d14e23defaf37346600b1f4fdeb4b1\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: We will be shortly, and you\u2019ll be out. At least, as a Government, this particular area, in terms of te mana o te wai, was something we navigated. We worked very much on that with Kiritapu Allan and David Parker, and we were brave in terms of addressing the property rights of water, unlike this Government, who just ditched it and put it to the side.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000887\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThese are rights that must be addressed by Governments, no matter whether it\u2019s a National Government or a Labour Government, whatever. Former National Governments would look at those types of rights. John Key\u2014John Key, Madam Speaker, who you\u2019ve got a bit of time for\u2014addressed the whole question of these freshwater rights back in 2013-14, but this Government has walked away from that obligation. That\u2019s why it\u2019s incredibly important to mention that tonight. Environmental limits are too weak to protect taonga. If environmental limits can be delayed, qualified, or balanced against economic considerations, waterways and ecosystems of cultural significance remain vulnerable.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000888\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis bill\u2014and this is where the Tuku Morgans and the iwi leaders are getting very upset\u2014threatens Treaty settlement arrangements. That is the point we\u2019ve been making on this side. Existing settlements frequently contain bespoke arrangements involving rivers, lakes, conservation land, and resource management. These shouldn\u2019t be destabilised by a new, generic system. This legislation prioritises extraction over kaitiakitanga\u2014Mr Seymour wouldn\u2019t understand that word. He needs to go and get some training from his iwi. The truth is that climate and environmental planning aren\u2019t integrated, not just for M\u0101ori; they\u2019re not integrated for P\u0101keh\u0101 either. Nobody knows what\u2019s happening. A resource management system intended to last decades needs to deal coherently with emissions, adaption, and environmental resilience.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000889\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EYou can\u2019t put in a system like this\u2014this is the point. You can\u2019t put in a system like this by ignoring M\u0101ori interests. This is what our people are saying. We are part and parcel of the environment: \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E\u201CKo au te awa, ko te awa ahau.\u201D\u003C/span\u003E That is the type of k\u014Drero that comes from people like Tariana Turia, who say we are a part of the environment; we are part and parcel. We must be worked with, we must be consulted with, we can\u2019t just be the karakia and mihi people for the ACT Party or for the National Party. We must play a meaningful role in this country.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000890\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThat\u2019s what we attempted to do when we were in Government. That\u2019s what we tried to address. That\u2019s what we owe Jacinda Ardern for. When we came through this process, it was one of the most difficult processes we had to deal with, but we made progress. This lot, driven by some of the right-wingers and money interests and donors, have decided to get rid of and water down and shut down M\u0101ori interests. We\u2019re going to change that\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000891\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022dc13398c71977134169ed56835420e5a\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Hey, how did it go when Brooke called you out in Copperfields?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000892\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bf131860b0388b27b1806bf2bbc7569a\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: We\u2019re going to change that, especially for that bloke over there, on 7 November, when we will come back to our communities, when we will come back to our people. This has been the most anti-worker, anti-women, anti-M\u0101ori Government of my lifetime. They are a total disgrace, and people like David Seymour should hang their heads in shame. I am glad he\u2019s here tonight, so I can make it clear to him that he is an embarrassment to te ao M\u0101ori. Kia ora, Madam Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002227d19573a8ba4d8283b17374978c8ea2\u0022 data-id=\u0022a1806a3ab07b94367ee4fb66e466e19d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000893\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227d19573a8ba4d8283b17374978c8ea2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a1806a3ab07b94367ee4fb66e466e19d\u0022\u003EGRANT McCALLUM (National\u2014Northland) (21:20)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise to take a call in support of the Natural Environment Bill. New Zealand needs an environment management system that protects and enhances nature without holding communities and businesses back. For too long, the Resource Management Act has created uncertainty, delay, and cost while failing to deliver the environmental outcomes New Zealanders expect. The\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000894\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224c101ac1b5ff8dead57613f352271bbe\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Did a Grammar boy write this for you?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000895\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227d19573a8ba4d8283b17374978c8ea2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002249d1e051b92b2d93b10cfb412ff81846\u0022\u003EGRANT McCALLUM\u003C/span\u003E: The Natural Environment Bill is an important part\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000896\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002243ec0e9e5b569af89a6223e0c0b3bea1\u0022\u003EHon Willie Jackson\u003C/span\u003E: You can\u2019t trust him!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000897\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227d19573a8ba4d8283b17374978c8ea2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229d5ee12f80cff380d0dac7618feedfdd\u0022\u003EGRANT McCALLUM\u003C/span\u003E: He\u2019s just jealous he didn\u2019t go to a good school, but that\u2019s his problem. Working alongside the Planning Bill\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000898\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bf033ba835f5d5c5a613fcae007c82b2\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: He\u2019s picking on you now.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000899\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227d19573a8ba4d8283b17374978c8ea2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022aa79b9311e653cb33b82ba132fe4eab8\u0022\u003EGRANT McCALLUM\u003C/span\u003E: It establishes a framework for the use, protection, and the enhancement of our natural environment. The Planning Bill deals with land use and development; this bill deals with natural resources, environmental limits, and the standards needed to protect what matters.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000900\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe backbone of the New Zealand economy is our primary sector. Our future prosperity will always rely on our farming families and all the workers who help produce the products for export. Because of this, the Environment Committee added\u2014and I\u2019m very proud of this\u2014clearer recognition of food and fibre production, including aquaculture, within the goals for the use and development of natural resources. This is a welcome and practical improvement for Northland and the rest of the country. It recognises that primary production is not an afterthought; it is essential to our regional and national prosperity.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000901\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe committee also listened to the farmers and growers and raised concerns about the lack of certainty, compliance costs, and day-to-day workability. Controlled activity classes have been restored, giving primary production greater certainty. The importance of having a simpler and fairer process was emphasised to me last October, when I was privileged to be meeting mid-Canterbury farmers, organised by Federated Farmers in the Lagmhor Westerfield War Memorial Hall. This expressed their concerns, and they expressed their concerns in deep frustration about their lack and uncertainty of their futures, and I really worry about that. That was the message we took back, and we addressed those issues in the bill. I have a son who\u2019s looking to start that farming career, who will be a fifth-generation farmer in our family.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000902\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EFor those reasons, I am very proud of this bill and I\u2019m looking forward to the outcomes to be better for the environment and for the farming families of New Zealand. I commend it to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000903\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226560de561855267a8ef656b3dc0ce099\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: This is a split call.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b13aa8ffbae34ee4972a7ab313f6b300\u0022 data-id=\u00224939a25cfca4e8fb1d1f8f0d7425d666\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000904\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b13aa8ffbae34ee4972a7ab313f6b300\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224939a25cfca4e8fb1d1f8f0d7425d666\u0022\u003EHon Dr DEBORAH RUSSELL (Labour) (21:23)\u003C/span\u003E: I wish to take some words that have been spoken by various members of the Government this evening, and I want to start with something that was said by the Hon Mark Patterson. He said, \u201CWe were sent here to fix the RMA.\u201D The only problem with that was the Resource Management Act (RMA) wasn\u2019t enforced when he arrived back in the House; the RMA had been repealed and replaced with some substantial bills aimed at reforming the planning system in this country. This Government decided to just toss that out and do the work all over again. Instead of perhaps picking up and amending what was there, they decided to do it all over again. If the RMA has remained in force for even longer, it is because of that Government, which decided to faff around because of its own ego.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000905\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThere was another phrase that another member of the Government used over there, and that was the phrase: \u201CIt\u2019s just common sense\u201D. You know, frankly, if you have to resort to saying that something is \u201Ccommon sense\u201D, it means you don\u2019t have an argument to stand on. It appeals to some vague, out-there sentence instead of actually what is written in the bill. Find some new words; find some actual arguments that support this bill in particular. Find some words to deal with the very serious objections that were raised on this side of the House. Find some words to deal with the fact that on this side of the House, members of our party and others worked hard through the select committee process to try to make this work, including one of our members who is an absolute expert in resource management law, and yet that was overlooked.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000906\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EOne of the difficulties with this bill is just that, straightforwardly, the purpose of this bill\u2014let me read the purpose of this bill. It\u2019s sitting in clause 4: \u201CThe purpose of this Act is to establish a framework for the use,\u201D. That\u2019s the first thing that we have for the environment\u2014the \u201Cuse\u201D of the environment. Then it goes on to add the protection and the enhancement of the natural environment. But there\u2019s an attitude right there, right from the start, that the environment is there to be used and exploited. Let\u2019s be clear: we do need to find ways to live with this in this environment, but I beg the other side of the House to remember that the environment is not there to serve the economy; it is the other way around. The economy is a subset of the environment. If we do not protect and look after our environment, there will be no economy. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000907\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThat is why, on this side of the House, we wanted to amend that purpose statement to say that we wanted to maintain and improve the natural environment to safeguard that human health, to provide for adaptation to climate change, to manage the risk of natural hazards, because if we do none of those things, then there is no economy.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000908\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThen, there\u2019s a whole set of goals in this bill\u2014goals which are to guide what is to be done when it comes to the natural environment. The first goal\u2014the very first one listed\u2014says, in clause 11: \u201C(a) to enable the use and development of natural resources, including for the production of food and fibre (including aquaculture):\u201D. It says there\u2019s a whole list of goals for what we should be doing in terms of working through this legislation, and it does say that the order in which the goals appear does not assign the order of importance. We can guarantee that when the courts have to come to interpret these goals and the way that they conflict with each other, then they have no guidance to resort to other than the order in which they are listed in this document. No matter what they say, that is what will happen.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000909\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhen we look at what has been done in this bill, when we look at the way that the environment has been subsumed and put under the economy, we say that is a mistake. It is a mistake. Of course we need to find ways for the environment and the economy to work together, but let\u2019s remember that New Zealanders value their environment, that New Zealanders value the clean water, they value the clean air, they value our bush, and this bill makes those things secondary.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b27d8609c612411686d517d0f9b09b28\u0022 data-id=\u002252ecc06cfdb8a5e32ef3cb5965e69c1f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000910\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b27d8609c612411686d517d0f9b09b28\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002252ecc06cfdb8a5e32ef3cb5965e69c1f\u0022\u003EDAVID MacLEOD (National\u2014New Plymouth) (21:28)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Speaker. New Zealand is a country with huge opportunities. We\u2019ve got a huge amount of entrepreneurialism, we\u2019ve got people that want to utilise it, but we\u2019re so frustrated. We are disappointed by the fact that we don\u2019t have a regime that allows us to be able to do what Kiwis can do, and that is contribute to the world, contribute to our country. It doesn\u2019t make sense that we have consents, renewal of consents taking years when there\u2019s not even changes in conditions in that. It doesn\u2019t make sense that it takes eight, 10 years to get a consent, when it takes less than two years to build the project itself. We need to unleash our country, realise the potential we have, and increase the opportunities with the economy. We have a great economy. It will help us out with our Public Service. It is all good news. I commend the bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022eb80a9df83044b88a00c174ea7a61925\u0022 data-id=\u0022a92c9076b65116a4171300ba46288160\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000911\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eb80a9df83044b88a00c174ea7a61925\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a92c9076b65116a4171300ba46288160\u0022\u003ETANGI UTIKERE (Labour\u2014Palmerston North) (21:29)\u003C/span\u003E: Kia orana, Madam Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000912\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cc782266025dba13ea74ac13dfe31433\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Oh no, not Tangi!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000913\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eb80a9df83044b88a00c174ea7a61925\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002256da334de9199e696f99bada142c9089\u0022\u003ETANGI UTIKERE\u003C/span\u003E: What\u2019s that?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000914\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228591d96eb1c5007df12b2f2fafce2e28\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Oh no!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000915\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eb80a9df83044b88a00c174ea7a61925\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002280768b3b984bc43cc88375f80315a51c\u0022\u003ETANGI UTIKERE\u003C/span\u003E: I haven\u2019t even said anything yet. The Deputy Prime Minister seems to be in fine form tonight.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000916\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e68303afdd0b5c6931b661701c033a6d\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I will comment that the previous speaker on the Labour side was a class act at ignoring the interjections and carrying on, so let\u2019s see how this member goes.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000917\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eb80a9df83044b88a00c174ea7a61925\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ba0e4f1f070fbd2cc1190dfddb1b3e88\u0022\u003ETANGI UTIKERE\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m very happy to entertain them, Madam Speaker. I\u2019m very happy to entertain them, because this is the penultimate sitting day. It\u2019s the dying days of this Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000918\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ddc8fdfd9cce147727ad5deb9aa08d46\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I know, it feels like the last day of school, sitting up here.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000919\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022eb80a9df83044b88a00c174ea7a61925\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226b519f4e39db54eb33d0bcc6662e22cc\u0022\u003ETANGI UTIKERE\u003C/span\u003E: It is, indeed, the penultimate sitting day of the 54th Parliament, and what we are doing is, effectively, passing legislation that is not a great bill and that is going to lead to much more uncertainty for many, and create a lot of confusion along the way. We remain opposed to this bill this evening, and it\u2019s not because we oppose reform, actually; we have consistently said that, in terms of resource management reform, there was some work that needed to be done, and that is why the work was done under the last Government. I recall, actually, sitting with colleagues on the Environment Committee of the last Parliament working through many of the issues that were identified at the time. This is a Government that has got its priorities in all of the wrong places.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000920\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhen we had this bill come to the House for its first reading, members on this side of the House supported an opportunity, in good faith, to explore what some of those issues were and to iron out many of those concerns as part of the select committee process. Why did we do that? Because we thought it was a constructive approach to dealing with a piece of legislation currently before the Parliament. Now, it is an absolute disgrace that this Government believed, so soon after that select committee had reported back, a matter of hours, that they would land a set of proposals, heading through the committee stage, that would simply overturn many of the approaches that had been identified as part of the select committee process.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000921\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI know there are members in this House who spent countless hours in select committee working through the range of options, to come up with a piece of legislation that would have enjoyed some cross-party support, but, only a matter of hours after that committee had reported back, this Government decided that, actually, they were not going to respond in the more traditional approach of all of those submitters who were participating in the select committee process; instead, they were going to land their own policy proposals, and they are at complete odds with what all members of that select committee worked through and what came back to the House. This bill has to be one of the few bills in the Parliament\u2019s history that has gone off to select committee and has come back in a way worse position than when the select committee actually received it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000922\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, how is that possible; that you would expect people to submit through this process, spend countless hours preparing, for members opposite to simply say, \u201CWe know better. We don\u2019t care about all of the people who submitted through this process. We\u2019ve got our own views, and we\u2019re just going to pile ahead\u201D\u2014through urgency previously, I might add\u2014\u201Cto deal to this issue.\u201D? The whole point of select committees is to improve legislation and for the public to actually have their say, and what this Government has demonstrated, in bringing this through to the third reading tonight, is that they have shut out the public from having an opportunity to share with decision makers what their views are on the policy proposals that they have changed in the face of the concerns that had already been identified and addressed. I think that is absolutely disgraceful.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000923\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe Government simply squandered that opportunity to work alongside other parties, and indeed the community, to get the decisions and the policy settings right, but they have determined that they actually know way better than that. When you have more than 3,000 submitters who want to share with the Parliament what their views are on this matter and you have a Government on the other side that simply wants to shut the door to hearing those concerns and opportunities\u2014many of them were very, very good suggestions\u2014that, I think, speaks volumes to the direction of travel that this Government wants to take, in terms of supporting community views on a whole pile of things. Members who submitted to this bill would have rightly expected that their views were considered, and they were entitled to have the legislation return to the Parliament broadly reflective of many of the issues that were identified throughout that process. What we have in front of us this evening is something that is far from that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000924\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt is interesting to note, and I\u2019m not going to go through the whole list of people who submitted, but it is a cross-section of our community\u2014people who think resource management reform is needed in one direction, others in a different\u2014and to shut them out is, I think, something that was very, very disappointing. One of those specific changes, of course, is when it comes to Mana Whakahono \u0101 Rohe agreements, which I think are a key example around this. What we heard, of course, through the process\u2014from the Minister himself, through the select committee process\u2014was, \u201CDo you know what? We\u2019re not going to shut the door on those agreements and arrangements; we\u2019re going to allow them to continue.\u201D The complete opposite, in terms of a flip, is the policy position of the Government, and what is in this bill is, \u201CNo, we\u2019re going to scrap them altogether.\u201D That is a significant policy shift, a significant positional shift, on behalf of the Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000925\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt is no surprise; it comes hot on the heels of this Government saying one thing face to face and doing something completely the opposite when its alternative opportunity presents itself. I think of the recent\u2014just last week\u2014Local Government (System Improvements) Amendment Bill, where, at the last minute, effectively, they decided to slam the opportunity for Houkura and the Independent M\u0101ori Statutory Board to have voting opportunities. This is a consistent approach from this Government, where they are wanting to slam M\u0101ori opportunity and other community opportunities with legislation that they want to progress and put forward\u2014yet another opportunity, of course, for them to say, \u201COh no, no, we talked about this.\u201D, when, even in the last 24 hours or so, we have Mayor Wayne Brown, we have Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson, and we have chair Richard Hills all saying that this Government and its Ministers were saying one thing to their face but actually the legislation, when it comes to this House, is completely different to the face-to-face conversations they had. For a Government that wants to talk about partnership with local government, that is something that is heading in completely wrong direction.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000926\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis issue of hierarchy, which we\u2019ve heard about with this bill, also turns it completely on its head, where it will be over to the whim of the Minister of the day to be making decisions around who gets what, when, how, and why\u2014and where. This is about resources, it\u2019s about our natural environment, but it\u2019s also about ministerial influence and not having a key set of principles to align around how those decision-making processes would be constructed and how they would be actually followed through. That means that, naturally, outcomes will differ, because decisions will change, the Minister will change, Governments will change, political cycles will change\u2014these are all of the things that are sitting behind the hierarchy that this bill introduces and the amount of power sitting with the Minister themselves. What we will see, potentially, is a whole pile of judicial review. That\u2019s the only way these sorts of opportunities can be challenged. It\u2019s great for lawyers, because it gives them plenty more opportunity, and this is the only way in which those issues could be addressed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000927\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMy colleague the Hon Rachel Brooking, through the committee stage, identified a number of Amendment Papers that, I think, quite acutely signal the direction of travel on this side of the House. Many of them are, for example, in the space of making some direct changes\u2014ensuring that an incoming Labour Government will signal very clearly what those changes will mean, not just for local government but for lawyers as well, who undertake work in this particular sector. The other, which has been touched on previously, is this issue of regulatory relief, and the implication that local councils and local government and ratepayers would be expected to foot the bill because of this issue of private property interests and how that works. This is a Government that is not interested in public good; it is a Government that is afraid\u2014I mean, the word \u201Cwellbeing\u201D sends shivers up the spines of this Government. None of this is where its priorities want to lie.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000928\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhat we do say to members opposite and to Aotearoa New Zealand is that change is coming on 7 November, and that change will be for the better, because, as we know, in terms of on this side of the House and for the election, \u201CBetter starts now\u201D.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022784f4e929aed4ea6a05d1a10add6eccb\u0022 data-id=\u002231d165f22488bec8b15252f6ef5fc32e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000929\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022784f4e929aed4ea6a05d1a10add6eccb\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002231d165f22488bec8b15252f6ef5fc32e\u0022\u003ERYAN HAMILTON (National\u2014Hamilton East) (21:39)\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s a privilege to speak in the final speech of the third reading of the duo of the planning and environment bills that will reform this country and enable productivity and prosperity to truly be unleashed. It gives me great pleasure.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000930\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EYou might recall a Japanese expert called Marie Condo, who, years ago, started a thing called decluttering\u2014a decluttering process where someone would declutter their wardrobe or their kitchen. They\u2019d release it, and they\u2019d thank it. Tonight, we are decluttering from the Resource Management Act (RMA). We thank the RMA for its 35 years of service. We release it and we thank it for its service. It is no longer fit for purpose. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000931\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWith these two new planning bills, the future is looking bright and prosperity is about to be unleashed. To all the staff, the officials, the Ministers, and the Environment Committee, we salute you. We thank you for the work that will be the legacy and hallmark of this Government. I commend the bill to the House. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000932\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EThat the Natural Environment Bill be now read a third time\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000933\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBoldCentred\u0022\u003EAyes 67\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000934\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 48; ACT New Zealand 11; New Zealand First 8.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000935\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBoldCentred\u0022\u003ENoes 54\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000936\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand Labour 34; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 14; Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori 4; Ferris; Kapa-Kingi.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000937\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000938\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBill read a third time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000939\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022419cbfb0e238c8f500fd65749640041f\u0022\u003ESecondary Legislation Confirmation Bill (No 4)\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000940\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002214d75d6f1f8e20a1c56a8aaf6942e565\u0022\u003ESecond Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1901a44e88e40d095f26c06ebac9721\u0022 data-id=\u0022984603e55a52667239694c49b4a71381\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000941\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1901a44e88e40d095f26c06ebac9721\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022984603e55a52667239694c49b4a71381\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON (Leader of the House) (21:42)\u003C/span\u003E: I move that the Secondary Legislation Confirmation\u2014[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EInterruption\u003C/span\u003E]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000942\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e994effd0e26d4031828ac36fd588c02\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: Quiet! Apologies, Minister. Can I have a bit of quiet over in this corner, please.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000943\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1901a44e88e40d095f26c06ebac9721\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022415a658d0e7a25c89083d9aa5e3aa571\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON\u003C/span\u003E: I move, \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EThat the Secondary Legislation Confirmation Bill (No 4) be now read a second time. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000944\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis bill is done routinely every year to confirm secondary legislation that would otherwise be revoked if not confirmed by Parliament. I want to thank the Regulations Review Committee for the work it\u2019s done evaluating this bill, including finding two extra instruments to confirm which weren\u2019t able to be included when the bill was introduced, and especially for doing it so that it could be reported back to the House much earlier than it normally would be. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000945\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EUsually, this bill is passed in December as one of the final bills of the year. However, with the election scheduled when it is, we\u2019ve decided to ensure this bill passes now, before the end of the term, so that the next Parliament doesn\u2019t have to rush it through once sworn in. