Mallard Trevor: Sports Anti-Doping Bill — Third Reading 
Mallard Trevor: Sports Anti-Doping Bill — Third Reading 
[Volume:634;Page:6192] 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Minister for Sport and Recreation) 
: 
 I move  
That the Sports Anti-Doping Bill be now read a third time 
. In doing so it is my pleasure to have the opportunity to present this bill to the House for its final reading. It is a further milestone in New Zealand’s fight against doping in sport. I will put on the record again however that not all sports are moving as quickly as they should in the anti-doping area and note my particular concern about the rules of racing and the ability of courts to frustrate in that area. 
In my introductory speech I referred to the case of Lisa Cropp who on 7 May 2005 allegedly rode with methamphetamine and amphetamine in her system and that case has not yet been heard—it has been continually frustrated by judicial review. As I have said previously I am very concerned that someone who has not contested the fact that she had those drugs in her system has been allowed to get out repeatedly on a racecourse. It is just wrong and we need to get that area of the law tidied up in the way that this area has been because New Zealand is considered a leader by the international community in the battle against doping in sport. 
New Zealand was a founding member of the World Anti-Doping Agency and is a strong supporter of the World Anti-Doping Code. In fact in 2005 we were the fourth country in the world to ratify the international convention against doping. This bill will help to implement the World Anti-Doping Code in New Zealand. It is designed to protect athletes’ fundamental right to participate in dope-free sport and will allow violations to be handled in a consistent manner. The bill updates the functions and powers of the New Zealand Sports Drug Agency which will be renamed Drug Free Sport New Zealand. It will continue to be the Government’s adviser on sports anti-doping matters and will be required to make sports anti-doping rules that reflect the code. In order to implement the code sports will be able to adopt these rules. The rules will not be compulsory and sports will be able to implement the code in other ways if they wish. 
The bill also continues the Sports Disputes Tribunal of New Zealand to be renamed the Sports Tribunal of New Zealand as the body responsible for hearing anti-doping and other sports-related matters. This tribunal provides an accessible and low-cost forum for sportspeople to resolve disputes and to have other sporting matters heard. I would note that we have taken an approach that is different from Australia’s in designing this legislation. Australia has a complex statute that mandates a national anti-doping scheme. Under the Australian statute and its regulations sports organisations are required to implement detailed anti-doping policies. 
By comparison our legislation is simple it is elegant and we believe it better reflects the intent of the World Anti-Doping Code. It sets up a regime that is not mandatory but will build on the commitment and goodwill already established in the international sports community. It provides for a single set of consistent anti-doping rules which can be implemented by sports through a simple and brief provision in their constitutions. I am confident that our legislation will be used as a model for other countries around the world. 
I would like to thank parliamentary counsel the staff at Sport and Recreation New Zealand Drug Free Sport New Zealand and the Sports Disputes Tribunal and especially members of the Government Administration Committee for their hard work in bringing this legislation to fruition. But most important I would like to take this opportunity to thank our athletes. They have shown on the international stage that New Zealand can compete and win fairly and cleanly. I spent a really interesting few minutes this morning with a young woman called Rebecca Spence a pupil at Rangitoto College who has recently won the world junior cycling time trial event and also the world junior duathlon event within about 3 weeks of each other. It was only her second time trial. She is a brilliant young athlete and someone who will go a long way. But what we talked about was how in some parts of the world especially in cycling doping is still rife. So thank you to our athletes who behave so well and are so clean. 
The final reading of this bill today shows New Zealand’s commitment to fair play. Sport is a very important part of our national identity and New Zealanders should be proud that we are leading the way to maintain a fair level playing field for all athletes. I commend the bill to the House.