edithatogo/nz-hansard-corpus huggingface dataset:
Power Simon: Legal Services Amendment Bill — Third Reading 
Power Simon: Legal Services Amendment Bill — Third Reading 
[Volume:659;Page:8492] 
Hon SIMON POWER (Minister of Justice) 
: 
 I move  
That the Legal Services Amendment Bill be now read a third time 
. The Legal Services Amendment Bill marks an important step in the Government’s treatment of the needs of victims. From the outset I acknowledge that the bill was originally introduced by Annette King towards the final months of the previous Government’s endeavours in what was a particularly difficult public situation. The then Minister moved as quickly as she was able in the circumstances but the matter has now made substantial progress with the assistance of both sides of the House. 
This bill will mean that victims of crime can access legal aid for coronial inquests and Parole Board hearings without facing a financial means test or the possibility of having to make any repayments. This bill improves administrative practice by enabling the Legal Services Agency to decide not to recover legal aid debt at any time during the process. This will alleviate distress for applicants with circumstances where a repayment requirement is inappropriate. The agency will now be able to let victims of crime know as early as possible that they will not be required to make repayments. 
The bill also introduces a regulation-making power in the event that it is necessary to exempt particular classes of persons or proceedings from the financial eligibility tests and repayment conditions. A regulation-making power will enable a swift response to future situations such as those that prompted this bill when they arise. We are all aware of the dreadful circumstances that led to this bill being introduced. This bill reflects the desire of all parties to prevent unnecessarily inflexible legislation from re-victimising victims of crime. In those rare cases where victims of crime need legal representation at coronial inquests and Parole Board hearings they should not have to deal with the stress of the possibility of repayments being required. 
Submissions to the Justice and Electoral Committee raised a number of other possible changes that could be made to support the needs of victims through either the legal aid system or the justice system. I am pleased to say that the Government can address these wider issues relating to the role of victims in the justice system through other pieces of work such as the legal aid review which will continue to attract further attention by way of further reform and the review of the Victims’ Rights Act. This bill provides a focused amendment to a specific problem in the Legal Services Act and provides the flexibility to more efficiently remedy any similar problems in the future. It reinforces the Government’s priority on rebalancing the justice system for victims of crime. I would like to thank all members of the House and all of those who have been involved in this important legislation and the work the select committee undertook. I commend this bill to the House.
Business Statement 
Business Statement 
[Volume:659;Page:8445] 
Thursday 10 December 2009 
Mr Speaker 
 took the Chair at 2 p.m. 
Prayers 
. 
Business Statement 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Leader of the House) 
: 
 When the House resumes next Tuesday the Government intends to make progress on bills on the Order Paper two bills that will be introduced today and notices of motion. Depending on satisfactory progress being made on the Government’s agenda it is expected that the House will lift at some point next week for the summer adjournment. I might add that it is not only the Government’s progress but perhaps the weather as well that may be a factor in this. 
Hon DARREN HUGHES (Senior Whip—Labour) 
: 
 First of all I offer my warm congratulations to the Leader of the House as it appears we will go through an entire sitting of Parliament without urgency. I think it worthy of strong congratulations to him on his strong respect for the parliamentary process. In that same spirit of cooperation I inform the Leader of the House of the Labour Opposition’s strong desire to see the Cluster Munitions (Prohibition) Bill pass through all its stages before Christmas. We are very keen to cooperate with the Government for that to happen so that New Zealand can be part of the first tranche of signatories to the agreement that was started off by Mr Goff as the Minister for Disarmament and Arm Control and has been ably continued by Mrs te Heuheu. We would want to see that bill passed before Christmas and we give our full cooperation to him for that to happen. 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Leader of the House) 
: 
 In response to that I say to the shadow Leader of the House he should not count his chickens before they have hatched. The House has certainly moved along this week at the shuffling pace that Labour may be more used to. But we appreciate the offer on the Cluster Munitions (Prohibition) Bill and I think it is worth considering. I suggest that we have a bit of a discussion offline with other whips to see if it is possible to have a second and third reading combination that would facilitate that bill passing. I quite genuinely appreciate the offer.
Vote: Taxation (Consequential Rate Alignment and Remedial Matters) Bill — Second Reading 
Vote: Taxation (Consequential Rate Alignment and Remedial Matters) Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:659;Page:7876] 
A party vote was called for on the question  
That the Taxation (Consequential Rate Alignment and Remedial Matters) Bill be now read a second time. 
Ayes 111 
New Zealand National 56; New Zealand Labour 43; ACT New Zealand 5; Maori Party 5; Progressive 1; United Future 1. 
