SpeechHon RON MARK (Minister of Defence): Thank you Madam Speaker. Well what a curious debate to be taking part in. I'll start by saying New Zealand First has looked at Mr Hudson's bill and we have noted that at first glance it bears some similarity to a bill originally proposed by of all people the Hon Paula Bennett when she was the Minister of Police at a time when she was being well informed by senior police officers as to what they believed they needed in order to bring a higher degree of safety to the streets and remove guns from the possession of gangs. Interesting that this bill did not go as far as the Hon Paula Bennett's bill went because Mr Hudson's clearly looked at some of the human rights implications and has taken those aspects out of it which gives New Zealand First a degree of comfort because it's not so much the impact it would've had on the gang members themselves the people who are the focus of this bill; it actually removed a human rights issue relating to anyone else who may or may not have had gang members in their family who being family might actually be in their home on the odd occasion be it for Christmas or be it for Labour weekend or whatever or be it just for catching up with whānau as you do.Interesting that at the time if I recall correctly I think Labour actually had a degree of sympathy for the bill. Now we have a situation where the Labour side of the House is opposing this bill but at the same time proposing—and this is what's going to get really interesting because the speeches I've just heard from both the Labour speakers are going to be interesting when read back when the Minister of Police puts forward what he's proposing to put forward which actually will bring into question human rights issues.I cannot speak on this bill without referring to the contribution from Mr Hudson saying that this is aimed at making New Zealand safer. Yet what we witnessed here earlier on in the House did not make things safer for first responders. I just struggle when I see Labour and National colluding and working together to defeat a member's bill of a New Zealand First member of Parliament which sought to bring safety and enhance safety around first responders. We are talking public safety so it's the same thing to us in New Zealand First. Actually ironically we would say first responders are more deserving of protection and support given the work they do and the difficult circumstances the first responders being police as well. Then in the next breath we're talking about this bill and standing on our high horse and promoting it as being in the interests of public safety and police safety. I don't know what the word is—probably confusing" is how the public will see it.But New Zealand First is not going to be detracted by that. We're going to stick to our word—support good legislation going to select committee—that it be examined. I think there have been comments made that are quite accurate. This Government has passed through firearms legislation which was designed by the police to tighten up on how firearms licences are issued; the question is if we did that correctly why do we need this piece of legislation? But I'll leave that question for the select committee to work through because I do understand what Mr Hudson's trying to focus on and New Zealand First applauds him for that.There's this other question around—and I take Ginny Andersen's arguments and say though her arguments—actually she'd be a good contender for Minister of Police because clearly her research is more thorough than some that I've read. If those arguments Miss Andersen are correct and I think pretty much you are then that would be the argument against the Government itself putting up a firearms prohibition order next year or after the election.So it's going to be a curious time. I simply say to people that New Zealand First is focused on one thing good firearms law and we mean to make some redresses in the next term of Government when we're back in Government. We mean to tidy up some things that we didn't necessarily as a caucus as a party feel comfortable with. I look forward to good constructive dialogue at select committee where I know we'll be represented very very well by Darroch Ball unless he's a Minister of course—he could be Minister of Police by then—to see good constructive legislation come out. I congratulate Mr Hudson thank him for his work and we assure him that we will give the bill good consideration all the way through committee."