Mallard Trevor: Duties of Statutory Officers (Census and Other Remedial Provisions) Bill — First Reading Second Reading In Committee Third Reading 
Mallard Trevor: Duties of Statutory Officers (Census and Other Remedial Provisions) Bill — First Reading Second Reading In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:675;Page:20814] 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Labour—Hutt South) 
: 
 I think it is sad when we have new members with so little to contribute to the House. The idea that members like Nikki Kaye and the member who has just spoken Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi fought so hard to get in here and then they get in here and make contributions that are frankly pathetic—frankly frankly pathetic—and show no understanding of having read the bill in question show no understanding of the principles behind the bill— 
Hon Ruth Dyson 
: They’ve got the notes. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: Well if they had borrowed the rather inadequate notes of the Minister in charge of the Duties of Statutory Officers (Census and Other Remedial Provisions) Bill the Minister of Statistics—who I am sad to say was in a manner that was unusual for him reading them in a relatively pedestrian manner during his second reading speech—then that would have shown some initiative. It would have shown them to be members who wanted to be here and who were vitally interested in the matter before them. 
As I indicated in my speech in the first reading debate the first part of this bill is not very objectionable. Clearly the census had to be delayed. There is a debate about whether it could have happened at the end of next year or whether it had to be held till 2013 on— 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: They must be held in March. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: No. Actually I say to Mr Williamson that we are changing the legislation now. The census does not have to be held in March just like it did not have to be held in March this year. We are changing the year; we could actually change the month as well if we wanted to. 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: No it’s to make all the censuses so that they can be compared by year. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: Oh so the Minister wants to break the 5-year cycle but he thinks the month is sacrosanct. Well I accused my colleague Pete Hodgson earlier of being captured. I accused the member of being captured. The Minister is being led along by a little ring through his nose by the Government Statistician if he thinks that when there is a gap of 2 years between censuses the 6-month difference is absolutely vital. 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: It’s called seasonal—seasonal workers. If you did it in December you’ve got a totally different set of seasonal workers in different places. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: That might have been a very good argument in the 1930s; it is probably less of an argument now as our population has changed. Unlike the member I have had some relatively recent experience in doing seasonal work. 
Hon Simon Power 
: Asparagus. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: Yes that is right—very slow picking of asparagus. I am prepared to say that within most areas there is some continuity of seasonal work. The fact that the Government cannot organise arrangements to make sure that people are properly paid to do that work is probably not quite relevant to this legislation. 
I concur with the comments that my learned colleague Charles Chauvel made with regard to the other remedial provisions. That is a lovely way of putting it. I think this is better described as a rort for an individual that is an abuse of process and something that should be frowned on. My colleague used a long word that I have never heard before but it was explained to me about the role of Parliament and that just as we should not pass a law to imprison— 
Sandra Goudie 
: You mean you didn’t know Trev? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: No there are plenty of words I do not know. I am sure the member could educate me. The “Orange Roughy” is offering. No I do not want it—no education from the “Orange Roughy” for me thank you. But just as Parliament should not pass laws to imprison an individual my colleague explained to me we should not pass laws to benefit an individual as we appear to be doing now.