Noes 8 
Green Party 8. 
Bill read a second time.
Bennett David: Taxation (Consequential Rate Alignment and Remedial Matters) Bill — Second Reading 
Bennett David: Taxation (Consequential Rate Alignment and Remedial Matters) Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:659;Page:7876] 
DAVID BENNETT (National—Hamilton East) 
: 
 I will take just a short call to finish the debate on the Taxation (Consequential Rate Alignment and Remedial Matters) Bill. The bill has been through the Finance and Expenditure Committee. It was a very good bill for the committee following the very long taxation bill that had preceded it. Committee members were taxed completely after considering the preceding bill but felt they were in a better position at the end of considering this bill. 
Essentially the argument in the select committee was around whether one has a high or low withholding tax rate and then the question related to how much revenue is at stake and therefore how many taxpayers would be subject to a higher tax rate than potentially they should have had to pay. That was debated at length within the committee and we came to a good solution that enables the State to achieve its goals of capturing tax that potentially was lost under the previous system and with education and other programmes enabling taxpayers to be fairly treated. In all a good balance has been achieved through this legislation. 
I congratulate all members of the Finance and Expenditure Committee who worked hard to achieve that outcome. I think the National and Labour members worked well together on this committee. The officials who were present did a great job of providing us with the detail and also with some practical solutions that were necessary to get us to this point today. 
This bill is part of the tidying-up of the New Zealand tax system. It is also about making sure that the Government attains the revenue that it should through resident withholding tax. In the end it is the best solution to achieve that goal while taking into account the needs of our taxpayers. We support this bill and look forward to passing it through the House. Thank you.
Carter John: Whanganui Iwi (Wanganui (Kaitoke) Prison and Northern Part of Wanganui Forest) On-account Settlement Bill — First Reading 
Carter John: Whanganui Iwi (Wanganui (Kaitoke) Prison and Northern Part of Wanganui Forest) On-account Settlement Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:659;Page:7860] 
Hon JOHN CARTER (Minister of Civil Defence) 
 on behalf of the  
Minister of Maori Affairs 
: I move  
That the Maori Affairs Committee consider the Whanganui Iwi (Wanganui (Kaitoke) Prison and Northern Part of Wanganui Forest) On-account Settlement Bill 
 that the committee report finally to the House on or before 19 March 2010 and that the committee have the authority to meet at any time while the House is sitting (except during oral questions) during any evening on a day on which there has been a sitting of the House and on a Friday in a week in which there has been a sitting of the House despite Standing Orders 187 and 190(1)(b) and (c). 
Motion agreed to.
Bridges Simon: Whanganui Iwi (Wanganui (Kaitoke) Prison and Northern Part of Wanganui Forest) On-account Settlement Bill — First Reading 
Bridges Simon: Whanganui Iwi (Wanganui (Kaitoke) Prison and Northern Part of Wanganui Forest) On-account Settlement Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:659;Page:7856] 
SIMON BRIDGES (National—Tauranga) 
: 
 Tena koe. Tena koutou e te Whare. It is good to take a call on the Whanganui Iwi (Wanganui (Kaitoke) Prison and Northern Part of Wanganui Forest) On-account Settlement Bill. I said previously when I spoke yesterday on the Ngati Apa (North Island) Claims Settlement Bill that I do not want to be a bull in a china shop who has not been or is not affiliated to the iwi concerned— 
Hon Member 
: Leave that to Paul Quinn. 
SIMON BRIDGES 
: —yes I will leave that to Paul Quinn—who gets to Whanganui only once in a while and who has had no involvement at all with the Crown negotiations. But even a cursory reading of this bill makes it quite clear that in modern-day Treaty settlements we can as a Parliament and as a country be quite flexible and creative when dealing with the various interests and issues that are presented. To put that another way we can take traditional historic age-old grievances and we can deal with them in very modern innovative ways. 
The Office of Treaty Settlements and the various officials that have helped on the Crown side have no doubt been very very busy since National has been in power and the Hon Chris Finlayson has been dealing with these settlements. I know from my own very small number of dealings with them that they are very clever very smart and very sophisticated people in what they do but they need to be because they are dealing with difficult issues. I would say that they are multilayered and multidimensional. 
I remember—and I do not necessarily remember all that much; it comes back to me in fits and starts—from law school a very prominent well-known American jurist from Harvard I think by the name of Lon Fuller. He talked about polycentric issues and problems—that is many-centred problems. He illustrated that with a picture of a spider web. When we touch one strand we impact the whole web and nothing is ever the same again. 
