Andersen GinnyCANTERBURY EARTHQUAKES INSURANCE TRIBUNAL BILLThird ReadingDebate resumed from 23 May.GINNY ANDERSEN (Labour): It's a great privilege to speak on the third reading of the Canterbury Earthquakes Insurance Tribunal Bill. As a member of the Governance and Administration Committee which heard submissions on this it was saddening in some ways to hear of the seven years' experience of the people of Christchurch who have been through a really hard and long time in resolving some of the insurance issues as a result of the earthquake in Christchurch. So it's really great to see a bill that is progressive that gives people choice that prevents so much litigation and enables a cost-effective way for Cantabrians to get on with their lives.It's good to see that this bill establishes a tribunal that is especially for the purpose of mediation and a way of resolving issues in a non-litigious and less expensive way of going forward. I think it's interesting that this great piece of legislation comes on the eve of the Wellbeing Budget because while financial issues are important for Cantabrians one of the most underpinning issues is the wellbeing of people who have gone for years and years with uncertainty as a result of some of the insurance issues brought about by the Christchurch earthquake. I was in Christchurch only about two weeks ago as a member of the Labour caucus committee that took a visit to the very newly developed justice precinct in the heart of Christchurch. It had been a good few months since I'd been back to Christchurch and I was really heartened to see the centre being rebuilt so well to see such a high-quality justice precinct fully operational—SPEAKER: Order! It's quite a narrow bill and frankly as there's not a lot to say there's not a need to take the full time.GINNY ANDERSEN: Thank you Mr Speaker. I'll get on to the point. What I was going to say was that it's good to see that a bill like this enables the wellbeing of Cantabrians to proceed and I'm heartened to see that there is so much good rebuilding and I see this bill as part of that rebuilding to enable people to get on with their lives and to be able to do that. That's part of what this good Government is delivering for not just Cantabrians but in fact for New Zealanders as well. So what does this bill do? The tribunal will be a real circuit-breaker in terms of residential insurance claims and it enables those policyholders to have choice not just being faced with the Earthquake Commission (EQC) but having the ability to choose and go forward and progress their issues through this specially established tribunal. The tribunal will be homeowner orientated and that's important. It means that policyholders not EQC are able to apply to the tribunal so the disputes resolution process is fully operable for those issues that have been taking far too long for people to resolve. The tribunal will be a specialist disputes tribunal resolution body and it will have a specifically defined jurisdiction. In fact the jurisdiction of the tribunal will relate specifically to the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. It will relate to the damage or the physical loss to residential and/or property and it will be between the policyholder and the insurer or EQC. So the tribunal will provide a flexible speedy and cost-effective process for those people who wish to proceed down this route. There's no fee for the tribunal and that's important. There's no cost barrier to stop people from applying to this avenue. There'll be no application fee to access the tribunal to enter mediation or for any expert advisers to be able to be appointed. Furthermore the bill does provide a regulation-making power that would allow for Cabinet to introduce fees in the future if that is desired. So that is reserved there.When we heard submissions at the select committee it was really important to note and as this bill has proceeded that it is about time that those people that have waited far too long for a resolution of these issues are able to rebuild their lives—and just as Christchurch is being rebuilt so are so many people who are unable to resolve these claims and get on. I'm proud to be part of a Government that prioritises this by establishing a special tribunal enabling a cost-effective non-litigious and easily accessible way for Cantabrians to get on and resolve these longstanding issues. I won't delay any longer. I commend this bill to the House.