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SpeechDr EMILY HENDERSON (Labour—Whangārei): Kia ora Madam Speaker. I rise to take a brief call on this bill but first to perhaps bring a little transparency to my respected colleague across the House as to the nature of the way in which this bill has progressed because I am a member of the Justice Committee and was lucky enough to get to work on it.There has been nothing in haste about this bill. It has proceeded in the normal way and the reason it's proceeded in the normal way is actually for the benefit of precisely the sort of people that Ms Harete Hipango was talking about: people like her son.If we do not pass this bill in respect of the timeframes that people are able to be out of New Zealand and still cast a vote then people like her son will miss out on that opportunity next year. If we wait to go through the wider and deeper matters that are being traversed in the review then people like her son will miss out on the important—and in fact vital—act of contributing to our democracy.And if there is one thing that we have learnt in the last couple of years over COVID—over watching what has happened overseas—it is that democracy deserves every act of protection and strengthening we can give it. Because while we may regard it as inviolable and forever and everlasting it is in fact fragile. We need to give serious consideration at all times to how each and every next election coming up can be better.We want this bill in place because we are concerned that numbers of people—especially over the last couple of years—have begun to lose faith in democracy. We are aware of surveys—for example in 2021 by Victoria University of Wellington as the Minister said—which show that 70 percent of the population do not trust the way in which parties are funded. They feel that the people paying for us may also be paying us to do their bidding. We know that that is not so but the thought that they could consider that that is a possibility: we have to act. We need to make sure that there is absolute clarity.My mother always said that if you find yourself too embarrassed to tell someone what you have done then perhaps it is an indication that you're doing the wrong thing. Just a little thought for those who are scared to announce that they are funding certain political parties.Nothing wrong with transparency; very important for democracy; very important for our next election. Let's pass the bill.
Salesa JennyHouse resumed.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa): Madam Speaker the committee has considered the Water Services Entities Bill and reports it with amendment. I move That the report be adopted.Motion agreed to.Report adopted.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean): Members it's time for me to leave the Chair for the dinner break. The House will resume at 7 p.m.Sitting suspended from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Prime Willow-JeanWILLOW-JEAN PRIME (Junior Whip—Labour): I move That the question be now put.Motion agreed to.
Salesa JennyHon EUGENIE SAGE (Green): Thank you Madam Chair. I think it's really unfortunate that the National Party is just trying to score political points. They're not engaging with the substance of the issue. The Minister has noted that the Standing Orders Committee is going to consider the whole issue of entrenchment and whether there should be public policies which merit entrenchment—whether we could review the 160 years that we've gone without entrenching anything else except electoral law. But from the contributions from the Opposition they won't engage with that substantively at all. All they're interested in doing is trying to score political points about process.And the other thing that's really disappointing: thank you Mr Bayly for pointing out the detail of clause 116 and the process in Schedule 4 and yes that does provide some protection at the regional representative group against any proposals for divestment—it ensures that there is thorough consideration of that. But the whole point of my Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) which the Minister's SOP will repeal was to entrench that provision so that a simple majority in a future Parliament couldn't pull that provision and just not require the regional representative group to go through that 75 percent support for divestment.So National is not engaging with the substance of what their views are about the future of three waters assets. They have said that heaven forbid if they get into Government they would repeal the legislation but what do they want for the future of three waters? Because again and again they've just focused on process and not the substance of what the original SOP was about which was to ensure that it is not easy for a future Government to sell off our water assets to the highest bidder that it is not easy for a Government to ram through provisions which would reduce the consideration by the regional representative group and the requirement for a referendum. Our water assets are too precious to risk and the original SOP made sure that any decision about their future management carried the support of a large number of New Zealanders. So National has signalled that it's not going to engage in any genuine way with discussions about what issues of public policy could be protected by entrenchment and nor as it seems is it going to respond in any positive way to a letter from the Government which suggests that their attitude to three waters is again to not be at all worried about future privatisation. That's why the Green Party won't be supporting this SOP because we think that this issue of three waters assets is of critical public importance and reaches that threshold.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa): Before I call the next member I'd like to warn everyone that this debate is beginning to be repetitive. I'm not hearing any new points being raised.
