Penk ChrisCHRIS PENK (National—Kaipara ki Mahurangi): Thank you very much Mr Chair. Is it annoying when politicians ask themselves questions and then answer them? Yes. Is it something I usually do? No. But am I going to do it tonight? Yes.It's a short contribution but I think it's worth teasing out what it is that we're actually doing here tonight. First we ask ourselves Is ACC a good system?" Yes. Is it a perfect system? No. Are decisions that inform policy important to ensure that the system is improved going forward? Again yes. Is data important to inform those policy decisions? Yes. Are population groups part of the picture of understanding how the ACC system can be more responsive to New Zealanders' needs? Yes at least some of the time. But is it also possible that there are other ways that we can understand what's needed for ACC to be a more responsive system? Yes. Is this question and answer format getting really annoying? It is so I'll desist at this point. Except to say finally the question that we should ask ourselves is: is this actually necessary to do the things that the Minister for ACC is saying? The things that he is saying are good—because of course ACC should serve all New Zealanders and yes including Māori populations and other population groups. But actually you don't need to have in primary legislation a thing that should be the result of basic leadership culture and decision making in the corporation—and dare I say it by the ACC Minister. I mean are we seriously to understand that there are things that it would be good for the corporation to do that are not specified exactly in legislation—that we're going to have a new bill every time there's one of those? It just seems extraordinary to me.By way of example—and I know that this will mean something to the Minister because he was recently also defence Minister—soldiers have been complaining for many years about repetitive-type injuries whether it's knees or backs carrying heavy loads—the Minister is aware of the issue and I thank him for acknowledging that—or hearing from discharging firearms ears themselves obviously. These are questions that I think the ACC system should really respond to.Firefighters are another classic case. Of course it would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the courage and the dedication of those fine members of New Zealand society particularly on today following the horrific tragedy across town in Wellington.So there are groups who wouldn't necessarily be described as population groups but who nevertheless by reason of their occupational activity are particularly vulnerable. As far as I can tell additional research into those groups—firefighters soldiers or other high-risk occupations—is not included in this legislation. But I really hope that's not the case and the Minister can confirm that there's nothing to stop such research taking place by reason of the fact that it's not in this legislation. So my colleague and friend Penny Simmonds has expressed this more eloquently than I did the other day; I used the example of elephants hiding in cherry trees and explained it according to that old joke that you don't know that they're there and therefore they've either got a great disguise or they're not there in the first place. Although when Ms Simmonds said there was a problem with the missing mail I didn't know that she meant m-a-i-l and I wondered if a missing male might be what she describes as what happens when you ask someone to do a chore around the house! But anyway that's obviously not what she meant so I will exercise my privilege against self-incrimination; I won't go any further. So anyway just to that basic point and I know it's been made before but just really to sort of emphasise that there are vulnerable groups who would actually benefit from research who aren't necessarily defined as population groups Māori or otherwise in this bill. I really hope it's the case that they're not going to be precluded from the possibility that ACC be improved for their benefit as well simply because it's not in this bill."