Again I say as an outsider that Treaty settlements can be somewhat like that. They are very delicate like spider webs. They have many strands. If we think about it without even getting into the issues involved in this particular bill and this on-account settlement but just in terms of the parties we see that there are intra-hapu issues and iwi issues before we even get to the iwi-versus-Crown issues. So these can be complex. 
What I am saying boils down to this. In Treaty settlements today we need to be and we can be—and this bill illustrates that—flexible creative innovative and modern in response to the age-old issues that these settlements throw up to the historic traditional problems that have been there for a long time. 
I offer my congratulations to the iwi involved to all the individuals on the Crown side to the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations the Hon Chris Finlayson and to those who went before him for the fine work they have done here.
Beaumont Carol: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Beaumont Carol: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:659;Page:7837] 
8.  
CAROL BEAUMONT (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister of Consumer Affairs 
: Does she agree with Consumer New Zealand Chief Executive Sue Chetwin that all consumers can do about rising food prices is “shop around”? 
Hon HEATHER ROY (Minister of Consumer Affairs) 
: 
 That was certainly sound advice. I would always advise consumers to shop around to find the best prices and to take advantage of specials and sales when buying food or other consumer goods; many people already do. There are a large number of television and newspaper advertisements flyers in mailboxes and email alerts competing for shoppers’ attention and that makes it easier for consumers to determine where they are most likely to get the best value for money. 
Carol Beaumont 
: Has the Minister taken any action to correct the misinformation she promoted last week that the steeply rising food prices in New Zealand were due to increases in the price of fruit and vegetables—comments labelled as extremely unhelpful and ill-advised by Horticulture New Zealand? 
Hon HEATHER ROY 
: The comment I made last week was in fact that part of the increase in food prices was due to increases in the price of fresh fruit and vegetables. I gave a number of other reasons and I stand by that statement. 
Carol Beaumont 
: Is she aware that only 1 percent to 1.5 percent of food sold in supermarkets is organic; if so does she still think that buying organics has led to the 42.5 percent increase in food prices since 2000? 
Hon HEATHER ROY 
: The member has just reiterated the point I made in my last answer—only one of the reasons for the increase was fresh fruit and vegetables. Organics as part of the bundle of foods does in fact contribute to the prices when the food price index is investigated. Food prices fluctuate widely for a large number of reasons. One of those reasons is fuel. When fuel prices are higher it costs much more to get food to markets. That is one of the reasons. Another is seasonal variation. The member knows well that those two things contribute significantly. 
Carol Beaumont 
: Does she still intend to take no action in response to steeply rising food prices or will she and her colleagues finally take steps to investigate the pricing policies of the two supermarket chains that control the overwhelming share of the food retailing market? 
Hon HEATHER ROY 
: The National - ACT Government has lit a bonfire under regulation and red tape which will contribute. We are in the process of reducing employer compliance costs to create an environment that further fosters increased competition for the benefit of consumers. The member might like to note that the period of price increases she referred to covered the last decade and that 9 of those years were under a Labour-led Government.
Blue Jackie: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Blue Jackie: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:659;Page:7836] 
7.  
Dr JACKIE BLUE (National) 
 to the  
Minister for Communications and Information Technology 
: How many private partners have indicated their interest in participating in the Government’s $1.5 billion ultra-fast broadband investment initiative? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister for Communications and Information Technology) 
: 
 I am pleased to report to the House that a total of 43 groups have expressed an interest including several significant international players and a strong selection of local companies. It shows a strong interest from the private sector to partner with the Government. The right partners will share in the Government’s vision of the transformative ability of ultra-fast broadband. They will have the credibility to step up and deliver this critical piece of infrastructure in a cost-effective manner. 
Dr Jackie Blue 
: What is the next step for the private partners? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: Interested bidders have until 29 January next year to put their best foot forward and lodge full proposals. These will be assessed by the Crown Fibre Holdings board who are responsible for managing the Government’s investment in local fibre companies to achieve the 75 percent ultra-fast broadband target as quickly and efficiently as possible. We expect most geographic areas to be covered but those that are not will be subject to further tender rounds at a future date when commercial interest increases. 
Clare Curran 
: Does the Minister have a mechanism to protect local investment in fibre networks by community-owned groups especially in rural and provincial areas that have been frustrated by under-investment by the incumbents; if so what? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: I am not sure what the member means by a means to protect those companies that make those investments. Certainly we will be seeking partnerships from companies of all sizes not just in the urban broadband initiative but in the rural broadband initiative as well.
Cunliffe David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Cunliffe David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:659;Page:7831] 
4.  