SpeechHon NANAIA MAHUTA (Minister of Local Government): For those listening to this debate we are still in the committee stage of the Water Services Entities Bill. And all the way along the Government has been very clear that we want to protect the public ownership of water infrastructure assets as we move towards improving the services that people get to assure themselves that they'll have safe drinking water better environmental outcomes and more sustainable ways of financing infrastructure recognising that households are facing a cost of living crisis.But let me come back to the specific Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) and what we want to ensure. Through this parliamentary process we want to ensure that we are fixing a mistake because as the debate has transpired and I have made through the committee stages of the House we have been unable to get cross-parliamentary support for a 75 percent entrenchment of privatisation and we accept that that is why the Government did not put forward an entrenchment clause in the bill as introduced as debated in the House. However Standing Order 270 creates the opening which the Green Party utilised to be able to offer another threshold 60 percent to be able to re-put the consideration of an entrenchment threshold. At this point I want to reflect on the Leader of the House's indication that actually perhaps the Standing Orders Committee needs to consider the basis on which entrenchment clauses should be used to give guidance to lawmakers for matters other than constitutional issues of which the convention is a 75 percent threshold and I think that is worthy of consideration. I hope other members in this House do too because we do want to ensure that we are making good laws.So the mistake that is being fixed is that it is inappropriate as far as we can see to take a piecemeal approach to using an entrenchment clause for this particular purpose. So once we ensure that the SOP can be supported across the House we will effectively not use an entrenchment provision in this particular way without further consideration by the Standing Orders Committee to provide proper guidelines in the way that matters other than those constitutional in nature could be considered. I hope that all parties will see fit to support the SOP.
SpeechIn CommitteeDeletion of Subpart 4A of Part 6CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jacqui Dean): Members the House has resolved to recommit the Water Services Entities Bill to the committee of the whole House to consider the Minister's amendment deleting subpart 4A of Part 6 set out on Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) 310. Members this is a limited debate and all contributions must be relevant to the question of deleting that provision. The question is that the Minister's amendment deleting subpart 4A of Part 6 set out on SOP 310 be agreed to.
Water Services Entities Bill — Recommittal
O'Connor GregWATER SERVICES ENTITIES BILLRecommittalHon NANAIA MAHUTA (Minister of Local Government): I move That the order of the day for the third reading of the Water Services Entities Bill be discharged and the bill be recommitted to the committee of the whole House to consider Supplementary Order Paper 310 in my name.Motion agreed to.DEPUTY SPEAKER: I declare the House in committee for consideration of Supplementary Order Paper 310.
Utikere TangiTANGI UTIKERE (Labour—Palmerston North): Tēnā koe Mr Speaker. It's a pleasure to rise and take a fairly brief call in support on this side for Te Rohe o Rongokako Joint Redress Bill and in doing so I want to acknowledge the work that colleagues around the House on the Māori Affairs Committee have done in terms of progressing this bill up to this point. Colleagues that have spoken before me have touched on some of the issues that were raised and certainly the process and the experience—and the opportunity—that that particular part of the process did provide for them as well. Bills of this nature generally in this Chamber are moments of significance: moments of significance for our country for our community for iwi and for our sense of identity. And so this particular bill which will as a mechanism give effect to essentially all cultural redress that's shared between Rangitāne o Wairarapa and Rangitāne o Tāmaki-nui-ā-Rua and also Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki-nui-ā-Rua—that's contained within the relative deeds of settlement; some that have been signed more recently than others. I do however want to acknowledge all of those that have played an active role to get this piece of legislation to this particular point in time before the Parliament. I've said that my contribution will be brief because it means that there will be no further waiting in terms of being able to pass this piece of legislation through the Parliament and on that basis I commend the bill to the House.
Chhour KarenKAREN CHHOUR (ACT): Thank you Mr Speaker. It's a pleasure to stand here today and have a short call on this joint redress bill. Lots has been said today around concerns where the two parties have not come to an agreement in regards to this but I still would like to say how proud I am to stand here and be part of a process like this—even if it's just a small process; even if it's just the small bit of me standing here and saying we need to right the wrongs of the past. Unless we right the wrongs of the past as well as we can we can't move forward together in this country to create the beautiful country that we want to see. I think that we can't fully right the wrongs of the past but we can do the best we can and hope it goes some way to healing the pain and helping us move forward as a country. So we the ACT Party will be supporting this bill.This is a story about two iwi that have their own journeys and stories about losing their assets losing their connections with their land and losing so much that they held dear to themselves—to the point that many I'm sure have already passed before this has come before the House. Many have heard stories that have been handed down from generation to generation and many will still feel the pain of their great-great-grandparents. I think it's important that we acknowledge that that we acknowledge the history which has been handed down from generation to generation so that we don't repeat the wrongs of the past. These conversations need to be had. And I'm really proud that as a parliament we can come together—the whole House together—and agree that what happened was wrong and we can agree that we need to acknowledge this and we need to acknowledge the pain of generations passed and generations today that have fought to right those wrongs.So I want to acknowledge the Māori Affairs Committee because it can't be easy not being able to help when you really want to not being able to acknowledge issues that are outside of the scope of the bill although you understand the pain that these submitters are going through in trying to address an issue on which quite frankly the select committee had their hands tied and weren't able to. So I just want to acknowledge the select committee in how it must have felt to not be able to address those issues.I understand whakapapa and how important it is because I've spent most of my life not knowing my whakapapa—and that hurts. So when you're finally feeling like you're fighting for that right to feel belonging or fighting for that right to have your whakapapa acknowledged I can understand how painful that might be—not feeling like you have a sense of belonging and not knowing where you belong. So I feel that and I understand that and I'm sorry that that has not been able to be addressed. I hope that the two iwi can come together and sort this between themselves in the future so that those who feel they don't belong can have a sense of belonging sometime in the future. So ACT will be supporting this bill and hopefully this brings a little bit of closure to that pain.
