Copeland Gordon: Local Government Law Reform Bill — In Committee 
Copeland Gordon: Local Government Law Reform Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:632;Page:3794] 
GORDON COPELAND (United Future) 
: 
 I am going to make this a kind of omnibus speech in the sense that I want to wrap up a few points that have not really been mentioned too much in this debate yet. The first is to speak directly to my own Supplementary Order Paper and to make the point that my Supplementary Order Paper—as I hope everyone in the Committee is now aware—brings in a voluntary microchipping regime for working farm dogs. A working farm dog is a dog that is a working dog that is “kept solely or principally for the purposes of herding or driving stock;”. That is a definition that is already in the Dog Control Act which we are amending tonight. 
The other thing to mention is that it also provides that any working farm dog that has been classified as menacing dangerous or impounded will automatically be microchipped. So that is not voluntary. That second part of my Supplementary Order Paper has been lifted directly out of Jeanette Fitzsimons’ member’s bill. It is virtually word for word because I think she makes a valid point in saying that all of those dogs should be microchipped as quickly as possible. 
I still find that members of the public do not realise that 10 days from now the only thing we will be microchipping will be new puppies. Some people seem to think that on 1 July all the dogs in New Zealand are suddenly going to be microchipped. No that is not the case. As somebody pointed out to me today what has actually happened in New South Wales for example is that the breeder of puppies normally puts microchips in and then sells them on to people. The dogs are already microchipped for life. We need to dispel some of the myths around that point. 
The other thing I would like to mention is the Green Party’s position in relation to this bill. The Green Party’s position is that the only dogs they want to see microchipped are those that are classified as being dangerous or menacing. They have endeavoured twice to achieve that goal—once through a member’s bill in the name of Jeanette Fitzsimons and once by way of a majority report from the select committee. Those initiatives have been voted down by this House not once but twice—by a vote of 61 to 60. Tonight the Greens intend to try again knowing that they will for the third time have that motion rejected by this Committee—again I imagine by a margin of 61 to 60. At that point they intend to accept the policy of Labour that all dogs be microchipped. 
Sue Bradford 
: We certainly don’t. 
GORDON COPELAND 
: Yes they do. That is going to be the practical consequence of the action the Greens have decided to take. That is the exact opposite of what they say their policy is. They want no dogs microchipped. Believe you me it will become clear very shortly that we are going to end up in this Parliament with every dog microchipped. Why? It is because the Greens have not figured out that they should actually be voting in favour of the Hon David Carter’s Supplementary Order Paper to exempt working farm dogs from microchipping. That is 250000 dogs—40 percent of all dogs. It therefore gets the Greens and the Maori Party far far closer to their own policy goals than having every single dog chipped. Also in the process both parties seem to have missed the point that this will be an opportunity to actually defeat the Government so that only 60 percent of dogs in this country are microchipped. If I am found to be wrong on that point then it will become clear very very shortly. 
Given that these parties want no microchipping at all except for dangerous and menacing breeds how is it therefore that they do not support something that will exempt 40 percent knowing that the alternative is to have all dogs microchipped? How could they do that? This Supplementary Order Paper of David Carter’s will give them 40 percent of what they want—250000 dogs. Instead they say that they will reject that Supplementary Order Paper and with it they will then accept inevitably that all dogs will be microchipped. Such a policy has no credibility. It will be a great disappointment to Federated Farmers and when they experience that disappointment—as I am sure they will later this evening—they can squarely sheet that home to the shallow posturing of the Greens. 
I must say I am extremely disappointed personally to say that the Maori Party also has not figured out that simple point. They will end up with all dogs microchipped later tonight. They still have the opportunity by voting for David Carter’s Supplementary Order Paper to see 40 percent of all dogs exempted from microchipping. It is close to their goal. Why do they not consider that and why do they not do it? 
I want to go to one other point before I finish which is to try to just clarify things for John Carter. As I mentioned we start microchipping puppies on 1 July. It will take 6 or 7 years before the dogs in New Zealand are microchipped.