Henare PeeniHon PEENI HENARE (Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector): Just when everybody thought peace reigned over the House this evening and a number of bills were pushed through the House—and I think excellent bills—we come to yet another excellent bill but sad to say the other side won't be supporting this bill. As the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector every community I've been in to understands why this bill is needed. They understand that we can no longer look at simple fiscal bottom lines—that as a community we must address the issues around the environment around community well-being around community connection around a whole host of things that sadly can't be seen by the other side of the House. Many of the submitters while some raised rather technical aspects of the bill—and the Minister of Local Government I feel has covered that off quite well this evening and no doubt more debate will be entered into as this bill proceeds through the House—acknowledged that a focus on well-being more broadly speaking not just by the central government but by local government was much needed. In fact many were saddened by the action taken by the last Government to remove the well-beings from this particular piece of legislation and they felt that since those were removed in 2012 all that councils seemed to focus on were the three Rs"—and I've mentioned in the House what those are: roads rates and rubbish. Now I don't know where roads rates and rubbish talk about community well-being cultural connection or environmental safety and well-being. I don't see any of that. Simply roads rates and rubbish aren't good enough and the community have spoken.What the member Brett Hudson failed to see in his contribution is that everybody is part of a community—families young people old people and dear I say it businesses too. The businesses I have spoken to are happy to contribute to make sure that the community that they operate in actually operate in a safe community one that's connected—Simeon Brown: Name three—name three businesses.Hon PEENI HENARE: If that member could pull his focus away from his young child—and I congratulate that member—I can speak about many Māori businesses in Tāmaki-makau-rau—Simeon Brown: Name three.Hon PEENI HENARE: —who are more than happy. Tipene funeral homes. Do you want me to carry on? That is one phenomenal—Simeon Brown: Yep; I said three.Hon PEENI HENARE: —Māori business. Te Raukura Hauora O Tainui. Can I say another one? Whānau O Waipareira who I took the advantage of being with today to look at what well-being looks like in west Auckland. What is clear from all of those who are involved in the community is that well-being is an important aspect of that and this bill enables them to do that. It enables not just local government but also community to be involved in what's important to them. I've said it on many occasions and some of the members might have heard this.I visited Wairoa some time ago and I was—Hon Meka Whaitiri: Yay-ya!Hon PEENI HENARE: Wairoa—good old staunch Wairoa. The member the Hon Meka Whaitiri will know the people in Wairoa well. The deputy mayor welcomed me and said "Minister welcome to Wairoa and don't bloody tell us what to do." Now what that says in Wairoa-speak—and correct me if I'm wrong the Hon Meka Whaitiri—to me is "Let communities make decisions that are good for that community." It's pretty simple and that's lost on that side of the House. In fact I'm really disappointed—I'm really disappointed—but not surprised that that is the position taken by that side of the House.So what we're enabling the community to do with this type of a bill is make sure that local community have a say in what well-being is for them because everything is important to local community. I know members on that side of the House who have actually been saddened by a decision by a local government to take away libraries and other resources in a community which on this side of the House we consider to be essential parts of that community. This bill will make sure that we reinstate that. So on this side of the House we are happy to support local government and those communities within local government to actually make sure that they get what they need to thrive and be a community which is a beacon for well-being and I commend the Minister for her work on this particular piece of legislation.We have no doubt that on the stump at the end of the year when local body politicians are standing up to look for the vote they won't be talking about simply rubbish roads and rates. What they will be speaking to is the hearts and minds of the voters and it won't be just about roads rubbish and rates; it will be about the kinds of amenities that that community wants to see in their community and be it not the job of central government or even a particular management far removed from that community to tell them what's best for them.So while that side of the House might jeer at what's being done on this side of the House I'm proud that in communities right across this country we will see some positive action—in particular on the environment. That is one of the well-beings in this particular bill and while that side might not care about the environment—in fact their environment policy is to kick the can down the road for another 20 to 30 years. What we're saying is that actually let's empower those communities at a local government level at a community level to make sure that the environment is far more sustainable and is more in tune with how that community lives and what that community wants.The environment is important. This Government has made a clear stand on the environment unlike the last Government who kicked the can up the road for another 20 to 30 years. That's their fault because now they're too shy to get on the bus on what is essentially a very good bill. I have no doubt that as this bill progresses through the House the other side will soon see the light when they realise that not only did the New Zealand public vote for change in central government; there will be a big swing come the local government body elections towards the end of this year one that will see good well-being one that will see community speaking for community and one that doesn't just focus on the three "Rs" that have already been mentioned in my contribution.As this bill progresses there is a Supplementary Order Paper on the Table from the Minister to make sure that this bill once again is well received amongst the community to make sure that community find their voice in local government. I commend this bill and the work done by the Minister to the House."