Bennett Paula: Summary Offences (Possession of High-power Laser Pointers) Amendment Bill — In CommitteeText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeBennett Paula: Summary Offences (Possession of High-power Laser Pointers) Amendment Bill — In Committee[Sitting date: 25 June 2014. Volume:699;Page:18897. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Development):Thank you for the opportunity to speak on the Summary Offences (Possession of High-power Laser Pointers) Amendment Bill which I do think is very important. I would like to congratulate Cam Calder on bringing this through. I know that it is part of a much bigger piece of work that has been done on hand-held lasers particularly those with high velocity and the dangers of them. I have actually been on a plane when a laser was pointed at the plane. I was flying—not actually flying the plane myself but I was a passenger on a plane going into Invercargill. People saw a laser and the pilot came on to say that it was disturbing. I did think that only in New Zealand would it be that other passengers on the plane actually identified the street right down to the house where the laser had come from. Is that not the beautiful thing about New Zealand—that you actually know—Hon Amy Adams: And probably who it was as well.Hon PAULA BENNETT: They knew who it was! So I am not kidding you—as we were landing we were literally having the discussion as to where the house was and what the street was and people were discussing whether they knew them or not. The pilot had already rung the police to go around there. That is kind of a nice anecdote but it was a very serious matter and the pilot took it very seriously. Just having had that rather small personal experience I think that we do need to take the possession of hand-held lasers really seriously.But I have a question for the member in the chair Cam Calder. The member was saying something about how strong a laser is. As the member has identified he is leaving Parliament this year. We will be very very sad to see him go. I was wondering whether this would affect lasers being used by motivational speakers on whiteboards—The CHAIRPERSON (Lindsay Tisch): Order! When we are debating in Committee on clauses we have to relate to the clause. We are on clause 1. I would like the honourable Minister to actually mention the title. We have been going for over 2 minutes. I would actually like to hear the title mentioned.Hon PAULA BENNETT: Sorry about that. I think I was getting the title wrong and that is because I kept saying “the possession of hand-held lasers”. I acknowledge that you have changed the title to the Summary Offences (Possession of High-power Laser Pointers” Amendment Bill. My question is related to the title and it is most definitely related to the possession of high-power laser pointers. I note that the member himself said that there was discussion within the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee about how high-powered those laser pointers could be.My question also relates to motivational speakers because they use laser pointers. I am thinking that after Parliament the member might have a career on the speaking circuit—I find him incredibly motivational I have to say—and I wonder whether he thinks that this legislation will affect the laser pointers that may be used in his motivational speaking as he goes around. [Interruption] This is most definitely about the title.I accept that the title of the bill was changed at the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee based on the fact that it should be just for high-power lasers. I would just like to know that this bill will not negatively affect what the member is doing when he is on his circuit—and I actually think the member would do a fantastic job—striding across the stage with his laser in his hand and pointing to his presentation.I would also be interested if the member would address a few other things around the title. It sounds like it was quite a discussion about lasers within the select committee. I do not understand completely what you mean about the strength of the laser and what that means. Is it about distance? Is it about how far the laser’s light actually shines light as to whether it is considered high powered? Who will actually be testing the lasers to see whether or not they come under the title of high-power laser pointers? Those were the sorts of questions that I had that I would really appreciate some sort of address on. Thank you.