Te Rohe o Rongokako Joint Redress Bill — Procedure
Hipkins Chris; Rurawhe AdrianTE ROHE O RONGOKAKO JOINT REDRESS BILLProcedureHon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the House): I seek leave for the Te Rohe o Rongokako Joint Redress Bill to not be considered in committee and to be set down for third reading immediately following discussions across the House.SPEAKER: Is there any objection to that course of action being followed? There is none. The bill is set down for third reading immediately.
Voting — Correction—Land Transport (Clean Vehicles) Amendment Bill (No 2)
Rurawhe AdrianVOTINGCorrection—Land Transport (Clean Vehicles) Amendment Bill (No 2) SPEAKER: Members on 22 November when the House was considering the Land Transport (Clean Vehicles) Amendment Bill (No 2) the result of the vote on the question that the bill be now read a third time was incorrectly recorded as Ayes 99 Noes 20. The correct result is Ayes 99 Noes 19.
Introduction of Bills
Rurawhe AdrianINTRODUCTION OF BILLSSPEAKER: Members we missed something earlier. The Clerk has received bills for introduction. CLERK: Therapeutic Products Bill introduction.Climate Change Response (Late Payment Penalties and Industrial Allocation) Amendment Bill introduction.SPEAKER: Those bills are set down for first reading.
Visitors — Vietnam—National Assembly
Seymour David; Rurawhe AdrianQuestion No. 6 to MinisterDAVID SEYMOUR (Leader—ACT): Point of order Mr Speaker. I'd like to raise a matter at the first possible instance. On question No. 6 the finance Minister took a point of order and stated that the Prime Minister had not directly accused me of dishonesty but only proposed a hypothetical circumstance where I might be. Since then I've had the video transcript sent through to me and it says that she said The way he is portraying this bill is wrong dishonest and factually incorrect." after saying "The member needs to be honest." The Prime Minister did accuse me of dishonesty. That is unparliamentary and I would put it that the finance Minister misled the House when he said that she didn't. SPEAKER: I have made a ruling. The way to question the Speaker's ruling is not to take another point of order like you have just done so that is out of order. Now—David Seymour: No it's not. SPEAKER: It is. I made a ruling based on what I heard without the benefit of going back and having a look at a Hansard—in real time—and I made my ruling accordingly. Now there are a number of ways you can question the Speaker's ruling. Bringing it up now is not the way to do it. There is a correct procedure to do it. DAVID SEYMOUR (Leader—ACT): Well a fresh point of order Mr Speaker. I was not questioning your ruling. I was raising a fresh point of order in relation to the finance Minister and his claim which is now demonstrably untrue. That's the point of order I am raising now. It in no way questions your ruling. However I would ask you to use Speaker Wall's ruling at 45/2 which says "The offence of calling another member a liar or implying that another member of the House is a liar" is an injustice to the whole House. It's a very serious matter that can't be brushed off by saying it was provoked. SPEAKER: And again this is not the correct way of addressing it. You can address it by making in writing a matter of privilege. That is the correct way."
