Clark DavidCIVIL AVIATION BILLFirst ReadingHon Dr DAVID CLARK (Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs) on behalf of the Minister of Transport: I present a legislative statement on the Civil Aviation Bill.SPEAKER: That legislative statement is published under the authority of the House and can be found on the Parliament website.Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I move that the Civil Aviation Bill be now read a first time. The bill is introduced under Standing Order 264. In an integrated transport system we need all transport sectors to be highly efficient and to work together to bring economic benefits jobs and opportunities for New Zealand.SPEAKER: Order! I think the member might have missed something at the beginning of his speech. There's a question—Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I apologise. I move—SPEAKER: I think we'll—the member's not getting extra time but he better start again. Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I move That the Civil Aviation Bill be now read a first time. [Member pauses]SPEAKER: I nominate that the Transport and Infrastructure Committee—Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I nominate that the Transport and Infrastructure Committee—SPEAKER: —can consider the bill.Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: —can consider the bill. I do apologise to the House; I did not have those words in front of me. I am reading—obviously engaged on behalf of the Minister responsible at short notice.Chris Bishop: Point of order. I just seek your guidance on this Mr Speaker. What we've just essentially had from you and the Minister is a call in response in which you as the presiding officer of the House give the Minister the words to say to move the particular motion. Is that in order where you actually tell him what to say then he repeats it back to the House? SPEAKER: It certainly is. I've seen it happen on many occasions in the past more often actually for junior Ministers. But sometimes when Ministers are acting for other Ministers it happens. And I think it's fair to say if one consults with one's colleagues I do it a fair amount of time for them in order to get their form right or their people here.Hon David Bennett: Point of order Mr Speaker.SPEAKER: If this is going to discuss the same matter—Hon David Bennett: Yes.SPEAKER: Well the member's not going to because that would be highly disorderly and if he did that he would have to leave. Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: As I was saying the integrated transport system we need for this country requires all sectors to work together for the benefit of our country to bring jobs economic opportunities and—Chris Bishop: Point of order. Normally at the start the Minister presents a legislative statement moves that the bill be read a first time and indicates what committee the bill will be sent to. So far we've had no indication of where it will be sent. SPEAKER: Well I think the member Mr Bishop criticised me for indicating to that member what he should say. And he did say it. He might have parroted it but he has done it.Chris Bishop: I didn't hear him say Transport".SPEAKER: Yes he did—yes he did eventually. Right Dr Clark keep going and no extra time.Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I think the irony of that is lost on the member.Well as I was saying before I was interrupted it is important to have an integrated transport system for economic opportunity for our country for jobs and to make sure that we connect our aviation system up and ensure it is underpinned by good solid modern legislation and regulation. For an island nation a safe and secure aviation sector is incredibly important and no more so than in the time of a COVID-19 pandemic. This has been brought into sharp relief of course and particularly as we look at our position and connection to the rest of the world when we see our transport system perhaps more vulnerable but ably supported. And I do want to acknowledge the Minister of Finance for his support through this period to make sure that our aviation sector continues to do the job that it is there to do. But back to the bill which does indeed ensure best practice modern safety and security approaches to help position the sector for recovery from COVID-19. The Civil Aviation Bill represents a significant modernisation of aviation legislation whilst preserving the fundamentals of the current law. It repeals and replaces the Civil Aviation Act 1990 and also the Airport Authorities Act 1966 and pulls them into a single platform for safety security and economic regulation for now and for well into the future. The Civil Aviation Act 1990 of course governs New Zealand's civil aviation system and sets the overall framework for safety and security and this bill brings that together with the 1966 Act the Airport Authorities Act which provides the statutory regime for local authorities and other persons such as airport companies to establish and operate airports across the country. Both Acts of course have been amended over time but it was timely to have a complete overhaul of the legislation and bring it all together in one place to get rid of ambiguity make sure it's clear for interpretation and to prepare it for the future get rid of the redundant provisions that there might be in it and so forth. It has been subject to an extensive consultation process. There was an exposure draft of the bill which was released in 2019 and the range of proposals therefore have been widely consulted on with the aviation sector. Now the primary objectives of the bill include improving aviation safety and security encouraging effective competition and licensing regulation for international air services preserving New Zealand's national security and enabling the aviation regulator and aviation businesses to adapt to changes in technologies and business practices. So it will be a more flexible regime that is fit for purpose now but allows for the kinds of changes that might be required in the future. The Minister of Transport himself takes very seriously the responsibility of the Government to ensure the safety and security of everyone in the aviation system and I'm sure all members of this House will respect that particular objective. Now there are a number of things that appear in the bill that warrant specific mention. One of them is the response to the tragedy in Carterton the balloon tragedy where drug and alcohol impairment was involved in 2012. And I do want to acknowledge the family involved and their advocacy for change in this respect. It became clear as the nation grieved that alcohol or drug use played a central role in the crash. And so again to those families involved I offer my deepest condolences. Since that day as I've said the families called for reform of the law and their advocacy is represented in this bill. I'm proud to say that this bill adopts a stringent approach towards drug or alcohol use in the aviation system.It's a large and complex bill. It contains almost 500 clauses. It has had that extensive engagement with the aviation sector that I've mentioned. And whilst we know not all tragedies are preventable we know we can reduce the risk of crash if a zero tolerance approach towards drug and alcohol impaired operators is actively enforced.In terms of national security that's one of the other areas of major change in the bill. To preserve New Zealand's national security and interests the bill clarifies the powers of the Minister of Transport to consider national security risks within the aviation system and to make rules about when national security considerations might need to apply. In the time available I just want to cover the fact that aviation security's in there. It clarifies the powers the protections and tools aviation security officers have at security designated aerodromes. There is a remotely piloted or autonomous aircraft regulation in there recognising the changes in that sector since those 1966 and 1990 Acts—quite significant changes in the use of autonomous aircraft and the like. It also regulates the financial penalty levels that are appropriate for the severity of an offence in the aviation system. They come into effect. Lost or damaged baggage claims are covered. So in conclusion I want to be very clear that our aviation system is vital to New Zealand's prosperity to our connections with the world to our social and economic connections in a long thin nation a long way from markets. The bill which has been in development for over five years represents a major modernisation of civil aviation legislation. And this Government is a Government that's committed to safety and security in this sector and to help position the sector for recovery from COVID-19. I do want to acknowledge the work of the Minister and look forward to the safe passage of this bill. I commend the Civil Aviation Bill to the House.SPEAKER: The question is that the motion be agreed to."