Peachey Allan: Public Lending Right for New Zealand Authors Bill — Second Reading 
Peachey Allan: Public Lending Right for New Zealand Authors Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:650;Page:19230] 
ALLAN PEACHEY (National—Tamaki) 
: 
 I am really pleased to be able to speak in the second reading of the Public Lending Right for New Zealand Authors Bill and I must declare to the House straightaway that I anticipate being a financial beneficiary under this legislation just as I have been a beneficiary of the Authors’ Fund which is run by Creative New Zealand. Who knows what books I may have inside me in the future! There could be a really interesting one I guess about the last 3 years. 
I am very very grateful to Creative New Zealand for administering the Authors’ Fund; I have always found it to be very fair helpful and efficient to deal with. From the point of view of an author it is always nice particularly if one’s work is out of print to receive a cheque from Creative New Zealand—and in future years it will be nice to get it in a different form—because it is a little message that people are still interested in what one has written and are still reading it. Speaking as an author for whom this cheque is not my sole means of income it is not— 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: Just as well. 
ALLAN PEACHEY 
: Well I can tell Dr Cullen that actually I have done quite well out of my writings. He will have some time on his hands next year no doubt and may like to have a try at writing something himself. 
The cheque comes and it is nice. But the sad thing is that on 31 March the rapacious Minister of Finance has his hand out for his share of it. If we are really serious about improving the position of authors in this country in addition to passing this bill maybe it is time to have a look at the taxation rates. Like everybody else authors will benefit from the very very significant tax cuts that are planned by the future National Government. 
Hon Judith Tizard 
: Is this a National promise? 
ALLAN PEACHEY 
: It is interesting that the barrage that met me from the Government side of the House last night is going to continue. I welcome that because as I said to some of the gentlemen over there last night I had some success in life before I came into politics. I have not come into politics as an alternative to being successful. Part of that success has been being able to write stuff in the form of books and articles for journals and magazines that other people actually find worth reading and enjoyable to read. That is one of the points. 
When an author writes something that is his or her intellectual property and a lot of people do not actually appreciate that. There are people who think I keep stores of books in my car boot and elsewhere in my car and that they are there just to be given out at will. Those things have value to an author and this bill acknowledges that value. I for one welcome the announcement in Dr Cullen’s—no doubt—last Budget as Minister of Finance of an increase of $2 million in funding for authors over a number of years. Although that is minimal at least it is a start. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: His most recent Budget. He is at the mid-point of his career. 
Sue Moroney 
: We love his Budgets. He has more Budgets to come than you have books. 
ALLAN PEACHEY 
: Goodness gracious me those members really are Madam Assistant Speaker— 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Marian Hobbs) 
: They are. They have woken up. 
ALLAN PEACHEY 
: I could begin to feel a little intimidated here but I will not. It is only Mr Mallard. Everybody knows that Mr Mallard is the last person I would be intimidated by. Anyway to come back to the bill which really is important frankly I think the authors of New Zealand deserve to be treated with a bit more respect when we are debating this bill than the members opposite are displaying. 
I was talking about— 
Hon Judith Tizard 
: Most authors do not have a large public salary to subsidise their writing. 
ALLAN PEACHEY 
: I shall ignore that Madam Assistant Speaker. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Marian Hobbs) 
: Keep going. 
ALLAN PEACHEY 
: Those are the dying gasps of a dying Government. I just stress the importance of acknowledging the property right that authors hold. If we look through the history of this House and if we look at the members who have been successful authors we cannot help but reflect that that crowd over there pales into insignificance when compared with the greatest author to sit in this House—and he sat with Labour—John A Lee. Of course John A Lee was a pretty upfront honest sort of a guy. One of the great privileges in my life was to meet him in the late 1960s at Canterbury University. Those members do not want to know about authors like John A Lee because in his book  
Simple on a Soapbox 
 a magnificent book he exposed the reality of the inner workings of a socialist government. I certainly want to take the opportunity to acknowledge the contribution of members of this House who themselves have been authors and who were not fortunate enough to benefit from the funding that is available to today’s authors. 
There is another point that needs to be made too. 
Hon Lianne Dalziel 
: Please that’s enough. Give up. 
ALLAN PEACHEY 
: If the members opposite would just listen for a moment and stop being so negative and critical in their comments I would tell them that New Zealand is beginning to develop a significant literary tradition. It is only just coming. 
Hon Judith Tizard 
: Oh have you just discovered that? 
ALLAN PEACHEY 
: Madam Assistant Speaker I comment to you that in your final days in this House presiding over a bunch of fourth-formers is probably not what you need. I will do my best to ignore them and stick with the bill . 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Marian Hobbs) 
: I would appreciate that. 
ALLAN PEACHEY 
: I make the point that as New Zealand develops its literary tradition the establishment of the public lending right is a significant step in the recognition of authors. Whether they are writing fiction or non-fiction they contribute to New Zealand and what it means to live in New Zealand and to an emergent literary tradition. On behalf of all authors I acknowledge the importance of this work. [ 
Interruption 
] The fourth form does not give up Madam Assistant Speaker. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Marian Hobbs) 
: Just keep going. 
ALLAN PEACHEY 
: It is very tempting to have a real crack at Mr Mallard Madam Assistant Speaker but he will keep. 
I will pull together what I have been saying. On this side of the House we are supporting the bill. We are a little disappointed when we look at the history of it that it has taken so long to get to this point. It is one more bill that is being rushed through under urgency when I think we could have shown the authors of New Zealand a little more respect than to do that but at least it is happening. I for one am delighted to support the bill. I am looking forward as I say to becoming a beneficiary of the legislation. I say to members that who knows the next book just may tell the truth about people like Trevor Mallard. 
Bill read a second time.