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Labour—New Lynn) 
 to the  
Minister of Finance 
: Does he agree with the Prime Minister’s views on economic policy? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH (Minister of Finance) 
: 
 Yes. 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: Does he agree with the Prime Minister’s views of his Treasury’s estimates that the fiscal costs of the Government’s emissions trading scheme is $110 billion or 14 to 17 percent of GDP dismissing it as nonsense; if so why? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: Yes because it is. 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: Can he confirm that the assumptions underlying his Treasury’s $110 billion estimate are in fact quite reasonable given that the $50 per tonne carbon price is in line with that used in Australia is half the cost that Nick Smith used when criticising his opponents and is Treasury’s mid-range scenario? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: I think as the Prime Minister said yesterday that Treasury has trouble predicting what will happen by Christmas let alone what will happen by 2050. It made a guess on the basis of a range of highly contestable assumptions. 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: If that is the case how does he then reconcile his statement that Treasury’s projections and the long-term fiscal outlook “highlights the stark choices New Zealand faces if it is to avoid an explosion of public debt” and how does that wear with the Prime Minister’s dismissal of Treasury’s long-term forecasting? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: Treasury did some long-term fiscal forecasts based largely on the policy settings left behind by the reckless previous Labour Government which managed this economy incompetently and missed the opportunity of a generation to step up economic performance. 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: If the Minister does not consider his department’s advice on the fiscal impacts of the emissions trading scheme to be reliable what then is the advice—which the Government is relying on—that underlies the figure of $3000 by 2030 which Mr Key gave Federated Farmers yesterday; and does it do better than the advice that Treasury’s regulatory impact assessment unit criticised as being too flimsy to support the bill before Parliament? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: This Government has the capacity to make its own distinctions between good advice and bad advice. Advice we disagree with is bad advice; advice we agree with is good advice.
Lotu-Iiga Peseta Sam: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Lotu-Iiga Peseta Sam: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:659;Page:7830] 
3.  
PESETA SAM LOTU-IIGA (National—Maungakiekie) 
 to the  
Minister of Finance 
: What reports has he received on the economy in National’s first year in Government? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH (Minister of Finance) 
: 
 The reports on economic management have been overwhelmingly positive when people contrast the current Government’s management with that of the previous Government. Some people have said that through the recession we should slash and burn services and Government spending while others have said that we should go on a massive debt-fuelled spend-up. In the end the Government has opted for a balanced policy that protects people in the short term from the sharp edges of recession and lays the foundation for increased economic growth and more jobs on the road to recovery. 
Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga 
: What measures did the Government take to support the economy through the recession? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: There has been a wide range of initiatives but the main ones were the 1 April tax cuts which kept shop doors open by putting an extra $1 billion a year into the pockets of 1.5 million workers; billions of dollars of extra investment in productive infrastructure; a $500 million tax assistance package for small businesses; a $320 million campaign to insulate 180000 houses; and 17000 extra job and training opportunities for young people as part of the Youth Opportunities package. 
Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga 
: What other measures has the Government taken in its first year to strengthen the economy? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: The thing that will make the most difference to New Zealand and New Zealanders is the creation of new jobs. The Government is focusing very strongly on creating an environment that gives business the confidence to invest and create new jobs in contrast to the previous Government which focused very much on the Government providing all the new jobs. 
Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga 
: What alternative approaches to managing the economy has the Minister seen? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: I have seen a particularly bizarre statement from the Leader of the Opposition today. He said that he wants to pull out of 20 years of consensus on the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act but he has no idea what he wants to put in its place.
Smith Lockwood: Points of Order — Questions for Written Answer—Overdue Replies 
Smith Lockwood: Points of Order — Questions for Written Answer—Overdue Replies 
[Volume:659;Page:7827] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member is perfectly at liberty to raise the matter with me and the appropriate way to do that is to write to me with his concern about the matter not to pursue it in the House here. He is certainly welcome to pursue it with me as Speaker.
Hodgson Pete: Points of Order — Questions for Written Answer—Overdue Replies 
Hodgson Pete: Points of Order — Questions for Written Answer—Overdue Replies 
[Volume:659;Page:7827] 
Hon PETE HODGSON (Labour—Dunedin North) 
: 
 I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I need some help from you in relation to questions for written answer. I lodged three written questions to the Minister of Immigration 5 weeks ago. Three weeks ago I contacted his office to ask whether any response was coming and to say that I did not wish to trouble the House by taking the matter up with the Speaker. I have still received no reply of any sort from the Minister. What am I to do?