Rurawhe AdrianPETITIONS PAPERS SELECT COMMITTEE REPORTS AND INTRODUCTION OF BILLSSPEAKER: Members petitions have been delivered to the Clerk for presentation.CLERK: Petition of Groundswell NZ requesting that the House ask the Government to end the agricultural emissions pricing proposalpetition of Peter Marra requesting that the House lower the age of eligibility for the National Bowel Screening Programme to 45 and make it lower than 45 for anyone with a family history of bowel cancerpetition of Katharine Moody requesting that the House regulate residential rent via a formula specified in the petition.SPEAKER: Those petitions are referred to the Petitions Committee. Ministers have delivered reports.CLERK: 2021-22 annual reports for the:Accreditation CouncilBroadcasting Standards AuthorityElectricity AuthorityNetwork for LearningNew Zealand Film CommissionNgārimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarship Fund Board2022-23 statements of performance expectations for the:Broadcasting Standards AuthorityLaw CommissionNew Zealand Film Commission2021-22 statement of performance expectations for the Human Rights Commission2022-26 statement of intent for the New Zealand Film CommissionThe Treasury: Wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand 2022.SPEAKER: Those papers are published under the authority of the House. Select committee reports have been delivered for presentation.CLERK:Reports of the Education and Workforce Committee on the:petition of Julia Lê and thepetition of Julia Zhang and David Barkerreport of the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee on the Foreign Affairs (Consular Loans) Amendment Billreport of the Governance and Administration Committee on the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Exemption for Race Meetings) Amendment Billreports of the Health Committee on the:continuation to 13 May 2023 of the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020 and theSmokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Billreport of the Justice Committee on the Electoral Amendment Billreports of the Petitions Committee on the:petition of Aaron Cross Aaron Hendry Brian Borland Chris Williams Claire Dale Greg Rzesniowiecki Hāwea Flat School Board Janaya Fowles Open Forum for Health Information Save Women's Sport Australasia and Sona Kaurreport of the Regulations Review Committee on the Secondary Legislation Confirmation Billreport of the Transport Infrastructure Committee on the petition of Rosemary Penwarden.SPEAKER: The bills are set down for second reading. No bills have been introduced.
Rurawhe AdrianVISITORSVietnam—National Assembly PresidentSPEAKER: I'm sure members would wish to welcome His Excellency Mr Vương Đình Huệ President of the National Assembly Republic of Vietnam who is to my left and to his delegation in the gallery.
Salesa JennyTUESDAY 6 DECEMBER 2022The Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.KARAKIA/PRAYERSHon JENNY SALESA (Assistant Speaker): E te Atua kaha rawa ka tuku whakamoemiti atu mātou mō ngā karakia kua waihotia mai ki runga i a mātou. Ka waiho i ō mātou pānga whaiaro katoa ki te taha ka mihi mātou ki te Kīngi me te inoi atu mō te ārahitanga i roto i ō mātou whakaaroarohanga kia mōhio ai kia whakaiti ai tā mātou whakahaere i ngā take o te Whare nei mō te oranga te maungārongo me te aroha o Aotearoa. Āmene.[Almighty God we give thanks for the blessings which have been bestowed upon us. Laying aside all personal interests we acknowledge the King and pray for guidance in our deliberations that we may conduct the affairs of this House with wisdom and humility for the welfare peace and compassion of New Zealand. Amen.]
Tuesday 30 August 2022 - Volume 762
Estimates Debate — Workplace Relations and Safety
VoteDr DUNCAN WEBB (Chief Whip—Labour): I move That the committee report progress.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa): It was previously agreed that we report the progress at this time at 7.45 p.m. The question is that the committee report progress.Motion agreed to.Progress to be reported.House resumed.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa): Mr Speaker the committee has considered the Appropriation (2022/23 Estimates) Bill and reports progress. I move That the report be adopted.Motion agreed to.Report adopted.
12. Question No. 12—PoliceHon MARK MITCHELL (National—Whangaparāoa) to the Minister of PoliceQuestion No. 12—Police12. Hon MARK MITCHELL (National—Whangaparāoa) to the Minister of Police: What is the total percentage increase of ram raids since the beginning of 2018 and how many businesses have had security systems installed through the $6 million crime prevention programme funded by the Proceeds of Crime Fund to address this increase?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister of Police): There are limitations to the data that Police hold. However that data does show that there were 84 incidents in 2018 and 303 incidents in 2021—the most recent full year on record—an increase of 260 percent. Police are taking the issue extremely seriously and investigating every incident. Since 2017 there have been 768 prosecutions for a range of ram raid - related offences and 324 youth referrals. In answer to the second part of the member's question the small retail crime prevention programme has undertaken 21 assessments of security needs of retailers and a further five are expected this week. I've made it clear to the police that we expect to see much faster progress.Hon Mark Mitchell: Point of order Mr Speaker. The primary question did ask How many security systems have been installed?" not "How many reviews have been undertaken?"Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I'm happy to elaborate further. We don't have data on how many of those have been installed available at the moment because in many cases that installation work is being done by a third-party provider.Simeon Brown: Oh it hasn't been done yet? Nicola Willis: They can't deliver anything.Hon Mark Mitchell: How many ram-raided businesses—SPEAKER: Sorry sorry. Sorry to interrupt. Timing again Mr Brown and Nicola Willis.Hon Mark Mitchell: How many ram-raided businesses has the Minister visited since becoming police Minister?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I haven't visited any businesses myself. That is of course the appropriate role for the police.Hon Mark Mitchell: Why has the Minister not taken the time to visit the victims of these ram raids?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: My focus in the few months that I've had as Minister of Police has been on visiting as many police stations as possible and engaging with the police. I have not been going and visiting individual businesses or conducting my own investigations.Hon Mark Mitchell: How many times does a business need to be ram-raided to receive support from the fund?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: There aren't hard and fast criteria about that. It's based on a risk assessment."
