Martin Tracey: Telecommunications (Development Levy) Amendment Bill — First Reading Second Reading In Committee Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMartin Tracey: Telecommunications (Development Levy) Amendment Bill — First Reading Second Reading In Committee Third Reading[Sitting date: 21 May 2015. Volume:705;Page:3758. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]TRACEY MARTIN (Deputy Leader—NZ First): Kia ora Mr Chair. Thank you very much. If I could just pick up where my colleague Ron Mark left off with regard to these Supplementary Order Papers—specifically the Supplementary Order Paper that Gareth Hughes has put forward which is around making sure that there is competition in the non-urban telecommunications market and diversity in non-urban communities. Specifically I would like to request that the Māori Party and the ACT Party cast their votes for these amendments—the ACT Party because it is a believer in competition and because that is what the party stands for: an open market. This is something that I cannot imagine the ACT Party would not support: making sure that all members of the telecommunications community have an opportunity to vie for these Government dollars so that they can compete in a real market. I would also seek and I am hoping that the Māori Party might also support these amendments because again this is about rural communities rural workforces and rural companies and small to medium sized enterprises. That is what these clauses are about.In the last few minutes I have received an email with regard to these Supplementary Order Papers from Taylor Communications which is the largest fixedwireless rural broadband provider in the Hawke’s Bay. It wishes to confirm that the charges of the telecommunications development levy will not result in extra costs being passed on to consumers. It says: “The telecommunications development levy (TDL) has been built in to our existing pricing and will continue to be done.” This is one of those companies. They pay the levy. They already pay the levy these small telecommunications companies. But unless this Supplementary Order Paper goes through there is no guarantee that they will be allowed to play with the big boys. The email continues: “It is well known that the previous $300 million has not been well spent but with the new funding that is planned for the next few years it will bring real results bringing real broadband to rural New Zealand if it is distributed by our regional players. The New Zealand Wireless Providers Association is a collective of rural broadband providers that are applying for TDL funding. With no Government funding in the past they have achieved over 50000 rural subscribers providing download speeds in excess of 5 megabytes per second.”This Supplementary Order Paper supports those providers. I implore the Māori Party and the ACT Party to assist today and to stand by their principles of real competition supporting Māori and supporting rural communities. Vote for this Supplementary Order Paper to place this in the legislation. I am sure that they have the opportunity and the time to walk over and let the whip of the Government members know that that is the way they will be voting—thereby meeting the obligations of their agreement. Therefore again I implore the Māori Party and the ACT Party to stand up for what they believe in and to vote for this Supplementary Order Paper.