Brown Peter: Smoke-free Environments (Exemptions) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Brown Peter: Smoke-free Environments (Exemptions) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:627;Page:22077] 
PETER BROWN (Deputy Leader—NZ First) 
: 
 New Zealand First supports this bill and is quite keen to see it go to a select committee. That is not because we want to promote smoking—far from it. I would say that the vast majority of New Zealand First MPs are non-smokers and certainly the vast majority of our members are non-smokers. But we recognise the points that the honourable John Carter made particularly concerning old ex-army folk sitting having a beer and a smoke at the RSA. We know that they are feeling the pinch with the smoke-free legislation and that many of them are quite upset by it. They fought for this country and rightfully or wrongfully when they were in the military they were encouraged to smoke. Now many of them are in their twilight years but when they go down to the RSA to watch a rugby match on the big screen they are prohibited from having a cigarette with their beer. 
The honourable John Carter also touched on the fact that the premium place in restaurants certainly in the summer months is outside. I always go outside with my wife. My wife enjoys going out to lunch and sitting on the balcony of a restaurant. But now who are we surrounded by? Smokers! It is absolutely ridiculous. The smokers now come outside and take the premium seats in a restaurant. That is daft. It is also true to say and I take Steve Crawford’s comment— 
Darren Hughes 
: Steve Chadwick. 
PETER BROWN 
: Steve Chadwick I beg your pardon. 
Darren Hughes 
: The member has got Joan Crawford on the mind. 
PETER BROWN 
: Clearly I have. Steve Chadwick stated that there are no inspectors or what have you but the Act allows for inspectors to go into an RSA a club or a pub and if the manager is not readily available to take photographs of people who might be sitting there breaking that law. I ask the members on the Government side of the House whether that is the New Zealand we want. Is that the New Zealand the Labour Party wants? Do its members want inspectors to go into a pub or club and take a photograph of somebody who is smoking if they cannot readily find the manager. I think that that is an absolute disgrace and at the very least this bill will address that issue. 
We heard the Hon Damien O’Connor a few months ago in reply to a question in the House say that 50 percent of bars and pubs are the same or better off but if that is taken the other way around it means that 50 percent are the same or worse off. Some bars and some pubs we know are losing a lot of money. Some have already closed down. Some would willingly adhere to a non-smoking policy if it were not compulsory for all premises to be non-smoking areas. 
This is a bill that gives authority to nanny State to rule on average New Zealanders’ lives. Most New Zealanders are intelligent when it comes to smoking or not smoking and to where they want to smoke when it comes to eating and drinking in establishments. New Zealand First does not believe that we should impose those sorts of restrictions on people. The average person goes to a club or a pub to enjoy a meal and a drink. Some go to enjoy a meal a drink and a smoke and we should be providing for all New Zealanders not just non-smokers. We now see many bars and establishments in a number of areas around New Zealand where smokers congregate outside and as we walk past we see dog-ends littering the pavements. I ask members whether that is the New Zealand we want. 
We believe that by going to a select committee this bill will allow the New Zealand public to have a voice to say whether the current law is working. New Zealand First is not promoting smoking; we are promoting a fair go for all New Zealanders. We welcome this bill going to a select committee.