11. Question No. 11—Commerce and Consumer AffairsNAISI CHEN (Labour) to the Minister of Commerce and Consumer AffairsQuestion No. 11—Commerce and Consumer Affairs11. NAISI CHEN (Labour) to the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs: What recent announcements has he made about helping Kiwis to get a better deal at the checkout?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK (Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs): I recently announced the tool kit of regulatory powers the Commerce Commission and the Government will have available should the supermarket duopoly not reach good-faith wholesale deals with their competitors. If there is no proper access to wholesale goods there is no incentive for competition to enter the market and improved competition will mean improved prices for Kiwis at the till.Naisi Chen: How will these regulatory measures work?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: We've been very clear that the grocery sector needs to change so that competing retailers whether they are independent dairies smaller chains or a new entrant can offer a wider selection of products at competitive prices. That's why we've called on the supermarkets to open up their wholesale arms at a fair price to would-be competition—if not the tool kit we've designed gives the Commerce Commission the authority to take action including demanding retailers provide wholesale supply at certain times price and range.Naisi Chen: When can we expect to see these measures in place?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I expect to have a bill introduced by the end of this year and passed into law early next year. Once it's passed into law the Commerce Commission will take on its watchdog role in a permanent and immediate way. Let me stress again that there is nothing stopping the supermarkets from brokering good-faith wholesale deals right now.Naisi Chen: What reactions has he seen to the announcement?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: It's been very very positive. The Warehouse Group welcomed the Government's actions to make it a more level playing field and are hopeful it will bring about meaningful change. Night 'n Day's Matthew Lane said the changes would create security of supply on products at more competitive rates. He said their savings would be passed on to consumers.Naisi Chen: Has there been any other industry reaction?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: Yes. The Food and Grocery Council was also very positive about the announcement saying Forcing the duopoly to negotiate wholesale offerings to competitors on commercial terms is a significant but necessary step if Kiwis are to see better choice and lower prices." It went on to add "In a well-functioning and competitive wholesale market these steps by the Government wouldn't be needed and it's just further proof of how broken and uncompetitive the grocery market is right now." The Government agrees and that's why we've taken bold swift action."
8. Question No. 8—ImmigrationCAMILLA BELICH (Labour) to the Minister of ImmigrationQuestion No. 8—Immigration8. CAMILLA BELICH (Labour) to the Minister of Immigration: What progress can he report on the implementation of the 2021 Resident Visa?Hon MICHAEL WOOD (Minister of Immigration): I'm advised that in fact approximately 94144 people out of 215000 people have had their applications for the 2021 residence visa approved since applications opened last December. These people have key skills for our businesses and economy including thousands of health workers construction workers and teachers. Residence visa 2021 (RV21) gives migrants certainty about their future here allowing them to continue putting down roots while also helping to reunite families and build critical workforces.Camilla Belich: How is the processing of resident visa 2021 applications tracking compared to initial forecasts?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: While the interest in RV21 has exceeded expectations we are on track to meet our target of processing 80 percent of applications by June 2023. These new Kiwis will help to relieve some of the pressures in our labour market. Over the coming months we can look forward to thousands more critical workers committing their future to New Zealand. RV21 is the biggest residency offer that any Government has made in recent history and it's providing much-needed certainty to workers and employers.Camilla Belich: What processing improvements have Immigration New Zealand (INZ) implemented to ensure the effective delivery of the resident 2021 visa?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: INZ has recently undertaken a transformation programme and introduced their enhanced immigration online system which RV21 is being processed through. The system involves much greater automation and allows an immigration officer to process hundreds of applications per week. INZ's surge recruitment plan has resulted in 284 processing staff recruited since the beginning of the calendar year leading to a growth in the visa processing workforce of 134 fulltime-equivalent staff.Camilla Belich: How does the 2021 resident visa support the Government's broader work to rebalance the immigration system?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: Through the immigration rebalance we've carefully designed a system that provides pathways to residence for a range of critical roles while streamlining settings to make application processes more straightforward for migrants. This is a Government that's focused on lifting wages and conditions for all workers and in doing so making New Zealand a more attractive destination to live work and settle.
