Simpson Scott: Electoral Amendment Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeSimpson Scott: Electoral Amendment Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 17 September 2013. Volume:693;Page:13425. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]SCOTT SIMPSON (National—Coromandel): It is always interesting following that member Andrew Little because his new leader has issued the caucus of the Labour Party a challenge and that is to get on the train. “Get on the train.” the new leader of the Labour Party says—get on the train. What I am interested to know is whether the train will have rosettes and ribbons on it or not and if so whether that member will be on the train because we were very unsure about what train he was on if any following that speech.It is a great pleasure to stand in support of this Electoral Amendment Bill in the name of the Hon Judith Collins Minister of Justice. As chairman of the Justice and Electoral Committee I had the great privilege and pleasure of guiding to fruition the work of our committee’s inquiry which was commenced by my predecessor the very capable and hard-working member for Hamilton East Tim Macindoe—Tim Macindoe: West.SCOTT SIMPSON: West. Are you West? Are you West or are you East?Tim Macindoe: West.SCOTT SIMPSON: Well you are the very good junior whip and at least we still have you as a junior whip so there you go. The work was started by Tim Macindoe in his time as chairman of the Justice and Electoral Committee and I have got to say that the committee’s work—certainly the portion that I was involved with—was very constructive. It was fulfilling. We heard from a number of submitters who I thought made particularly good points.But what was interesting to me is that really this process of having an inquiry after each general election conducted by the Justice and Electoral Committee is a good process. It is a process that encourages participation and sound faith in our democratic institutions of our electoral system. New Zealand as far as I am aware is one of only nine countries in the world that has an unbroken democratic tradition going back more than 150 years and New Zealanders can be rightly proud of the basis upon which we conduct our elections. We sometimes fight those elections very passionately withvigour with great excitement and indeed with a lot of energy but as a nation we are accepting of the outcome. We do not get involved in all the corrupt activities that we see in some places in the world. We do not have violence. We do not have criminal activity. We can be pretty proud of the process.I was pleased as chairman of the select committee to receive a very prompt response from the Minister to our recommendations. I think this is a Minister who has moved very quickly to enact in this piece of legislation the 11 recommendations which are easily achieved so that they can be in place before the next election in 2014. They are all matters that will enhance and add value to our electoral system even those matters that the member Andrew Little was so scathing about which were to do with ribbons and rosettes and what have you which in places around the country have from time to time been used in an intimidatory fashion by some political parties. We will be able to ensure that the good people of South Auckland are not having busloads of KFC - bearing Labour Party supporters wearing ribbons and rosettes descending upon them and escorting them to the election booth.We will have a more enhanced electoral system as a result of this piece of legislation working its way through the House. I think that as the select committee considers the provisions of the bill we will find that we will make good progress. I am confident that the committee will continue to work hard. I commend this bill to the House.