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000946\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis legislation confirms 17 instruments over seven Acts, including the Biosecurity Act, the Commodity Levies Act, the Customs and Excise Act, the Road User Charges Act, the New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act, the Social Security Act, the Tariff Act, and the Wine Act. The bulk of the instruments relate to levies, including on strawberries, passionfruit, blackcurrants, citrus fruit, and wheat grain. With those brief remarks, I commend the bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000947\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b95dfc23d46aa7d7d2032462f5387dc7\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=\u00223de6e6d6d57d40b483b9b558769ce301\u0022 data-id=\u002251e3f52231023942cf6c2cea06405155\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000948\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223de6e6d6d57d40b483b9b558769ce301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002251e3f52231023942cf6c2cea06405155\u0022\u003EARENA WILLIAMS (Labour\u2014Manurewa) (21:43)\u003C/span\u003E: My remarks will not be so brief, but I do thank the Leader of the House for her acknowledgment of the Regulations Review Committee, which considered this piece of secondary legislation and the orders it confirms. There are 17 of them, and the way that the committee did that was very quickly, with its usual sense of working together, and all of the orders were considered in a cross-partisan way with unanimous agreement at all stages.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000949\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s relevant for us to consider tonight what Parliament is being asked to do. Every time benefits or rates or fees or tariffs in these instruments are set, the primary legislation which enables these Acts requires Parliament to confirm them in this way. Delegation to those secondary decision-makers like Ministers or the Public Service requires this sort of oversight when, effectively, ordinary people and businesses are being asked to, in many instances, pay fees that are material to the way that they conduct themselves, and so it\u2019s right for us to consider them, not only at the committee level, but to debate them at this stage. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000950\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIf Parliament did not confirm these orders in the statutory deadline, then they would need to be revoked and they would not have effect. So it\u2019s also right for us to have done that in a very fast way to enable the House to consider this second reading before Parliament rises. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000951\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe confirmation bills have traditionally been required for particularly significant exercises of delegated power. Usually, those include things like emergency regulations, regulations imposing something similar to a tax, and regulations capable of amending primary legislation. The big piece of delegated authority in this bill is the confirmation of the order that impacts on beneficiaries and superannuitants, so I will draw the House\u2019s attention to that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000952\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis bill confirms the order that was made that, effectively, sets the rates for main benefits, for superannuation rates, and for other benefits like the unsupported child\u2019s benefit and the orphans benefit. It is relevant to note that here because this order takes effect after a number of changes to that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000953\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt dates back to 2009, when Labour changed benefit indexation so that each main benefit was increased in line with average wage growth. National reversed that change in 2024, but not for superannuation, and so now we have two ways of indexing two different types of benefits. Previously, they would have used the wage growth. This makes a material impact, not just as the formula as set out in legislation\u2014and of course there are changes for what superannuation and beneficiaries can expect in line with those different rates in this order\u2014but it also makes a big difference in terms of what people can expect in the future. In this order, for instance, it doesn\u2019t make a huge difference because wage growth and the Consumers Price Index are similar numbers, but, say, under the previous Government, when wage growth was increasing much faster, it was 4.3 percent per annum under Labour, and that would have made a material difference to what beneficiaries could have expected and what superannuants could have expected. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000954\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhen we considered this order, it was relevant to consider what each benefit would have gone up by. We\u2019re talking between sort of $10 a week to $15 a week for some sorts of main benefits. That makes a material impact for the people who are affected by this to the tune of about $500 a year for, say, a parent who is on a sole parent benefit with care of children, and so it was relevant for the committee to consider just how big that would be for those people who were affected. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000955\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe other examples in this bill are things like the Customs Import Prohibition (Nitrous Oxide) Order 2026, which prohibits nitrous oxide from being imported without a permit from the Director-General of Health. That is a good change. It is one that I have campaigned on as a local MP because having NOS cans or nangs cans in our communities and being dumped in our parks is completely unacceptable. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000956\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThese are the sorts of changes which can be provided for in regulations that have a material impact on the communities that are affected by them, and it\u2019s important that we also appreciate that this kind of lawmaking can be done at the secondary legislative level, but it\u2019s appropriate to confirm them here because this also impacts on a number of businesses who have been, effectively, in my view, getting away with something that they shouldn\u2019t have been, which is importing these products cheaply. They are very clearly marketed to children. They are brightly coloured, they have flavours, they are designed in a way which is appealing to young people, and yet they are a prohibited drug that is only intended for use by dentists. This is an important order which makes that much harder for these businesses to do, and it makes it much clearer that that is not an effective thing that will be profitable in New Zealand, going forward. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000957\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe bill also confirms the commodity levy orders. The Leader of the House very quickly read these out, but, as the Regulations Review Committee chair, I have had to pay attention to the rules for blackcurrants, citrus, harvest wood, herbage seeds, passionfruit, strawberries, summerfruit, and wheat, and so I\u2019m going to talk about them. It was really useful for the committee\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000958\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022956de94fd6f1b190e70323cb9a422c04\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s the only thing that\u2019s kept the other side of the House quiet during your whole speech, and so keep going!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000959\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223de6e6d6d57d40b483b9b558769ce301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022614cb5dff35f8f7f27eeb8b359337f3d\u0022\u003EARENA WILLIAMS\u003C/span\u003E: They are desperately interested in the consideration of the passionfruit rules by the committee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000960\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003EStone fruit was an excitable topic of conversation around the committee table, about the levy orders that would apply, and the committee had the expert advice of Miles Anderson around the charges that were associated with blackcurrants and citrus. It was very useful.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000961\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022809dbf50ef208318fdcbfa8e8cd20a38\u0022\u003EHon Member: \u003C/span\u003EIs passionfruit a stone fruit?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000962\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223de6e6d6d57d40b483b9b558769ce301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00220d36956c370888e083904da7f0ade88a\u0022\u003EARENA WILLIAMS\u003C/span\u003E: The question my colleague is positing, is passionfruit one of those fruits considered alongside stone fruit: no; the committee was able to seek the advice, as my colleague has raised, about these tiny stones, which do not in fact bring the passionfruit in line with the other stone fruits that are in these orders\u2014very useful to have that expert advice available to the committee and the Parliamentary Counsel Office (PCO) team, who presented to committee not twice, not three times, but four whole times, which I went back and forth on with the secretariat of the committee because I thought that was too many times for anyone to have to talk to PCO.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000963\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn conclusion, the secondary legislation in this bill deals with detailed rules, but those rules have real legal and financial consequences for the people who are impacted by them. It is right that Parliament considers them at this stage carefully. That is a feature of the Regulations Review Committee, and it is a feature that this Parliament has considered as to whether that would be a useful design for a legislative scrutiny committee that would function in a sort of similar way but with primary legislation. I think that is a good idea. The working model for the Regulations Review Committee in being able to examine the detail of these regulations is one that works. It is one that works because the two major parties, and other participating minor parties who come along to the Regulations Review Committee, take that work very seriously in scrutinising the effect of the rules, not only as legal instruments in and of themselves, in the drafting of those, but also on people\u2019s lives. It is right that we have elected representatives who think about how much NOS should be charged to the people who are importing it who are selling it to children. It is right that we should have elected representatives who consider the imports, fees, and charges that affect stone fruit growers in those regions that rely on those, because these are things which deeply impact our economy. They\u2019re not exciting in this House; they\u2019re not the things that get the big debates, but they are the things that keep our economy running.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000964\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ESo it has been a privilege to serve as the Regulations Review Committee chair and to be able to take a call on this bill, which will be my last as a chair because when we return to this Parliament, we hope to be in Government.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022bac3dcb6103a48d3bcead8563342a856\u0022 data-id=\u0022032e8381bee3041300819d5e837aced1\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000965\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022bac3dcb6103a48d3bcead8563342a856\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022032e8381bee3041300819d5e837aced1\u0022\u003EDr LAWRENCE XU-NAN (Green) (21:52)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Just following on from the previous speaker, the excellent chair of the Regulations Review Committee, Arena Williams, I am one of those people who is attending the Regulations Review Committee for fun, under Standing Order 213.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000966\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228f896ffa4bbab6392d1600154490eebb\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: For fun?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000967\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022bac3dcb6103a48d3bcead8563342a856\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002222aa38f6ad84c0d1c4eda255fed53da2\u0022\u003EDr LAWRENCE XU-NAN\u003C/span\u003E: For fun, because it\u2019s genuinely\u2014I want to acknowledge, actually, all of the clerks and the legislative counsel and everyone who supported us in the Regulations Review Committee as well. I mean, I want to acknowledge all of the select committees and the Office of the Clerk, but in particular Regulations Review Committee members have the kind of intellect that really wows every single member of that committee because of their ability to really look at the details of every piece of secondary legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000968\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, with the Secondary Legislation Confirmation Bill (No 4), the number should be pretty obvious, noting that this is the fourth one we\u2019ve done this particular term. But, you know, obviously, this particular one the Green Party supports. The Green Party hasn\u2019t always supported\u2014the Secondary Legislation Confirmation Bill (No 3) being a really good example because of some of the changes to the customs excise levy, which we consider is unexpected or unusual but yet somehow a legal use of the power. But we did not find any of that in this particular one.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000969\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EJust for members of this House in particular, the Regulations Review Committee, under Standing Order 326(1), actually examines all secondary legislation, and these sorts of confirmation bills are one of the few bills that go to the Regulations Review Committee for examination, because usually the Regulations Review Committee doesn\u2019t examine any particular bills.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000970\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWith this Secondary Legislation Confirmation Bill, there are 15 instruments for confirmation, and the committee has also\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000971\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223de6e6d6d57d40b483b9b558769ce301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002292241eddec5e05df47f16c627540bc49\u0022\u003EArena Williams\u003C/span\u003E: Two more.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000972\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022bac3dcb6103a48d3bcead8563342a856\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226d83cd61d4f2e754fdb117e174a09b37\u0022\u003EDr LAWRENCE XU-NAN\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014recommended two more on top of that\u2014excellent. Do you remember which two?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000973\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223de6e6d6d57d40b483b9b558769ce301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c5b12c6d1f6dc0f7c8caf7097480b48c\u0022\u003EArena Williams\u003C/span\u003E: Stone fruit?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000974\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022bac3dcb6103a48d3bcead8563342a856\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022f99328ad40096f0441c70f6760077078\u0022\u003EDr LAWRENCE XU-NAN\u003C/span\u003E: Yes\u2014no, no; summerfruit and passionfruit. They are the two additional ones that the committee recommended. As the previous speaker, Arena Williams, mentioned, there is a number of commodity levies that are introduced as a part of this, and most of them we have examined as a part of the committee process anyway, as a part of how the Regs Review Committee examines secondary legislation. As we mentioned, blackcurrant, citrus fruit, harvested wood, strawberries, wheat grains, the two we added\u2014passionfruit and summerfruit\u2014and also, very excitingly, non-proprietary herbage seeds, which is very important. But the increase that we\u2019re seeing and giving effect to those particular commodity levy orders is incredibly important for the way that the Ministry for Primary Industries is also able to continue its own particular function, because the levies that are collected through those, particularly through the growers of either blackcurrant or summerfruit or passionfruit, will help undertake industry good activities to support industry performance and growth. I think we can all agree that that is a good thing for us to do. So there are things such as tax and levies and duties that are actually good for us to be able to do and need to be adjusted accordingly based on the needs of our communities.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000975\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, I do want to touch on the one that the previous speaker spoke on, which is, I believe, the Social Security (Rates of Benefits and Allowances) Order 2026. Now, this is something that is important because, again, this is something that has been a longstanding practice. Again, it\u2019s important for us to point to the fact that there could be non-partisanship in a lot of things like social development, etc., if we all agree on what we want to see and the vision we want to see. This particular one in terms of adjusting things to inflation, particularly Consumers Price Index, is a longstanding practice since the 1990s, and, again, we would like to see that being continued by future Governments as well, in terms of how those rates of benefits and allowances are increased.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000976\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, finally, I do want to check\u2014the previous speakers mentioned that there are also additional other things like tariffs, inherited goods, and gift concession, to create a new concession allowing certain inherited goods into New Zealand, noting that a lot of the inherited goods coming into New Zealand already have a duty attached to them. So this idea of an inheritance tax is not actually entirely new, and we already have seen some of those duties, particularly when it comes to inherited goods coming over from overseas. But, in this particular case, it does allow for certain, I guess, concessions that are being made in terms of some of those inherited goods, and this is part of the working tariff document.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000977\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EOverall, this is something where, usually, we tend to see secondary legislation that is simply passed as an Order in Council and then the Regulations Review Committee would then go and examine that. But what we do see is, for some of these particular instruments, it is important for there to be the ability to conduct and debate some of that in this House. For the many things that were mentioned regarding some of the duties, levies, taxes, and those additional benefits, it is important for us to maintain that parliamentary oversight on some of these. I do believe that one of the things we\u2019re seeing is the importance of having, I guess, specialised committees such as the Regulations Review Committee, where it is able to, in most cases, operate in a non-partisan and consensus way to get some of these over the line. I think that\u2019s a really important function of the Regulations Review Committee and it\u2019s an important function of our Parliament.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000978\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, although, again, this pains me to do so, I am going to leave that there despite having three minutes left on the clock, because I think this is the second to last day of this term of Parliament, and, you know, maybe we can all afford to go home a little bit early. So, with that, the Green Party supports this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000979\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022db84749fffe4371b26f9bc67d4230122\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: The time has come for me to leave the Chair. The House is suspended until 9 a.m. tomorrow.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000980\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EDebate interrupted.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000981\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterItalicsCentred\u0022\u003ESitting suspended from 10 p.m. to 9 a.m. (Wednesday)\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000982\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022690ba851dc43fa5db013cc2c1932ca73\u0022\u003EExtended Sitting\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000983\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u00226f0cf845816fa5a5d528944ce1c04602\u0022\u003EWednesday, 23 September 2026\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022HpsHansard\u0022\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000984\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsProceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022b4e41ca4fb5685d5f8751c29963759e1\u0022\u003EBills\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000985\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022060e89f447aec055cbd86f185d0ed429\u0022\u003ESecondary Legislation Confirmation Bill (No 4)\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000986\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022f68a837bfa2012592c20bc364d493ac1\u0022\u003ESecond Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000987\u0022\u003EDebate resumed.\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000988\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cdfceb3207b43e8a21b346f9376ddc7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002268accce7a16364220c9c90929eb824f9\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Teanau Tuiono)\u003C/span\u003E: The House is resumed for the extended sitting. Is someone taking a call?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022fd2c9c3aa7974099bfcaac8ea7452994\u0022 data-id=\u0022720f17fc1eff764c9e02f2ca07ec9ffb\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000989\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022fd2c9c3aa7974099bfcaac8ea7452994\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022720f17fc1eff764c9e02f2ca07ec9ffb\u0022\u003EHon JENNY SALESA (Labour\u2014Panmure-\u014Ct\u0101huhu) (09:00)\u003C/span\u003E: \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003EKia ora e te P\u012Bka\u003C/span\u003E, and thank you for the opportunity to contribute to this debate on the Secondary Legislation Confirmation Bill (No 4). Now, this is not usually a bill that is exciting for people. However, that said, I would like to say that behind every line of this bill is an actual person, because there is a grower, a truck driver, a family, a pensioner\u2014to name a few\u2014that this bill affects. I would like to talk not so much about the clauses of this bill but about the people that the clauses of this bill will serve. I\u2019d also like to explain why Labour\u2019s support for this bill comes with a clear message that we can do better.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000990\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ELet me begin with why this bill is important. When we pass laws here in Parliament, it often lets Ministers and Government departments fill in the details through Orders in Council or via regulations. For most things, that is sensible, but when the Government sets a tax, imposes a levy, or bans something at the border, Parliament has decided that we must be involved as parliamentarians. Those instruments must come back to te Whare P\u0101remata to be confirmed, and, if they\u2019re not, they fall away and they can be treated as though they were never valid at all. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000991\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI want to clarify that this is not red tape. This is our democracy in action. It\u2019s the principle that taxes and charges on New Zealanders are decided by their elected representatives, not by an order signed in an office. Labour will always defend that principle. That\u2019s exactly why Labour is taking this bill seriously. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000992\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ELet\u2019s begin by taking us, theoretically, to Canterbury. If you can picture a wheat grower on the plains, out before dawn watching the sky, he knows that one bad hailstorm in the wrong week can wipe out a whole year\u2019s work. However, one of the things that gives him some peace of mind is that the wheat industry, through United Wheatgrowers NZ, funds its own disaster relief insurance scheme. It is paid for by the levy that this bill confirms. If we fail to confirm this bill, that safety net goes away\u2014so of course Labour supports this bill. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000993\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBut here\u2019s something that the House should be aware of. The referendum that backed the wheat levy had a turnout of 17 percent. Those who voted were strongly in favour\u201486 percent by number\u2014but more than four out of five of those eligible growers didn\u2019t vote at all. The Ministry for Primary Industries gives reasonable explanations: some growers only plant wheat now and then, and for many it\u2019s a small part of their farm. I accept that, but the law sets no minimum turnout whatsoever, so we should look at whether the Commodity Levies Act should require extra justification when turnout is that low. That\u2019s not an attack on our wheat growers. It\u2019s about making sure that when the levy comes, every grower feels that it was genuinely theirs. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000994\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow let\u2019s compare that to our passionfruit growers. This is a small industry of mostly small, family-run operations growing fruit that some of us grew up with on the back fence. Their referendum turnout was 79 percent, and that\u2019s what rural industry ownership looks like. If we look at the summer fruit growers, the orchardists of Central Otago and Hawke\u2019s Bay who give us the cherries and the apricots on our Christmas tables across the country, they had 94 percent support. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000995\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThese growers do the right thing: they organise, they vote, they invest together in research and biosecurity and pest control\u2014the kind of work that no single orchard could afford alone. Yet both of their orders were made on 29 June, just one day before the deadline. They missed the bill entirely when it was introduced, and the Regulations Review Committee had to add them in. Levy orders run on a six-yearly cycle. Everyone knows when they expire. Growers who did everything right shouldn\u2019t have the funding hanging on a last-minute scramble. We would like the ministry to plan these renewals well ahead so that the industries that turn out in force aren\u2019t left waiting. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000996\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow let\u2019s see how this bill affects our truck drivers. The Secondary Legislation Confirmation Bill (No 4) confirms changes to road-user charges for 50 MAX trucks, high-productivity vehicles that now make up a big part of our freight fleet. Permit requirements for those trucks have been removed, and this change makes sure that charges they pay stay exactly the same. That is sensible\u2014less paperwork for operators and no change for the road fund. But the instrument is called the fuel response regulations, and the committee describes it as \u201Cfuel crisis relief for the heavy vehicle industry\u201D. The ministry\u2019s own letter doesn\u2019t even mention \u201Cfuel\u201D once. It says this is about the land transport rules reform regulation programme. For a trucking operator, though, doing the sums during a fuel crisis, the difference matters. Was this relief, or wasn\u2019t it? If the law carries the name, the Government should be able to explain it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000997\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow to our families and to a harm that many parents fear. This bill confirms the ban on importing nitrous oxide without a permit from the Director-General of Health. Anyone who has picked up those little silver canisters from a park or school car park knows why that matters. Customs has told the committee plainly that if this isn\u2019t confirmed, the controls go and so does its inability to enforce them. Labour supports this without any hesitation. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000998\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe bill also confirms a new tariff concession allowing certain inherited goods to enter New Zealand duty-free. Think of a family who came from Tonga, India, the Philippines, or China. When a grandmother passes away back home, what comes across the ocean isn\u2019t merchandise. It is her ngatu, her fala\u2014fala fihu\u2014her jewellery, her sewing machine, the pot she cooked in for 60 years. Up until now, grieving families could face a duty bill on their memories. This change says that grief shouldn\u2019t come with an invoice, and Labour is proud to support that change. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0000999\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EFinally, the people who need this bill most. This bill confirms increases to benefits, allowances, and New Zealand\u2019s superannuation. For a pensioner in \u014Ct\u0101huhu and Auckland in general, a sole parent in Hamilton, a disabled New Zealander in Christchurch, those increases are not abstract; they\u2019re the difference between being able to pay a power bill or not. Labour will never put that at risk. But let me be clear: confirming this Order in Council doesn\u2019t mean we endorse the Government\u2019s choices about how benefits are indexed. When benefits are tied only to prices rather than wages, people doing it the hardest fall further behind the rest of the country. We\u2019ll keep making that argument loudly. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001000\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EHow can we make this process better? The Regulations Review Committee did its work well and unanimously, and I\u2019d like to thank all of the members of our select committee. However, every instrument in this bill should carry its proper legislation number, but as far as I know, four do not. The House should see in one table each instrument, its deadline, and why it deserves confirmation\u2014and when Parliament writes to the chief executives of Government departments about taxes and bans, it is actually reasonable to expect those chief executives to respond to the select committee. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001001\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ELabour supports this bill because behind it are growers, families, truck drivers, and pensioners who are counting on us, and because they are counting on us, we will keep asking the questions that makes the system worthy of their trust. I commend this bill to the House. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002298c1995a3396432382c4b04f94f6462f\u0022 data-id=\u0022d02e79edd5b3e2007a5ad8a7c5428126\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001002\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002298c1995a3396432382c4b04f94f6462f\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022d02e79edd5b3e2007a5ad8a7c5428126\u0022\u003ERICARDO MEN\u00C9NDEZ MARCH (Green) (09:09)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you so much, Mr Speaker. It\u2019s obviously not common to see a bill that has such unanimous support throughout the House. I wanted to question, I guess, the timing of choosing to do it right now when last week, for example, we just had urgency to do things like move-on orders, which would have hurt our most vulnerable. I think bills like this one, which are so essential to pass before the end of the term, could have been debated at other times of the week to ensure that it actually passes, because the previous speaker is right: what this bill effectively does is it just simply confirms secondary legislation that continues providing a lifeline for people who may need it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001003\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EFor example, I want to focus on the adjustments to benefits based on the Consumers Price Index\u2014so this is the CPI. This bill confirms this, and this means that right now, beneficiaries are falling further and further behind in their living expenses. This is not just my reckon. The Ministry of Social Development\u2019s income report shows that people on the lowest incomes are actually worse off now than they were a while ago and are less able to make ends meet. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001004\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhat this bill does is it confirms the automatic adjustment of main benefits to the CPI, and there is a bit of history as to why we have chosen this measure. I think that if people are looking at this bill and they\u2019re looking at the range of things that it confirms, they may be left wondering, well, why it is that we have chosen to index main benefits to the CPI and why it is that we\u2019re just having to debate it in order to confirm this. Not that long ago, this Government chose to change how we index benefits. Previously, under the previous Government, the benefits were adjusted to wages. We said that it should be a formula that guarantees the largest increase, and so it should be the CPI or wages, whichever is highest. But, instead, this Government chose to take that back and put it to the CPI\u2014which they were advised on. Even though we are confirming the secondary legislation today, what we are confirming today had advice from the Government that it would leave our poorest New Zealanders worse off over the medium to long term. