Hutchison Paul: Racing Bill — Instruction to CommitteeCWH In Committee 
Hutchison Paul: Racing Bill — Instruction to CommitteeCWH In Committee 
[Volume:606;Page:3963] 
Dr PAUL HUTCHISON (NZ National—Port Waikato) 
: 
 Part 2 is very important. I would like to emphasise the value of my colleague Lindsay Tisch’s Supplementary Order Paper 282 regarding clause 15(3). The principles are quite clear and indeed quite important. Just to reiterate the wording of that amendment he has suggested that the amount referred to in subclause (1) must be distributed among the racing codes in such proportions and on such basis as the board from time to time determines. In line with what my colleague from ACT Rodney Hide was suggesting I say the principle of the industry being able to govern itself should be exercised as much as it can be if at all possible. That is the principle behind Lindsay Tisch’s amendment. Surely it is right and proper for the board itself to determine what the distributions should be. Undoubtedly there are variations in the overseas and the domestic takings from time to time and undoubtedly considerable unfairness could arise from the disproportionate takings that occur. Surely rather than having a rigid system that has come from central government it would be preferable to allow the board discretion to determine what the distributions should be. Again as I think was pointed out the dairy industry does not have that principle but it does have flexibility. Surely that amendment is one of the minor areas that would improve this bill considerably. 
The other important aspect of this part is the functions of the board. I note in the commentary on the bill that the Government Administration Committee recommended amending the functions of the board so as to include developing policies that are conducive to the overall economic development of the racing industry. Undoubtedly the Lindsay Tisch amendment is in absolute sympathy with that. The committee also recommended that those functions include research development and education and a general advisory function. It believed that those additional functions would provide a better balance to the work of the board. It is absolute right and proper that there is some emphasis in the areas of research and development and education. So many industries in New Zealand have not formalised that part of their development which is obviously very important not only in terms of new innovations and ideas but also in terms of measuring and monitoring in the operational research side that is so vital to see whether one particular aspect works. 
In terms of the functions of the board and the appointments to it the working-party did comment on that aspect. It made a valuable contribution that could have been considered had the Minister been prepared to delay the reading of this bill until such time as we did receive the working-party’s deliberations. The working-party suggested it was sensible that all appointees to the board be independent again taking the principle of letting the industry have the maximum amount of governance and determination of its own destiny. Once again I say it is very regrettable that both the Price Waterhouse report and the working-party report have been ignored by the Minister so far. That just does not add up when she says that she agrees it is very important to promote the long-term viability of New Zealand racing and that the economic aspects are vital.