Power Simon: Business Statement 
Power Simon: Business Statement 
[Volume:659;Page:7827] 
Hon SIMON POWER (Deputy Leader of the House) 
: 
 The shadow Leader of the House will be pleased to know that the House sitting timetable will be made available in plenty of time for plans to be made. In regard to any other bills that will be considered between now and when the House rises at the end of the year a range of other bills will be made available some of which will be required to be passed by the end of the year. Those matters will be described in a fuller and more specific way at the Business Committee in coming days.
Hughes Darren: Business Statement 
Hughes Darren: Business Statement 
[Volume:659;Page:7827] 
Hon DARREN HUGHES (Senior Whip—Labour) 
: 
 The Opposition certainly associates itself with the comments of the Deputy Leader of the House and next Tuesday we will join the Government more formally in that particular regard. 
I wonder whether the Deputy Leader of the House could give us an indication as to whether we can expect to debate the third bill relating to Auckland governance in the 3 sitting weeks remaining before the end of the year and also whether the Government will make available the suggested or indicative House sitting timetable so that members can begin their planning for the next year. We are grateful for the notice of urgency next week. We are grateful that it was not this week as it would have been the eighth sitting week in a row under urgency and we are concerned that a third of Parliament’s business since the election has been conducted under urgency.
Power Simon: Business Statement 
Power Simon: Business Statement 
[Volume:659;Page:7827] 
Hon SIMON POWER (Deputy Leader of the House) 
: 
 As members will know when the House resumes on Tuesday 24 November it is the Government’s intention to take urgency to pass the Climate Change Response (Moderated Emissions Trading) Amendment Bill and other bills on the Order Paper. As has been the practice this year the Government is open to holding question time each day notwithstanding the House being in urgency. 
As members of the House may be aware a Defence Force serviceman was killed while clearing an unexploded shell on a range at Waiouru this morning. This tragic accident highlights the dangers our servicemen and servicewomen face at home and abroad while carrying out their duties. The Government intends to allow the House to formally extend its condolences to the family and the Defence Force next Tuesday.
O'Connor Damien: Biosecurity Amendment Bill — Third Reading 
O'Connor Damien: Biosecurity Amendment Bill — Third Reading 
[Volume:659;Page:7878] 
Hon DAMIEN O’CONNOR (Labour) 
: 
 I will take just a brief moment to thank Minister Nathan Guy for his wonderful words on the Biosecurity Amendment Bill but to remind him that they are just words. He and his Government cut $2 million from biosecurity in the Budget. They also removed over 50 experienced front-line border protection people who check that we do not have unwanted organisms and pests coming in. If this Government was genuinely concerned about biosecurity and if it really did care it would have increased the number of people on the ground as it did with police in the case of property and personal security. This Government has made a mockery of its so-called commitment to biosecurity and this bill is a token gesture— 
Hon Nathan Guy 
: That’s rubbish! 
Hon DAMIEN O’CONNOR 
: —and that Minister knows it. All this bill does is increase the penalties for those people who consciously or unconsciously bring into this country high-risk things that could be anything from fruit or meat to shoes with soil on them. There are many many avenues and pathways for unwanted organisms to come into this country. The good front-line people in MAF Biosecurity New Zealand check them every day in order to protect us and what did this Government do? It cut over 50 of those people from front-line services and it cut $2 million from biosecurity’s core budget this year. That Minister cannot get up in this House and say that his Government is committed to biosecurity. 
Debate interrupted.
Points of Order — Questions for Written Answer—Overdue Replies 
Points of Order — Questions for Written Answer—Overdue Replies 
[Volume:659;Page:7827] 
Points of Order 
Questions for Written Answer—Overdue Replies 
Hon PETE HODGSON (Labour—Dunedin North) 
: 
 I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I need some help from you in relation to questions for written answer. I lodged three written questions to the Minister of Immigration 5 weeks ago. Three weeks ago I contacted his office to ask whether any response was coming and to say that I did not wish to trouble the House by taking the matter up with the Speaker. I have still received no reply of any sort from the Minister. What am I to do? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member is perfectly at liberty to raise the matter with me and the appropriate way to do that is to write to me with his concern about the matter not to pursue it in the House here. He is certainly welcome to pursue it with me as Speaker.
Business Statement 
Business Statement 
[Volume:659;Page:7827] 
Thursday 19 November 2009 
Mr Speaker 
 took the Chair at 2 p.m. 
Prayers 
. 
Business Statement 
Hon SIMON POWER (Deputy Leader of the House) 
: 
 As members will know when the House resumes on Tuesday 24 November it is the Government’s intention to take urgency to pass the Climate Change Response (Moderated Emissions Trading) Amendment Bill and other bills on the Order Paper. As has been the practice this year the Government is open to holding question time each day notwithstanding the House being in urgency. 
