Guy Nathan: New Zealand Sign Language Bill — In Committee 
Guy Nathan: New Zealand Sign Language Bill — In Committee 
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NATHAN GUY (National) 
: 
 Thank you for the opportunity to speak to the New Zealand Sign Language Bill. Already through reading the bill and watching the signers operate in the House I realise that I need to be very deliberate in my delivery this evening to give them the courtesy of understanding how I will speak about and address the bill. 
Many people have hearing disabilities and I want to talk about just a couple of examples close to home. My father who is a farmer and has operated a lot of machinery in his time has a severe hearing disability. The huge amount of joy he got when he was fortunate enough to get some hearing aids was incredible. He likened it to being in a forest hearing birds that he had not been able to hear for the previous two or three decades. He also told me that it was funny when he got up in the middle of the night and went to the toilet for he had not heard that sound for a long long time. 
I also have a friend who is a veterinarian up in Matamata who suffered a very very bad skiing accident where he burst one of his eardrums. That has had a severe impact on his profession particularly when he works with deer in an enclosed space. Those animals are particularly fast and he said that the lack of balance as a result of having only one ear operating properly means that it is extremely dangerous for him to be circulating with those animals in their yards. 
So I think it is important that we acknowledge not only the 7000 people in New Zealand who are Deaf but also the others who have severe hearing disabilities. I think it is also important to take a moment to ponder how those people miss out in today’s society. The bill helps to address that and we the National Party caucus are extremely supportive of it. It is a step in the right direction and is unique to New Zealand. I was surprised to read in  
Hansard 
 that sign language is not acknowledged internationally but just here in New Zealand. That is partly I guess because of our Maori culture. I tell people in the Chamber this evening that I recall that at primary school when I did not listen intently enough the teacher would often say: “Nathan open up your taringas.” which I am doing here this evening. 
Shane Jones 
: Good to see it continued into adulthood! 
NATHAN GUY 
: That is right. I tell Mr Jones that I know a little bit of te reo. 
New Zealand Sign Language is a vital communication tool for those people in our country who are deaf. I believe that it is extremely important that we acknowledge that this evening as we move forward. It is important to note that in 3 years’ time on 1 March 2009 a review will be undertaken. I believe that it is very important to acknowledge that 3 years from now we will be able to take a step back and fine-tune anything that may need to be addressed. 
In reading the bill I am interested to note that going forward no fiscal implications have been budgeted for. I see that the need for signers in the courts is acknowledged but that the need for them in other places is not acknowledged—places such as hospitals and Parliament. So I challenge the Minister for Disability Issues this evening to take a call to explain to me why some of those budgeting items were not included in the bill. 
It is also interesting to note that so far this evening we have heard nothing on the bill from members on the other side of the Committee and I thought they were supporting it. I challenge them to take a call this evening so we can hear their endorsement of the bill. I specifically challenge the Minister—