Sharma GauravDr GAURAV SHARMA (Labour—Hamilton West): Thank you Mr Speaker. I had written a speech but before I read what I was trying to say initially the last speaker Simon O'Connor's words were quite unfortunate and sad especially for somebody like me who as a man of colour has faced a lot of abuse—including to the point when I was running for election. The sort of comments the speaker was making are the sort of comments behind which a lot of people hide behind and make those comments—not just in private conversations but also out in public. So I just want to say the last five minutes were very unfortunate and the words that came out of that speaker's mouth were really really unfortunate.Having said that I do want to congratulate Dr James McDowall for having his bill pulled out of the biscuit tin. I won't be—obviously—supporting the Education and Training (Freedom of Expression) Amendment Bill.Just when I had been elected as a new MP I received a message one day from one of my constituents saying that a white supremacist group was organising a meeting under a false name at one of the community centres in Hamilton. They got in touch with me they got in touch with the community centre and then the community centre—who see their role their job as bringing people together in Hamilton—felt that this meeting should not be organised by this white supremacist group because it does not reflect the values of the community centre. It does not reflect the value of the community because these people were trying to sow the seeds of division. Now the community centre cancelled this right-wing group's meeting. Now replace this community centre with an educational institute. Right? Imagine a university or polytech where a similar event is being organised. What this bill asks is that the educational institution shouldn't be able to refuse speakers they consider extremist or harmful from speaking.According to this bill the freedom of expression should be protected by taking away the freedom education providers have in making a sensible decision for the welfare of their students and staff members. So basically if this bill goes ahead tertiary education institutions will not be allowed to rely on their duty to eliminate or minimise potential risk of mental harm to students and staff under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. Not only this the tertiary education institutions will be ineligible for funding and may have funding suspended revoked or withdrawn if they fail to comply with the requirement to protect the freedom of expression. This bill fails to balance the harm reduction with protection of democratic freedoms like freedom of expression. This bill believes that people should have the ability to express and speak freely irrespective of the harm or damage that it could be due to induce on its audience. This bill cuts through the institutional autonomy provision in the Education and Training Act 2020 which already has the academic freedom provision for staff and students. What this bill does is it gives the visitors the same rights as the staff and students. As my colleague Angela Roberts recently mentioned in her speech this can lead to students and staff feeling unsafe students and staff feeling that their academic freedom is constrained while also impacting on prospective students—in this particular setting—from being part of that education programme.Currently within the framework of the 2020 Tertiary Education Strategy tertiary education institutions are already expected to ensure that robust policies plans and support are in place to address some of the concerns that I mentioned around racism; around bias—both for their students and their staff members. Institutions are expected to provide a safe place. Given what we have seen in this country in the last few years it is important that we strengthen social cohesion in New Zealand. That's not going to happen with a bill like this which empowers people to be able to speak against people who might not look like them whether it is the colour of their skin or whether they associate being part of the rainbow community or—Simon Court: Sharma! Tell us which ideas are unsafe? Tell us which ideas are unsafe!Dr GAURAV SHARMA: I have just given you three great examples Simon. Bills like this don't help the discussion that we need at this point in our community in our country. I will not be able to commend this bill to the House.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ian McKelvie): Just before I call the next speaker I've had to interrupt between every speech and I don't tend to interrupt but those of you who are meant to wear masks please wear a mask.