As members of the House may be aware a Defence Force serviceman was killed while clearing an unexploded shell on a range at Waiouru this morning. This tragic accident highlights the dangers our servicemen and servicewomen face at home and abroad while carrying out their duties. The Government intends to allow the House to formally extend its condolences to the family and the Defence Force next Tuesday. 
Hon DARREN HUGHES (Senior Whip—Labour) 
: 
 The Opposition certainly associates itself with the comments of the Deputy Leader of the House and next Tuesday we will join the Government more formally in that particular regard. 
I wonder whether the Deputy Leader of the House could give us an indication as to whether we can expect to debate the third bill relating to Auckland governance in the 3 sitting weeks remaining before the end of the year and also whether the Government will make available the suggested or indicative House sitting timetable so that members can begin their planning for the next year. We are grateful for the notice of urgency next week. We are grateful that it was not this week as it would have been the eighth sitting week in a row under urgency and we are concerned that a third of Parliament’s business since the election has been conducted under urgency. 
Hon SIMON POWER (Deputy Leader of the House) 
: 
 The shadow Leader of the House will be pleased to know that the House sitting timetable will be made available in plenty of time for plans to be made. In regard to any other bills that will be considered between now and when the House rises at the end of the year a range of other bills will be made available some of which will be required to be passed by the end of the year. Those matters will be described in a fuller and more specific way at the Business Committee in coming days.
Ryall Tony: Ministerial Statements — Swine Flu—New Zealand Response 
Ryall Tony: Ministerial Statements — Swine Flu—New Zealand Response 
[Volume:653;Page:2615] 
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) 
: 
 I acknowledge the contributions of all members on this quite serious issue and the offers of further contribution from the Opposition parties. 
To pick up on the point from Mr Dunne—without commenting on any specific cases—I say that the New Zealand media actually have been doing their level best to assist us in providing clear and consistent public health messages to New Zealanders. Their role is important because it is quite clear that we cannot trace everybody who may have an issue here. Although there may be some criticism about individual cases the messages that the media are providing are still fundamental and important to the public health message. 
I also acknowledge members’ recognition of our front-line health staff and the work that they are doing. Thank you.
Tolley Anne: Education Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Tolley Anne: Education Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:653;Page:2676] 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister of Education) 
: 
 I move  
That the Education and Science Committee consider the Education Amendment Bill that  
the committee report finally to the House on or before 28 August 2009 and that the committee have authority to meet at any time while the House is sitting (except during oral questions) during any evening on a day on which there has been a sitting of the House and on a Friday in a week in which there has been a sitting of the House despite Standing Orders 187 and 190(1)(b) and (c). 
Motion agreed to.
Vote: Education Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Vote: Education Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:653;Page:2676] 
A party vote was called for on the question  
That the Education Amendment Bill be now read a first time. 
Ayes 69 
New Zealand National 58; ACT New Zealand 5; Maori Party 5; United Future 1. 
Noes 52 
New Zealand Labour 42; Green Party 9; Progressive 1. 
Bill read a first time.
Groser Tim: ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area Bill — First Reading 
Groser Tim: ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:653;Page:2653] 
Hon TIM GROSER (Minister of Trade) 
: 
 I move  
That the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee consider the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area Bill 
 and that the committee report finally to the House on or before 25 May 2009. 
Motion agreed to.
Vote: ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area Bill — First Reading 
Vote: ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:653;Page:2653] 
A party vote was called for on the question  
That the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area Bill be now read a first time. 
Ayes 107 
New Zealand National 58; New Zealand Labour 42; ACT New Zealand 5; Progressive 1; United Future 1. 
Noes 14 
Green Party 9; Maori Party 5. 
Bill read a first time.
Barker Rick: ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area Bill — First Reading 
Barker Rick: ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:653;Page:2642] 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Rick Barker) 
: Before I call Dr Paul Hutchison I would just like to offer an apology to Rahui Katene. I had mixed her name up previously. I thought to myself that I must not do it on this occasion and that is exactly what I did. I am sorry; I promise to get it right on every occasion in the future.
Goodhew Jo: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Goodhew Jo: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:653;Page:2630] 
11.  
JO GOODHEW (National—Rangitata) 
 to the  
Minister of Housing 
: What has been the impact to date on employment as a result of the housing component of the Government’s jobs and growth stimulus package? 