6. Question No. 6—TourismWILLOW-JEAN PRIME (Labour—Northland) to the Minister of TourismQuestion No. 6—Tourism6. WILLOW-JEAN PRIME (Labour—Northland) to the Minister of Tourism: What reports has he seen on tourism recovery?Hon STUART NASH (Minister of Tourism): Data from Statistics New Zealand and the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment shows a strong uptick in international visitor numbers and overseas card spend with June 2022 seeing 94648 international visitor arrivals—the highest number since the border was closed in March 2020.Rachel Brooking: What reports has he seen on Queenstown's tourism recovery?Hon STUART NASH: According to Stats New Zealand Queenstown is performing close to 2019 levels of any major tourism destination down only 20 percent in the week ending 21 August when compared to the same week in 2019.Rachel Brooking: What reports has he seen for tourism recovery in the accommodation sector?Hon STUART NASH: International accommodation guest nights totalled 437000 for July 2022 up 135 percent compared to July 2021. I know there is still a long way to go to get back to pre-COVID levels but these numbers show a strong growth in demand and represent a higher than anticipated winter tourism season.Willow-Jean Prime: How has the Government supported the tourism industry throughout the pandemic?Hon STUART NASH: Our Government has supported the tourism sector throughout the pandemic with a $400 million tourism recovery package the $200 million tourism communities plan and the $54 million Innovation Programme for Tourism Recovery. I also recently launched a tourism industry transformation plan (ITP) which will help transform the tourism sector and strengthen its workforce.Willow-Jean Prime: How will the tourism ITP support the sector?Hon STUART NASH: The draft tourism industry transformation plan developed with unions industry and Māori outlines key actions to improve the sector such as setting employment standards and improving the education and training for tourism. It's out for consultation and we are looking forward to receiving feedback.
4. Question No. 4—HealthSARAH PALLETT (Labour—Ilam) to the Minister of HealthQuestion No. 4—Health4. SARAH PALLETT (Labour—Ilam) to the Minister of Health: What changes has the Government recently made to increase the ease of access to prescription medicines?Hon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Health): Last week I announced that the Government is expanding the New Zealand e-prescription service to make it easy for people to get the medicines they need. Sending prescriptions electronically makes sense because it can be faster safer cheaper and more convenient and most importantly can be done without using a fax machine. This change will be made through amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1977 and the Medicines Regulations 1984 with changes expected to be in place by the end of the year. That means controlled drugs can also now be prescribed and dispensed this way.Sarah Pallett: What experiences have informed this change?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: During the COVID-19 pandemic the number of GP practices using the official Government e-prescription service jumped from 415 in March 2020 to 1038 in March this year while the number of e-scripts issued went from around 624000 to more than 1.5 million. This shows the e-prescription service is accepted and trusted and is now the new normal. Sarah Pallett: What is the New Zealand e-prescription service that GPs have been using and how does it work?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: The New Zealand e-prescription service is an electronic health information exchange broker operated by the Ministry of Health. Doctors and other prescribers send prescriptions to the service through a secure channel and they are then sent on to pharmacies to be dispensed rather than having to be in hard copy that often needs to be faxed with a physical signature.Sarah Pallett: What is the benefit for patients of e-prescriptions? Hon ANDREW LITTLE: Electronic medicines management systems have been shown to significantly reduce the number of patients harmed by medication errors and adverse drug events by eliminating illegible ambiguous or incomplete prescriptions; providing a single and comprehensive view of a patient's current and historical drug record; and improving communication of real time information between prescribers pharmacies and nursing. Sarah Pallett: Will e-prescriptions support the Government's objective of reducing pressure on the health system? Hon ANDREW LITTLE: Yes the change we're making for controlled drugs means e-prescriptions will reduce the number of times patients need to visit a GP for repeat prescriptions. For some chronic conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder prescribers will be able to increase the period of time covered by a single e-prescription. For medical practices e-prescriptions are also an opportunity to cut administration costs as they will no longer have to print send and store hard-copy prescriptions.