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001005\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI think this is a really important distinction because while we support the bill and we support the idea of confirming something that will lead to some increase in main benefits, we know that the way that this has been, basically, formulated will still leave people worse off. So, again, this kind of legislation can sometimes feel a little bit innocuous\u2014like we all say that we will of course support it because it just, effectively, confirms things that need to be confirmed so that they can continue existing\u2014but I do think the politics behind some of these decisions really matters. It wasn\u2019t like those machines one day woke up and decided that we needed to adjust, say, for example, income support to the CPI; it was humans on the other side of the House who decided that, actually, our poorest should have those benefit increases be lower than they could have been otherwise if wages were growing faster. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001006\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EFor a Government that claims that they want to lift wages and lower the CPI, what they\u2019re, effectively, saying is that they want to lower the amount that benefits go up by and they want to grow the gap between people who are in work and people who are outside of work. I don\u2019t want to sort of put aside the camaraderie and cross-party support for this bill over the political decisions that have meant that, actually, what we are confirming is decisions that in some cases are simply punching down. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001007\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ESo the Green Party does support this bill because, ultimately, should this bill not go ahead, some of these pipelines will just simply go away, but I really question the Government\u2019s timing of this. To leave it, effectively, to the very, very, very last day of this sitting of this House on something that is actually so essential when we spent hours and hours on end last week debating legislation that was not essential puts the Leader of the House\u2019s judgment, in my view, into question over what actually really matters to this Government. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001008\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMaking sure that these lifelines continue to exist or criminalising homelessness, making sure these lifelines continue to exist or that we punch down on young people who actually need support as opposed to boot camps, and making sure these lifelines continue to exist or punching down on the Treaty\u2014these are decisions that the Leader of the House made when actually deciding the kind of legislation that should be prioritised. So for any Government member who talks about how necessary this is, I implore them to have a chat with the Leader of the House\u2014especially if she retains her role over the next term of Government\u2014over whether maybe this kind of legislation should have taken priority over other legislation that actually and objectively causes harm to those that are the most vulnerable in our community. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b78723aefdc74b11a47482993ca56a74\u0022 data-id=\u002203ce7acdb33930e064712aa49d37163f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001009\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b78723aefdc74b11a47482993ca56a74\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002203ce7acdb33930e064712aa49d37163f\u0022\u003EHon Dr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour\u2014Christchurch Central) (09:14)\u003C/span\u003E: \u003Cspan lang=\u0022rar\u0022\u003EKia orana\u003C/span\u003E, Mr Speaker. I\u2019m very excited to speak on this important piece of legislation. It is actually really important that secondary legislation, like regulations and what have you, do come before this House because it recognises, essentially, the supervisory role of Parliament over the executive when they come to make this pretty wide-ranging series of orders and regulations and what have you, particularly in respect of levies.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001010\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe know that the Government has gone through and, in fact, increased levies pretty much across the board, pretending that they\u2019re not increasing costs on New Zealanders, but, in fact, they\u2019ve done that not only in respect of industry levies but all kinds of other levies, whether it be ACC levies or what have you. The industry levies that we see here, though, are something of a different order in that they are aimed at promoting in one way or another the industries to which they relate, and it is pretty important. I have sat on the Regulations Review Committee and, essentially, caught out some industries that were over-levying. They were building reserves, which isn\u2019t what levies are for. Whilst it\u2019s appropriate to be fiscally responsible, it\u2019s not, essentially, a way to gather revenue from industry members. It\u2019s simply a way to do the job that the relevant legislation gives you, and that\u2019s often marketing for the purposes of export, ensuring biosecurity measures are appropriate, and so on. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001011\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EOf course, the other levy in here is to do with the Biosecurity Act and the commercial vessel levy, which is actually really important. We see commercial vessels coming in, and quite often they\u2019ll be carrying water as ballast and they\u2019ll discharge it, and one of the things that this levy is about is ensuring that when that water is discharged, it doesn\u2019t have any foreign biohazard material in it, whether that be starfish\u2014which we\u2019ve seen invading our seabed\u2014or other seaweeds, clams and all kinds of things. That\u2019s an important part, as well. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001012\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve got the road-user charges order, as well, which is reducing the excise. Of course, that does leave a hole in the Government accounts, and we\u2019ll be interested to see how that gets filled. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001013\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAlso there is the prohibition on nitrous oxide, which we support as well because we do recognise that that has been entirely inappropriately used. Whilst it has a legitimate commercial use, the fact is that by far and away the majority of it was being used as an intoxicating substance, and there\u2019s no substantial loss in saying that if you want to use it as a propellant for your whipped cream, you\u2019ve got to look elsewhere. We support that, as well. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001014\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EOther members have spoken extensively on the superannuation and retirement income, and social security measures. It\u2019s totally important that these are kept up. At the moment, wages are not rising fast, and so the dual measure that the Labour Government put in, where it was the higher of wages or the Consumers Price Index (CPI), wouldn\u2019t have kicked in, I imagine, this term, but it is problematic when we do see wages leaping ahead and we\u2019ve got only a CPI adjustment. But, having said that, as Jenny Salesa and Ricardo Men\u00E9ndez March have pointed out, it is an increase and it is an absolutely necessary increase, given the huge costs that are going up, and we\u2019ve seen that the cost of food is going up. One of the challenges, of course, with having a CPI adjustment is that it recognises a basket of goods, whether it be rates, insurance, food, electricity, and so on, but it doesn\u2019t necessarily mirror the exact costs that any given person has, whose accommodation costs, for example, might be a large part of their income, and so it can be somewhat skewed. But, as I\u2019ve said, it is going up. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001015\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, I know that the House has got important business ahead of it, and I won\u2019t, therefore, take any more time, other than to say that it is important that the House does seriously exercise its supervisory jurisdiction. It\u2019s good to see that the Regulations Review Committee has done a thorough job in examining these levies and, surprisingly for this kind of bill, it has made some amendments to it. With that, we are supportive of this bill in front of the House. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00223d52c571cdb246f6abf50a39de1a66f7\u0022 data-id=\u0022b0b2a5f92e355cb3b3ea93d2bfe038d4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001016\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d52c571cdb246f6abf50a39de1a66f7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b0b2a5f92e355cb3b3ea93d2bfe038d4\u0022\u003EGLEN BENNETT (Labour) (09:19)\u003C/span\u003E: Kia ora, Mr Speaker, and may I compliment you on your very nice green tie.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001017\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cdfceb3207b43e8a21b346f9376ddc7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022991a8ca5cc71595e52b1e942f69d97ea\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Teanau Tuiono)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you\u2014just for you, buddy, just for you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001018\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00223d52c571cdb246f6abf50a39de1a66f7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e3e6927f03d64cb465b9cf08afc9521c\u0022\u003EGLEN BENNETT\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s very nice to see the respect you show this House on the last day of Parliament.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001019\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAlso, to my colleague the Hon Dr Duncan Webb, I believe that\u2019s probably your last contribution in this House, and so thank you for your nine years and your contributions and, I guess, you\u2019re going out on a high note with this piece of legislation. It was riveting, and we thank you so much for your service. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001020\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe do support this legislation, and most of the things have been said, so I won\u2019t say a lot. It gets everything from biosecurity to commodity levies to restrictions on some imported items, and adjustment to alcohol, tobacco, excise duty, road-user charges\u2014the list goes on. The one I wanted to mention was around the biosecurity\u2014biosecurity levies, imported goods, and commercial vessels etc. I was actually in Wellington International Airport recently, and got to see behind the scenes, to see the work that\u2019s done there\u2014everyone from customs, through to baggage handling, through to air-traffic control. I got to get an insight into biosecurity, and just the importance of biosecurity to our nation. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001021\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe are a small island at the bottom of the Pacific, and the gift that we have is our humongous moat around New Zealand. It protects us but is also a huge risk. We need to make sure that we are getting our protections at our borders right. It is only one mistake, or one lapse, or maybe one lack of funding to be able to provide the right border security, and the invasive species will get in, and we\u2019ve seen those expressions time and time again over the years. This, to me, is a really important part of this legislation, around ensuring that those pests and diseases stay out of New Zealand, because we are lucky to be in the country we are and to have the natural beauty, and in natural species, etc., etc. Being at Wellington International Airport, seeing the staff and how diligent they were, seeing the work they do, not only at the airport but then to the port, etc. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001022\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ELabour does support this. It is, as Ricardo Men\u00E9ndez March said, it\u2019s hard on the last sitting day, having to get it through as quick as possible, but we do need to do it, to make sure that secondary legislation is confirmed before the House rises for the election. The Labour Party supports this legislation.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001023\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001024\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBill read a second time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001025\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u002261b8189b615fc62c75491f3046c75573\u0022\u003EThird Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00229d5b13d601794bb282d99453116ad395\u0022 data-id=\u002203f1b5c4fec9142eccaf910c843be08a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001026\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229d5b13d601794bb282d99453116ad395\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002203f1b5c4fec9142eccaf910c843be08a\u0022\u003EHon TAMA POTAKA (Minister of Conservation) (09:22)\u003C/span\u003E: on behalf of the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003ELeader of the House\u003C/span\u003E: I move, \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EThat the Secondary Legislation Confirmation Bill (No 4) be now read a third time\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001027\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001028\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBill read a third time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001029\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022ed68b1c899b0e1413eb54b7a7a96e565\u0022\u003ER\u0113kohu Wharekauri Shared Redress Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001030\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00227fc5992425c6dd96ce0de28b40d94d46\u0022\u003ELegislative Statement\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00229d5b13d601794bb282d99453116ad395\u0022 data-id=\u0022930d89c8df19a84a2fe4d52c10b45493\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001031\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229d5b13d601794bb282d99453116ad395\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022930d89c8df19a84a2fe4d52c10b45493\u0022\u003EHon TAMA POTAKA (Acting Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations) (09:22)\u003C/span\u003E: I present a legislative statement on the R\u0113kohu Wharekauri Shared Redress Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001032\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cdfceb3207b43e8a21b346f9376ddc7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002244b413ce031615b7f5f9a58e834e4306\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Teanau Tuiono)\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=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001033\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022c3d8b1611a16f019c186e3410d1e2e67\u0022\u003EFirst Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00229d5b13d601794bb282d99453116ad395\u0022 data-id=\u0022e413c852ee935e155f8051509bacc8bd\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001034\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229d5b13d601794bb282d99453116ad395\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e413c852ee935e155f8051509bacc8bd\u0022\u003EHon TAMA POTAKA (Acting Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations) (09:23)\u003C/span\u003E: I move, \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EThat the R\u0113kohu Wharekauri Shared Redress Bill be now read a first time\u003C/span\u003E. I nominate the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee to consider the bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001035\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001036\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001037\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI acknowledge and extend a warm welcome to the members of Moriori and Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri, who are in the public gallery or joining us online, and have shown extreme patience at this 11\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C/sup\u003E hour of the parliamentary term whilst we progress secondary legislation this morning.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001038\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis current moment marks a significant step and milestone on the respective settlement journeys of the imi of Moriori, and the iwi of Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri. More than six years ago\u2014mid-February 2020\u2014the Crown and Moriori signed a deed of settlement for their claims under Te Tiriti o Waitangi. On 17 August 2026, on a beautiful day in Wharekauri, the Crown signed a deed of settlement with Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri. Both these deeds recorded the Crown\u2019s commitments to provide shared redress to Moriori and Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri. The R\u0113kohu Wharekauri Shared Redress Deed and R\u0113kohu Wharekauri Shared Redress Bill deliver on those respective commitments. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001039\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EOn 16 September 2026, the Crown and Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri, some of whom are here today, signed the R\u0113kohu Wharekauri Shared Redress Deed, and I acknowledge Moriori have not signed the deed at this time, but may in due course. I wish to acknowledge both the imi and the iwi for your commitments reaching this milestone; it has not been an easy journey to reach the point where we are today, and dare I say there will be some challenges ahead as well.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001040\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI want to acknowledge the work of lead negotiators, Harioa Daymond, your kuia, and Tom McClurg from Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri, and Maui Solomon for the imi of Moriori. They\u2019ve worked many, many years, tirelessly alongside others, to reach this point in time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001041\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001042\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001043\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI also wanted to acknowledge the trustees of the respective organisations: the Moriori Imi Settlement Trust\u2014Thomas Lanauze, Kushla Allen, Chas Taurima, Billy King, and Hayden Preece\u2014and the trustees of the Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri Iwi Trust: Melodie Eruera-Fraser, Monique Croon, Deena Whaitiri, Di Grennell, Megan Lanauze-King, John Preece, and Paula Page. There are no doubt others who have been an integral part to enabling us all to reach this moment. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001044\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe various generations and whakatupuranga of the imi of Moriori and iwi of Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri who have maintained your identities and languages\u2014both ta r\u0113 and te reo\u2014and often have had intermarriage and cross-pollination across the imi and iwi. Today\u2019s reading is intended to acknowledge these groups, and the deep and enduring connections of Moriori and Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri\u2014to your henu, your whenua, your \u016Bkaip\u014D.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001045\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s also an opportunity to acknowledge the grievances, and the mamae, and the long-standing concerns carried by uri of both groups as a result of the Crown\u2019s breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the Treaty of Waitangi. I\u2019ll also acknowledge the Crown officials, some of you who are here today, some of whom are probably at Copperfield\u2019s\u2014officials, advisers, and all those who have worked in good faith throughout the negotiations that have led to the R\u0113kohu Wharekauri Shared Redress Deed.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001046\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis bill, before the House today, differs from many of the settlement bills that have come before it. It\u2019s bespoke and unique in nature. This bill does give effect to matters, but does not settle long-standing historical claims, or \u201Cherstorical\u201D claims, or recount the interactions between Moriori, Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri, and the Crown. Those matters are dealt with in the respective deeds of settlements, with the imi and with the iwi, and the settlement legislation that has arisen through those k\u014Drero. Instead, this bill gives effect to the shared redress between these people and others, the iwi and the imi, on R\u0113kohu Wharekauri, through arrangements for the vesting and management of areas of cultural, spiritual, and ecological, environmental, taio, importance. It establishes a framework for the ongoing recognition and stewardship, kaitiakitanga, of those places. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001047\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe bill vests four cultural redress properties, at Tikitiki Hill Conservation Area, in the trustees of the Moriori Imi Settlement Trust, and in the trustee of Te Korowai o Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri Trust. It also vests in those entities\u2014Te Whanga Lagoon, and five adjoining areas, sites to be administered by the Te Whanga Lagoon management board, which will be constituted by representatives of Moriori, Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri, the Chatham Islands Council, and the Director-General of Te Papa Atawhai, the Department of Conservation. That board will act as a guardian, with a focus on protecting and enhancing the cultural, spiritual, ecological, and environmental values of the lagoon. The bill establishes a permanent joint planning committee of the Chatham Islands Council, and members of that committee include councillors as well as appointees representing both the imi of Moriori and the iwi of Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri. It provides for the Moriori Imi Settlement Trust to nominate a member of the Chatham Islands Conservation Board, and an equivalent provision will be enabled through the Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri settlement legislation. The bill provides commercial redress, through an opportunity for the Moriori and Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri governance entities to jointly purchase, and lease back to the Crown, the whenua at Kaingaroa School. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001048\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EFinally, it restores a number of traditional names of various areas across R\u0113kohu Wharekauri, and the motu tautoko that includes Chatham Island, and the wider Chatham Islands, which will be officially recognised under ta r\u0113 Moriori, te reo M\u0101ori, and English-language names. This bill reflects the relationships between the Crown and Moriori, and the Crown and Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri. It also gives effect to redress that acknowledges the significance of R\u0113kohu Wharekauri, and the enduring connections that both groups hold with it. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001049\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMy hope, and certainly the hope of the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Paul Goldsmith who sends his aroha and apology today, and the redress that it provides will support the aspirations of both groups, strengthen their respective relationships with the Crown, and with the k\u0101wanatanga, and contribute to the long-term wellbeing of people and place, communities and whenua and wahi t\u012Bpuna, of ancestors and t\u012Bpuna of their respective iwi. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001050\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI consider that this bill should proceed without delay to the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee, and under the wise stewardship of the illustrious members of the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001051\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cdfceb3207b43e8a21b346f9376ddc7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022cae1fbadc6403314f3b52e9c4e0678bc\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Teanau Tuiono)\u003C/span\u003E: \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003EKo te p\u0101tai kia whakaaetia te m\u014Dtini.\u003C/span\u003E [\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EThe question is that the motion be agreed to\u003C/span\u003E.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00220750364c2c1444d0ae00bced720f964e\u0022 data-id=\u0022f9913523e9ae50ed64d0840de599196a\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001052\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220750364c2c1444d0ae00bced720f964e\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022f9913523e9ae50ed64d0840de599196a\u0022\u003EHon GINNY ANDERSEN (Labour) (09:30)\u003C/span\u003E: T\u0113n\u0101 koe, e te Mangai o te Whare.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001053\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001054\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001055\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI think, as far as I can remember, this is the first bill where there is redress between two different groups contained in one piece of legislation. I may be wrong, but it\u2019s quite unique in that sense, and it reflects the complex history that this bill represents. It is an important step in recognising the history of Wharekauri and giving effect to the shared redress between both Moriori and Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri, as well as the Crown.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001056\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAt its heart, this legislation is about acknowledging history, recognising that there are enduring relationships there to whenua and to taonga, and creating practical arrangements that will enable tangata whenua to participate in decisions that have deep cultural significance to them, both environmental and historical. It provides for shared ownership and management of those places, including Te Whanga Lagoon and Tikitiki Hill Conservation Area, and it establishes structures that bring together Moriori, Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri, and local government in conservation agencies to protect these places for future generations.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001057\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ELabour supports these measures because Treaty settlements and associated redress are more than just acknowledging those past grievances; it\u2019s also about creating a meaningful framework in which to move forward. That is what the Treaty of Waitangi should be providing us, that framework not only for us but for future generations to enable us to work together between iwi and the Crown, but also to provide tino rangatiratanga, to provide certainty, to provide clear connection for iwi and those places that are so meaningful for you and for future generations going forward.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001058\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe Waitangi Tribunal\u2019s landmark R\u0113kohu report documented the devastating consequences of invasion, dispossession, enslavement, and Crown action that left lasting scars on generations of Moriori. It also examined the experience and the claims of Ng\u0101ti Mutunga, whose own history was shaped by displacement, conflict, and Crown decision making. While no piece of legislation can undo history, Parliament has a clear obligation to recognise, in honesty, and support processes that allow communities to move forward with dignity and with mutual respect. That is why the shared redress of this bill is so significant. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001059\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis bill reflects an agreement reached by Moriori and Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri themselves about how particular sites and resources should also be managed as well as protected. It reflects a commitment to cooperation, a shared stewardship, and respect for cultural values that both of those groups hold in these places. The establishment of the Te Whanga Lagoon Management Board is a particularly important aspect on this legislation that we\u2019re considering today. It is one of the defining natural features of R\u0113kohu. The board\u2019s role as a guardian and steward recognises not only the environmental importance of the lagoon but also its cultural and spiritual significance.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001060\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ELikewise is the establishment of the Joint Planning Committee that ensures Moriori and Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri have a permanent voice in planning and resource management. How important that is to have your voice included in the future planning of that resource and how it has looked after. That is consistent with the modern understanding of partnership and participation that is enshrined within Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It recognises that decisions affecting whenua, decisions affecting natural resources and cultural heritage, are stronger when tangata whenua are genuinely involved. Recent events concerning the ancient waka discovery under R\u0113kohu have reminded New Zealanders of the extraordinary cultural and historical significance of your islands. They are a huge part of our history and so important to have today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001061\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI would like to conclude by saying that this is a really unique piece of legislation. I commend all of you for being here and making the effort. It\u2019s been a privilege to be able to meet some of you. From the depths of my heart, I genuinely hope this framework provides a strong basis for you to move forward in your area and have pride, confidence, and tino rangatiratanga on your whenua. \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003EN\u014D reira, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou katoa.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002233a8db41ad0c4278b7eb829406824bb5\u0022 data-id=\u0022e489dd97f54b576b627f3f57d542ce6e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001062\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002233a8db41ad0c4278b7eb829406824bb5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e489dd97f54b576b627f3f57d542ce6e\u0022\u003ESTEVE ABEL (Green) (09:35)\u003C/span\u003E: Kia ora koutou. Those of you from Moriori and from Mutunga o Wharekauri back in the gallery, m\u014Drena. This bill is not without its challenges. I\u2019ve been reading the background on it, and I think it would be remiss of us to not acknowledge those challenges, and that Moriori have concerns around the settlement implications with Wharekauri and questions of tino rangatiratanga. These are tensions that must be acknowledged and must be recognised.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001063\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI sit on the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee with most of my colleagues who are in the Chamber today. We grapple with overlaps in iwi interests in different properties and lands all the time, most recently Ng\u0101ti Ruapani mai Waikaremoana where there\u2019s well-understood overlaps in similar pieces of land with different iwi and hap\u016B. The relationships between those iwi and the historic tensions\u2014I will give examples, without speaking to your specific example, of the East Coast where some were deemed as loyalists by the Crown and some were deemed as rebels, and those two groups ended up in conflict with each other.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001064\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI think it\u2019s very important that we make clear in this House that the Crown\u2019s purpose with these settlements is to acknowledge the harm the Crown has done to iwi. The challenge that we face in making settlements and redress is to make sure we don\u2019t cause further harm by committing further failings against Te Tiriti and further failings of obligation to iwi. We are well aware that, in the conventional settlement process, they\u2019re often very divisive\u2014the settlement processes\u2014because of the structure that the Crown and the red book that the Crown imposes on iwi and requires iwi to meet to achieve a settlement. These things must be said and spoken. These truths must be acknowledged, and that is what I intend to do today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001065\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI want to reflect on the nature of colonisation. There\u2019s a gentleman called Mazin Qumsiyeh, who is an academic from Bethlehem in Palestine, and he came and he gave a very dispassionate explanation of the different courses of colonisation. One is assimilation, disposition, and genocide, and destruction of an indigenous people by the coloniser; the other is ejection by the indigenous people of the coloniser. That doesn\u2019t happen very often. It happened in Algeria; the Algerians kicked out the French after 100 and something years of colonisation. The Indians kicked out the British. It does happen, but not very often.