Wall Louisa: Crown Entities Reform Bill — In Committee 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Wall Louisa: Crown Entities Reform Bill — In Committee 
[Sitting date: 23 May 2012. Volume:680;Page:2342. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
LOUISA WALL (Labour—Manurewa) 
: 
 Kia ora. Thank you very much for the opportunity to contribute in this the Committee stage of the Crown Entities Reform Bill Part 1 which we on this side of the Chamber will support. What I want to do is take an opportunity to actually acknowledge the history of both the Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand (ALAC) and the Health Sponsorship Council. Historically ALAC was established in 1976 following the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Sale of Liquor. Its aim was to encourage responsible use and minimise misuse of alcohol in New Zealand. Obviously this is a big issue that this House will particularly have to debate in the coming months.  
I think it is important that we emphasise what ALAC has done in terms of safeguarding alcohol consumption in New Zealand for many of our communities. ALAC had a key role in shaping the discussions and debate around alcohol use and abuse in New Zealand for 36 years and its contribution to the sector should be acknowledged. I want to acknowledge the chief executive Gerard Vaughan and the chair of ALAC Rea Wikaira. That provides a really good segue into looking at the Health Sponsorship Council and particularly the role of its current chief executive officer Iain Potter who has been the chief executive officer since 1992.  
The Health Sponsorship Council was established under the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990 and it was initially established to replace tobacco sponsorships. In 1999 the Health Sponsorship Council had shifted its focus to social marketing to improve health outcomes for people in New Zealand so I think it is really important that at this time given the merger of these two organisations into the new Health Promotion Agency we acknowledge the contribution that the Health Sponsorship Council has made in terms of health promotion issues with campaigns including Smokefree / Auahi Kore the SunSmart campaign and the Bike Wise campaign. It is these campaigns that I think we have to thank agencies like the Health Sponsorship Council for and obviously this new Health Promotion Agency we are hoping will end up having these defining brands in terms of protecting and supporting the well-being of our communities.  
 The key message that I want to contribute about these two agencies is the significant contribution that they have made to key health issues. They were tasked with health issues that have significant social and fiscal costs for our families and communities and their contributions have helped to change some of the risky attitudes and behaviours of New Zealanders. So we are supporting Part 1 of this bill.  
Some of the most interesting I think comments from the Government Administration Committee report and what I want to highlight is that most submitters did broadly support the establishment of the Health Promotion Agency. They saw promise in the alignment and integration of its complementary functions. Some of the submitters particularly wanted the Health Promotion Agency to prioritise nutrition and physical activity and others wanted to see a focus on health promotion issues such as tobacco. So when we look at the functions of the Health Promotion Agency it is about promoting health and encouraging healthy lifestyles it is about preventing disease illness and injury it is about giving environments that support health and healthy lifestyles and it is about giving advice and making recommendations on the misuse and harm of alcohol. So it is wonderful to see that those will continue to be the key priorities of the Health Promotion Agency.  
I do not really want to contribute much more other than to say that some of the rationales for the realignment of these two organisations we can accept them when we look at the merging of these two institutions. It is not something that we would say is a general philosophy but in this instance we can see that the Health Promotion Agency as it has been proposed will be a good institution and it will continue the good work of both the Health Sponsorship Council and ALAC. Kia ora. 
The question was put that the amendment set out on Supplementary Order Paper 29 in the name of the Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman to clause 13 be agreed to. 
Amendment agreed to. 
Part 1 as amended agreed to.