te Heuheu Georgina: Communications Legislation Bill — In Committee 
te Heuheu Georgina: Communications Legislation Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:634;Page:5598] 
Hon GEORGINA TE HEUHEU (National) 
: 
 I pick up the point made by my colleague Colin King who referred to some comments that Maurice Williamson made in this House—I think in the first reading debate—about this area being a fast-moving one. It is a hugely fast-moving area. Not very long ago—10 years ago—did we all as New Zealanders have mobile phones? Probably not. Suddenly there has been an explosion of uptake of the mobile phone by New Zealanders from the elderly right through to the young. When there is an explosion in that direction then obviously normal people look very very quickly for advancements and enhancements. It does not take long to come to terms with the technology particularly if there are younger people around who are using it. Those of us like myself sometimes have a little difficulty in getting on to the new technology but there are always young people—or a young person—nearby who can help us to get there very quickly. I do not think this Government has any idea really. I am willing to say that I get very challenged. 
Part 1 of the Communications Legislation Bill refers to a “local telephone number portability service” to cellular telephone “roaming” and to “co-location”. We as New Zealanders demand those things now. It is not the case that we will just wait around and think that no doubt the Government in good time will make sure those things are made available to us—no we demand them now. We demand them in our everyday lives both at a personal level and particularly in terms of professions and businesses. We have to have those things in place and I wish this Government would get a sense of urgency into this area. There have been reviews and all sorts of papers have been prepared over the past 5 years but have we seen any urgency? No not at all. The only reason this bill is in the Chamber now is that the period of regulation expires in December so somebody had to get off his or her chuff and bring a bill into the House in order to get the time line extended. Is there any guarantee based on this Government’s performance in the last 5 years that Government members have any sense at all of urgency in the communications area? New technology will soon be upon us and we still have not come to terms with the services listed here in clause 4. 
I do not know whether the Minister in the chair David Parker has sat there before in the Committee stage of any bill. He is a relatively new Minister because he had a gap when he was put out of the ministership but then for some reason—I am not sure why—was put back in again. National urges the Minister to get on his feet and say something that gives some confidence to us all that he is aware of the complexity of and the urgency associated with this sector that he is aware of the need for stability and that he is aware of the need for the likes of Econet—I know a little about Tex Edwards even though I was not on the Commerce Committee. I understand that that submitter is a rather colourful character. I know a little about that particular company’s activities simply because Mr Edwards is in partnership with iwi in terms of the spectrum they received. 
Darren Hughes 
: That’s a very bad example. 
Hon GEORGINA TE HEUHEU 
: The member from Otaki— 
Darren Hughes 
: It’s “Otaki”. Say it right! 
Hon GEORGINA TE HEUHEU 
: I know how to say it; I will say it how I like. In terms of the comments that that member is making he can joke about all of this but it ain’t a joke. 
It is not a joke that 5 years on this Government still has not achieved what Paul Swain laid out in 2001. Paul Swain was a very good Minister I add. What a shame it is that he is not still there. He might have got this thing moving—it does not look as though it is going to move now. The Minister cannot even get to his feet; there is no movement there. What a pity; what a shame! No matter how many times tonight we ask him to stand and give us some reassurance he looks as though he is just going to sit there like a great lump and say nothing at all.