Jones ShaneNEW ZEALAND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMISSION/TE WAIHANGA BILLIn CommitteePart 1 Preliminary provisionsHon SHANE JONES (Minister for Infrastructure): As the sponsor in a figurative sense of this bill I would like to remind the committee firstly acknowledging the efforts of the select committee and taking on board one or three remarks that were made by some of the earlier speakers—Mr McKelvie being one who demonstrated that he is a student of the Bible because he exhibited all the features of a doubting Thomas during that speech. But because he is a seasoned member of this House and an extremely able leader of economic matters in his own community I only hope he goes through a Damascus-like experience and sheds that very narrow view.However I just remind the committee that this particular legislation might be described as having empowered a central government independent body with substantial information-gathering powers. Why is that important? That's important because there is a valid complaint amongst a number of the members of our civil construction sector: that as one Government is replaced by another often the casualty is continuity in a pipeline of assured work. Now all of us as politicians do stand and we defend the manifestos that bring us here but once we are in the business of the State information should trump all other considerations. This new independent body will have the ability to reach out and empower itself by drawing information from both local government and central government. Now there was some concern that such matters might worsen the burden upon local government. Those were exaggerated and once the law is passed local government will obey its master which is the sovereignty of Parliament.On the question of whether or not there ought to be some exemptions clause 23 does treat differently what I might figuratively call the spy service and security-related agencies. I think that's reasonable. In terms of the protection for personal information that's beyond cavil. But at a deeper level with a better quality of information and an empowered central body we can now plan and Governments can turn to get independent advice. For example—I don't mind saying this—we are undertaking a review of the defence estate. Some of it is in the area occasionally visited by Mr Christopher Bishop and constantly surveilled by the Leader of the House—that's up in the Upper Hutt area. It's not unreasonable that the Infrastructure Commission should provide a perspective as to what the best options are going forward if we are to renew and develop new approaches for our defence estate because if you ask a narrow range of people a certain question you will get a narrow response and an independent body with the types of personalities led by Dr Alan Bollard will give us in my view a deep and varied set of responses.In addition to that Mr Goldsmith—not that I pay any attention to what he says in the ordinary course of events—in a spirit of comity suggested that when we proceed with the options for relocating the Port of Auckland with possibly some of its activities going to the north why would we not seek a view from the independent Waihanga body. I think that's not a bad suggestion for him to have made—a very rare but useful suggestion inversely related I might say to the number of times that he contributes to the House.So that's a small example of how Ministers can actually derive some confidence that this body will be relevant. It does not have mandatory powers. It will apply to local government as I've said but that is important because when one conceives one of the great infrastructure projects that lies in front of us such as three waters that's purely local government and regional government business. At the level of central government obviously we are refining how we might deal better at a central government level with the problems that were evinced and became very clear after we came to grips with the awful situation in Hastings in terms of drinking water. So these are some key points and I look forward to contributions from both sides of the Chamber.