Pillay Lynne: Lawyers and Conveyancers Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Pillay Lynne: Lawyers and Conveyancers Amendment Bill — First Reading 
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LYNNE PILLAY (Labour) 
: 
 It will come as no surprise that we in Labour oppose the Lawyers and Conveyancers Amendment Bill. Talk about a major step backwards! 
Hon Steve Chadwick 
: Back to the days of the raj. 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: Exactly. 
I want to talk about some of the previous speakers. I acknowledge that I do not come from the law fraternity. However I hold very dear the principles of fairness and justice which underpin our justice system. I think both Charles Chauvel and David Parker spoke extremely eloquently and indeed very sensibly about—if I can quote Charles Chauvel—the “cultural cringe” of this bill and what it seeks to do. I put on record that I agree with absolutely everything my colleagues said. I acknowledge Kennedy Graham; I think he gave a very measured speech. He highlighted very clearly the challenges and what was inappropriate about this bill. 
I feel disappointed that good time will be used by this bill going to a select committee. For us in Labour it is as clear as the noses on our faces that this bill is inappropriate. The Greens are not quite so clear on that; they want to go through the arduous process of going to a select committee. I see time being spent on something that does not add value rather than the contrary though one may say that nothing this Government puts forward adds value. Is it not a bad thing to use up a lot of time on something quite irrelevant? The Green Party is perhaps being a little bit cynically clever by supporting this bill going to a select committee. 
I heard Paul Quinn talk earlier. Someone said to not quote Paul Quinn but I think if anyone in this House asked who is the most down-to-earth egalitarian grassroots salt of the earth guy we would have to say— 
Aaron Gilmore 
: Paul Quinn. 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: Paul Quinn—exactly. 
I heard that wonderful well-respected learned man talk about bestowing status honour and recognition. I know that every time we go to the Justice and Electoral Committee there is a silence. We all sit and wonder what Paul Quinn is going to say. I am not denigrating Chester Borrows; he is a good chair. But we know that no matter what from out of nowhere will come the wisdom of Paul Quinn. Paul Quinn—the natural down-to-earth egalitarian sort of guy—comes to this House— 
Aaron Gilmore 
: A gentleman. 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: Who said that? 
Aaron Gilmore 
: It was me. 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: Oh right. One of his colleagues said that he is a gentleman. Paul Quinn talked about the honours. He talked about bestowing status honour and recognition. I say that we in Labour believe in that. We believe it is very important to have recognition. It is very important to be honoured. It is very important to have status. But status should be recognised by people’s peers. 
We should look at New Zealand’s achievements and all the things that we have gone forward and achieved whether it is in nursing education literacy art medicine science or music. Nursing is my former occupation— 
Hon Steve Chadwick 
: We could be matrons! 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: Exactly. As my friend and colleague Steve Chadwick said why not bring back matrons and sisters in nursing? Why should we not be Sister Lynne Pillay and Matron Chadwick? That is what this bill is all about. It is all about a ridiculous status. We saw New Zealand—certainly not under this Government because this Government is going backwards but in the previous 9 years—going forward in social change and leading the way. What do we see under this Government? Whoops! We are going back to the future. 
Hon Steve Chadwick 
: Aspirational to go backwards. 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: Of course it is all very aspirational! If we look we see that the previous Government modernised the position of Queen’s Counsel in 2006 by changing it. Were we going out on a limb? Yes; we were leaders but we saw Canada Australia and even the United Kingdom going down exactly that path. So we were leaders but we were certainly in tune with progress with egalitarianism and with the rest of the world. And that is something we as Kiwis hold dear. But what happened? That lot gets into power and we look like a bunch of dorks. We look like a bunch of dorks overseas. 
After we have had a little chat in the Chamber and we go out and sit in those lobbies we see spittoons. What are we going to do—start spitting in the spittoons because it is all about tradition? I am all for history. History is a good thing. We feel pride in our history but there are times when think: “That is important in our history but it is time to progress.” It is not all about looking back; it is about human development and moving forward. 
“Moving forward” is a term that we hear— 
Hon Steve Chadwick 
: And stepping up! 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: “Stepping up” and “moving forward” are terms that we hear. In the instance of the title of Queen’s Counsel we did. We stepped up we moved forward and then—kapow—under the National Government we are going backwards. It is absolutely embarrassing. It is cringeworthy to feel proud of oneself to be in international circles saying “Oh yes you know we did do quite well. Oh yes we did do this that and the other.” and then this happens. It is really embarrassing. 
I cannot let the Maori Party off. I saw one of its members reading from their notes and absolutely endorsing colonialism in this country. I find that offensive. I hope that the Maori Party will listen to Hone. He will say: “Look you have done it again. You have got us into a position where we in the Maori Party are lying down and getting our tummies scratched by the National Government.” Is that worth it? There has to be a time when they question whether it is worth it. 
It will be no surprise to the House that along with my Labour colleagues I do not support this bill. I support a New Zealand that is proud that is a Pacific nation and that celebrates all of its achievements whether they are in nursing or elsewhere. We have two excellent registered nurses here one of whom is a midwife—Lynne Pillay and Steve Chadwick—who do not get a kick or a buzz out of being called matron and sister. Do members opposite know why? It is because we are proud Kiwis and we are proud of what our achievements are. 
Hon Nathan Guy 
: What’s their title? 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: All of those progressive people in Levin will be appalled at what Nathan Guy has been saying in this House. They will be thinking that for a young man he is so old-fashioned and so uncool. 
I hope that the Maori Party will use all of the concessions it has made to the National Government and that it will say: “Look guys this is ridiculous. We look like a bunch of dorks. Let’s just let this one go. Let’s go back to common sense. Let’s feel pride in our nation. Let’s feel pride about the achievements in our nation. Let’s stand on our feet and forget this cultural cringe.” Along with my colleagues I do not support this bill. It is a nonsense and it should not progress. Thank you.