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001066\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe other one, the third option, is reconciliation and redress between the coloniser and those who were colonised, and that must be based on a principle of genuine mutual respect and coexistence. That is what we are seeking to do, I believe, in Aotearoa New Zealand: to properly reconcile and redress for the harms caused by the Crown to iwi. The complexities of the relationships contained in this bill are part of a story of how we make amends for harms done in the past, and how we make good for the future; that we may live in peace and mutual coexistence, in a way that everybody thrives, and the dignity, autonomy, and rangatiratanga of the indigenous people is upheld by the Crown. Kia ora koutou.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022440a125e85954bae9f5d470b7551e4f3\u0022 data-id=\u0022ecafb2dad3b7cfc07413d53e0a18c12f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001067\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022440a125e85954bae9f5d470b7551e4f3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ecafb2dad3b7cfc07413d53e0a18c12f\u0022\u003ECAMERON LUXTON (ACT) (09:41)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I rise on behalf of the ACT party to speak in favour of this piece of legislation. The quote that Steve Abel just gave on the complexities of human relationships is nowhere more stark than in the need for legislation such as this.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001068\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe complexities of relationship between iwi and imi and the Crown have been seen in 2018, when we had a historical account, apology, and acknowledgment; and last night we did the first reading of the Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri Claims Settlement Bill. Those are dealing with the complexities of the relationship between the Crown and imi and iwi. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001069\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EHere is a complication in the relationship, and I hope, in the same way Steve Abel has mentioned, that we are doing this in a way that isn\u2019t unhelpful. It\u2019s going to go through the select committee. I\u2019m not a member of the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee, but I can see this is going to take a lot of working out and understanding; and making sure that, as Government so often does when it tries to help, it doesn\u2019t makes it worse. I really do hope that the process that we\u2019ll go through will make sure everybody who is trying to overcome the complexities of human relationships finds in this legislation the path to do so, for some of the most beautiful, productive, and important cultural, economic, and environmental places in New Zealand. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d92a09db28c44070bbfdcc9f0e6f3cca\u0022 data-id=\u00228aecffff5bf592a0986a8f6e80548a1b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001070\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d92a09db28c44070bbfdcc9f0e6f3cca\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00228aecffff5bf592a0986a8f6e80548a1b\u0022\u003EJENNY MARCROFT (NZ First) (09:42)\u003C/span\u003E:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001071\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001072\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001073\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI rise on behalf of New Zealand First in support of the R\u0113kohu Wharekauri Shared Redress Bill. I\u2019d like to begin my contribution by acknowledging the Minister who spoke first to this piece of legislation, the Hon Tama Potaka, and acknowledging that this, in his words, is a \u201Cbespoke\u201D and \u201Cunique in nature\u201D piece of legislation. We\u2019ve heard that through some of the contributions we\u2019ve had so far. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001074\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EYes, as humans we are a little complex in nature, and our relationships with ourselves and each other can at times demonstrate complexity in the way in which we interact with each other, and the way in which we have interacted with each other in the past. But that sets a foundation for building a new way of interacting into the future. Treaty settlement bills and redress bills enable us to reset our relationships, with ourselves, with our wh\u0101nau, and with our wider communities in all their shapes and forms. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001075\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI believe these types of pieces of legislation enable us to move forward together as a people and as a society. The society on the Chatham\u2019s, this idyllic setting to the east of the South Island, is a mere 500 kilometres or so away Wellington, but also a lifetime away from Wellington, which is not such a bad thing.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001076\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMy colleague the Hon Shane Jones obviously has a deep connection with the Chathams. As the regional development Minister and fisheries Minister, he has focused heavily on the Chatham Islands through infrastructure funding, shipping, and transport support in fisheries management decisions. And it is his hope, through the course of this Parliament, that he\u2019s been able to strengthen the bonds between the Chathams and Wellington. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001077\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAnd, of course, we heard last night in the Treaty settlement bill for Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri about the trip that many went on last year on the Air Force Hercules, which I was actually meant to be on myself. However, because there was a desire to take the R\u0101tana band, some of us got left behind on the mainland. But it was a great trip, and the stories that have come back from that are legendary in nature. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001078\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EToday does mark a significant step forward as we come together to discuss the R\u0113kohu Wharekauri Shared Redress Bill. This piece of legislation is born out of patience, enduring commitment, and the shared vision of two distinct iwi: Moriori and Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri. It\u2019s important to be clear about what this legislation represents. The bill gives legal effect to the key elements of the shared redress deed. And at the heart of this legislation is the recognition of shared connection to the whenua, to the awa, the moana, and identity. It is a collective effort designed specifically to acknowledge shared redress. Their areas of interest are completely overlapped, and that\u2019s where that complexity comes in, and has been noted already, the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee with have some work to do, to panel beat it all into shape, so that everybody is satisfied with how the bill makes its landing\u2014the final shape of it. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001079\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI will conclude that I am pleased\u2014though I haven\u2019t yet been able to get to the Chathams\u2014I do have the mug. In fact, there are cupboards full of them all throughout the Parliament, probably the most generously given mug that Parliamentarians receive, particularly when we arrive in this House. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001080\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EOn that note, I wish everybody well as we honour the past, provide certainty for the present, and build a sustainable future and foundation for R\u0113kohu Wharekauri. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b27d8609c612411686d517d0f9b09b28\u0022 data-id=\u0022503c64a691d0f53a95dde484a152d89e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001081\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b27d8609c612411686d517d0f9b09b28\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022503c64a691d0f53a95dde484a152d89e\u0022\u003EDAVID MacLEOD (National\u2014New Plymouth) (09:47)\u003C/span\u003E: \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003ET\u0113n\u0101 koe e te P\u012Bka\u003C/span\u003E. I\u2019m very pleased to stand for this first reading for the R\u0113kohu Wharekauri Shared Redress Bill. I couldn\u2019t help but chuckle a little bit when the previous speaker spoke about Shane Jones travelling over there, and I do wonder whether he\u2019s actually one of the present day\u2019s largest traders that goes to Wharekauri R\u0113kohu. He brings across plenty of his kumara from up the Far North there, in exchange for the wonderful kai that, of course, the islands are very famous for.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001082\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis redress bill is appropriate. It\u2019s an opportunity for a new beginning. It will be interesting, as my colleague Steve Abel said, with the select committee opening up for submissions later on today. Hence, we\u2019re wanting to get this done; let\u2019s get this done expeditiously so we can start the process off. And, of course, with those submission processes, we do get lots of communications from different lenses, from all different sides of the debate itself. We hope that this redress is indeed what that word actually says: it is a redress. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001083\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI do want to thank the work of all those that have been involved with getting this particular bill to this stage here. I\u2019m sure many of them are in the gallery today, as well as our officials from Te Tari Whakatau. They have a very important job themselves, in making sure that this is indeed a satisfactory process, and one that doesn\u2019t cause further aggravation to what the Crown has historically done and what we\u2019re trying to fix here. I acknowledge the work of the office and the work that they do. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001084\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ESo this bill here has a number of things. I think one of the interesting parts is R\u0113kohu, the name. It\u2019s not, perhaps, so familiar to a number of people, being the Moriori name. I\u2019m from Ng\u0101ti Mutunga, as I mentioned last night, and I\u2019m very familiar with Wharekauri. I\u2019ve got to wonder where the kauri came from, because on my visit recently I didn\u2019t see too many kauri or trees around there, so it would be interesting to learn that story. But R\u0113kohu: I understand the meaning of that is \u201Cthe mist before the sun\u201D\u2014another beautiful word, a beautiful name for the islands, and of course, part of this redress is looking at including the M\u0101ori and Moriori names within the certain landscapes over in the island there. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001085\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBut without any further delay, I am very happy to commend this bill to the House. Kia ora.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022 data-id=\u002254102b1056e75f1c97b1af898d194e62\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001086\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002254102b1056e75f1c97b1af898d194e62\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON (Labour) (09:50)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Mr Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001087\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001088\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001089\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI just wanted to acknowledge the chair of the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee. He\u2019s done, surprisingly, a really good job in the last year! Yes, they\u2019re full of surprises, this National Party, sometimes! Obviously, he\u2019s one of your relations; I want to mihi him. To Greg Fleming, who, no doubt, will have a k\u014Drero, our M\u0101ori-speaking P\u0101keh\u0101 member, I want to mihi to him for his tautoko. It has been a good committee\u2014a really good committee\u2014very bipartisan. To our deputy chair, too\u2014I want to mihi to her for her contribution. Oh, there\u2019s my mate Georgie at the back there, too. I\u2019d mihi to the M\u0101ori Party too, but they\u2019re having the day off today!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001090\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00229d5b13d601794bb282d99453116ad395\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226747e124dc45560cf2682b79f4a6cca3\u0022\u003EHon Tama Potaka\u003C/span\u003E: Like most days.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001091\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e968c1334f0a40bfbd05d661e979ba38\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022723c4625e4acf23358c4959ee1143739\u0022\u003EHon WILLIE JACKSON\u003C/span\u003E: They\u2019re having the day off today. It\u2019s been a really good time, traversing these types of kaupapa\u2014challenging for the committee, as it is challenging for whanaunga up there in the gallery.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001092\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI do think these types of kaupapa are real challenges for politicians and our communities and wh\u0101nau to traverse: how we whakakotahi for this kaupapa; how we address this. This a unique settlement in terms of what happened to Moriori and, also, where the kaupapa conquest comes in. Those are the sorts of things that the courts traverse: how you apply that kaupapa conquest in terms of a people who were going about their own business for 400 years, until our chairman\u2019s relations turned up and took over. Then they\u2014and I should say \u201Cwe\u201D, too, because I am Ng\u0101ti Mutunga too. Their rights were breached by the Crown. So we as a Government, or whoever the Government is, have to get our heads around that, because there is no doubt that our people\u2014first of all, Moriori, and then our Taranaki people\u2014had their rights breached. The Crown breached those rights, so we don\u2019t want to get into this\u2014so it\u2019s really hard. And then, of course, everybody marries each other, right? Everybody is relations in the end. We\u2019re all whanaunga in the end anyway.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001093\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe have to understand, though, as Steve Abel talks about, who is the major fault here: who is the coloniser, who is running the divide-and-rule strategy, who is splitting the indigenous people? We have to get our act together so that our families and our young people can benefit, because the reality is that, whether it\u2019s Moriori or M\u0101ori, we\u2019re living off the smell of an oily rag, and it\u2019s the Crown that keeps getting away with murder, because it is the Crown that has robbed M\u0101ori of the opportunity in terms of great potential, in terms of economic development, in terms of developing our reo, whether that\u2019s Moriori reo or Ng\u0101ti Mutunga reo. It\u2019s always the Crown at fault, and if we can focus on that area, we will see the benefits of these sorts of initiatives and kaupapa. I just want to say to all our whanaunga, all our people who have come here today, that this is a special bill, the R\u0113kohu Wharekauri Shared Redress Bill, and it must be traversed in a bipartisan way, because of the problems that we have, in terms of overlapping claims, which is a constant problem for Governments, a constant problem, and people are missing out. If we focus on who has the p\u016Btea, who has the resources, who has the chance to support our wh\u0101nau, I think we will have a better result in the end.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001094\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe main thing is that we must whakakotahi for the kaupapa and focus on the Crown, focus on the Government, and get over what happened over the previous 400 years. I just want to make those points, congratulate everyone, and wish us all luck as we traverse this over the next few years. Kia ora an\u014D t\u0101tou katoa.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022cf22a832d14a4c99ab5dfd16e24446e5\u0022 data-id=\u0022ebc25e18e165d3516847117daec016da\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001095\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cf22a832d14a4c99ab5dfd16e24446e5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ebc25e18e165d3516847117daec016da\u0022\u003ERIMA NAKHLE (National\u2014Takanini) (09:55)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I too really love that tie that you\u2019re wearing. The chakra is green. I rise in support of the first reading of this bill. As we\u2019ve heard from colleagues across the House, it is a bespoke bill; it is unique, it\u2019s tailor-made, if we say it that way, and it needs to be, because we are dealing with a beautifully unique set of circumstances. I am really glad that this bill has been drafted in order to tackle the issues that are going to arise.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001096\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003EWhen we speak about overlapping interests and overlapping claims, when I was blessed to be placed on to the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee after being voted in, the first settlement bill that we dealt with was the Whakat\u014Dhea bill. I remember that was very emotionally taxing on myself and some of my colleagues. It was the first time I had been able to observe the whole issues arising from what people feel are overlapping interests. I am really glad that this bill has been drafted. I\u2019ll be watching it from afar if I\u2019m not blessed to be on the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee again, and I commend it to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227f988bc72b5e47b8856ba70e41dfbbaf\u0022 data-id=\u0022b223f83b41096bbde306d64b96451d66\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001097\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227f988bc72b5e47b8856ba70e41dfbbaf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022b223f83b41096bbde306d64b96451d66\u0022\u003EGEORGIE DANSEY (Labour) (09:56)\u003C/span\u003E: \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003ET\u0113n\u0101 koe e te M\u0101ngai o te Whare. T\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 koutou, t\u0113n\u0101 t\u0101tou katoa. Nau mai, haere mai ki P\u0101remata.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001098\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s an honour to rise on behalf of the Labour Party to speak in support of the R\u0113kohu Wharekauri Shared Redress Bill. It has been a really interesting journey, learning about the shared whakapapa, from both my readings but also from discussions with my colleagues. I was fortunate to grab the Hon Willie Jackson for a few minutes this morning to get his reckons on it as whanaunga. The history is such a complicated one. I think one of the parts of this that really stuck out for me was that I remember learning about Moriori at primary school, but that story that was told was so inaccurate and didn\u2019t address or speak to the people of Moriori in an accurate way. We know we have such a long history in this country of telling the wrong story about M\u0101ori and telling the wrong story about colonisation and what happened in New Zealand when the Europeans arrived.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001099\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt is a real pleasure and of great importance, but also comes with some sadness, that we are putting into our history books some correct information about what happened for Moriori and M\u0101ori during colonisation, and I think it\u2019s important, because we need to set the record straight. I hope every single child in our primary schools is not learning the same stories, the completely made-up stories, that I learnt in primary school, and instead are learning the accurate information about the harm done by the Crown to so many M\u0101ori, including your two iwi. The sadness comes because of how many kids, tamariki like me, 30 years ago in primary school\u2014the inaccuracy, and I hope that every 40-year-old is relearning, like I am, what actually happened and knowing the deep racial implications that colonisation had on everyone in New Zealand, especially tangata whenua.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001100\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI really want to acknowledge both the Moriori and Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri for your time, for coming and making the effort to come to the House today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001101\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAs other speakers have spoken to, this redress bill is unique. The Hon Ginny Andersen said it\u2019s the first time she thinks that we\u2019ve had a bill of this nature. The compromise, the ability to work together, the ability to move forward, I think, is highly commendable to everybody who has been a part of this process. A lot of that mahi has happened over many, many years, and so I commend all of that journey that would have been painful and challenging but, also, one that looks to the future, and a future for two iwi who have such deep connections to whenua. I hope that, moving forward, those connections to your whenua, to your tikanga, to your reo, are only enhanced for your wh\u0101nau as we move forward in New Zealand. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001102\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThere\u2019s been a huge question around tino rangatiratanga, both to do with this redress bill and the two iwi concerned but, also, in New Zealand as a whole, for many, many years. I hope that this is one tiny step in the direction of tino rangatiratanga for wh\u0101nau and iwi.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001103\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s really fascinating to read more about this history. I feel incredibly privileged to learn more. Congratulations on getting to this point, for Moriori and Ng\u0101ti Mutunga o Wharekauri. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001104\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cdfceb3207b43e8a21b346f9376ddc7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002299a1e700ad551a9ca83f9152e5f72d8e\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Teanau Tuiono)\u003C/span\u003E: Greg Fleming.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227ef423fda7b143b890e93f8018529ebe\u0022 data-id=\u002219f38e61161584f4f32dee3144a53de3\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001105\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227ef423fda7b143b890e93f8018529ebe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002219f38e61161584f4f32dee3144a53de3\u0022\u003EGREG FLEMING (National\u2014Maungakiekie) (10:01)\u003C/span\u003E: Pai rawa atu t\u014D neketai.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001106\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003E[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EYour necktie is awesome.\u003C/span\u003E]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001107\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cdfceb3207b43e8a21b346f9376ddc7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228b6a56802da10df1ef0b27387a80674b\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Teanau Tuiono)\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, mihi mai\u2014mihi mai [\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003Ethank you\u2014thank you\u003C/span\u003E].\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001108\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227ef423fda7b143b890e93f8018529ebe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ca3ef259b16755a21da6f42f234ba779\u0022\u003EGREG FLEMING\u003C/span\u003E:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001109\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001110\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001111\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cdfceb3207b43e8a21b346f9376ddc7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022160692b655bacce04574bbe7d9b0dc09\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Teanau Tuiono)\u003C/span\u003E: \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003EKo te p\u0101tai kia whakaaetia te m\u014Dtini.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001112\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EThe question \u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003Eis that the motion be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001113\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001114\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBill read a first time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001115\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022820568b981498114873a1baf84c6f5e9\u0022\u003EReferral to Select Committee\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00224cdfceb3207b43e8a21b346f9376ddc7\u0022 data-id=\u00222a7d4eeab9f980f79433745c06443e08\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001116\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cdfceb3207b43e8a21b346f9376ddc7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00222a7d4eeab9f980f79433745c06443e08\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Teanau Tuiono) (10:04)\u003C/span\u003E:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001117\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001118\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001119\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001120\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBill referred to the M\u0101ori Affairs Committee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001121\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cdfceb3207b43e8a21b346f9376ddc7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002247c53789c5a5e98be26600987845843d\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Teanau Tuiono)\u003C/span\u003E: \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001122\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EWaiata\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001123\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cdfceb3207b43e8a21b346f9376ddc7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002293289c8ae93fcf1c2e1c9b5205eb320b\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Teanau Tuiono)\u003C/span\u003E: T\u0113n\u0101 koutou. OK. \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003EKei te haere tonu te tereina\u003C/span\u003E\u2014the train\u2019s going to keep on going.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001124\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022c19eeccfd85b251d76c0eefa7cbb69ba\u0022\u003EAgricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Amendment Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001125\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00223c9d7f0a419761949d595353376e606b\u0022\u003ELegislative Statement\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022fa370c0016e740998a2816116c8e4365\u0022 data-id=\u002208f1bd92f3ea2d8a50fba6dbc76e3905\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001126\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022fa370c0016e740998a2816116c8e4365\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002208f1bd92f3ea2d8a50fba6dbc76e3905\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW HOGGARD (Minister for Food Safety) (10:08)\u003C/span\u003E: I present a legislative statement on the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Amendment Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001127\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cdfceb3207b43e8a21b346f9376ddc7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226cb54556aa2fed4f3ee82eef1d387928\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Teanau Tuiono)\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=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001128\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u00225a0f7e2955298f66a4be2cfc03cfa493\u0022\u003EThird Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022fa370c0016e740998a2816116c8e4365\u0022 data-id=\u00227ba1223576302c66f474c2db8ede30bc\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001129\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022fa370c0016e740998a2816116c8e4365\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227ba1223576302c66f474c2db8ede30bc\u0022\u003EHon ANDREW HOGGARD (Minister for Food Safety) (10:08)\u003C/span\u003E: I move, \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EThat the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Amendment Bill be now read a third time\u003C/span\u003E. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001130\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt is a pleasure to bring this bill to its final stage today. I want to start by thanking members of the House, the submitters, and the officials that worked on getting the bill here. At its heart, this bill is about making sure our regulatory system keeps pace with current practices while retaining its robustness. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001131\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act is approaching 30 years old. The science has moved on since it was written. Our trading partners and regulators have moved on. The practice of assessing these products has moved on. The law has not kept up.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001132\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis bill is a core part of delivering on the promise of the Ministry for Regulation\u2019s review into agricultural and horticultural products. That review found what farmers and growers had been saying for years: that while the system of approvals is generally effective at protecting against risk for things like trade and food safety, it had become cumbersome to navigate and approval times had stretched, to the point that companies are questioning the value in registering new agricultural products in New Zealand. That means that somewhere in Europe today, there is a product on a shelf that could help a New Zealand farmer treat a sick animal or help a grower protect a crop with less chemistry and lower application rates. It has been assessed, it has been used safely, and it is not available here.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001133\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAs a response, one of the central things that this bill does is strengthen the framework to build on assessments done overseas. Where a trusted overseas regulator has already done robust work on a product, our assessment will rely on that work rather than repeat it. What we will not do is skip the questions that are ours alone to ask. New Zealand\u2019s specific risks will still be assessed and managed appropriately. So let me be very clear: we are not cutting corners, we are cutting duplication. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001134\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EHere is what that means on the ground. For a dairy farmer: access to a new animal treatment in a sensible time frame, instead of waiting for years for a product that has already been thoroughly assessed and safely used overseas. For a grower: quicker to access to crop protection that is more targeted, needs lower application rates, or replaces older chemistry. For the people who make these products: less time filling in forms for an answer another regulator has already given, and more time and money going into the next product. The principle is simple: if the product is safe, if it is effective, and if it meets New Zealand requirements, we should not be making people jump through hoops for the sake of the hoops. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001135\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMy colleague acknowledged the select committee at second reading, and I\u2019d like to do so again today. This was a technical bill, and I thank the Primary Production Committee for the collegial way it conducted its review. The changes the committee made struck the right balance between flexibility and standardisation of notification, and it sharpened how we can use trusted overseas science without loosening New Zealand standards. These are practical improvements to transparency, certainty, and fairness, and they came from people outside this building telling us how the thing would actually work. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001136\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt is important that implementation is done well. That is why there is a two-year commencement period, unless the implementation before this date. It should absolutely be a priority for the Government to pursue the additional measures that are required for full implementation at pace, including new regulations covering the set-up, accelerated exemptions pathway, and processing time frames. I\u2019ve also directed my officials to prepare operational guidelines that show how overseas assessments will be incorporated and will speed up the process. The two-year commencement provides a buffer, but it should not take that long.