Hon PHIL HEATLEY (Minister of Housing) 
: 
 I was pleased to announce early last week that in fact 935 people were in jobs in March due to the money set aside earlier this year under the stimulus package. Those jobs include work both for upgrades and house construction and we are employing people across the sector. We are talking about design consultants carpenters joiners plumbers electricians roofers insulators gardeners and others. It is quite frankly fantastic news. 
Jo Goodhew 
: How does this work fulfil commitments made by the National Government? 
Hon PHIL HEATLEY 
: The member will recall that when the package was announced we made it clear that this work would keep people in jobs and that is what we are doing. Also the Government’s job summit raised the need to accelerate initiatives to open up opportunities for employment—and we have delivered on that too. We are also delivering on clear commitments to improve the standards of existing Housing New Zealand Corporation stock. That is something that I think the whole country now knows was neglected by the previous Government. 
Hon George Hawkins 
: Does the Minister see the irony in this Government congratulating itself for creating jobs when an estimated 1160 jobs have been lost so far thanks to this Government’s public sector cuts and a huge opportunity to create more jobs was lost when this Government put the brakes on the Hobsonville State housing project? 
Hon PHIL HEATLEY 
: I find that quite interesting because Cabinet papers show that the Hobsonville development was passed by Cabinet in 2002. Mr Gosche announced it at that time. I remember that after that Steve Maharey announced it a few years later. I believe Chris Carter announced it after that and then Maryan Street. When I became Minister of Housing in 2008 there were no consents for Hobsonville; I found out that earthworks had not begun and not a single house had been built. But now that National is in Government we have the consents the earthworks are about to start and we are actually going to build some houses. 
Chris Tremain 
: What impact is the stimulus package having on employment in the regions? 
Hon PHIL HEATLEY 
: When we initiated the package I asked the corporation to ensure that the contracting saw local builders and local tradespeople get work from the infrastructure package. The member from Napier witnessed it in Hawke’s Bay last week when a local tradesperson approached us and thanked us because he was able to keep in work and to employ an extra person. That is happening right across the country. We are delighted that it is affecting people’s lives so positively.
King Colin: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
King Colin: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:653;Page:2628] 
9.  
COLIN KING (National—Kaikoura) 
 to the  
Minister of Education 
: What announcements has the Government made to progress its promise to establish at least five trades academies? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister of Education) 
: 
 The Government has recently asked the education sector for expressions of interest in establishing trades academies. Schools and tertiary institutions have been asked to submit short proposals that can be evaluated. Proposals that are judged to have significant merit will then be taken to a business case stage so that final decisions can be made by Cabinet. 
Colin King 
: What is the Government looking for in the expressions of interest? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: The key attribute we are looking for is relevance. We are looking for proposals that will provide students who prefer to opt for practical hands-on education experiences with exactly that and that will provide them with more opportunities to gain the practical skills they need to enter the 21st century workforce. Members opposite may laugh but I have been really heartened as I have gone around the country talking to principals and tertiary institutions to hear about some of the very exciting opportunities that they want the opportunity to create for young New Zealand students. 
Hon Chris Carter 
: How can the replacement of the previous Labour Government’s Schools Plus programme which was a comprehensive response to student underachievement with five proposed trade academies over 3 years be considered anything but pathetic when currently 25 percent of young New Zealanders leave school without the equivalent of National Certificate of Educational Achievement level 1? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: I can answer that question very simply. I looked high and low in the Ministry of Education for the substantial Schools Plus policy and I could not find it and I could not find any money to do anything about it. The principals out there in secondary schools do not know what that substantial policy was either. Calling for expressions of interest in establishing at least five trades academies which will be in place by the next election goes a long way further to actually addressing the issues of young New Zealanders. 
Hon Chris Carter 
: Does the Minister agree with John Key who said that “National will make the off-site learning opportunities of Gateway and STAR a mainstream part of what schools can offer.”; if so will she commit to keeping the $21 million for the enhanced Secondary Tertiary Alignment Resource (STAR) programme which was part of Labour’s Schools Plus initiative? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: I can assure that member of the quality and the worth of the STAR and Gateway programmes. [ 
Interruption 
] National takes credit for those programmes because we invented them. But I say to that member that he will have to wait for the Budget to see exactly what expenditure will be put into them.
Foss Craig: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Foss Craig: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:653;Page:2621] 
3.  
CRAIG FOSS (National—Tukituki) 
 to the  
Minister of Finance 
: What would be the financial situation if no changes to current policy were made in the forthcoming Budget? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH (Minister of Finance) 
: 
 The Budget Policy Statement announced in December showed that the Government had inherited a large and ongoing fiscal imbalance. This was due largely to a 50 percent increase in expenditure over the past 5 years without matching revenue increases. Preliminary Budget forecasts show recurring operating deficits of more than $10 billion a year and that the Government would be continually in deficit for the next 15 years. As a result if nothing was changed gross debt would climb steadily from the current level of around 20 percent of GDP to in excess of 70 percent by 2023 and still be climbing. 
