Macindoe TimHon TIM MACINDOE (National—Hamilton West): Thank you very much Mr Chair. This is vile repugnant obnoxious legislation—there is no question of that. It is an affront to democracy and I share the outrage of the members on this side of the House as we are being required to see forced through by a Government who will not even defend their legislation—they're not taking calls. They're simply trying to take closure motions. We are forced to look at a Government that wishes to push through legislation that is not supported by the majority of the members of this House. I want to emphasise that point because it is a matter of public record that this is a bill that is not supported by a majority of the members of this House and yet because of the power that one minor party has in the current coalition agreement—Rt Hon David Carter: One minor person. Hon TIM MACINDOE: —yes as the Rt Hon David Carter correctly notes actually it would be more appropriate to say one minor party leader" or "one minor person"—we are seeing this travesty of democracy being inflicted upon the country. The Hon Michael Woodhouse has just correctly pointed out that the Minister of Justice was quite wrong a moment ago when he used the Northland by-election as an example of somehow upholding the proportionality of the voters. The really important point—which he absolutely missed—was that in 2014 many of us here who were as candidates at that stage went to the voters of New Zealand and said "Here are some important issues and here is where we stand." and one that was particularly important was amendments to the Resource Management Act (RMA). We in the National Party were absolutely committed to reforming the RMA and we received an enhanced mandate from the public at the polls that year yet just six months later in a by-election that was brought about in unusual circumstances we saw the leader of a minor party take the seat. As a result of that under the current way that MMP is administered the National Party's number of seats went down by one the Opposition's seats went up by one and we had lost that ability to get our RMA reforms through. Now I would argue that the entire electorate of New Zealand was grossly discriminated against in that outcome when something that they had voted for just six months earlier was suddenly taken away from them and that is one of many reasons why this is such an appalling piece of legislation. I want to turn now to the Green Party. We've heard many people making appeals to the Green Party and I want to say to the Hon James Shaw that he's a man I hold in great respect. I wouldn't question his integrity—I think he's a thoroughly decent person. But I say to the Hon James Shaw please think again. It was good to have both co-leaders of the current Green Party in the House for much of this debate because of course we are reflecting on the words not only of the late Rod Donald the first male co-leader of the Green Party but also of Jeanette Fitzsimons. Jeanette Fitzsimons submitted to the Justice Committee and I'd like to put on record some of what she said to the select committee when she presented what I think was a very good submission. "Integrity"—she said—"cannot be legislated for. It is a matter of conscience and judgement. In some cases leaving one's party is an act of integrity—as when the party has departed from the policies it took to the election or has abused proper process." Later she said "Dissent is a valuable part of the political process. Without it MPs are just clones of their leader."—well ain't that the truth—"Having dealt with it as co-leader of the Green Party caucus at times … I know [it is] uncomfortable … but the remedy is inclusiveness and listening and wide discussion not shutting down the political process." She went on to say that while she had strongly disagreed with the actions of Kennedy Graham and David Clendon who spoke out so strongly against their former co-leader Metiria Turei at the end of the last Parliament she was critical of the way they went about it. She said "But I would defend to the end their right to freedom of conscience and to express their views in opposition to the rest of the caucus without being thrown out of parliament." So I appeal to the modern Green Party please you do not need to support this bill. The Government will not fall but please uphold your principles."