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001137\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve spent most of my working lifer on a dairy farm. I know what it is to look at a sick animal or a paddock infested with weeds and be told the better option is not registered here. It is not a theoretical frustration; it is the sort of thing that makes good people lose faith in the system that is meant to be serving them. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001138\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis Government has been clear that regulation should be proportionate, practical, and focused on outcomes. It should guard what matters and leave alone what does not need guarding. That\u2019s what this bills does. It keeps our standards where they belong, which is high, and it gets good products into the hands of the people who use them every day sooner. What it doesn\u2019t do\u2014as some people have asserted\u2014is change, in any way, how genetically modified organisms are regulated under New Zealand law. The Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act, known as HSNO, provides the framework by which new organisms, such as GE, GM organisms, are permitted or not permitted in New Zealand; not the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Amendment Act. Section 21(5)(b) of the Act is clear that no product containing a new organism can be approved for use until it is first approved under the HSNO Act. This bill does nothing to alter that arrangement. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001139\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis bill is a proportional response to a real problem. It will boost farm productivity by enabling to access to better management while properly managing risk. This will, undoubtedly, help unlock rural New Zealand\u2019s potential. On that note, I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001140\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cdfceb3207b43e8a21b346f9376ddc7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224cf43d23650c9d7a6d3979c2456bf8ea\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Teanau Tuiono)\u003C/span\u003E: The question is the motion be agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022d839e70748034293b9dc7da14cde6c13\u0022 data-id=\u0022a8c4af9eda7dcfcd4a007c79bdd03794\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001141\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d839e70748034293b9dc7da14cde6c13\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a8c4af9eda7dcfcd4a007c79bdd03794\u0022\u003EHon JO LUXTON (Labour) (10:14)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am pleased to rise and take on call in this, the third reading of the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Amendment Bill. But before I do move on to that bill, I just want to wish all colleagues around the House a very happy last day here in Parliament, and wish everyone well on the campaign trail\u2014make sure you take time for your family and good eating and exercise, and remember to play the ball and not the player. That\u2019s my one piece of advice I want to leave you all with today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001142\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe\u2019re here in the House, on the last sitting day, in the third reading of this piece of legislation, and I want to acknowledge my colleagues on the Primary Production Committee, and, as the Minister mentioned, we worked together in a really collegial way, and that is one of things that I have loved about my whole time in Parliament, actually. When I\u2019ve been a part of the Primary Production Committee, we do work in a really collegial way, because, as a select committee, we recognise that whilst there will be times we disagree, we need to make decision based on what is, ultimately, going to be best for our primary producers, farmers, and growers out there, but also ensuring that we do need to make sure that we keep our environmental protections in place, and things like that. I do believe that over the years of my time here in Parliament, we have managed to work really well as a select committee.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001143\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s an interesting process, this bill, and we do continue to support it at this third reading\u2014I just wanted to make that clear. We do have concerns, still, about the fact that it was a shortened process. We have some concerns also around the consultation that was undertaken being a targeted consultation process. And so I do worry that, perhaps, we didn\u2019t hear from as many people or that other people may have wished to be consulted as part of this process. I worry that in doing that, given that our primary production, our farmers and growers are a huge part, if not the biggest part of our economy here, that if we have rushed and accidentally missed something, which I\u2019m hoping we haven\u2019t\u2014I would hate to think there could be unintended consequences as a result of that. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001144\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI completely understand the purpose of this piece of legislation because we\u2019ve heard for many, many years, actually, about the frustration from our farmers and growers about the inability for them to have access to some of the things that are available currently overseas. I mentioned in my second reading speech that some of the products and things that are available overseas are, perhaps, often more environmentally friendly or more effective than what we have available here. So I completely understand the reasoning for this piece of legislation. An example of one of the hold-ups that the country has been facing, or our growers have been facing, has been an insecticide\u2014the one the I mentioned, actually, for mealy bugs and grapes. An example of that was that, as at November 2025, it had been sitting in the approval system since 2019. That simply isn\u2019t good enough. Our farmers and growers need access to products in a really timely manner so that they can also remain competitive. We need to have these products in a timely manner because if something that we\u2019re using here somehow should hinder or impact our ability to sell our goods overseas\u2014because we are an export nation\u2014we need to make sure that we are keeping up with the most up-to-date veterinary medicines and agricultural compounds.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001145\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe did hear some concerns from submitters. They were concerned about the overseas regulators and taking into account those throughout the process. And, again, I want to give assurance to people who have those concerns that whilst the director-general must take into account\u2014I think that was the new wording that we decided on\u2014what overseas regulators have done and found, there must also be the consideration taken into our individual flora and fauna here in New Zealand. So just because something has been approved overseas does not mean it\u2019s automatically going to be approved here without the appropriate measures and things taken into consideration. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001146\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt was really interesting that, when Government parties were wanting to put amendments forward, suddenly they were withdrawn. It does make me wonder if there is some concern, even within Government parties, about some of the pieces of this legislation as it\u2019s gone through the process. But I guess we\u2019ll never know since they were withdrawn.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001147\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe still have some concerns also with regard to some parts of it, where\u2014actually, my colleague the Hon Rachel Brooking was hopeful that her amendments might have been accepted and that they would have been able to take more account of environmental risk, and it does seem that, in some parts, that hasn\u2019t happened. That is still a concern because, given that we\u2019re a trading nation, we do need to consider environmental risks for everything\u2014and I can hear the Minister muttering over there at me, and I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll tell me what he thinks.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001148\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022fa370c0016e740998a2816116c8e4365\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022bff5d315d392531068e16d430414798c\u0022\u003EHon Andrew Hoggard\u003C/span\u003E: I was saying that\u2019s what HSNO does.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001149\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d839e70748034293b9dc7da14cde6c13\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fa82c742981c369c95f7c5f8462b361c\u0022\u003EHon JO LUXTON\u003C/span\u003E: Oh yeah, well\u2014OK, I take your point. The other interesting part about this piece of legislation is that we haven\u2019t the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act come through. I find that quite intriguing in that we looked at both of these pieces of legislation alongside each other in the select committee\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001150\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022694c3cef004e40d78a26712dce80070d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022c89c65ad41bd5172327d309a00ddb24f\u0022\u003ESuze Redmayne\u003C/span\u003E: We tried to have them as one bill, but you wouldn\u2019t let us.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001151\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d839e70748034293b9dc7da14cde6c13\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00223e4f4e5ff092849f8ccf97cd3c28ab7c\u0022\u003EHon JO LUXTON\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014and yet this is the only one that has come out. I find that quite intriguing, and I\u2019ll look forward to my colleague Suze Redmayne\u2019s contribution because I think she has some things to say over there.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001152\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022cf22a832d14a4c99ab5dfd16e24446e5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022475f6b2bd3538a1738adc6d5030a0a1f\u0022\u003ERima Nakhle\u003C/span\u003E: Short and sweet, like her.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001153\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d839e70748034293b9dc7da14cde6c13\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002241512f3fd980f8a81972dbc59cab3b5f\u0022\u003EHon JO LUXTON\u003C/span\u003E: Oh, yes, and I don\u2019t disagree with you, actually. She\u2019s a lovely person to be on the select committee with.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001154\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222c6463d70604436695b4f49ebe8951ef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229eb3b39d5ead32cdfe2b847347cb0177\u0022\u003EHon Rachel Brooking\u003C/span\u003E: So Suze is not short?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001155\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022d839e70748034293b9dc7da14cde6c13\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225b948d3b33e77e379b7622532df88c94\u0022\u003EHon JO LUXTON\u003C/span\u003E: Well, no, she\u2019s not, actually\u2014no, she\u2019s not.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001156\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAnyway, one of the beauties of having it go through a select committee process, which is an appropriate thing that Governments should do\u2014using the select committee process\u2014is the opportunity for our Regulations Review Committee to also look at pieces of legislation, as well as our submitters, who can bring forward things that perhaps may have been missed. One of the things that was missed and that is actually very important\u2014but we have since corrected it, obviously, for this since it came out of the select committee process\u2014was that the Regulations Review Committee picked up the fact that if something has been declined or exempted by the director-general, they didn\u2019t have to necessarily say why or have it out there in the public arena as to why. I think it\u2019s important that we\u2019ve made the change in this legislation that it does have to be notified or put out there publicly as to why something might have been rejected, because I also think it gives New Zealanders confidence that things have been looked at in a proper manner and assessed as to the suitability for something being here in New Zealand or not. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001157\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EUltimately, this will allow our farmers and growers to have access to the agricultural compounds and veterinary medicines that they need in a timely manner. It should give confidence to people overseas. I know the Minister mentioned that it is about people being concerned about looking to invest here in New Zealand and bringing their products here, and we know that some have looked to leave the country, as well, because it\u2019s been such a difficult process.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001158\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe do support this piece of legislation. It will mean farmers and growers have access to the products that they need to remain competitive, to continue to have good animal welfare, and to continue to farm in more sustainable ways as different products are made available. I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002233a8db41ad0c4278b7eb829406824bb5\u0022 data-id=\u0022a0d589f45b08bfcd4854e40c92e651d4\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001159\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002233a8db41ad0c4278b7eb829406824bb5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a0d589f45b08bfcd4854e40c92e651d4\u0022\u003ESTEVE ABEL (Green) (10:23)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Boy, these are dense pieces of legislation here. The Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Amendment Bill, as we came to understand through the process\u2014and I acknowledge my colleague here mentioning that fact\u2014has a high degree of interaction between the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act (HSNO Act). One thing that struck us\u2014or that struck me at least, and perhaps others on the Primary Production Committee\u2014was that there is potential merit in combining these two Acts at some point because there is so much overlap.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001160\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EOne of the anomalies that was drawn out through the debate in the committee of the whole House is that the environmental risks of hazardous chemicals and substances are managed through the HSNO Act, as the Minister for Food Safety has just pointed out, but the residue issues with those chemicals where they\u2019re applied in agriculture are managed through the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act (ACVM Act). The interaction between those two Acts adds a level of complexity.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001161\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ESimilarly, on the question of genetically modified organisms, you can end up with a genetically modified organism being managed through the ACVM Act if\u2014as the Minister also pointed out\u2014it is first passed through the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act because it\u2019s captured as a new organism. Or is it captured as a new organism, because part of the debate which we\u2019re intimately involved with in this Chamber and in this term of Government, in particular, because we\u2019ve dealt with the gene tech bill, which did not make it back to the House for a second reading\u2014part of the challenge we\u2019re grappling with is definitions of what are genetically modified organisms. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001162\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe may already have an instance where something has been deemed to not be a genetically modified organism by the regulator through a process at the Environment Protection Authority and it has been released in a field trial\u2014I\u2019m talking about a compound that\u2019s a potential solution to varroa mite\u2014and there\u2019s debate as to whether it was correct to define this double-stranded RNA compound as not being genetically modified, or not involving the potential release of a genetically modified organism that could convey heritable material. The courts found that it was an appropriate approval, but there is still contention and question around that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001163\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAll of this combines with the adding in of veterinary medicines. There are hazardous substances and new organisms, agricultural compounds\u2014and, just for clarity, \u201Ccompounds\u201D means pesticides and herbicides, which is a far more familiar term, I think, to most people for what we\u2019re talking about in practical terms\u2014but also we\u2019ve got veterinary medicines. Now, that is a much less contentious question, and going to the purpose of the bill in trying to ease the regulatory pathway for access to veterinary medicines, we support that. That is not contentious because, just like with human medicines, the processes in international jurisdictions around evaluating where it is appropriate and where a veterinary medicine is safe are very rigorous. Just as a paracetamol has an effect on a Homo sapiens in Denmark, it\u2019s going to have the same effect on a Homo sapiens in New Zealand, and so you don\u2019t need a separate regulatory regime for a human medicine; neither do you need a separate regulatory regime for a veterinary medicine, because we know that if it works on a horse in Sweden, it\u2019s going to work on a horse in New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001164\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, that\u2019s why I actually think that one of the more useful solutions to the complexity of what\u2019s being combined in these bills would be to separate out veterinary medicines because they are less contentious. What should have been done with the gene tech bill\u2014which is part of this trio of legislation that occupies this space\u2014is that it should have been separated into medicines and contained use versus environmental release. Had the bill been split into those two parts, it would have been much easier to deal with because the medicines bit is not contentious. Likewise, the veterinary medicines bit of this bill is not the contentious one.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001165\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBut, on balance, our concerns around the loss of regulatory sovereignty around those agrichemicals is the reason that we\u2019re not supporting this bill at the third reading. It\u2019s because those pesticides and herbicides that are also regulated by this bill, as well as the HSNO Act, include pesticides and herbicides that are potentially novel and toxic. The worst effects of them\u2014as is often the case with synthetic chemicals created by humans and laboratories over the last hundred years\u2014are not understood or known until some years down the track or some decades down the track.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001166\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThat\u2019s why the precautionary principle and the precautionary approach is vitally important in regard to agricultural chemicals and compounds. We have, in the history of modern industrial agriculture, a pretty terrible track record of using some very damaging and destructive chemicals created by chemical companies\u2014that they make a lot of money out of\u2014and they serve a very simple, blunt, and effective purpose of killing things that we don\u2019t like in the agricultural production monoculture, usually; killing the particular bugs we don\u2019t like, killing the particular plants we don\u2019t like. Now, the long-term effects of that on an ecosystem level are where we have a 2 percent decline in global insect population year on year. That is a catastrophic problem for us ecologically. The loss of bee populations globally is a major problem for agriculture and food production in general, let alone for ecology. One of the obvious causes of that is neonicotinoid chemicals. They have been used in the agricultural sector to kill the bugs that we don\u2019t like but have had a knock-on effect on the bugs that we do like.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001167\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ESimilarly, we have to be wary and pay close attention to which companies are keen on deregulation of these chemicals. I just want to remind everybody that some of the companies that pushed hard for this deregulation of agricultural compounds\u2014which are pesticides and herbicides\u2014include BASF, one of the world\u2019s biggest agrichemical manufacturers; Bayer, the company that bought out Monsanto, who invented glyphosate and who invented a number of highly toxic chemicals, some of which are now prohibited in other jurisdictions; Syngenta, who produce atrazine, a chemical banned in 40 countries around the world but not banned in New Zealand. It should be banned in New Zealand. We have to heed who is pushing for this deregulation of these chemicals. Whose agenda does it serve, and should we forfeit our regulatory sovereignty in terms of the management of those chemicals, and should we be so willing to accept an overseas jurisdiction that might be under the influence of the lobby of those massive agrichemical companies to get a lighter-touch approach at the regulatory level? \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001168\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EFor those reasons, we stick on the side of a precautionary approach, notwithstanding that there will be some new chemicals and substances and biologicals that will be useful and will help us move away from more toxic chemicals. On balance, we do not believe that this amendment meets the right balance. We think it is too great a liberalisation, particularly in regard to those agrichemicals, those pesticides, and those herbicides, and so we won\u2019t be supporting this bill at this reading. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226aa6725740ef48a8bd0e0d084ac074fc\u0022 data-id=\u0022ef5792eca5409f681f555af6c1c5f62c\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001169\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226aa6725740ef48a8bd0e0d084ac074fc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ef5792eca5409f681f555af6c1c5f62c\u0022\u003EMILES ANDERSON (National\u2014Waitaki) (10:33)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Speaker. It\u2019s a pleasure to rise and speak on the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Amendment Bill on the last day of the 54th Parliament. Look, I just wanted to thank the Primary Production Committee for the work that they did, and the officials and all of the advice that they gave us. We certainly did harass them a bit around certain issues.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001170\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI just want to reiterate that, in our report, we noted that the bill does not amend the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act or alter New Zealand\u2019s regulatory settings in relation to GMOs or GEs. It\u2019s in our report. We had no differing views that were proposed by any party for the committee report. Originally, we were going to report back mid-September, but the committee agreed unanimously to report back in late August. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001171\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe are not losing regulatory sovereignty. That is the whole process that will be enabled by this new bill, taking into account overseas jurisdictions and their assessment of agricultural compounds and veterinary medicines. It doesn\u2019t mean we rubber-stamp it. There are processes involved to make sure that they are acceptable for New Zealand conditions.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001172\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis bill is a real step forward for farmers who have been asking for changes in this space for quite some time. A number of agricultural compounds and veterinary medicines that are available offshore are not available here. In many cases, these agricultural compounds and veterinary medicines have less of an impact on the environment and are certainly more effective in what they\u2019re being used for. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001173\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI would just also like to note that we\u2019ve actually lost a bit of scientific capability as well with the current system. We\u2019ve lost one of our research labs that\u2019s associated with one of the big companies and has shut up shop and moved to Australia, and that\u2019s certainly restricted the number of opportunities for scientists and researchers here in New Zealand. This, hopefully, will help in bringing back some of that research and development of agricultural compounds and veterinary medicines here onshore.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001174\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EFinally, I\u2019d like to close with, I guess, a shout-out to glyphosate, in particular, as one of the best and most useful inventions of the 20\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C/sup\u003E century. It\u2019s been an incredible chemical that has changed the way people farm. It has certainly been environmentally enabling, because, instead of tilling the soil, it\u2019s allowed low-tillage or no-tillage systems to evolve. With that\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001175\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002233a8db41ad0c4278b7eb829406824bb5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022545d24d5a320abbf61891098d0726c69\u0022\u003ESteve Abel\u003C/span\u003E: Tell the bees that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001176\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226aa6725740ef48a8bd0e0d084ac074fc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00229897a6bf281ebf45a4a7ff1d96d1bd21\u0022\u003EMILES ANDERSON\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s a great chemical, Steve Abel, and I think\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001177\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002233a8db41ad0c4278b7eb829406824bb5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228242b0bd638f96bc04d6f6a236964ff0\u0022\u003ESteve Abel\u003C/span\u003E: You wait to see how much you can grow when you\u2019ve got no bees.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001178\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226aa6725740ef48a8bd0e0d084ac074fc\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222800aab7aa9a8f312d3fc6329b8abd97\u0022\u003EMILES ANDERSON\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s a great, great chemical. Anyway, I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002211e9e1f818754d97b60bba4b18e5dc03\u0022 data-id=\u0022041de75386cdd3074b5ae05c7b2068b8\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001179\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002211e9e1f818754d97b60bba4b18e5dc03\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022041de75386cdd3074b5ae05c7b2068b8\u0022\u003EHon MARK PATTERSON (Associate Minister of Agriculture) (10:38)\u003C/span\u003E: Madam Speaker, I rise on behalf of New Zealand First to support this Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Amendment Bill. New Zealand prides itself for having the best farmers and growers in the world, but they do need world-class tools, or competitive world-class tools, to be able to maintain that status. What we heard coming into Government was the enormous frustration by those involved in the sector, from both the companies and the farmers, of the ability to get new chemicals tested and regulated in this country. We did hear an example from the Hon Jo Luxton in her presentation about a six-year wait.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001180\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBy international standards, even though we\u2019re a great primary producer, we are, essentially, a small market, and we were perceived to be closed for business, and that was having real-world consequences: the closure of Bayers\u2019s research facility in Hawke\u2019s Bay; they shut up shop and moved to Australia as Miles Anderson has pointed out. The system was just not working for anyone and the length of time for the approvals was chilling investment, because it was narrowing the window of opportunity for a patent to be effected before an agricultural compound or veterinary medicine was to become generic. So it definitely was having a chilling effect. We do need to sort this out. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001181\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe main part of this bill is it gives effect for the ability of work done by trusted overseas regulators to be taken more fully into account by our team in the Environmental Protection Authority, as we\u2019re not starting from scratch every time we get a new chemical or agrichemical veterinary medicine; we are able to take more fully into account work done by trusted overseas regulators. That does not mean that it\u2019s an open door\u2014there\u2019s still New Zealand context to be taken into account\u2014but we should be able to save a lot of time and effort and duplication through this new system. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001182\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe have put a lot of effort into making sure that this is robust and being satisfied with that. The stakes are very high. We had the dicyandiamide incident, where treatment of urea fertiliser\u2014traces were found in the milk, which caused havoc, particularly in China; of course, milk powder and the like for infants. That was extremely detrimental to our reputation as a trading nation with really high-quality, safe food. The stakes are really high here, so we do have to have a system that is robust and will protect us from those sorts of outcomes, which can have a devastating impact on our reputation internationally.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001183\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe Hon Jo Luxton also referenced a series of amendments that came through at one point in this process under my name. The reason for that was that there was a late flurry where there was some Official Information Act information that was released showing that there had been some trials of a double-stranded RNA that, at face value, would breach the GMO-free rules. We were scrambling around to understand exactly what that means, how that got through the system, and how this particular piece of legislation as drafted would handle that\u2014bearing in mind it\u2019s gone through the previous, or the existing, policy framework and regulatory framework. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001184\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI would thank the Minister and his officials for indulging us, walking us through what had happened in terms of that being a treatment for varroa mites and their impact on bees, and that that is a contained experiment that has gone through the existing Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act. But I agree with the contribution from Steve Abel that, as the next Parliament looks at the HSNO Act and continues to grapple with where we land on GMO, we must make sure those definitions are clear. To me, as a layperson, double-stranded RNA is a modified organism, and how that got through our system to the point where it is\u2014I think there are very real questions about that. I guess, the issue here is that that lies within the HSNO Act and how that is informed by the Gene Technology Bill that\u2019s also been before the Parliament and goes through the next Parliament. So that\u2019s the background of where that went. We\u2019ve taken this issue very, very seriously. We wanted absolute assurance that we were not opening up a back-door pathway to GMO.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001185\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis is fiendishly complex, and those three bills\u2014this bill, the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines (ACVM) Act Amendment Bill, the HSNO Bill, and the Gene Technology Bill\u2014are all linked. They\u2019re probably being slightly done out of sequence here, actually, but it was important that we get this through before the election, because of this: that pipeline of products that we\u2019re not getting access to. We needed to speed that up. With the other parts, we\u2019ve got time to take more time and get that absolutely right. It\u2019s going to be critical for the future of our agriculture and primary sectors. But it is fiendishly complex. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001186\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI will thank Miles Anderson and the Primary Production Committee for the work they\u2019ve done on this, and the Minister and his team for shepherding the new bill forward. We now have, hopefully, the ACVM rules and regulations that allow much more effective and less toxic chemicals to work through our regulatory system. I mean, ironically, some of the stuff Steve Abel was talking about, some of these really toxic agrichemicals that have been used in our past\u2014we actually have pretty rose-coloured glasses about our past and farming systems and our ecological and environmental record, because we used some horrific chemicals back in the day. This bill will allow us to get access to some much less impactful chemicals, treatments, and tools for our farmers and growers. New Zealand First supports this bill. Thank you. