Macindoe Tim: Local Electoral Amendment Bill (No 2) — First Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Macindoe Tim: Local Electoral Amendment Bill (No 2) — First Reading 
[Sitting date: 06 November 2012. Volume:685;Page:6330. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
TIM MACINDOE (National—Hamilton West) 
: 
 Not for the first time we have just been treated to crocodile tears and what could be described as creative rewriting of history by the member Annette King who has just resumed her seat. I grant you that she does mock outrage incredibly well but let us just recall and point out to anybody who may be listening to this debate—and I know of at least two in Orakei at this moment—that the 2011 local body elections were held less than 2 years after the current Government had come into office and they were based on very loose provisions that had been enacted in 2001 by the former Labour Government of which the member for Rongotai was a Minister. Those particular provisions remained in place for the next decade during which time the Labour Government and that member could have at any time moved to improve them but they said and did nothing—absolutely nothing—for all of that time. Only when those members came into Opposition did they start to show an interest in making some reforms. 
I want to acknowledge the current Minister of Local Government the Hon David Carter who had been in his current role for only a matter of weeks when he announced a couple of months ago that the Government would move to fix an issue that we all acknowledge has been a matter of public concern. It has attracted considerable media scrutiny and comment in the public arena in recent times and I think all members of this House would acknowledge that change is needed. So I do welcome the Labour Party’s expression of support for this bill the Local Electoral Amendment Bill (No 2) and I hope it will receive similar support from the minor parties which we will hear from later in this debate. But as I say let us put on record the bunkum that we have just been exposed to because for a decade or so Labour could have done something to prevent the situation and it did nothing. 
I am the chair of the Justice and Electoral Committee and I look forward to receiving this bill. The Minister has indicated that it will be directed to our committee. I point out that it modernises local electoral law and will improve the transparency of local electoral donations. The whole purpose of the bill is to help restore and build public trust in the local electoral system. By and large what we are trying to do is to achieve the same degree of public trust as exists for central government electoral laws of this type. It is not possible entirely to blend the two because some of the provisions for central government electoral law just do not fit round local body electoral laws but as much as possible this particular bill will blend the two together. I believe that that is to be welcomed and indeed I know that many people have already commented on the fact that it is a change that should be broadly supported. 
So I simply reiterate that the donation amendments will bring the Local Electoral Act closer into line with the Electoral Act for central government and that the concern that is out in the public arena at the moment about transparency and accountability of candidate donations and particularly surrounding anonymous donations is squarely tackled under this bill and should be rectified. I believe that this bill is a timely and appropriate measure. I again commend the Minister for bringing it forward and for the alacrity that he has directed to the task. I commend the bill to the House and I hope it will attract widespread support.