Craig Foss 
: What consequences would follow if these projections were to be realised? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: If the Government continued the projected spending levels under the previous Government combined with the recession’s impact on our tax revenue Government debt would quadruple over the next decade eventually reaching $30000 per New Zealander. Of course at that level it would require radical steps to bring it under control. It would also create additional finance costs equivalent to around $5 billion per annum today. These costs do not allow for the detrimental impact on growth and access to credit that such an outcome would inevitably create. 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: Which of the Minister’s two positions does he now stand by: his earlier position that there was no debt problem and that therefore tax cuts should have been given earlier to New Zealanders; or his position now that there is a debt problem and that therefore he must have been wrong to call for earlier tax cuts? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: It is certain there is potentially a debt problem and a significant driver of that debt problem was the previous Government’s refusal to implement tax cuts. It used those surpluses to commit to structural spending levels growing at twice the rate of the economy. That is unsustainable and will have to change. 
Craig Foss 
: What principles will the Government follow in outlining a responsible Budget? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: The Government has already outlined a number of principles. It is committed to retaining social entitlements committed to improving public services and committed to reprioritising spending so that taxpayers’ money goes to those areas where we can make a real difference to New Zealanders and maintain better smarter public services.
Dunne Peter: Ministerial Statements — Swine Flu—New Zealand Response 
Dunne Peter: Ministerial Statements — Swine Flu—New Zealand Response 
[Volume:653;Page:2614] 
Hon PETER DUNNE (Leader—United Future) 
: 
 I want to make a very brief comment on the Minister’s statement. Firstly I share with colleagues the sense of support and anguish for the health workers and the people who are at risk at the moment. This is a very stressful time for all. Our thoughts must be with them and we wish those who are at risk a speedy recovery. Secondly I acknowledge the preparedness that has been put in place over the last 4 years which means that New Zealand is in a position to respond strongly if in fact a pandemic is confirmed. 
Thirdly and perhaps finally I make this point: a number of the contributions this afternoon have quite properly stressed the need to move prudently and soberly with regard to this issue. We cannot be in a mode of causing undue alarm or panic but we do need to be vigilant about its potential implications. In this regard the news media have a very powerful role to play. I would urge the media to think very carefully about how they handle this situation. I do not think that for instance the sensationalism of Television New Zealand’s approach on Sunday evening and again last night is actually helpful in terms of conveying accurate public information or also in downplaying an element of public fear and anxiety. I urge our broadcasters and our news media to take very seriously their responsibilities to inform people accurately about what is happening and to not take this as an opportunity to ramp up the way in which they make good television or write exciting newspaper articles. This issue is far too serious for that. We serve our people well when we do the best by them not when we try to make a dangerous situation more serious.
Turia Tariana: Ministerial Statements — Swine Flu—New Zealand Response 
Turia Tariana: Ministerial Statements — Swine Flu—New Zealand Response 
[Volume:653;Page:2614] 
Hon TARIANA TURIA (Co-Leader—Maori Party) 
: 
 The Maori Party expresses its concern for those who have been affected by the swine flu virus. Long before our lifetimes but part of the legacy left by the generation of our parents and grandparents was a period of time referred to as Black November. That was when 8573 New Zealanders lost their lives in the 1918 influenza epidemic. So we need to be cautious and we need to be careful. I understand that history because every time we go to Parewanui we see in one of the urupa the tragic shape of the very small coffins that carried our children to their final resting place. 
We must not alarm the general public unnecessarily but we have every reason to be cautious. I guess the most important thing is that people have good access to information and I believe that the Ministry of Health is providing that. The two biggest factors for vulnerability to swine flu are of course having recently visited Mexico and exposure to somebody with swine flu. There is an added concern around the similarity of the symptoms and effects of swine flu and those of the traditional flu which hits hard in winter. So we must be careful we must be vigilant and all of us must execute caution. 
The announcement of the precautions that are being taken by the students and staff who returned from Mexico at the weekend could have provoked undue alarm. I recognise the important role that being prepared with pandemic planning has played in New Zealand’s response. The fact that we had a plan already in place meant that the action could immediately take place as announced earlier by the Minister of Health. We are not out of the woods by any means but if there is one message that we should take from this situation it is the vital importance of being prepared. I finish off by saying that we should not use this issue as an opportunity to play politics.