Bishop ChrisCHRIS BISHOP (National—Hutt South): Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker. The member who's just resumed his seat Greg O'Connor talked about nostalgia and I've got to say this bill brings back nostalgia for me—nostalgia for the last Parliament because it was in the last Parliament that this very fine bill was introduced. We heard earlier in the debate tonight from Christopher Finlayson QC about his great idea which I think he's been pushing for a number of years to do this bill the Private International Law (Choice of Law in Tort) Bill. It was given off to that legal titan David Bennett. It's fair to say that David Bennett was very enthused about it.In fact I remember when the bill was pulled from the ballot because I went down to the biscuit tin ceremony down in the Table Office at 12 o'clock on a Thursday very excited to have possibly another member's bill pulled. Some members will know I've had the luck of the draw in the last Parliament. I hope that continues for the new Parliament. Number 38 or whatever it was got pulled out and everyone quickly went through this What's all that? Maybe it's euthanasia maybe it's you know whatever." and it was the Private International Law (Choice of Law in Tort) Bill. I think it's fair to say there wasn't wild enthusiasm from the journalists and the assembled masses. There were quite a few people there that day. In fact David Bennett was as surprised as anyone.Jami-Lee Ross: I texted him the result.CHRIS BISHOP: Jami-Lee Ross is telling me he texted him the result. He was pretty excited about it. Then of course it went to Sarah Dowie and she was very excited to have passage of this bill. Unlike David Bennett—I shouldn't be mean about him—Sarah Dowie does have a distinguished career in the law down south. Her and I sat on the Justice and Electoral Committee as it was in the last Parliament and we saw this bill through. All these people turned up to speak to us: Jack Wass who I know is a barrister in Wellington a good friend of many friends of mine who are barristers at Stout Street Chambers; Campbell McLachlan QC who taught me international law at Victoria University made a submission.Kiritapu Allan: Good man.CHRIS BISHOP: I see my friend over the other side there Kiri Allan. When Kiri came to this House—and I welcome you Kiri to Parliament; I'm sure you'll make a great contribution—we ran into each other in the Beehive lifts and she said "Oh we've met before." and I said "Oh yep did we meet at law school?" and she said "Yes. You were the loud guy up the back." And it's not the first time I've heard that talked about my days at law school. But great to have you in the Chamber Kiri.So Campbell McLachlan QC turned up we had Jack and we had the Law Society and Denis O'Rourke—just on the theme of nostalgia we do miss Denis.Matt Doocey: Bring back Denis.CHRIS BISHOP: I've got to say and my friend Matt Doocey from Canterbury a fellow Cantabrian MP—we do miss Denis because Denis he had his quirks. It'd be fair to say he had his quirks he had his foibles but actually Denis O'Rourke had a legal background and he sat on the Justice and Electoral Committee with us. He would sit there he would analyse the evidence he would read the submissions—which is more than other members do I have to say—then he would come to a view he would take it to the New Zealand First caucus and generally what he said New Zealand First would go with and that was their position. He was a good and honourable member of that Justice and Electoral Committee. I think we're going to miss him in the Parliament. I never thought I'd say that—I never thought I'd say that about Denis O'Rourke. I think we are going to miss him in the Parliament but I'm sure that people like Mark Patterson and the newer members of New Zealand First will make a worthy contribution as well.Greg O'Connor: Will they ever say that about you Chris?CHRIS BISHOP: I'm sure you're going to make a worthy contribution too Mr O'Connor.Anyway that's just a reasonably long way of talking about what is a very decent and good-intentioned bill. People out there listening might think "Well what's the Parliament doing three weeks or four weeks out from Christmas with a new Government talking about the choice of law in tort?" They might be OK in thinking that because usually new Governments come to the Parliament with a massive rush of new legislation and they put the House into urgency. We've got the hundred-day action plan and things like that but no no here we are a few weeks out from Christmas having a members' day churning through the worthy legislation of the last Parliament. I think that's actually going to continue for the next few weeks as it may be because actually the Government doesn't have many bills on the Order Paper. This great new Government filled with good intentions dripping with good intentions does not have much legislation. But we will see that. But this is a—Dr Deborah Russell: It's because we respect democracy.CHRIS BISHOP: "It's democracy." she says. Well we're familiar with that concept. Thank you for that noted interjection. But this is a worthy bill and I'm looking forward to seeing it pass into law. I commend it to the House."