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001187\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022982e17b41f4b530ca273af50a7b56b8d\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: This is a split call.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002203a9a78995df41d999aa5550770febd3\u0022 data-id=\u002278c0a9dcb2ee6ba77587d67234a9ad0f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001188\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002203a9a78995df41d999aa5550770febd3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002278c0a9dcb2ee6ba77587d67234a9ad0f\u0022\u003ELAN PHAM (Green) (10:46)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Firstly, it\u2019s quite incredible to hear the Government member and their shout-out to glyphosate, particularly at a time where we know that Monsanto, which is now Bayer, has been forced to pay literally billions of dollars in payouts to farmers, sprayers, and users because of the severe health impacts when it comes to glyphosate use. That\u2019s the human health aspects, not to mention the environmental impacts, particularly on what we know is the true backbone of our economy and, actually, our entire world, and that is bees. Glyphosate has huge impacts when it comes to the environment and insects like these, and there are actually very valid ways to farm without these chemicals that are actually highly profitable. I just want to note that first.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001189\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI want to say, as well, that initially the Green Party did support the intention of this bill. That this generally streamlined approval of agricultural compounds and veterinary medicines by streamlining the existing regulatory requirements is not necessarily a concern in itself, and particularly those veteriny\u2014those veterinary, I should say; it\u2019s a very hard word to say at the end of a long week\u2014medicines. It is uncontroversial.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001190\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhat is a concern is that while there can be value in improving these regulatory processes, this should not be achieved by relaxing very necessary precaution and safeguards, particularly when it comes to the safeguarding of the health of our people and our environment and our animals. I mean, there are really clear lines where caution and adequate information and evidence that is fit for purpose for New Zealand is actually required. When it comes to the health of our people, the health of our animals, and the health of our environment, we absolutely draw that line, because this bill ultimately goes beyond simply improving efficiencies. It was really at the select committee process and, also, now at committee of the whole House where really clear Amendment Papers were put forward by my colleague Steve Abel and others on this side of the House, which just would have provided some greater clarity and certainty about those safeguards.  Unfortunately, the fact that those were not picked up or adopted by the Government only then strengthens our concerns around this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001191\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI want to pick up, too\u2014and I want to acknowledge the first reading of the bill that was just passed, with R\u0113kohu Wharekauri wh\u0101nau who were in the gallery just now.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001192\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe are very concerned about M\u0101ori participation and Te Tiriti o Waitangi when it comes to this bill. There is an absence of meaningful requirements for M\u0101ori participation. That\u2019s a significant concern for us.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001193\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe find it really hard to be in the Chamber consistently for these settlement bills where the Government are saying one thing, and then, in so many of their actions, they are taking away the rights and the obligations that the Crown holds under Te Tiriti when it comes to iwi M\u0101ori participation. For example, particularly with this bill, there is no requirement for the director-general to actually consult with iwi M\u0101ori before approving agricultural chemical products that could considerably impact te taiao\u2014environment\u2014and also, as we\u2019ve covered, human health.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001194\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe\u2019re really concerned about this specifically because environmental impacts can have severe consequences when it comes to taonga, to whenua, to waterways, and to M\u0101ori communities. We think there is absolutely a place for M\u0101ori knowledge, for m\u0101tauranga, and for expertise in this. It\u2019s completely absent. We\u2019re really concerned about the safeguards, and we oppose this bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002290f442a79aea4ce0aeae083763135935\u0022 data-id=\u00220a30ef4b2867cfe7578518a1e3be915b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001195\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002290f442a79aea4ce0aeae083763135935\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00220a30ef4b2867cfe7578518a1e3be915b\u0022\u003ECARL BATES (National\u2014Whanganui) (10:51)\u003C/span\u003E: As the member for Whanganui, including South Taranaki and Stratford, and soon including the Ruapehu, too, I\u2019m proud of our Government\u2019s record in backing our farmers and our primary producers. Passing the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Amendment Bill is another example of this. It improves farmer\u2019s, grower, and business access to agricultural and horticultural products while maintaining strong protections for public health, food safety, biosecurity, environmental outcome, and our international trade. Therefore, I commend it to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002242067e22c7a349218b3b868f58eda79d\u0022 data-id=\u00229be2e9914eb5fe77a9d762e41703aa78\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001196\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002242067e22c7a349218b3b868f58eda79d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00229be2e9914eb5fe77a9d762e41703aa78\u0022\u003ERACHEL BOYACK (Labour\u2014Nelson) (10:52)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise to take a call on the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Amendment Bill at its third and final reading. And, yes, it is a bit of a challenging word to pronounce.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001197\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI want to begin this contribution just by\u2014I was very interested to listen to the contribution from the New Zealand First Associate Minister, because last week, this was one of two bills where we saw what was the three governing parties in a little bit of disarray, where New Zealand First were popping up amendments on Government bills, and this was one of those.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001198\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt was quite intriguing that the amendments appeared on the Table and then subsequently disappeared from the Table. I\u2019ll come to that a little bit later, because Labour did have a solution that was subsequently not agreed to by New Zealand First at committee of the whole House stage, which could have helped to allay some of the concerns that our colleague Mark Patterson has mentioned previously and also from the Green Party. So I\u2019ll come to that soon.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001199\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe do support this bill. The reason we support this bill: it is as an important tool for regulating agricultural compounds and veterinary medicines\u2014there\u2019s that word again\u2014and it is important that we have a process that is straight forward, that\u2019s rigorous, that\u2019s easy for people to participate in, but that does protect people and that does protect our environment. That\u2019s what this bill\u2019s approach is, is to ensure that that happens.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001200\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWhat this bill does is it amends the existing Act; it doesn\u2019t create a new Act. But one of the fundamental things that it changes, where we have had a lot of debate in the last few days, is that, in addition to the main regulatory process\u2014a permanent regulatory process for compounds and medicines\u2014there has been a change to what was once called \u201Cprovisional registration\u201D, which is now going to be called a \u201Cconsent\u201D. So I\u2019ll come shortly to some of the things that the Labour Party believes could have been amended\u2014I\u2019m sure my colleague Rachel Brooking will have more to say on this in her contribution\u2014to add some more guardrails around that particular process. But I do want to just, I guess, put on record some of the things that we understand around that what is now called a consent process.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001201\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe first thing is that a consent doesn\u2019t automatically then lead to a full registration. So just because a product has been granted a consent, it does not mean that there will then follow an automatic registration process. That\u2019s one of the concerns that has sometimes been asked. OK, so if a product gets a consent for a short period of time in order to\u2014mostly it would be to undertake some research in a defined way and in a defined area\u2014would that automatically lead to research?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001202\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EDiscussions with officials have been helpful in assuring us, as elected members, that actually what occurs with that consent, with that shortened consent time is an opportunity to undertake research, to actually test out\u2014to test out\u2014whether that compound is going to be able to be used safely in New Zealand. That research that comes from that consenting process can then be used to determine whether the full registration application is robust. So just to note that there\u2019s no guarantee that a product would be fully registered later; it would still need to meet all of the requirements for a full registration.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001203\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI just want to touch on some of the other concerns that have come up and some of our proposals, as the Labour Party, via my colleague Rachel Brooking, that would have added some more guardrails. The first was that a consent, we believe, could have a maximum duration of less than five years. One of the concerns is that a consent could go on and on indefinitely\u2014so, essentially, have an effect of having a full registration, even if it is limited in terms of where it\u2019s able to operate and how it\u2019s able to operate, it could still have an indefinite consenting time frame. That adds risk to the use of that particular product. So it was a pragmatic suggestion, and we\u2019re surprised that New Zealand First didn\u2019t take us up on the opportunity to vote in favour of that, to put some more guardrails around after having raised some fair concerns.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001204\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe second amendment that was put forward was to add some more guardrails around the environmental effects. It has been traversed in the House today around the relationship between the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act and the amendments to the HSNO Act and the amendments to this Act and this bill that\u2019s going through the House. We did consider them in committee at the same time, and it is of interest to us on this side of the House that considered both bills together and asked questions about them together and have been advised that, no, we don\u2019t need to have environmental guardrails in this particular bill because they sit in the HSNO Act. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001205\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EHowever, the HSNO Act is also being updated, was reported back at the same time, but has not then appeared on the Order Paper in the House, so has not made its way into the debating chamber for its second reading, committee of the whole House stage, and third reading. Those two pieces of work have been dovetailed together. So it is of interest to us that one of those bills is now going to pass its third reading today and will have Royal assent and so forth, and the other one that it talks to, that it speaks to, will not. So it\u2019s going to be an interesting little quagmire for officials in terms of how those two bills relate to each other. I mean, perhaps Government members can give us some more information on where that bill has gone\u2014into the deep hole of bills that go nowhere, potentially. So just on the basis of, I guess, observing what\u2019s happening with coalition parties and a bit of chaos at times, with New Zealand First popping amendments in on Government bills\u2014Ministers, no doubt\u2014it would be interesting to know what\u2019s happened to HSNO.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001206\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe thought it would have been a pragmatic solution to add some guardrails around the environment into this bill. That would have helped allay some of those concerns raised by New Zealand First and ourselves and the Greens.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001207\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe also\u2014and again, this came through my colleague Rachel Brooking; I\u2019m sure she\u2019ll want to mention these amendments she put forward, herself\u2014wanted an amendment to say that any product sitting under that temporary consent shouldn\u2019t be sold for commercial gain. There is the opportunity and references to those products being sold. We did discuss this with officials and understand that it\u2019s a very rare thing to happen. We wanted an extra guardrail which would say that if those products were to be sold, because, essentially, if they\u2019re having a provisional consent, it\u2019s not for a commercial process; in future, it could be for a commercial purpose, but at the time, it\u2019s usually for a research purpose.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001208\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt would be unusual for a product that\u2019s being used for a research purpose in a very small way to have some type of sale process, but we believe that a guard rail to ensure that there wasn\u2019t, I guess, a sideways option for one of those products to then be used to be sold for commercial gain, would have been an extra guard rail that could have been put in. Then we also just note that it would have strengthened the role of consents for research, rather than for commercial sales. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001209\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn the short time that I have left on this bill, I do just want to note that we are supporting this with those reservations I\u2019ve laid out, because what it does do is it streamlines that process for approvals for compounds and veterinary medicines. We have heard those stories of products taking an extraordinarily long time to go through that process. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001210\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe believe it\u2019s important to be very defined and clear between the two processes that exist: the short-term provisional consenting process\u2014that is, primarily for research\u2014where a product may only be used in a defined area in a defined way with extremely robust guard rails around it, versus a product that has actually received its full registration and that can be used in that environment. We know that that system, for many people, has been far too slow, and often, when there hasn\u2019t potentially been a large risk, the process has largely been too slow, and that\u2019s been very frustrating, because being able to have compounds that can be used in the primary production sector to treat animals is important for our primary production sector, which is so important to New Zealand\u2019s economy. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001211\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EOn that note, with some of those reservations, which I\u2019m sure colleagues from my party\u2014the next two speakers\u2014will be able to eloquently espouse also, we do believe that this bill, on the whole and on balance, will be useful for our primary production sector. On that note, I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226c562dc86e974914b8878595e580f138\u0022 data-id=\u0022348029997caf81d961e891f08966691e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001212\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226c562dc86e974914b8878595e580f138\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022348029997caf81d961e891f08966691e\u0022\u003ECATHERINE WEDD (National\u2014Tukituki) (11:02)\u003C/span\u003E: Look, this bill is really important for a region like Hawke\u2019s Bay, where I come from\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001213\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227d19573a8ba4d8283b17374978c8ea2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002238ea617165f58a1b78521ddd19e366c4\u0022\u003EGrant McCallum\u003C/span\u003E: The fruit bowl.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001214\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226c562dc86e974914b8878595e580f138\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224996294843a49d48bc9c0c49e0e76e26\u0022\u003ECATHERINE WEDD\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014the fruit bowl of New Zealand. It is the powerhouse of horticulture in this country. Growers and farmers need these products to be able to produce the best products and export them to the world, and, currently, it is taking too long to approve these products. We\u2019re losing our competitive advantage with the rest of the world, and we need to step up and approve these products a lot faster and a lot more efficiently so that we can continue to be the powerhouse of horticulture and export to the world, to create jobs and opportunities for New Zealand, and to grow our economy. So I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001215\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00226ea543e1c5a8ae342e7b82059537c007\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: This is a split call.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00222c6463d70604436695b4f49ebe8951ef\u0022 data-id=\u0022fad9ea7b47f3cfb1d381ea66519275d5\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001216\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222c6463d70604436695b4f49ebe8951ef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022fad9ea7b47f3cfb1d381ea66519275d5\u0022\u003EHon RACHEL BROOKING (Labour\u2014Dunedin) (11:03)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Speaker. It is slightly strange to be standing in front of you\u2014and I\u2019ve spent a lot of time standing in front of you\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001217\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002293b79099caef80281e55571a8276eb78\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: You have, in the last couple of weeks.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001218\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00222c6463d70604436695b4f49ebe8951ef\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u002261b64c2fe0b1a7cb6e0f5fc2f193c712\u0022\u003EHon RACHEL BROOKING\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014in what I think would be my last contribution in the 54th Parliament, and it is on the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Amendment Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001219\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAs we traversed last week under urgency in the committee of the whole House stage, this bill\u2014or the ACVM Bill, as it is called\u2014is an amendment bill. We\u2019ve already got the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act, and the purpose of that Act has not changed, but some bits and pieces are changing in this legislation. We heard from the Minister for Food Safety that it is to enable these safer products to get permissions to be used in New Zealand, and then that will mean that the less-safe products can be swapped out. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001220\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThat is great, and that is why we\u2014the Labour Party\u2014have been in support of this bill. However, we did suggest some changes that would make that more explicit. It is useful to have it on the \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EHansard\u003C/span\u003E from the Minister because there doesn\u2019t seem to be an explicit hook in the bill that does what I\u2019ve just said, which is that it really has a focus on enabling these safer products to come into New Zealand and be swapped out with those less-safe ones. But I very much hope that that is how this legislation is used, because that is why the Labour Party is supporting it. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001221\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, we also heard some things about the select committee process. I\u2019m not on the Primary Production Committee\u2014I am our food safety spokesperson, but it sits at the same time as the Environment Committee. We heard from Miles Anderson at one point that Labour was supporting the shortened report-back time to select committee\u2014it absolutely was not. There was a vote on the motion in an earlier contribution, and Labour opposed the vote for the earlier report back. It didn\u2019t get a six-month report back; it got the sort of four-month report back, and then the select committee did report back slightly earlier than that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001222\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe also heard from the Minister that there was this collegial approach in the select committee, which is interesting when you have a coalition Associate Minister of Agriculture tabling Amendment Papers during urgency against another Associate Minister of Agriculture\u2019s bill. Now, those amendments disappeared, and that was interesting. Obviously, someone was not pleased in the coalition. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001223\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBut, I have listened to the Hon Mark Patterson, and what they were trying to do was to give some clarification and some comfort that where this new consent for research is given\u2014so it used to be called a provisional registration, or it\u2019s called a provisional registration under the Act that is being amended\u2014and when this consent comes in, it is really for research. We had some discussion in the committee of the whole House stage that even though the word \u201Cselling\u201D is used in the bill, the intention is not for these products that get a consent\u2014this is clause 40 of the bill\u2014are not to be sold. It is that these consents, which have a much less rigorous process than the other consents, are there just for research. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001224\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI put forward an amendment that would have said \u201Cand other related purposes\u201D, but the Government voted that down, which I think is a shame. But we did get some useful comments on the \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EHansard\u003C/span\u003E in the committee of the whole House stage of that process that really go to the scope of other purposes\u2014which is in the subheading\u2014which is that it is restricted and related to research. So it was useful to have that debate. I also suggested that there should be a time frame on the duration of these research consents, but the Minister didn\u2019t agree to that amendment, which is a shame, I think, because we could have made it a little bit better.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001225\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn conclusion, for the 54\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C/sup\u003E Parliament, I very much hope that this bill will do what the Minister has said. I hope that it will enable these safer products to be used in New Zealand, that we will see some of the older products stop being used, and that it will, indeed, be better for the environment.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002227d19573a8ba4d8283b17374978c8ea2\u0022 data-id=\u002209b0a2ff9820a6646ac378ff9cff08fd\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001226\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002227d19573a8ba4d8283b17374978c8ea2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002209b0a2ff9820a6646ac378ff9cff08fd\u0022\u003EGRANT McCALLUM (National\u2014Northland) (11:08)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Well, this is not the first time I\u2019ve spoken on the same bill as the previous speaker Rachel Brooking, but it will be the first time, I think, that we\u2019ve both supported a bill. So I\u2019d just like to acknowledge that. See, good things do come eventually, Rachel\u2014thank you.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001227\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003ELook, this is a great bill for the farming communities of New Zealand and for Northland. It will allow our farmers to get on and do their jobs better, with better environmental outcomes and better economic outcomes. I commend it to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00220b60f3de86f94cdcba16d6caa82b94e5\u0022 data-id=\u0022dc5d651a1d6b1547a0ab48a32ed0ba9b\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001228\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220b60f3de86f94cdcba16d6caa82b94e5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022dc5d651a1d6b1547a0ab48a32ed0ba9b\u0022\u003EHon DAMIEN O\u0027CONNOR (Labour) (11:08)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Speaker. On the last day of Parliament for this Parliament, this is quite both a significant day and, I guess, piece of legislation. There will be people out there saying, \u201CThe Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Amendment Bill\u2014why is this here on the last day and why is it important?\u201D Well, we are an agricultural and horticultural trading nation and we have been very successful at it, and the tools that we use for that are really, really important, but sometimes we have to be careful what we ask for.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001229\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003EIf I can go back to the reasons that this bill was brought in by the Government, there\u2019s been grumbling for a long time. In fact, there\u2019s always grumbling from the farming sector, and we have to admit that, but some of the chemicals that they\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001230\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022fd77ddc6246bd3c9a5cec8d99302675c\u0022\u003EDEPUTY SPEAKER\u003C/span\u003E: I am attempting to stay neutral, Mr O\u2019Connor!\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001231\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220b60f3de86f94cdcba16d6caa82b94e5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b461e10240ab13884bb4eac80e653402\u0022\u003EHon DAMIEN O\u0027CONNOR\u003C/span\u003E: I think even the Deputy Speaker will admit that. Things take too long to get through the process.  I think there\u2019s some truth in that, and I\u2019ve had discussions with the Environmental Protection Authority over the years as to why it takes so long, but I could simplify it and say that there\u2019s just too many lawyers\u2014that\u2019s the simple way\u2014because the world is a very litigious place. We export some of the most vital ingredients in the world\u2014that is, food, particularly if you talk about things like infant formula; highly sensitive. People care a lot about the ingredients that go into food, particularly if they\u2019re feeding it to their infant child.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001232\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve had incidents, unfortunately, across the globe\u2014New Zealand being involved in one of them\u2014with melamine in infant formula in China, and that put our international reputation at risk, in fact, and under a cloud for quite some time. The components that go into the white powder that we export\u2014and we export about 1.4 million tonnes of white powder from our country each year. Now, the only other country that probably relies so much on white powder is\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001233\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022694c3cef004e40d78a26712dce80070d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022618fb720bd279276c908e82c765f6b9e\u0022\u003ESuze Redmayne\u003C/span\u003E: Colombia?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001234\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00220b60f3de86f94cdcba16d6caa82b94e5\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022d916f6cd7b41e14578917d6fb41c4f31\u0022\u003EHon DAMIEN O\u0027CONNOR\u003C/span\u003E: \u2014no\u2014Colombia, and they export about 3,000 tonnes. It\u2019s called cocaine; very valuable. One point four million tonnes of white powder and it goes into ingredients into some of the finest food products around this world. It is critical that we know exactly what is in that white powder, and we\u2019ve had incidents when unknowns were in the white powder. Dicyandiamide (DCD) was a product that was applied by farmers in good faith and supplied by chemical companies to try and reduce methane emissions. Good tool\u2014innovative Kiwis, as we always are, sometimes using products off-label. They might be for animal use, and some were thinking, \u201COh, maybe we can use it on a different animal or maybe we can use it on a different crop.\u201D That\u2019s what has gone on for many, many years, but now the ability to identify residues in food products is far greater than it has ever been.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001235\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe exported some white powder, and it had residues of DCD, and indeed, the Europeans said, \u201CWell, what is this? What\u2019s a safe level for maximum residue level?\u201D, and there wasn\u2019t one, so that product is now off the shelf. We had another product come along called Bovaer, produced by a European company and supplied to animals\u2014to cows, mainly\u2014in indoor settings and in small amounts on a very regular basis into the feed that the animals consumed, and it had been claimed, I think, that there was some evidence that methane emissions from those animals was being reduced. So the Kiwi farmer thought, \u201COh, this is a great thing. We were looking to reduce methane.\u201D Many farmers are still looking to reduce it, even though this Government has given them confused signals over that\u2014should they, shouldn\u2019t they; that\u2019s another issue. None the less, they thought, \u201CThis would be a great product for us. Let\u2019s just kind of put it in the stalls. We don\u2019t have a lot of in-stall feeding. We have more and more, but mostly it\u2019s pastures, so can we use this on the pasture?\u201D\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001236\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThey were frustrated. The farmers were frustrated that this wasn\u2019t going through the process fast enough and we wanted this tool, and so they started banging on the door. Indeed, the company Bovaer were banging on the door of Ministers\u2014we were in Government\u2014saying, \u201CWe want this rushed through because this is a tool.\u201D Well, in fact, the application hadn\u2019t been made because there wasn\u2019t sufficient proof that this would work in a pastoral system, and, indeed, still had unknowns about whether this would flow through into the milk and into the white powder that we export. So we do take a cautious approach to this, and, indeed, we should do to the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act (HSNO Act) and to the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001237\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EOur concern is that this Government has been stupid with many, many pieces of legislation that it has brought through this Parliament over the last almost three years\u2014stupid. We, in Government, when we get there after November 7, will have to reverse some of those because some of them either put individuals at risk through really crazy health and safety legislation, or they take away people\u2019s rights, or they undermine our innovation; there\u2019s a whole lot of reasons. I haven\u2019t got time here to go through all the stupid pieces of legislation that this coalition Government has rushed through, much of it under urgency. This bill passed through the House under urgency, parts of it through the committee of the whole House stages. It had gone to a select committee, I\u2019ll acknowledge that, but the risks here, if we get this wrong, are massive\u2014absolutely massive. