Omer Ibrahim; Dean JacquiIBRAHIM OMER (Labour): Thank you Madam Speaker. I rise to take a call on the Sunscreen (Product Safety Standard) Bill. I didn't get a chance to speak on this bill in the first reading; so can I just take this chance to also add my appreciation and thanks to Todd Muller for not only bringing this bill to the House but also in his first reading statement sharing his personal story of the struggle with sunburn melanoma and skin cancer from 1988. Now that was a story from a long time ago 33 years but it is relevant today as well. Like my colleague Kieran McAnulty said thank you for alerting this House and also alerting the nation about this important issue. I also want to thank the members of the Health Committee and the chair Dr Liz Craig for the excellent work that they have done and also thanks go to the officials as well.The Sunscreen (Product Safety Standard) Bill aims to improve the accuracy of claims about the sun protection factor—SPF—for the purchase of sunscreen products. Unlike Australia there is no mandatory standard for sunscreens here in New Zealand despite the fact that many New Zealanders die every year from skin cancer resulting from their exposure to the sun's UVA and UVB rays. The New Zealand sunscreen manufacturers must be held to a consistently high standard of manufacture and accountability.This bill has been through the Health Committee and it went through all their scrutiny. My colleagues from the committee have touched on what really happened in the committee so I'm not going to go into that but I just want to reiterate my appreciation about the good work that they have done—but most importantly the 36 submitters who patiently submitted on this bill and the vast majority of them being in support. I read most of the submissions—equally all of them were written with patience—but one submission that really struck me was from Melanoma New Zealand: Skin cancer is by far the most common cancer affecting New Zealanders. New Zealand also has the highest rates of melanoma skin cancer in the world. It has been estimated that the different types of skin cancer together account for just over 80% of all new cancers diagnosed each year. Around 90% of melanoma skin cancers are preventable by reducing exposure to UVR that causes harm." This highlighted the importance of supporting this bill and this House coming together to implement a regulatory scheme for sunscreen products in New Zealand.Reading through the submissions I have also reflected on how much I know about sunscreen. And the truth is that many people from my background that emigrate to New Zealand know very little about it because naturally we have the protection in our ozone from sunburn. I know that in Eritrea for example we barely have ever heard of sunscreen. It's just normal. But coming to New Zealand the first thing that I noticed was how burning the sun is. The first thing when I was interviewed by Immigration New Zealand I didn't know where New Zealand was. After I came here I didn't know how burning it was because I thought I was coming to a cold country. But the lack of awareness—that's really dangerous. Because the narrative is that sunburn doesn't affect dark people like myself. I over and over joked and made fun of my Pākehā friends telling them that this is a black privilege; so don't be jealous! And that is stupid because the reality is that lack of awareness of how dangerous and prevalent melanoma skin cancer is is a large reason why skin cancers are deadlier in people with dark skin like myself. There are many myths that dark skin does not need sunscreen and that's obviously not true. Today after I found out that I was going to speak on this bill I've been digging and I've been reading some stories not just from New Zealand but from all over the world. Dark people can be affected just like other people. We are not socialised to check moles and wear sunscreen and actively prevent exposure resulting in a relaxed attitude of sun smart behaviour.The social aspect could be that the lack of regulation around the accuracy of claims about the sun protection factor SPF for purchase of sunscreen products needs to be tackled. The barriers need to be knocked down and supporting this bill is a step forward ensuring the safety of all New Zealanders. We are however working on a new and comprehensive regulatory regime to regulate therapeutic products in New Zealand because that is important. This bill addresses some of the issues that exist but it doesn't resolve the whole issue so having the comprehensive approach and regulations is the way to go. That is going to replace the Medicines Act 1981 and its regulations. The introduction of the Therapeutic Products Bill to the House currently is planned for perhaps about the end of the year. I'll mention that we are supporting this bill as an interim measure until the more complete scheme established by the Therapeutic Products Bill is in place and it does not have long to go.Tonight what I have seen in the House is members discussing this bill in the spirit that we come together when it comes to things that affect regular New Zealanders' lives and tonight was a good example. It's heart-warming to see the whole House—whole political parties actually—standing together in support of Todd Muller's bill because this is not about politics; this is about the health of New Zealanders. Now we have heard emotional stories from our colleagues Jo Luxton and also Angie Warren-Clark and this issue affects people. It's an everyday issue; it affects people no matter who you are: you can be rich you can be poor you can be middle class you can be white or brown or now you can even be dark. It does affect everyone; so it's good to see that the House is taking the issue very very seriously. And I would go back to again commend the select committee and the hard-working chair Dr Liz Craig for the excellent work that they have done—Chris Bishop: You've said that four times already. Let's move on and get on to some substantive bills.IBRAHIM OMER: Well it's an excellent bill but there were issues and they addressed those issues along the way and they sent the House an excellent report and they should be commended; they should be applauded for the good work that they have done—and the officials also. I am on the Education and Workforce Committee and I see every day every week the good work that they do. They should be commended for the work that they do as well. And without them the reality is that we wouldn't be able to do what we do every day. So tonight is another good example that when it comes to issues that affect the regular New Zealanders we come together and that's what we should do; we should be coming together on the issues of low-paid workers—today for example the living wage. The Government has made an announcement about the living wage and when it comes to regular New Zealanders that work hard we should be coming together and addressing the issues. With that it gives me an immense pleasure to commend this bill to the House.Glen Bennett: Madam Speaker.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean): I call Chris Bishop."