1. Question No. 1—FinanceINGRID LEARY (Labour—Taieri) to the Minister of FinanceORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSQuestion No. 1—Finance1. INGRID LEARY (Labour—Taieri) to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has he seen on the New Zealand economy?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): The growing economy is continuing to create jobs. Yesterday Statistics New Zealand reported that the number of filled jobs in July rose 0.5 percent—or 10863—compared with the previous month to reach a record high of 2.31 million. Our economic plan is working despite a challenging global environment. Unemployment is near record lows and wages are beginning to rise above inflation to help deal with cost of living pressures.Ingrid Leary: What did the Stats New Zealand report say about which industries are creating jobs in the economy?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The gains are broad-based. On an annual basis the biggest gains we have seen are in construction professional services retail public administration and safety and manufacturing. Ingrid Leary: What did the Stats New Zealand report say about which age groups are benefiting from the jobs created in the economy?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The jobs market is supporting young New Zealanders; 15- to 19-year-olds made the largest contribution to the increase in filled jobs making up 16.7 percent of the increase. This follows from a near 17 percent increase in June.Ingrid Leary: What reaction has he seen to the Stats New Zealand report and its impact on the economy?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Other than the warm embrace from the other side of the House Westpac's economists have said that the pace of growth in the job market has been steady in recent months and has now fully recovered from a dip in the early part of the year during the peak of the Omicron wave. On the strong growth in youth employment Westpac's economists said that there is still significant scope to bring more people into the labour force. And BNZ's economists said these employment indicators point to a higher jobs level in the September quarter compared to the June quarter.Ingrid Leary: What other reports has he seen on the economy?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Well to choose just one the Xero Small Business Index for July shows jobs continue to grow rising 4.7 percent on a year ago—the third successive month that jobs growth was above the average of 3 percent. We are striking a balance by investing heavily in skills and training while also making it easier for businesses to attract workers from overseas to get the skills and expertise they need.
Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Bill — First Reading
Luxton JoJO LUXTON (Labour—Rangitata): Thank you Mr Speaker. I've been busting to take this call this evening. I have to say I've learnt lots about my colleagues this evening than I ever anticipated: wings Joseph Mooney getting caught short and then all those sorts of things. But as my colleague Naisi Chen said New Zealand is open for business." We want tourists to come to New Zealand. We don't want "French freedom camper poos on Dunedin street" or "Bush-pooping freedom campers shock walker". We don't want those kind of headlines. We want people to want to come to New Zealand and experience our clean green tourism industry. I commend this bill to the House.Motion agreed to.Bill read a first time.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ian McKelvie): The question is That the Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Bill be considered by the Economic Development Science and Innovation Committee.Motion agreed to.Bill referred to the Economic Development Science and Innovation Committee.The House adjourned at 9.59 p.m."
Boyack RachelRACHEL BOYACK (Labour—Nelson): Thank you Mr Speaker. It's a pleasure to take a short call tonight on the Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Bill. One of the matters that I think has been lost a little in the debate tonight is actually the impact that freedom camping can have on local communities. As MP for Nelson it's an issue that we have debated and discussed a lot across Nelson Tasman over a number of years and I note there are a number of people in the House tonight speaking on this bill who do come from places that have a strong tourism sector—and when we do rely on people visiting our communities and spending their money in order to create jobs and grow our economies. But I just want to note the impact that freedom camping can have when it goes wrong on local communities.In Nelson we've had for a number of years many stories and I've witnessed many examples of this behaviour myself that have caused real concern for people. A number of our inner-city carparks often have freedom camping units staying there. We have situations where at the Nelson market on a Saturday morning people are washing their undies and other items in the sinks that people are using there to brush their teeth and wash their hands and fill their water bottles. And quite frankly a lot of this behaviour has gone on for a long time and caused a lot of distress for our community—clothing being washed and hung up on make-shift lines across the carpark where people are trying to go to work and go about their day.Friends of mine who live on a street in Nelson called Weka Street—I have a number of friends who live on that street; it's very close to Trafalgar Park—wrote to me earlier this year and said Our neighbourhood was previously plagued with non - self-contained campers parked on our streets overnight with urinating in our gutters and on our footpaths. Worse was deposited under the bushes in the park of course and occasionally on our front lawns mine included." What my friends have said to me is that they want the Government to ensure that our whenua does not yet again became a communal open-air toilet for travellers from around the world. The timing of introducing this legislation by the Minister is incredibly helpful in order to ensure that as we do open up when people come in and enjoy our beautiful natural environment they do so in a way that respects our environment and respects our people.I do just want to make one final comment just in relation to the ACT member's comments around central government support for facilities. Just to note actually that our Government has invested heavily in toilet and shower facilities across the motu including a recently opened toilet block in Tahunanui in Tahunanui Beach which is an area where people sometimes do freedom camp. So I just want to say that actually central government is already doing that and as local MPs those are the types of investments we already are advocating for for our communities. So this legislation will be welcomed by the Nelson community and I commend it to the House."