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001238\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThat\u2019s why the Opposition scrutinised this very, very carefully at every stage, and through urgency in the committee stages of this House. Indeed, one of the coalition partners in New Zealand First\u2014and I have to acknowledge them because, from time to time, they show a bit of vision. In fact, their agricultural policy is not too bad; a little bit visionary, so they\u2019re a bit cautious about this, as they should rightfully be, but, unfortunately, not National and ACT. They just want to dump anything on the market and let the market decide with the inherent risks that go with that. We are taking a more cautious approach. We should take a more cautious approach, given the impacts of getting this wrong.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001239\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThere will always be companies that want to sell us chemicals. There will always be chemical companies coming up with new innovative products, and they may apply in other parts of the world, but we have a unique agricultural and horticultural environment in this country. We\u2019re blessed with a moderate climate, with some fertile new soils, with a reasonably reliable supply of water and rainfall and some storage irrigation\u2014we are blessed with all of those things. But if we screw it up by putting on the wrong fertiliser\u2014and someone over there said, \u201COh, glyphosate\u2019s great.\u201D Well, be cautious\u2014be cautious\u2014because, around the world, people are starting to connect cancer with glyphosate residues. We have used it cautiously; some countries don\u2019t. They abuse the use of it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001240\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe point being is that we can\u2019t be dragged into a system that might apply elsewhere in the world just because companies want to sell us chemicals. We do need to have robust systems in place. This bill will speed up some of those processes, but it also raises the risk that something might get through, given, like urgency in Government, if you rush these things, you sometimes screw them up and you have to backtrack. But if we have another melamine, or another DCD, or Bovaer was proved to be clastogenic and it would get through into the food system, our economy would drastically suffer. I know, Madam Speaker, you understand this.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001241\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ELabour has supported this piece of legislation through. We\u2019ve scrutinised it to try and make sure that there are no stupid mistakes in this, but we have to table the fact that urgency, which was part of this process, doesn\u2019t always deliver those safe outcomes. Look, we\u2019ve got AgriZeroNZ trying to work on methane reduction, we\u2019ve got people advocating for genetic engineering, all of those things. Be very cautious that, as we move forward and continue to be innovative producers of some of the finest food and fibre in the world, that we don\u2019t let the market\u2014which is the ACT stupidity and ideology\u2014decide what we should have or should use. No, we should have proper oversight by people with ethical values through the Environmental Protection Authority and other areas of the HSNO Act. Labour supports this bill with caution, and we hope that people use it wisely.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022694c3cef004e40d78a26712dce80070d\u0022 data-id=\u002260d226c1b3dbebe7672a1b8a37bade0e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001242\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022694c3cef004e40d78a26712dce80070d\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002260d226c1b3dbebe7672a1b8a37bade0e\u0022\u003ESUZE REDMAYNE (National\u2014Rangit\u012Bkei) (11:19)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Speaker. As the MP for the mighty Rangit\u012Bkei, and a proud farmer, I know firsthand that farmers rely on and depend on effective science-based regulation to enable them to remain productive, competitive, and innovative. This bill is about fixing the basics and building the future. It\u2019s about helping our farmers access the tools they need while maintaining strong safeguards for animal welfare, food security, and market confidence. For a region like the mighty Rangit\u012Bkei, where agriculture drives local jobs, exports, and economic growth, greater efficiency and certainty means better returns at the farm gate and stronger rural communities, and that is great for New Zealand and all New Zealanders. I commend the bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227ef423fda7b143b890e93f8018529ebe\u0022 data-id=\u0022e033eae51018320c29a83f789c34076d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001243\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227ef423fda7b143b890e93f8018529ebe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e033eae51018320c29a83f789c34076d\u0022\u003EGREG FLEMING (National\u2014Maungakiekie) (11:19)\u003C/span\u003E: Can I just, firstly, start with a quick mihi to my very good mate Mark Grantham, who, on his 50th birthday, has come to Parliament here for the first time. Gidday, Mark. G\u2019day, Mark. Mark is an absolute stalwart in our central communities in Auckland, particularly in Maungakiekie, and has raised thousands of dollars to help people in need. It\u2019s amazing to have you here, my mate, with my other good friend your dad, Chris Grantham. \u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003ET\u0113n\u0101 k\u014Drua. E mihi ana ki a k\u014Drua i t\u0113nei w\u0101\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001244\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENational supports farmers. This bill is going to support farmers, and, therefore, I commend it to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001245\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EA party vote was called for on the question, \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EThat the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Amendment Bill be now read a third time\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001246\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBoldCentred\u0022\u003EAyes 101\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001247\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENew Zealand National 48; New Zealand Labour 34; ACT New Zealand 11; New Zealand First 8.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001248\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBoldCentred\u0022\u003ENoes 21\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001249\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EGreen Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 15; Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori 4; Ferris; Kapa-Kingi.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001250\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001251\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBill read a third time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001252\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubjectHeading\u0022 id=\u0022c86faaf6e93e15b09f9a5fb6ee021183\u0022\u003EHealthy Futures (Pae Ora) (3-Day Postnatal Stay) Amendment Bill\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001253\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022491ef369538ed39a684b1fef4f7ac253\u0022\u003ELegislative Statement\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f36277cb754947fa93977a31a33abd49\u0022 data-id=\u002296d28dca410b30a6fc57770d2ca579ec\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001254\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f36277cb754947fa93977a31a33abd49\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002296d28dca410b30a6fc57770d2ca579ec\u0022\u003EHon CASEY COSTELLO (Associate Minister of Health) (11:21)\u003C/span\u003E: on behalf of the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister of Health\u003C/span\u003E: I present a legislative statement on the Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) (3-Day Postnatal Stay) Amendment Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001255\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022ba9909c796bcf2190f2bbcaa8b23f033\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=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001256\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsSubproceedingHeading\u0022 id=\u0022a94548d2323513c6f9ac7f5f52b10d0e\u0022\u003EThird Reading\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022f36277cb754947fa93977a31a33abd49\u0022 data-id=\u002237892d7853ead92525349bdcc4445a60\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001257\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022f36277cb754947fa93977a31a33abd49\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002237892d7853ead92525349bdcc4445a60\u0022\u003EHon CASEY COSTELLO (Associate Minister of Health) (11:21)\u003C/span\u003E: on behalf of the \u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBold\u0022\u003EMinister of Health\u003C/span\u003E: I move, \u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsCharacterItalics\u0022\u003EThat the Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) (3-Day Postnatal Stay) Amendment Bill be now read a third time\u003C/span\u003E.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001258\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt is a privilege to rise for probably my last time to speak in the 54\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C/sup\u003E Parliament for the third reading of this bill. The legislation delivers on a clear commitment of this Government and significantly strengthens post-natal care for mothers and their babies across New Zealand. It ensures an entitlement of a minimum of three days of in-patient post-natal care that is delivered in a way that is safe, responsible, practical, and sustainable. It is reinforced by a significant increase in funding for maternity care provided in this year\u2019s Budget.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001259\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis bill was introduced as a member\u2019s bill by Catherine Wedd, who should be applauded for her advocacy. She ensured that post-natal care received the attention it deserves in this House. She has been a credit to this issue, and I\u2019m very proud that we\u2019re able to get this bill passed. This Government was proud to adopt the bill because we agreed with the importance of guaranteeing mothers the option of three days of in-patient post-natal care when that is right for them and their baby.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001260\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ETaking this bill forward gives effect to commitments in the New Zealand First - National coalition agreement to ensure proper funding for birthing units and maternity care, including a three-day stay for new mothers. It reflects our view that post-natal care matters both for the health of the mother and baby and for the longer-term health and wellbeing for their entire family.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001261\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI want to thank the very hard-working Health Committee\u2014and specifically the chair, Sam Uffindell\u2014for its careful consideration of this bill and to thank those who made submissions, including clinicians, midwives, maternity providers, and organisations. There was a wide support for providing greater clarity and consistency in post-natal care, and that feedback has directly informed the version of the bill now before the House. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001262\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis Government is backing this legislation with a significant financial uplift of $34.4\u00A0million over four years through Budget 2026. This funding will ensure Health New Zealand has the resource available to build post-natal capacity, strengthen the maternity workforce, and implement the three-day post-natal stay safely. It gives the system the certainty it needs to plan and deliver high-quality post-natal care for mothers and babies across the country.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001263\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe Government has made a number of important changes as part of this bill\u2019s adoption as a Government bill. Firstly, the bill now provides for phased implementation of the three-day in-patient post-natal stay. Health New Zealand has been clear that increasing the workforce and capacity to deliver on three days of in-patient maternity across the country will take time. The bill, therefore, commences immediately on Royal assent, with a transitional period during which access to longer in-patient stays will be progressively expanded as capacity grows.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001264\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EHealth New Zealand will be required to publish an annual capacity plan setting out how in-patient post-natal capacity will be increased over a three-year period. Those plans must be approved by the Minister of Health, and Health New Zealand must give effect to them. This approach ensures the arrangements under the bill are implemented in a safe, well-managed, and responsible way. It gives the maternity workforce and, equally importantly, mothers confidence that this entitlement will be delivered safely.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001265\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIn the early stages of implementation, first-time mothers will be prioritised, recognising that they often have the greatest need for additional support as they navigate childbirth and early parenthood for the first time. Alongside this, there will be a focus on districts where capacity has to lift the most. Over time, as capacity increases, the entitlement to three days of in-patient care will be extended to all eligible mothers, culminating in full delivery of the entitlement by 1 July 2029.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001266\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe bill also includes exemption arrangements providing that the entitlement does not apply in exceptional circumstances, such as a civil defence emergency, an epidemic, or other serious disruption that is outside Health New Zealand\u2019s control. This exemption is tightly constrained. It does not apply to routine system pressure, such as staffing shortages or bed availability. It cannot be used as a way to manage capacity constraints; rather, it is a safeguard to ensure that the system can continue to operate safely in circumstances where strict compliance would create risk to mothers and babies.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001267\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ETaken together, these amendments strengthen the bill. They preserve its purpose while ensuring it can be implemented safely, sustainably, and at scale. This bill guarantees mothers the choice to remain in in-patient post-natal care for at least three days after childbirth. It places that entitlement clearly in law. Some mothers may choose to return home earlier, supported by community-based services and their families, as they do now. Other mothers will stay longer because they require more extended in-patient hospital care. This bill guarantees mothers the right to at least three days of in-patient post-natal care when they choose it. It recognises that physical recovery, bonding with the new baby, establishing breastfeeding, and gaining confidence as new parents all take time, and it recognises that no mother should feel unsure about what care she can expect or feel pressured to leave before she feels ready.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001268\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EFundamentally, this bill reflects the Government\u2019s broader approach to the health system\u2014more accountability, more efficiency, and the focus on delivering better outcomes for patients. We believe in using taxpayers\u2019 money responsibly, and we believe in making full and effective use of all capable providers across the system, whether they operate in the public or private sector. Post-natal care in New Zealand is already delivered through a mix of public hospitals, primary maternity care units, and contracted providers, including community and private facilities. This bill recognises that reality and strengthens it.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001269\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EPrimary maternity units, whether publicly or privately operated, play a vital role in delivering safe, high-quality in-patient post-natal care closer to home. For many women, these settings are more appropriate than a large public hospital. They support continuity of care, offer genuine choice, and reduce pressure on hospital wards. The Government makes no apology for backing capacity wherever it delivers outcomes. Many community facilities will be closer to home, meaning mothers can be with their families after childbirth. Not every family lives close to a hospital. We are confident in the ability of community providers to contribute to high-quality care. We are confident in partnerships that improve efficiencies and expand capacity, and we are committed to ensuring all providers are held to clear standards and accountability.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001270\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis bill sends a strong signal that this Government values effective delivery wherever it exists. That is good for mothers, it is good for families, and it is good for the health system as a whole.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001271\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe bill now before the House for its third reading is clear in its purpose, and balanced in its design. It delivers a coalition commitment, it includes arrangement that will ensure its implementation occurs in a well-managed and sustainable way, and, most importantly, it significantly strengthens the healthcare entitlements for mothers and babies, with significant additional resources provided in this year\u2019s Budget. This is good lawmaking, this is responsible Government, and this is exactly what New Zealanders expect from us. I commend the bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001272\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00224cf6752dabf34d0eb8ae92457823e4ba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022e8a6da47ddf8e1a265fc01662dc2a1ee\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=\u0022db2ea575110f43e6b325fc2758d0d15b\u0022 data-id=\u002280eaa340b769b4cd13b4fbad388bd96e\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001273\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022db2ea575110f43e6b325fc2758d0d15b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002280eaa340b769b4cd13b4fbad388bd96e\u0022\u003EHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL (Labour) (11:30)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Well, I\u2019m happy to make those contribution to vote in favour of this Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) (3-Day Postnatal Stay) Amendment Bill. The bill is founded on a sentiment I\u2019m sure we all can agree with.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001274\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe have, throughout the course of this bill, asked questions about the resourcing of the bill. It\u2019s good to see that a commitment was made in order to make sure the resourcing is in place\u2014though it would be important to point out that a commitment that was made to deliver this during the electoral term has actually been pushed out to 2029. It has been difficult for us at both the select committee process for this bill and at Estimates to scrutinise the resourcing and its adequacy for this particular commitment. But I guess the next Parliament will see.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001275\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EOne of the changes to the bill in the course of its life has been the deferred start until 2029, the addition of an implementation plan, as I\u2019ve mentioned. But the other is the discussion about the information about a requirement, the content about a requirement for lead maternity carers to tell pregnant women their obligation or their entitlement has been removed. I think that\u2019s a backwards step. It is precisely those women who are unaware of their entitlement who probably need it the most. It is a way in which the equitable outcomes of this entitlement are potentially undermined. And that\u2019s a shame because one of the purposes, I would have thought, of putting an entitlement into law, which is usually left for operational delivery in the health system\u2014but putting it into law, it should actually be that everyone would know about it, and then that would be able to make sure that everyone enjoyed the same benefits of it. So it\u2019s a shame that opportunity was missed, but, with those caveats in mind, I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022dca7b20260b94cda81a3187e58a1d7c9\u0022 data-id=\u0022a5ea8c275ec85527a30c1e2cdc65cc31\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001276\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022dca7b20260b94cda81a3187e58a1d7c9\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a5ea8c275ec85527a30c1e2cdc65cc31\u0022\u003EMIKE DAVIDSON (Green) (11:32)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you for the opportunity to rise to make a call on behalf of the Green Party. This is a very important bill that obviously has unanimous support around the House. I would like to acknowledge the MP Catherine Wedd for the work that she did on her member\u2019s bill that the Government took up. The Green Party also commend this bill to the House. Kia ora.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022 data-id=\u0022e3bfff6cd6ce1c1add860e0ef34a1512\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001277\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e3bfff6cd6ce1c1add860e0ef34a1512\u0022\u003EHon DAVID SEYMOUR (Deputy Prime Minister) (11:33)\u003C/span\u003E: I rise on behalf of ACT in support of this bill. At one of the most magical and sensitive times in the cycle of life, people are in deep need of support\u2014mothers, in particular\u2014and it is difficult to oppose the goodwill and the intention of this bill to give security of tenure in a hospital at that particular time. Three days, no pressure.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001278\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI think it\u2019s fair to say that sceptical and thoughtful people together might question the apparatus that is being constructed to ensure that that happens and whether such an apparatus is really necessary or whether that might be better to leave in the hands of those who know, those midwives, those who run hospitals, those charge nurses, and, of course, the mothers and surrounding families themselves\u2014to leave in their hands the decision about how long to stay and who should stay what length of time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001279\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThat is a view that I have to say I have some sympathy for, but in the spirit of our coalition Government, we support this legislation. We will see, in the goodness of time, whether the construction of this bureaucratic apparatus is indeed necessary to achieve a very noble objective or whether it might have been simpler to leave the choices and the decisions up to the people who do this stuff every day. Thank you, Madam Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022200839810eb94155be7306bf21d350dd\u0022 data-id=\u00227eeb548f7310c907cdd3ec344975824d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001280\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022200839810eb94155be7306bf21d350dd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227eeb548f7310c907cdd3ec344975824d\u0022\u003ESAM UFFINDELL (National\u2014Tauranga) (11:35)\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s a pleasure to be able to rise in support of the Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) (3-Day Postnatal Stay) Amendment Bill. Catherine Wedd has done a wonderful job bringing this and it has Government support and the support of a number of members around this House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001281\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI think we can all recognise that the first 48 to 72 hours are absolutely crucial for mother and for baby and ensuring that mothers have 72 hours\u2014and more, if needed\u2014in hospital or in a birthing centre to care for themselves and their baby is really essential to getting those first steps right. And also making sure that they are informed of their choices to have their entitlement. This should reduce the risk of complications. This should enhance those very special first few days and make them a much better experience.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001282\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI\u2019d like to thank the committee for all of their work on this and for all the other work the Health Committee has done this term. It\u2019s been a pleasure to chair. I\u2019d like to congratulate this House on putting this through. I commend the bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022420f72e8bcc84c869a366ff712af8e49\u0022 data-id=\u0022ee0b9c33a3b8a17051f9e1a391146f80\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001283\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022420f72e8bcc84c869a366ff712af8e49\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022ee0b9c33a3b8a17051f9e1a391146f80\u0022\u003EHANA-RAWHITI MAIPI-CLARKE (Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori\u2014Hauraki-Waikato) (11:36)\u003C/span\u003E:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001284\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001285\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001286\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI just want to thank the member for bringing this bill to Parliament and acknowledge Catherine Wedd and the select committee and the process of getting this to a third reading today. It\u2019s absolutely crucial\u2014we\u2019ve heard it from a bipartisan support across the House\u2014the first 48 to 72 hours between a mother and child for post-natal care and stay within a hospital. So it\u2019s a no-brainer to support this bill. It\u2019s crucial and needed within our healthcare system and within the many different w\u0101hine and p\u0113p\u0113 who are born. Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori supports this bill and commends the member for bringing it to Parliament.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001287\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EOf sudden unexpected deaths, 63 percent occur within the first 13 weeks. So it\u2019s absolutely crucial to bring this in. This is 50 percent more than the unexpected death in infancy\u2014this is 50 percent more now than when New Zealand cot death study first started in the 1980s.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001288\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001289\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022e66329e431ea47019b41524c6ef2954a\u0022 data-id=\u00224eed22ccab3a65490f6ebfe83845b64f\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001290\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022e66329e431ea47019b41524c6ef2954a\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224eed22ccab3a65490f6ebfe83845b64f\u0022\u003ECELIA WADE-BROWN (Green) (11:38)\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019m here to support the Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) (3-Day Postnatal Stay) Amendment Bill. Of course, as we all bring our personal experience to this, I was in the very fortunate situation of being able to go home to a supportive home pretty immediately. That\u2019s what I wanted to do. My first son was born at 10.30 at night, so we stayed in overnight; second son was jolly well nearly born in the car park\u2014maybe explains his fondness for cars\u2014and we were able to go and we actually went and took a library display down, if I remember rightly, immediately afterwards. But our situation should not define what people have the choice about.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001291\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI think it\u2019s really important\u2014sometimes the maternal health or the baby health mean you need to stay in longer. Sometimes, home may not be that peaceful; there may be other children, there may be overcrowding, and so on. So I think the idea that you should very clearly have the opportunity to stay in hospital for three days is useful. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001292\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBut it has been brought to my attention\u2014particularly by our health spokesperson, H\u016Bhana Lyndon\u2014that it\u2019s all very well changing the law, but if you don\u2019t change the resourcing, it\u2019s a bit abstract. So if there is not room, if the corridors are full of people in emergency situations, if there are not enough staff, if the staff have been on such long shifts that they can\u2019t give the attention they need to mother or baby, there are a whole load of other issues that need to be solved to make this really work.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001293\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI know there have been different narratives about the level of staffing, and it\u2019s not my area of speciality. I\u2019m not going to charge in and say whether it\u2019s 54 or whether it\u2019s some other number, but the training of midwives and the training of support workers that are not necessarily fully qualified as midwives is really under pressure. There are too many going overseas and not staying here, and not able to help Kiwi mums.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001294\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI also find it\u2014maybe \u201Chypocritical\u201D is too strong a word. Maybe it\u2019s just a little bit blinkered to say that for three days, we\u2019re going to look after you, and then we\u2019re going to go back to\u2014what is it? What awful percentage is it of children in poverty\u2014children in homes that are damp, mouldy, unsafe, where the families, if they\u2019re in a rental home, have no security of tenure? They won\u2019t know that that little baby will be able to go to the same preschool or the same school as their siblings, because there is no-cause eviction.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001295\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ESo it\u2019s a little bit of nice glimmer, and sometimes that\u2019s what members\u2019 bills do. They address a small and specific issue, and we get agreement around the Table, but unless we can address the systemic issues that mean that when the mother and baby, or babies\u2014twins, triplets, or whatever. Probably, if they\u2019re triplets, they might be in for a little bit longer. If we don\u2019t make sure that those first 1,000 days of childhood are warm, well-fed, loved, whether it\u2019s a Plunket nurse or some other person who comes round to make sure the baby is going to thrive, not just survive, and that the mother\u2019s potential post-natal depression is addressed by good mental health services\u2014if we don\u2019t do that, then this is just a random flag blowing in the wind of public health underfunding. Thank you, Madam Speaker.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002288978fb9592a4911a8e47eae04d164f3\u0022 data-id=\u00224b02d469f2603f4575b9c6ccccf6c9ad\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001296\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002288978fb9592a4911a8e47eae04d164f3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224b02d469f2603f4575b9c6ccccf6c9ad\u0022\u003EDr VANESSA WEENINK (National\u2014Banks Peninsula) (11:42)\u003C/span\u003E: Thank you, Madam Speaker. It is a real pleasure to speak on this last bill that\u2019s going through the 54th Parliament. To extend the right to a post-natal stay of three days is, I think, an extremely sensible approach. It shows that this Government cares about the early lives of the most vulnerable New Zealanders: those early little babies and their mothers.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001297\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003EWhen a woman goes through the postpartum experience, within those first three days she will experience one of the most humungous hormonal changes that a person can go through. It is an extremely delicate and sensitive time, and often a time when the breastfeeding is being established and those bonds are being made. For that reason, it\u2019s important that we focus on this time. It\u2019s another way that we are supporting women\u2019s health, and I commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u002232632704a2594ee1b96e617d06beae80\u0022 data-id=\u00224eb3db96716008b84199fcc27c24cf98\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001298\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002232632704a2594ee1b96e617d06beae80\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224eb3db96716008b84199fcc27c24cf98\u0022\u003EHELEN WHITE (Labour\u2014Mt Albert) (11:43)\u003C/span\u003E: Kia ora, Madam Assistant Speaker Pugh. Thank you. First of all, I just want to wish you well\u2014your last day is today\u2014and I\u2019d also like to wish Celia Wade-Brown well, too.