Mitchell MarkBROADCASTING (ELECTION PROGRAMMES AND ELECTION ADVERTISING) AMENDMENT BILLELECTORAL AMENDMENT BILLThird ReadingsHon MARK MITCHELL (Associate Minister of Justice): I move That the Broadcasting (Election Programmes and Election Advertising) Amendment Bill and the Electoral Amendment Bill be now read a third time. These bills are the latest instalments in an ongoing endeavour to ensure New Zealand's electoral system is up to date and fit for purpose. These reforms are important for the smooth delivery of the 2017 general election ensuring it will run effectively and efficiently. As members will be aware the bills primarily progress the recommendations of the Justice and Electoral Committee's Inquiry into the 2014 General Election. These regular reviews are conducted after every election and help ensure our electoral laws are continually improved and reflect the changing needs and expectations of voters and parties. They also ensure that electoral laws are modern and up to date with changes in technology.The Electoral Amendment Bill implements recommendations that require legislation and can be put in place in time for the 2017 general election. The Broadcasting (Election Programmes and Election Advertising) Amendment Bill addresses the recommendation from the inquiry for the reform of parties' opening and closing addresses. This will also be implemented in time for this year's election. Because these bills deal with interrelated matters of electoral law they have been made cognate so that they can be progressed quickly. This has helped ensure that these bills are in place with enough time for the Electoral Commission to prepare for the general election on 23 September this year. It is also important that all parties candidates voters and advertisers know the rules well in advance of the election.I would like to again take this opportunity to thank the Justice and Electoral Committee for its diligent consideration of the bills and its timely manner in reporting back. I would also like to again thank those members of the public who made submissions. I particularly want to thank the committee for its sound recommendation to add into the Electoral Amendment Bill a requirement for parties to file an audited return on how their Broadcasting Act allocation was spent just as they do for their other election expenses. This is a prudent change that highlights the importance of considering these bills together.Electoral reform should be based on consensus. These bills had broad support in the committee and the changes recommended at the select committee stage were unanimous. Similarly I am pleased that these bills have enjoyed wide support as they have passed through their House stages.I would like to talk about some of the specific changes that the bills make. The Electoral Amendment Bill will simplify and clarify electoral law by changing outdated wording and making some forms more user friendly. Many electoral forms are complex and could discourage enrolment. Simplifying these forms will ensure that they are easy to use while still collecting the necessary information.I do want to note however that this change will not affect ballot papers. These will remain as prescribed as recommended by the inquiry and the Electoral Commission. The bill will also improve electoral services—for example by allowing the counting of advance votes to begin earlier. This will ensure that preliminary election results can be announced in a timely manner. The bill also allows greater use of technology by enabling the Electoral Commission to provide information to voters by email as well as post. Collectively these changes will improve services to voters candidates and parties and improve the efficiency of elections.As was highlighted in previous speeches the bill makes a number of other amendments to electoral law all of which are minor and technical in nature but are no less important for the smooth delivery of elections.The Broadcasting (Election Programmes and Election Advertising) Amendment Bill will modernise some election broadcasting rules to give political parties more flexibility. It removes the requirements for parties' opening and closing addresses and for Television New Zealand and Radio New Zealand to provide free time for these. These were an outdated format and it is important that resources made available for political parties to engage with the public at election time can be used as effectively and efficiently as possible. The bill allows parties to advertise more flexibly by enabling them to use their funding allocations under the Broadcasting Act for internet advertising. It is particularly important in light of declining voter participation that political parties can engage effectively with the public in the most relevant media.As I mentioned earlier another key change is the requirement that parties file a return of how they have used their allocation on television the internet or radio advertising. This change will ensure transparency giving the public confidence that public funds are used appropriately and as intended. This change is made through the Electoral Amendment Bill to align with existing returns requirements in the Electoral Act.It is vital that we do not take the strength of our electoral system for granted. We are lucky to live in a nation where we take a multiparty approach to electoral reform building on the lessons learnt after each election. As a result our electoral system has a very high level of integrity. These two bills help ensure our law remains relevant for the upcoming election and in the future. I commend these bills to the House. Thank you.