Goudie Sandra: Sports Anti-Doping Bill — In Committee 
Goudie Sandra: Sports Anti-Doping Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:634;Page:5979] 
SANDRA GOUDIE (National—Coromandel) 
: 
 Mr Chairperson I really do appreciate that added honorific; thank you very much indeed for that. Once again I would like to commend the most excellent work done by my colleagues Shane Ardern and Brian Connell in supporting the Sports Anti-Doping Bill. We should all have zero tolerance to drugs—especially given that we have had some discussion around party pills. I just reacquaint the Minister with the fact that at the Government Administration Committee it was National members who asked the important question. I know this because I was there on the day—in fact it was my question. When the submitter—a manufacturer of these party pills—was sitting there at the end of the table I asked him what research he had done to assess the long-term impacts of party pills. Of course everybody was gobsmacked when he said “None.” So absolutely no research had been done about the impacts of party pills. 
Why was the Government not on to this issue earlier? Why was it not doing something about this earlier? What has it done since? Has there been any progress on demanding some accountability for those— 
Hon Member 
: What’s the answer? 
SANDRA GOUDIE 
: Jacqui Dean is certainly the answer. She is the white knight championing against benzylpiperazine pills. We say: “Let’s get rid of them; zero tolerance!”. Well done Jacqui Dean; she is a most excellent colleague. Her petition is a great move forward and I commend her. 
The Government Administration Committee had representations from a number of officials and various representatives. I mention the excellent work done by doping control officers in very trying circumstances. It is very important to acknowledge their role in the sports anti-doping arena because it is pivotal in keeping drugs out of sport. Their role is not always welcome; they interfere in the lives of athletes coaches and administrators but do so for a real and just purpose—that is to keep drugs out of sport. They do so with confidence and integrity and with the support of all members of the House I am sure. It is important to recognise the superb performance of New Zealand athletes in Athens and our gold medallists Sarah Ulmer Hamish Carter and Georgina and Caroline Evers-Swindell who have continued to support the New Zealand Sports Drug Agency in its mission to provide all athletes with an environment free of the scourge of drugs. We must have an attitude of zero tolerance. 
I wonder whether Ron Mark is awake. In one of his previous speeches on this bill he talked about me a lot so clearly my involvement has made a significant impact on him. He talked about National’s involvement on the select committee and wondered why we did not include a mandatory requirement that people taking illegal drugs be referred to the police. That can be done anyway so there is no need to make it mandatory for agencies or people to pass information on to the police to follow up. That protects those people from trying to cover up any situation where drugs might be involved. That is appropriate and I hope anybody who knows anything about somebody taking illegal drugs has the fortitude to pass that on to the police and uphold a zero-tolerance attitude towards drugs. I certainly do and would not hesitate. That is why I am such a strong supporter of Jacqui Dean’s opposition to party pills—which is supported by all of National—and the use of illegal drugs in any situation but particularly in sport. I recognise Sarah Ulmer’s efforts and acknowledge her appointment to the athletes committee of the World Anti-Doping Agency. 
For the benefit of some people who may be out there listening and be absorbed in the debate I want to expand a little—