Gallagher Martin: Judicature Amendment Bill (No 3) — First Reading 
Gallagher Martin: Judicature Amendment Bill (No 3) — First Reading 
[Volume:625;Page:20731] 
MARTIN GALLAGHER (Labour—Hamilton West) 
: 
 We are talking about the Judicature Amendment Bill (No 3) and the main aim of this bill is to amend the Judicature Act 1908 in order to alleviate workload pressures on the Court of Appeal and to increase access to the final appellate court the Supreme Court of New Zealand. I think that the Minister gave a very good overview of the bill. 
I have taken a call tonight as I was a little concerned that the previous speaker was casting aspersions on the ability of the Government Administration Committee to hear this bill. I think I know that member’s colleague Lindsay Tisch better than he does and I assure the previous speaker that even though Lindsay Tisch is in that member’s own caucus and even though I do not agree with Lindsay Tisch’s politics—frankly I do not agree with a number of his views on life—I have to say that Lindsay Tisch as a good Waikato MP is more than capable of considering this bill. 
The role of Parliament is not just to leave that consideration—dare I say it—to members who have a legal background to members of the legal fraternity. I mean no disrespect because I acknowledge right now that the previous speaker in terms of his legal career is certainly very accomplished. I acknowledge that; I do not take that away from him at all. I pay his career considerable respect but I say that lay people should be perfectly able to consider this bill. 
Lindsay Tisch is a good example of a lay person and he is a good example of a solid Waikato person. Even my whip Jill Pettis would agree with that. So I believe that the Government Administration Committee is more than capable— 
Dr Richard Worth 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I am sorry to interrupt the member but it is very hard to hear on this side of the House. I would like to know whether the member said that Lindsay Tisch was a great Waikato MP. I think I heard him say that. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Clem Simich) 
: If the member is trying to clarify and get something set in his mind I tell him that the member indeed did say that. 
MARTIN GALLAGHER 
: The definition of Waikato is “great”. Anyone who works in the Waikato is great. Having said that I say there is no doubt there are greater than the great—that is Dianne Yates Nanaia Mahuta and Mark Burton. They are really super-great MPs 
Because when one comes from the Waikato one has an appreciation of life. Even the Prime Minister comes from the Waikato. What I am saying and I mean it with due respect to the previous speaker is that I do not believe one has to have a strong legal background to grasp the importance of this bill. The Minister has adequately explained its importance and I think the Government Administration Committee will do a very good job. Having said that I say in tribute to the previous speaker Dr Richard Worth that at least he has made a solid contribution to Parliament and to his constituency unlike the pretender to the Epsom throne—the leader of the “2 Percent Party”. It will not surprise the previous speaker to know that I am putting money on the fact that he will probably be returned unless there is a good Labour candidate to give him a run for his money. He will have nothing to worry about with regard to the leader of the “2 Percent Party”. Let me just state it so that it is crystal clear. I disagree with some of the contributions of the previous speaker but I have to say that as the member for Epsom he has nothing to worry about from his so-called pretender the leader of the “2 Percent Party”. I commend this bill and the Minister’s speech to Parliament and I assure the House that Lindsay Tisch is more than adequate to the task along with members of the Government Administration Committee of giving proper hearing and consideration to this bill.