Ngaro Alfred: Passports Amendment Bill (No 2) — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeNgaro Alfred: Passports Amendment Bill (No 2) — First Reading[Sitting date: 18 June 2015. Volume:706;Page:4584. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]ALFRED NGARO (National): I rise to take a call on the Passports Amendment Bill (No 2) in its first reading and obviously commend it as it goes through to the Government Administration Committee. Like my honoured colleague over here Ian McKelvie I have not sat on that select committee but I believe that the work of the select committee will be important in discussing some of the issues of importance to all Kiwis.First of all can I just say that one of the things that is importantis in regard to the timing—and I know that there were comments made by New Zealand First by Clayton Mitchell. I think that was a good point because timing is something that is important. We know that other countries responded differently when it came to the issues of 9/11. New Zealand is in a unique situation because in a sense it did respond—it did reduce the number—and there are a couple of reasons for that. Part of it was to ensure that the technology was available in order to detect any sort of fraudulent behaviour that may have been happening. So that is what you would call the key issue that came to us.When we talk about timing as of now returning back to the House there are a couple of things. There were two reviews that were undertaken. One of those reviews was in regard to the cost. Many people sort of thought: “Well this is just a typical Government situation where we go from 10 years to 5 years where we put the cost up to over $200 and it is generating revenue for the Government.” Can I just put on record before the House that the Government does not actually gain any fees from the cost of passports. It is done on a cost-recovery basis so it is very minimal and is actually in regard to the administration costs for passports. So I just want to stake that out there. This is not a Government money-generating exercise.The second thing is just in regard to technology. We know that that is important as we enter in and out of borders. New Zealand in particular has SmartGate and we often use that. I use it quite oftennow. It is a lot easier to be able to enter in and out using SmartGate. Why? Because we now have the technology that is important and that allows us to travel in and out quite easily and accessibly. In saying that over 77 percent of New Zealanders actually have a passport. The interesting thing about technology is that over 40 percent of those who make renewals actually make them online. And so we think that the investment in regard to technology is also really important.I want to commend this bill to the select committee and the work that it has to take. I think it is important. It will be interesting to see the submissions that come out and whether there are any changes. We think that this is a good bill obviously. It is going to a select committee that actually has a neutral perspective in regard to its numbers because it is believed that actually this is something that is agreed oncommonly right across the House. I commend this bill to the House and look forward to its return. Thank you.