SpeechTĀMATI COFFEY (Labour): I used to work in kids' television and we used to talk about poos and wees lots and it always got lots of jokes. Actually I haven't had this much fun talking about the subject matter that's in front of us at the moment for quite some time. So can I just thank all members from the House for their contributions tonight and obviously their support for this to go through to select committee. I think it's really important. We still ride on our 100% Pure" image. It's really important for our local economies wherever we come from. I know that into the Rotorua economy—well in normal non-COVID times—tourism brings in just under a billion dollars every single year into our local economy. So we have to make sure that we've got the parameters in there in place to be able to allow that social licence to happen.Some members have talked about it already: social licence is everything. In our communities wherever you are if you haven't got the community on your side you're actually pushing it up hill—"it" I said. But actually it's true social licence is everything. All you need is a couple of terrible stories about tourists that have rolled into town rolled out. They usually only spend one or two nights when they're in a campervan but actually seeing them roll out and leaving their mess afterwards—mess in the broader sense—is actually really disheartening. So I'm looking forward to seeing where the committee end on this. Some valid points have been raised today. But actually we want to make sure that we are selling "100% Pure" "Brand New Zealand" to the world to make this our new norm to allow tourists that come here to understand that actually this is how we do it—we keep a clean slate. You can come—what's that old saying about leaving only footprints? That's the kind of thing that we want to embed into the tourists that come to our country to let them know that "100% Pure" is what we want. I commend it to the House."
Bennett GlenGLEN BENNETT (Labour—New Plymouth): Kia ora Mr Speaker. I rise this evening as a lapsed member of the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association I have to confess. For those who are members in this room—I'm sure there are many of you—you know that moment when you get your wings. I know you know. I can see Maureen Pugh over there—exactly that; those red and grey wings you get to put on the front of your campervan with your number of the association. As you proudly drive through the rural roads of Aotearoa you get that little wave you give to others as you see them with their wings. So therefore I am an expert almost on this piece of legislation—not quite. Actually our campervan—they have to have a name right? So Campy" was its name; I thought it was quite appropriate for a same-sex couple. So as we'd drive Campy through the streets and the highways and byways of New Zealand it was always nice to know that we had firstly access to over 2000 places to go and enjoy camping overnight but secondly to know that we have a fully self-contained campervan. Anyway I digress because I'm on the select committee so I can talk more and explore it more and I can just relish my wings there. I commend this bill to the House."
SpeechNAISI CHEN (Labour): Thank you Mr Speaker. It's a pity that the last two speakers that have taken a call from the opposite side don't sit on the Economic Development Science and Innovation Committee—and what a great select committee we are. I look forward to having this bill in our select committee because there will be lots and lots of details no doubt that we will get into.Since 31 July New Zealand is now open for business and we welcome all tourists. Come to our shores to come and enjoy our beautiful land the nature that we have to offer. But there are regulations that we needed put in place to make sure that everyone's experience of New Zealand is just as good as what we've seen in the past few years. We need to make sure that the tourists that come into our country really do play their part in terms of keeping our land clean and green—that includes the way that they move around this country the way that they dispose of their waste. I probably have never dreamed of coming into this House to talk about how people dispose of their waste. So here I am on this bill because it is incredibly important.The speaker that has just resumed his seat the Hon Scott Simpson talked about the different local councils in terms of the different local authorities and where they may end and the other one start but that is exactly why we talk about ultimately this new regulatory system that is consistent. The whole point of being consistent is so that we have across the board a system of certification that people can rely on people can trust that is standardised so that there is no more confusion there is no more distrust. When we see that blue sticker at the moment we all know that that is probably something that you know could be pretty dodgy. So we want a system right now that we can trust no matter which city council which local authority land you are camping on; that if you are certified then it actually saves that local government authority time and human power to just actually trust in that certification process. So in order to preserve our 100% Pure New Zealand" branding I commend this bill to the House."
SpeechJAMIE STRANGE (Labour—Hamilton East): Thank you Mr Speaker. That was a rather negative speech for a party that is actually supporting this bill the Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Bill. We heard around eight minutes of negative comments and then at the end he said We are supporting this bill." Then the member sat down at the end of that speech.I'd like to begin by acknowledging the Minister the Hon Stuart Nash and I want to acknowledge the Minister for his passion for Aotearoa New Zealand. We have a Minister who understands the incredible proposition that we have here in New Zealand: the unique opportunity to encourage high-value tourists to come to New Zealand—high value high wage. During COVID we have had the opportunity for unfortunately a bit of a tourism reset. It has been really tough for our tourism operators and the Government has been supporting them through this time but we do have the opportunity for a reset of tourism which is an opportunity that doesn't happen very often. The Minister has recognised that and the Minister is bringing in legislation like this piece of legislation here which will improve New Zealand's brand. It will improve the value proposition that New Zealand offers.The key point here is that as a Government we're not against freedom campers but we are against the non - self-contained units and that's the key point. The toilets must be contained within the vehicle. Vehicle-based freedom camping has been a point of friction between the tourism industry and local communities for over a decade and the Minister outlined the legislation that came through in 2011 and how that hasn't worked. So the Minister is bringing new legislation to the House to fix that. I acknowledge his work and commend this bill to the House."