Key John: Civil Aviation Amendment Bill — Third Reading 
Key John: Civil Aviation Amendment Bill — Third Reading 
[Volume:616;Page:11816] 
JOHN KEY (National—Helensville) 
: 
 As the Minister quite correctly pointed out to the House before the Civil Aviation Amendment Bill will amend the Civil Aviation Act 1990. I think it is worth noting that this bill is probably even more pertinent and more important than the 1990 legislation was. I say that because we have seen a dramatic change in the number of New Zealanders who are flying and using aircraft as a form of travel. That in large part has come about because of the reduction in cost to the travelling public. We have seen an explosion of low-cost point-to-point airlines and that has made international and domestic travel far more accessible to the average New Zealander. This bill will have far more significance to them and I think a great many New Zealanders will take the opportunity to review this bill which would be a wise choice on their part. 
I will talk about the mutual recognition provisions with Australia which appear in Part 1. I think it is a very positive step that New Zealand carriers will not require Civil Aviation Safety Authority approval in Australia should they be flying domestically. Similarly here in New Zealand we will be recognising the provisions in Australia. Mutual recognition is something that we have been moving to in a number of fields as we look to have closer and closer economic relations with Australia. Only a few months ago the Minister of Finance in New Zealand and the Australian Treasurer Peter Costello were in talks about how we could move New Zealand towards the harmonisation of one common market with Australia which would really be an extension on the great work undertaken by the National Government to put through CER 20 years ago. This is the kind of thing that is an important step. I only wish that the Minister of Finance who no doubt is very supportive of this bill would look to do the same thing on corporate taxation and have mutual recognition and harmonisation with the rate in Australia at 30c in the dollar instead of imposing the current 33c tax rate on New Zealand businesses. [ 
Interruption 
] That is right and there are a number of ways in which we could look to align our provisions with Australia. 
I will touch on the issue of disorderly and unruly passenger behaviour. As we have seen an international increase in the numbers of people travelling so too have we seen an international increase in the number of instances of unruly behaviour. Some of them start with relatively minor and inoffensive comments where someone is a little bit too boisterous on an aircraft. Maybe they have travelled from Auckland to Wellington to watch the Blues undertake one of their brilliant matches against the Hurricanes. 
Hon Paul Swain 
: Not this time. 
JOHN KEY 
: I know that the Wellington-based member over there the member for the Rimutaka electorate will be looking but I say he should have confidence and faith. In the same way that the country has faith in the National Party to come again and be a strong and great Government I have tremendous faith in the Auckland Blues that they will deliver the goods for Auckland down here in the “cake tin”. 
I am talking about the kind of situation where people on an aircraft might have a few too many drinks and become a little unruly. But the serious aspect of this is really the fact that we saw on 9/11 a situation that changed the world when aircraft were literally used as flying bombs in an international terrorism war. We saw the same sort of thing regrettably in Madrid a few days ago. I think the question of unruly passenger behaviour and how to control that situation has seen a number of airlines internationally call for a situation where one cannot for instance gather around the toilet on a plane. So I think we may see amendments to the civil aviation legislation over time to reflect a growing unease from the public in general about people who are travelling on aircraft and operating in a way that is shall we say less than normal or less than consistent. People may be looking to the legislation to bring about change. 
I do want to talk for a moment about the issue of dangerous goods. A number of submitters commented to the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee on which I sat with regard to dangerous goods and the clarification of the definition. I think the bill moves a long way to recognising and defining that situation more clearly as it does I might add in the area of intoxicated passengers. A reasonable discussion took place on that issue. What for example is meant by “intoxicated”? For some people it is more alcohol consumption than others which may reflect in their behaviour. Quite a lot of work has been done in that area. 
I note that in section 65A and the like inserted by clause 24 there is an increase in the fines applicable for unruly behaviour. We in the National Party support heavier fines. We believe that these are very serious times that we live in. I think that aircraft as we saw in the 9/11 incident have a whole new meaning. We felt that that was necessary and important to make sure that the public understood the severity of not treating aircraft in the right manner. At the end of the day some unruly passenger who for whatever reason decides to try to open a door when the plane is in flight presents a tremendous hazard to all the other passengers on board who are clearly honourable respectable and law-abiding citizens. 
I do not want to take much more of the House’s time except to say that we will be supporting the Civil Aviation Amendment Bill wholeheartedly. We are pleased to see its passage through the House. I know that the Hon Harry Duynhoven has worked hard on it. We were a little disappointed that the Australians having come to this mutual recognition and agreement were very very slow at the final hurdle. New Zealanders rightly so have a general hesitancy in the area of aviation after the open skies arrangement with Australia fell over some years ago. So we are pleased to see that the Australians will get over the line on this and we want to make sure rightly so as the Minister said that they sign shall we say equally as the pen is drying on our Act over here. We support the legislation and we look forward to seeing its swift passage through the House