Simmonds PennyPENNY SIMMONDS (National—Invercargill): Thank you Madam Speaker. Well we've talked about this date of 11 November and I'd have to say as a member of the Health Committee it was only today that we were looking at all the DHBs that we have to review. I'm quite concerned that if this bill comes and takes our time in the next four to six weeks we're going to be pushing back on how many DHBs we will be able to look at.But I was very very concerned when I looked across at the vitriol really of some of the backbenchers from the Government to the discussion that I was having about the ratings and rankings of New Zealand in this world ranking of who's doing well with COVID. It's interesting. It's not too long ago that the Government were crowing about being number one and very very quickly they wanted to shoot down how reliable any ranking might possibly be and wanting to explain to me how wrong I was. Well I can assure the Government I wasn't doing the ranking. It was Bloomberg's ranking and it was the same one that they were very very keen to be proud of not too long ago.But what it does show how incredibly inward-looking the Government is becoming and how concerned they are with any criticism. So that really relates to this needing more time to ensure that more people can critique this legislation. As I said today in the Health Committee we had Māori health experts we had Pasifika health experts. I'd have to say there was an enormous amount of reluctance from the Health Committee Labour Government members to hear from these people. That keeps reinforcing to me how concerned this Government is about only looking inward and about stifling any consultation or any discussion or any support or suggestions that may come from a consultation process. So I'm really concerned that if we don't have that more extended amount of time to hear from people it's going to be very easy for the Labour members on our Health Committee to be very very selective about what they listen to. After all this is the consultation process for people who might have better ideas for this Government—from Māori health experts from Pasifika health experts from advocates from the disabled community from business people from those who have had to go through managed isolation and quarantine. This is the one and only opportunity that they get to have some input into this.I've been sensing frustration from constituents who email on an almost daily basis saying How do we have a say on what's happening? How do we tell this Government how undemocratic they are getting? How do we express our concern for the way they are running this country?" The reality is the select committee is how and when they get an opportunity. People are becoming increasingly cynical and sceptical about whether this Government actually wants to hear from them and whether this Government is genuine in wanting to carry on with the democratic process that these people have a right to be involved in. I see that on a daily basis—that scepticism: will there be any opportunity for them to have any input whatsoever into what is happening in this country? I'd have to say many of them are people who were Labour voters who have then said "I'm disillusioned with the direction of this Government. I'm disillusioned with how inward-looking they're getting with how they want to shortcut the democratic system and process with how they are so reluctant to hear from anyone from outside their own circle."There's a huge increase in fines for the infringement offences. I would have to say that goes against everything we heard in the select committee today about engaging with the community working with the community being in touch with the community—be it Pasifika or Māori or disabled community. Putting higher infringement offences into this legislation gives a very clear message that we have no intention of educating and working with you; we just want to punish you. Sorry I'll be careful about using "you."So I'm quite concerned again that the shortened time will not give key people the opportunity to explain to us how counter-productive this increase of infringement offences could be in the legislation and in the management of COVID. So I won't take up too much more time other than to say for the same reason that we have been opposing these shortened select committee processes all night really—all night: it is because it is eroding the democratic process that people in this country in this extraordinary time expect to still be able to have a say. The select committee process is the one time and place they can. We oppose it."