Woolerton R Doug: Business Law Reform Bill — First Reading 
Woolerton R Doug: Business Law Reform Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:632;Page:4243] 
R DOUG WOOLERTON (NZ First) 
: 
 New Zealand First is happy to support this bill. We are told by the Labour speakers that the bill is to simplify business transactions in New Zealand. We are told by the National Party that the Government has passed far too many regulations and Acts—I do not know how many laws Mr Connell was talking about. But there is one thing I have always noticed about regulation and I noticed it again a couple of weeks ago after the Eden Park rugby game when people in some quite select corporate boxes came down with the dreaded lurgy—in my language they got the guts ache after eating oysters imported from Korea. Oh my goodness gracious me! All of the business people who are calling for regulation to go out to business—[ 
Interruption 
] I am talking about regulations and Acts. All of these people who are opposed to regulation and import duties and who want free-trade barriers to open the whole world up were all calling for regulation. They were not only calling for regulation but they were calling for bans on oyster imports from Korea—and heaven only knows what. So it is different when it comes to other people. 
Mr Bob Clarkson is looking at me from across the other side of the House—and a horrifying sight it is too. But I have to say that Mr Clarkson is a man who is reputed to know how to turn a dollar. I applaud him for that I have to say. I know he is of a generous nature. I have not seen that myself but they tell me it is true. He is one who is opposed to regulation. He is one who thinks that Government should get out of business. He is one who thinks that local bodies should not involve themselves in his business in any way. There should be no borders or restrictions to town development. We should be able to buy up greenfield sites and put houses on them. We should be able to do all those things according to Mr Clarkson and in many cases I agree with him. But I tell the House one thing: when it comes to selling an amenity for top dollar to a council or to the Government Mr Clarkson is right there saying: “This is something that is needed for Tauranga. This is something that Tauranga must have. And I am the man to sell it to them.” Again we see an example of people who are intent on getting rid of regulation decreasing the size of the Government and getting the Government out of business until it suits them. 
New Zealand First supports this omnibus bill which attempts to lower compliance costs. I am not so sure that it will and sadly I will not be on the select committee but I hope that it does. I hope it simplifies doing business. I see in the explanatory note of the bill that it does away with the need for reports to shareholders and that sort of thing to be in full colour brochures with many pages. They are able to be done by electronic means—or by letter or pigeon or something else; I am not sure. But I have wondered about the cost of those very fancy reports. We are getting them—and Mr Williamson will be upset about this—from what used to be called State-owned enterprises and are now called Government agencies. We are getting pictures of the chief executives in various positions—swinging on a swing walking through a forest picking up leaves and those sorts of things—and we are seeing pictures of their families which of course has nothing to do with the business at hand. It is a practice that I deplore and New Zealand First deplores because it is wasteful self-aggrandisement. So we welcome the fact that at least the bill allows shareholders to get those reports by email. 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: What’s that got to do with Korean oysters? 
R DOUG WOOLERTON 
: It is all about regulation and people wanting regulation as soon as they get the guts ache but not wanting it when they get better again. That is what the Korean oysters issue was all about. 
So with those inspiring few words to the select committee I will resume my seat.