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001299\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI am tempted to tell my own story, but I thought I\u2019d tell my mother\u2019s, because I think we have to look at this in terms of the history of maternity care. At the time my mother had me, she was supposed to stay in that hospital for two weeks, and that was the norm in New Zealand society. By the time I was having my first baby, my doctor wanted me to leave the hospital straight away with my first baby, and it was one of the hospital midwives who picked up a major issue within the first few hours and my baby ended up in intensive care. Quite frankly, if I\u2019d gone home, I would not have seen the signs that were there of serious pneumonia. He ended up in intensive care, and so it was incredibly important that there wasn\u2019t pressure put on people to move me out of that system, even though my own instincts were to flee. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001300\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI have got to say that with my second child, I left that hospital with my baby within about an hour and a half of giving birth, and I know that that\u2019s fairly extreme, but I did. The care that we have been giving people has been decreasing and decreasing and decreasing. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001301\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI absolutely take Celia Wade-Brown\u2019s point that we really do need to have a think about that phrase, which is so strong in the Labour Party, of cradle to grave. We really do need to think about the wraparound support for our families because it is so hard at the moment to have a child in New Zealand. Most people in New Zealand rent, and they don\u2019t have security of rental. Most people are going into homes that are not necessarily the best places for babies to go into. They need more support than we\u2019re giving them, and it can\u2019t just stop after three days\u2019 stay.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001302\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI went into the select committee for just a short period because I am not on the Health Committee, but I was in for the submissions. I represented the midwives for quite a long time when I was a lawyer, and so I was well aware of staff shortages with midwives, and the fact was that we had had a dispute where they couldn\u2019t take any industrial action because they didn\u2019t have safe staff numbers\u2014because they had been promised that would happen as part of their agreement and it had never happened. We have a real issue with the shortage of midwives, and we have an issue with the fact that we don\u2019t have enough nurses and other staff in our hospitals, and so it was pointed out to us in that select committee process was that it\u2019s a lovely idea, but the risk was that we would rob Peter to pay Paul and we would end up giving this care here but taking it from others.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001303\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI think we\u2019ve been living in a society where there is way too much scarcity. It is always the situation where people are competing for resource, and, actually, there are some fundamental bottom lines as to what our job is. We are not running a business, in Government. That is not our job. We are not a business\u2014we are not Air New Zealand. We are a country, and we have to choose our values, and then we should run our Government according to those values and according to the needs of our population. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001304\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ERight now, our population is not well served, and so I commend the objective of letting women stay in hospital for three days\u2014and I have told you why, at a very personal level, that matters to me. I also think that we need to follow up, as Celia Wade-Brown has said, on some of those other fundamentals. We need to join the dots.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001305\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt is too hard for people to have children. Because it is too expensive, it has become an issue that is absolutely about affordability. People cannot afford to live well in this country, and they are doing great things in this country, but they are not being well served. They are not well served, because there is still an absolutely biblical reliance on the belief in trickle-down economics. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001306\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ETrickle-down economics has never worked. It is not well-founded, and anybody who wants to look at it will see that. Trickle-down economics is not the way through here. We have to think about the building blocks of our society. The first thing we need to do is make sure that people are actually in work and that they\u2019re in decent work, with decent wages, and we have to recognise the value of the work they\u2019re doing that may not have had recognition in the past.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001307\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENow, things like caregiving are going to become incredibly important in the future, but they\u2019re important now. Caregivers, midwives, nurses\u2014they are the backbone of our society. They are the people who are the true heroes and we need to start to reward that work, and we do have to look at the mechanisms with which we do that. This Government cancelled pay equity, and when it did that, it made a big mistake. This Government told us that it had hired a whole lot of nurses when, in fact, there had been a nurse freeze, and in fact, there were 54 nurses employed. That has caused issues and will cause issues with regard to this bill. It will not work if we do that and we take that mentality in. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001308\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI\u2019ve got three kids, and my youngest one, she works in an area I highly value. She works as a teacher with children who are high needs. She has seven of them. There are lots of days when she gets hit because of the nature of that work. I want her to be able to stay doing that work, and I still want her to be able to buy a house. I don\u2019t want her to miss out on those things in my very community where she grew up. I\u2019d like her to be able to buy a house near me where I can wraparound and support her so that when she has a baby and she has been actually given this three days, she doesn\u2019t come home to a place where she doesn\u2019t have that support because she can\u2019t afford to live in the community she grew up in. These things are interconnected. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001309\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI go back to what I said at the beginning\u2014what are the values here? Cradle to grave was a beautiful ambition\u2014cradle to grave. This has got a little bit of cradle in it, and I\u2019m pleased to see a little bit of cradle in it, but there are years and years of support required. It starts, for me, with work, and it doesn\u2019t end there. I\u2019m not afraid to look at the connection between this bill and all the other things we need. It also starts with walking away from an old fashioned, absolutely morally barren concept like trickle-down economics. It\u2019s not just about growing the pie; it\u2019s about who gets the pie, and it\u2019s about our value system as a society.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001310\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI hope that this bill is fulfilled and we have three days care offered to women in New Zealand, and I would personally love to see every person informed\u2014because that was taken out of the bill\u2014and every person who goes into hospital to have that baby told that they have that right, because that\u2019s a really important way of making sure that the very people who need it get this care, and not just the assertive ones who know their rights and know the law, because that is part of the divide in this country. I hope we get this, but I hope we get a lot more.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001311\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI hope that that child goes home to a house, whether they rent or they own, which is warm and dry, that has curtains in it to keep the heat in, and I hope that that child gets looked after by our community, not just their parents scraping by. I hope that that mother and father have got access to good childcare, and I hope that they are also in a position to choose a life for their children which is not just scraping by\u2014not desperate, not stressed. That\u2019s what I see in my community at the moment. I see desperate and stressed, and I hope we can do better.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00226c562dc86e974914b8878595e580f138\u0022 data-id=\u00227cf49d399697657cbffe18789b9bef41\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001312\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226c562dc86e974914b8878595e580f138\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00227cf49d399697657cbffe18789b9bef41\u0022\u003ECATHERINE WEDD (National\u2014Tukituki) (11:53)\u003C/span\u003E: Look, I\u2019m so excited to see this three-day stay bill pass today. Supporting better postnatal care is a huge victory for mothers across New Zealand. I would like to acknowledge Minister Louise Upston for starting this journey, and then I picked it up as a member\u2019s bill, and I\u2019ve been advocating for better post-natal care in New Zealand since I came to Parliament, so it\u2019s great to see the progress and delivery here today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001313\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ENo mother should have to leave hospital before she is ready after having a baby. Those first few days bonding with your baby are so important for setting mothers and babies up for a lifetime of success. This bill will give mothers a legal entitlement to three days stay if they choose, and now we have funding, the maternity beds, staffing, and resourcing needed to make this happen. This is about providing meaningful support for new mums at a time when they need it most. We know that every birth is different, and every family situation is different. A three-day stay may not be right for everyone, but for those who need it, this bill provides the choice for them to remain in hospital and receive the care that they need if they choose. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001314\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThe first few days after having a baby are so precious and special. They are the time for mothers to rest, recover, and begin bonding without the pressure of having to manage everything alone. It is also a time when mothers are learning how to care for their baby\u2014feeding, bathing, sleeping, there is so much to learn and it can be so overwhelming, and we can relate to those sleepless nights and that exhaustion. Having access to midwives, nurses, lactation support, and other maternity professionals can make an enormous difference to a mother\u2019s experience and the confidence she gets from that to recover, and it\u2019s so important for the wellbeing of the baby too.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001315\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EWe often talk about the first 1,000 days of a child\u2019s life as being important for the health, wellbeing, and development, and the future of that baby; but we must also recognise that the first three days are especially important. They are the beginning of that journey, a time when mothers and babies need to bond. We must do better in New Zealand when it comes to post-natal care, and this bill helps ensure that families have the time and support that is required to recover safely and begin life together with confidence. It is about giving mothers a genuine choice and ensuring that that choice is backed by the maternity beds, staffing, and resources needed to make it real.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001316\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMy advocacy for this bill was born out of my own personal experience when I felt pressured to leave the hospital when I wasn\u2019t ready, and I believe that no mother should feel pressured to leave when she isn\u2019t ready. To every mother across our country, we see you, we value you, and we will back you. Today is about standing up for mothers and families and protecting and supporting our babies. This is the last bill of this 54\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C/sup\u003E Parliament, and I\u2019m really proud that it is a bill that supports women and mothers across New Zealand. I commend this bill to the House. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001317\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002235984f61527b4059ae9284acf3c4076b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022df32b36aa1924e74ed380acf244acb97\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Maureen Pugh)\u003C/span\u003E: This is a split call.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00227f988bc72b5e47b8856ba70e41dfbbaf\u0022 data-id=\u00224f65af891732bd3c8c6344cb685ed313\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001318\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00227f988bc72b5e47b8856ba70e41dfbbaf\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u00224f65af891732bd3c8c6344cb685ed313\u0022\u003EGEORGIE DANSEY (Labour) (11:58)\u003C/span\u003E: T\u0113n\u0101 koe e te Mangai o te Whare. It\u2019s a pleasure to stand and speak to the Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) (3-Day Postnatal Stay) Amendment Bill, our last bill for this Parliament. Congratulations to Catherine Wedd on your mahi in this space. I can hear that it is a big day for you, so congratulations on that. Labour supports this bill because we agree that those first few days for any new parent is so important, and it is so important that we protect that very special time for parents and families.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001319\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s been fun to hear the stories of parents and mothers around the House, and we all think very fondly of those times when our babies were born, probably because our brain cuts out the bits that were difficult, so we have more babies, right? Isn\u2019t it lovely that we can reflect on those wonderful days? But they are very, very precious.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001320\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI wanted to speak in a broader sense around the application of this bill and what it will look like in practice. I had a very informative and interesting hui at River Ridge East Birth Centre based in Hamilton East. Rivier Ridge East Birth Centre was created by Claire and Warwick Hutchinson, and they were one of the first and largest birth centres in New Zealand Aotearoa. They\u2019ve been working in that space for the past 30 years, so they were able to share a lot of stories from throughout their time. They, too, see the huge value in looking after our young parents, and I want to acknowledge the work that they do in that space and other birth centres and maternity services, parental services across New Zealand. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001321\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EOne of the things that we talked about, however, was the current disparities in pay between midwives that are working at hospitals and midwives that are working in the community. We know that midwives provide a lot of care building up to a birth, but also they\u2019re so vital, after you have that baby, to establish the bonding and how to actually care for a human being, and they remain very important for those three days. The issue is that because this Government cancelled pay equity for hundreds of thousands of women across Aotearoa, they cancelled the pay equity claim for community midwives. Those community midwives were 10 days away from settling their claim\u2014having worked on it for about three years. This has left us in a situation where, if you\u2019re a midwife at the hospital, you get paid much more than if you\u2019re a midwife in the community. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001322\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI 100\u00A0percent back those midwives in the hospitals getting paid well, they do incredible work, but there\u2019s a real disparity here. And I think, as more and more people choose where to birth their baby or where to have their care, we need to make sure that there\u2019s consistency across the board. So while we support this bill, I think there\u2019s a little bit of a contradiction here because we\u2019re not actually backing our midwives to do that work that is so vital to our families in New Zealand. Labour has committed to reinstating pay equity and paying women in this country what they are worth. And if we, as a Parliament, say that we back women, then let\u2019s pay them what they are worth, which this Government has, very sadly, not done. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001323\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI want to speak a little bit to the inequities that could amount. My experience of walking into a birth centre in New Zealand, is there are a lot of white women there and not so many women from other ethnicities. I\u2019d love to see this bill come with education around what is available to women, what services they can access, in order to get the best use of the services for every single parent in Aotearoa. The education that comes with caring for a new baby, lactation consultants, whatever that looks like, needs to be a priority for any Government to make sure our families are getting the best start in life.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022b52eff5aa2a94fcc88903b73d0443de3\u0022 data-id=\u002281fe971d49c1da0be26cb9d54b2faf18\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001324\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022b52eff5aa2a94fcc88903b73d0443de3\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u002281fe971d49c1da0be26cb9d54b2faf18\u0022\u003ENANCY LU (National) (12:03)\u003C/span\u003E: That\u2019s right, the best start for any family in New Zealand. That\u2019s why I\u2019m proud to stand to speak on the third reading of the last bill for the 54th Parliament, and to congratulate Minister Louise Upston, who had first started the process of providing a better start for families with newborns and their mothers. But to also carry on the banter, is our colleague Catherine Wedd, the MP for Tukituki, who\u2019s been very present on social media and also in all interviews possible to be fighting for the best start for babies and new mothers. As a fellow female colleague in the National Party, I also congratulate all the female colleagues that I have, but also all the male colleagues who have shown support, to make sure that we have the best start for babies and their mothers in New Zealand.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001325\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EAs a personal experience, I remember when I first became a mother in the year 2020. I was over the moon with the coming of my first daughter, but then, before I knew, I fainted in the hospital, in the birthing room, and I couldn\u2019t be more grateful because I wasn\u2019t there alone; I was under care. I had all the professional care from the nurses and the doctors at the Auckland Hospital. So I was very grateful, in first-hand experience, to know that, for new mums and their new babies, we need professional care; people who know about the medical expertise but, as well, caring for the mental health and also emotional health that is needed for new mums and new dads. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001326\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ESo I\u2019m very grateful and very happy to support this third reading for the Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) (3-Day Postnatal Stay) Amendment Bill, but also to note that this is a National Government who has put in the funding and the support to provide that choice\u2014to provide that choice\u2014for families to stay up to the three full days. And I have to emphasise that choice is very important, especially in families, now, who may feel that they are confident and experienced enough to leave should they wish to. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001327\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBut also very fitting, I think, to comment, and if I may, quickly, to say that this is the last time I\u2019ll be standing to speak in this Parliament, in this term, and to say a very happy Mid-Autumn Festival to everyone that is celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival, especially in the Chinese culture, for all Chinese-Kiwis and their families in New Zealand. The Mid-Autumn Festival is to celebrate reunion and to celebrate family. So I think it\u2019s especially fitting that I\u2019m standing to speak on a bill that supports family, that supports the best start of newborns and their wider family, and to celebrate them at the Mid-Autumn Festival with our wider Chinese-New Zealand community. So I wish everybody a very happy Mid-Autumn Festival.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001328\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022cmn\u0022\u003E[Authorised Mandarin text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001329\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI\u2019m just extremely proud to be part of the National Party and the National-led Government; to be supporting the better future for all New Zealanders. I commend the bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u00225322e0a4529b497cbc59faf0515037dd\u0022 data-id=\u0022a152d11e30f821ac3ac8e504b4905c0d\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001330\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225322e0a4529b497cbc59faf0515037dd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022a152d11e30f821ac3ac8e504b4905c0d\u0022\u003ESHANAN HALBERT (Labour) (12:06)\u003C/span\u003E:\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001331\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan lang=\u0022mi\u0022\u003E[Authorised reo M\u0101ori text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001332\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003E[Authorised translation to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001333\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThis is a good piece of legislation for us to end this parliamentary term on. And can I acknowledge all of our mums out there, who take care of us in the very early stages of our life, and throughout our life, in fact. What this piece of legislation does\u2014\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001334\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022766945102916a6e5b0764f4b0365486a\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Who\u2019s going to take care of us for the next 10 minutes?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001335\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225322e0a4529b497cbc59faf0515037dd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u0022b766c5699335e79fdf937b00376054f7\u0022\u003ESHANAN HALBERT\u003C/span\u003E: What was that, Mr Seymour?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001336\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00226e1ef2baa19e4b8b9dc9ee8604ae7dba\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00222fcf6fb3df8dfb77e7d49758c46b7d21\u0022\u003EHon David Seymour\u003C/span\u003E: Who\u2019s going to take care of us for the next minutes?\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001337\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002235984f61527b4059ae9284acf3c4076b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00224d2108e9d7dffa1a39d532ad4e9eb95f\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Maureen Pugh)\u003C/span\u003E: It\u2019s not a debate across the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001338\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u00225322e0a4529b497cbc59faf0515037dd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00228049b58ea96b565b5481e7e6bbe574ff\u0022\u003ESHANAN HALBERT\u003C/span\u003E: I\u2019ll take care of you, don\u2019t you worry about that.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001339\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s important that we support our wh\u0101ea, our m\u0101m\u0101s to be the best that they can be to take care of our tamariki, over all of our lives, in the periods that we need them to. This bill does that. And can I acknowledge Catherine Wedd, who I also remind that good things are growing in the Hawke\u2019s Bay. But, yes, this investment is very important in enabling mums to get the care that they need over a three-day period. I think that\u2019s a very good idea; to enable legislation to support that is a great outcome and a great way to finish this Parliament on. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001340\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThere has been caution that has come out throughout the select committee, and it has been debated in this House, that, you know, we all know that it\u2019s incredibly challenging times in our health system, and to enact this piece of legislation, in its totality, does require funding in other places. It does mean that resourcing has to be put in place in areas like staffing and beds to make sure that, to enable this legislation, or for our mums to be cared for at this particular period, up to three days, that it doesn\u2019t take away from other vital services that support women within our hospital and maternity services as well. So that\u2019s a significant part that has come out of this bill. The Ministry of Health warned that without more beds, other women\u2019s health services could be deprioritised to make room for this. So you know, whoever is the Minister of Health after November 7, has got a big job ahead of them. It\u2019s nothing new that there are some challenges in the sector that we need to overcome. Some of it is about resourcing and investment of that; and some of it is just about ensuring that the decisions that we make for health, for people, as politicians, are the right ones; and that investment and resourcing is going in to the right place. \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001341\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ESo, without further ado, Labour supports the \u201CPae Ora (Healthy Futures) (3-Day Postnatal Stay) Amendment Bill\u201D, and we are very happy to be able to support this legislation, support our mums out there, and, in due course, support our tamariki. We commend this bill to the House.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ca name=\u0022member\u0022 data-type=\u0022article\u0022 data-memberid=\u0022a1901a44e88e40d095f26c06ebac9721\u0022 data-id=\u0022e576684cfd1890368212a0601f88ad68\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001342\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u0022a1901a44e88e40d095f26c06ebac9721\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsByToc\u0022 id=\u0022e576684cfd1890368212a0601f88ad68\u0022\u003EHon LOUISE UPSTON (Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector) (12:10)\u003C/span\u003E: It is fantastic\u2014in this final bill in the 54th Parliament\u2014to address this House in doing what matters. This bill fundamentally recognises that mothers matter. That is exactly where the origin of this legislation started, back in 2018. We might stand here, eight years later, as if there was always unanimous support across the Parliament. In the early stages, there wasn\u2019t. Mothers Matter is an organisation that, at the time, were advocating to ensure that women got the 48 hours that they were entitled to. That group of people who came to Parliament who had formed Mothers Matter were the late Chloe Wright, Dame Lesley Max, Nathan Wallis, Dr Anil Sharma, and Tracy O\u2019Sullivan. They came and met with every party caucus. Who was the party that picked up the mantle? It was National. It was National who recognised that mothers matter.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001343\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EThat is why, in 2019, I introduced a member\u2019s bill to extend and ensure not just the 48\u00A0hours, but actually three days post-natal stay. All of the evidence tells us how critical those first few days of a baby\u2019s life are. And, look, if we can\u2019t invest in the first three days of a baby\u2019s life, seriously, what are we talking about in terms of health priorities? There was a little warning in what we just heard from the last speaker about how future health Ministers\u2014not a National health Minister\u2014might prioritise health funding. Well, we say, on this side of the House, that mothers matter. That is why we are here today passing the Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) (3-Day Postnatal Stay) Amendment Bill.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001344\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EI do want to take the time to traverse the history, because I think it is really important that people understand that you don\u2019t just dream up an idea and then it gets passed. In October 2019, I launched a petition in the National Party social services discussion document, where you\u2014I may address you, as you, Maureen Pugh, member of Parliament\u2014were involved in the caucus discussions and getting it in our discussion document because we wanted to take it out to New Zealand to say, \u201CIs this something that is important?\u201D We campaigned on it in election 2020. It was particularly poignant that year, because several months earlier, it was the National Party who fought for women who were forced to birth alone because they were not allowed a support person there during COVID. In March 2021, Mothers Matter continued their campaign, joined by people like Sir Peter Gluckman, Gemma McCaw, Dr Johan Morreau, and others. Then in the 2023 campaign, it was National that was campaigning on a three-day post-natal stay.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001345\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EIt was fantastic then when my colleague the MP for Tukituki, Catherine Wedd, picked up the member\u2019s bill and took it further. It was then, of course, adopted by our Government, and, in Budget 2026, we funded what we knew needed to be funded to ensure the infrastructure and the workforce would be there to support it. I do want to put on record my thanks to the Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, who has been a champion of the three-day stay all of the time, and also to Minister Brown.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001346\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ELet me just say this, because a number of MPs in this House have talked about how critical that time is. I remember when I sat in that caucus room, and I actually reflected it to those advocates who were here as founders of Mothers Matter. We were talking about how critical it is that mothers\u2014new mothers\u2014have the confidence to take on that special responsibility. I recounted my experience of being a solo mother taking home a brand-new baby. My mother had passed away a long time before, and my father had come to visit. I remember begging him not to leave me, because I was petrified about holding this tiny, wee, precious baby and not knowing if I was going to be able to be a good mum. I don\u2019t want any mother in New Zealand to feel that way.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001347\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003ETo me, that is why the three-day post-natal stay is personal. It is important, because no mother in New Zealand should leave a post-natal facility, a hospital, a birthing unit, like River Ridge, not feeling as if they are up to the job. It\u2019s our job, not just as a Government but as community and as family, to give them the support and confidence that we want every single mother to have. I want to put on record: it is the National Party, time and time again, who knows that mothers matter. We have backed it in policy. We have backed it in the Budget. I\u2019m enormously proud of the National Party delivering today for mothers.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001348\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EMotion agreed to.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001349\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsItem\u0022\u003EBill read a third time.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001350\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsNormal\u0022 id=\u002235984f61527b4059ae9284acf3c4076b\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsBy\u0022 id=\u00225a2be439d85439a6442dfceaa726f29e\u0022\u003EASSISTANT SPEAKER (Maureen Pugh)\u003C/span\u003E: Members, as this is my final shift in the Chair, I say thank you for your contributions over the 54th Parliament. Go well. The House is adjourned until 2 p.m. today.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp id=\u0022id2026092273aac43cd897d4d0c0001351\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022HpsContinued\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022CharacterBoldCentred\u0022\u003EThe House adjourned at 12.16 p.m.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n    \u003C/div\u003E\n  \u003C/body\u003E\n\u003C/html\u003E"