Ardern Jacinda: Royal Society of New Zealand Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Ardern Jacinda: Royal Society of New Zealand Amendment Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:673;Page:19867] 
JACINDA ARDERN (Labour) 
: 
 Thank you Mr Chair I think you will note that this is my first call of the evening and I am pleased to take it on clause 11 of the Royal Society of New Zealand Amendment Bill. Before I begin I have a couple of questions for the member in charge of the bill one of which relates specifically to a point that I will come to. I have had some involvement with the Royal Society. I am not a professional member but as a high school student I was given some assistance to attend the APEC youth science festival in South Korea— 
Carol Beaumont 
: Wow! 
JACINDA ARDERN 
: —yes I was. I can see that has left some members impressed. There was a time when I was a reasonable science student—it was some years past. My question is if I have been a beneficiary of the Royal Society can I become a member? I would also like to know whether Chris Hipkins given that he is reading the  
New Scientist 
 at present could become a member too. 
I have a much more serious question to ask the member in the chair though. Clause 11 discusses honorary members. It is a very basic amendment to the current descriptor of who is able to become an honorary member. Currently the legislation refers to those who are in the realm of science or technology but this clause amends section 16(1) by substituting “science or technology” with “science technology or the humanities”. The member in the chair Grant Robertson has already talked us through the process whereby someone moves through the different levels of membership within the Royal Society. Basically people can begin with membership which is for those who work in the applied biological earth engineering information medical physical and social sciences mathematics and the humanities. The distinction between that and the various levels for an honorary member is that it enables a person who has rendered eminent service to the humanities to be granted honorary membership. This level is for those who demonstrate distinction in their field. 
I guess my question for the member in the chair is how the addition to this clause is likely to bring in new individuals whom we are not already recognising. I took a little bit of a look through those who already fall under the category of honorary membership and I thought it might assist members of this Committee if we used that as a basic example of the kinds of eminent individuals who already hold the title of honorary member. Then I have a couple of questions about whether we are likely to delve into new and specific fields. To me it seems that the humanities are in many ways already acknowledged by the title of honorary member under the current definition and I ask whether the honorary member title was already a broadening of the powers of the Royal Society beyond what would otherwise be its traditional membership base. 
I am interested to hear from the member in the chair whether he can share with us whether the select committee discussed this at any great length—whether it was perceived that perhaps not enough honorary members were recognised in the fields of the humanities and whether perhaps a more purist view to those in the humanities needed to be taken. Let me just expand on that with a few examples to assist members of the Committee whom I can see are greatly intrigued by the contribution I am giving. 
Jami-Lee Ross 
: Yes. 
JACINDA ARDERN 
: I thank Jami-Lee Ross who sits to attention. I can tell that he was a good pupil in school. I have to concede actually that when I was going through the list of honorary members to assist me with my analysis of this clause there were a number whose names I am ashamed to admit I did not recognise. That is another question I had for the member in the chair: what are the duties of honorary members? What is their expected role according to the Royal Society? Is it intended that an honorary member should become an advocate on behalf of the Royal Society or indeed be someone who then takes a public role within his or her field? 
When I was scanning through it struck me that those more traditional members those who might already be honorary members within the realms of the sciences were the ones I did not recognise whereas those who had already been recognised within the humanities were recognisable. That was an interesting distinction for me. For instance if I mention the name James Belich I imagine that everyone in this Chamber would know whom I was talking about. He is an outstanding New Zealand historian. He has a specialist field in creating the global relevance of the New Zealand Wars in a historical context. He is recognised for his ability to create intellectual excitement. I am interested to know whether the member in the chair could talk to me a little more—