Utikere TangiLAND TRANSPORT (CLEAN VEHICLES) AMENDMENT BILLSecond ReadingDebate resumed from 9 February.TANGI UTIKERE (Labour—Palmerston North): Tēnā koe Mr Speaker. It's a pleasure to rise to speak to the second reading actually of the Land Transport (Clean Vehicles) Amendment Bill. In doing so can I acknowledge Minister Michael Wood and the leadership that he has shown in this particular space. I know at first reading that the former Minister the Hon Julie Anne Genter was acknowledged and I want to just note that as well.This is an omnibus bill. It's a bill that makes subsequent amendments to a number of pieces of legislation. I won't go through all of them but by my count it's at least four Acts and at least one set of regulations. When we take a look at the broad policy intent it really is around achieving a reduction in the carbon dioxide emissions and doing some work in that particular space. There are two particular areas of focus that I'd like to touch on. The first is particularly in the area of emissions from light vehicles that are imported into New Zealand—that's the first one. The second is that any reduction—and I would hope that members all around the House would agree with this particular point—needs to be rapid in nature. Some would say that that's very ambitious. It is ambitious but we all know on this side of the House that we believe that it is the right thing to do.When I reflect on the Minister's contribution when he spoke at second reading in the House recently he talked about the success that the Government's changes have already had. He talked about that since 1 July looking at the initial parts of the Government's clean car package that discount or subsidy coming into effect that the average emissions of new vehicles coming into New Zealand had decreased by 15 percent across the fleet. He compared that to prior to 1 July 2021 and that it had taken eight years to achieve the same level of reductions in the country's emissions for vehicle fleets previously. So that in itself is a clear indication to the community that it is a good thing to do.But when you delve deeper into the bill it looks as though it more specifically will achieve change in terms of the reduction of emissions in three particular areas. The first is a focus on the supply considerations of low-emission vehicles or zero-emission vehicles by setting a standard. We know this as the clean vehicle standard for those who import new and/or used light vehicles into New Zealand so a bottom line in terms of what the regulatory standard would be—that's number one.Number two is that it creates an incentive for purchasing these vehicles by providing a rebate or a discount scheme which we know out in the community has seen an increase in the demand for those vehicles. It's important to note—and I know that the Minister touched on this at his second reading speech—that New Zealand had been lagging behind other global trends in terms of the uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) sitting around 50 percent or less than 50 percent other countries having that as a criteria. So the tide is turning. Again ambitious—the right thing to do. So that's number two.Number three is I would suggest around transparency so that New Zealanders actually will be better informed in terms of the decisions that they make around their vehicle emission levels the levels of rebate and charges or fees—it might be fixed or payable as well—and ensuring that there is an adequate level of associated labelling. I note that the Transport and Infrastructure Committee touched on that as well.The introduction of these incentives and changes is very clearly aligned with the independent advice that has been given by the Climate Change Commission—Ināia tonu nei: a low emissions future for Aotearoa. As a member of the Environment Committee I'm pleased to see that the commission's work has been transferred across the work of this House and of other committees because it doesn't just lie within the environment sphere or space and it doesn't just lie within the transport and infrastructure space as well. It is much more global and broad in that sense.But in that particular report and advice that was given back in May of last year they stated that fiscal incentives to lower the upfront costs of EVs are a matter of urgency. So we have an independent commission that is providing that advice and we have a Government that is intent on delivering outcomes that will achieve that advice.I want to acknowledge the work of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee and the chair Greg O'Connor. Actually I was able to hear Mr O'Connor's I think considered contribution in the House the other evening identifying the position that many members—well parties and particular members within this House—have taken historically. We are certainly hopeful that perhaps they will return to those true roots in providing support for this bill.But the select committee working through that process—and they clearly had a number of submissions and submitters to consider—they were able to identify some changes and suggest to the House some changes that I understand have been reflected in the bill. They are around things like a review option but also ensuring that the Minister initiates a review timetable and undertakes that after considering appropriate parties. So I'll leave my contribution at that. I'm delighted to be able to commend this bill to the House.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean): I call Matt Doocey—five minutes.