Mitchell Clayton: Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Rugby World Cup 2015 Extended Trading Hours) Amendment Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMitchell Clayton: Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Rugby World Cup 2015 Extended Trading Hours) Amendment Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 26 August 2015. Volume:708;Page:6214. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]CLAYTON MITCHELL (NZ First): Phew that was on ordeal. I would like to start by commending Jono Naylor actually first and foremost for his comments and his recognition of reading a crowd so well for him to not to put us through another cricket story like we had in the second reading. And I swear to God that I would not have been surprised if you had sent him out of the House and given him 10 minutes on the bench with that sort of behaviour Mr Deputy Speaker but it is pleasing to see that he got himself back on track and—Hon Trevor Mallard: But the member said that Brazil played rugby.CLAYTON MITCHELL: Well there were Brazilians and South Americans and of course the Chileans in the rugby—but it was great to see that he got back on track to speak about rugby.I would also like to start by saying that it is not very often that New Zealand First shares similarities with the Green Party and its views and of course today is not one of those days that we share its view. However there are a number of sentiments that the Green Party has displayed quite eloquently today that we do actually have concerns about. And there is definitely a binge-drinking culture in this country—for anybody to say that there is not and to bring out Wikipedia to try to beat us up with facts and figures and to suggest that we are sitting in the middle tier of the world when we talk about social drinking ailments I think they are missing the point.The fact of the matter is that we do have a binge-drinking culture but it is on the decline. You have to again get back to those vectors—the direction in which we are travelling—and we are getting it under control with this binge-drinking culture. In fact I will just bring your attention to a member’s bill that would also help address the binge-drinking culture. I am sure once the bill which is in my name gets pulled out of the ballot the House will support it because it is of course addressing binge-drinking culture. The reality is if the National Party does not support it then I am sure it will bring it up and put it in as its own policy in a few weeks’ time as it generally does with New Zealand First policies.The general policy statement of the Summary Offences (Drink or Drugs Affecting Behaviour) Amendment Bill says: “The binge drinking and drug culture in New Zealand especially among the young is causing serious anti-social and harmful behaviour in many communities throughout the country … This bill would make it an offence to be drunk or drug affected in a public place or while trespassing on private property to a degree that serious harm could result.”This is about personal responsibility and we keep hearing the gibes and the attacks on licensed premises for vomit in the street which we have just heard from Kevin Hague and the reality is that within the current culture 75 percent of all alcohol that is consumed is consumed off premise; it is consumed in people’s homes. It is bought from the supermarket or down at the liquor store and drunk at home. What happens after people have had a few beers is they want to go like moths around a flame to where social intercourse is—gathering of people and communications. I would suggest that in this House the number of members who are married and who are in loving relationships who met their loved ones either at the pub—David Bennett: Oh no way! Don’t tell us this story. We don’t want to hear this one.CLAYTON MITCHELL: —or at a sporting club where you are having a few beers and you are engaging in social intercourse—Mr Bennett you might be one of the members mentioned in the Ashley Madison group. You might find your love in another place but we are talking about genuine love here.Hon Member: He hasn’t got a love.CLAYTON MITCHELL: He has not got a love. In fact I am sure his mum is trying to get him a house so he can move out of home. The point is that we are trying to facilitate social engagement because it is the core of our society. The ability to be able to go down and have a beer and watch the rugby with your friends with your family and with your mates and enjoy the camaraderie and enjoy the atmosphere of a rugby match is what this bill is actually about.We do not agree with the way that this has come about. Excuse my language but it is arse about face. The reality is we need to get back to the basics and actually review this bill and iron out the problems. I have been hearing a lot about the police getting the raw end of the stick on this but they are risk averse. It is their job to minimise harm and we are not giving them a fair suck of the sav to actually say that it is the stuff-up of this Government.It is the stuff-up of this Government that has got us into this position where we had to throw a bill on the table at 5 minutes to midnight scramble around and try to mish-mash it and mosh it together. It is an absolute dog’s breakfast. New Zealand First debated this in caucus to the point where we had to decide that it is not the fault of the licensees it is not the fault of the police and it sure is not the fault of the rugby fans who want to enjoy a beer. So we have come along to support this bill but it should not be here needing the support if this piece of legislation the Supply and Sale of Alcohol Act 2012 had actually been—Brett Hudson: Why don’t we just host the world cup?CLAYTON MITCHELL: —remedied and sorted out Mr Hudson the first time. Oh wait a minute you were not there the first time. You are a first-time MP and you may not be back again the way you go mate.I have to say that the vast majority of people in this country enjoy a beer with no problem enjoy the pub enjoy the atmosphere and we are talking about the minuscule minority that spoil it for the rest and everybody else. We are talking about one person who may have vomited. At the end of the day you cannot judge a book by its cover because again we get back to the statistics that 75 percent of all alcohol is consumed off premise. They go into town after pre-loading. They may not have even got into a licensed premises and yes there is a can in the street and yes there may be some vomit in the street.We are not condoning that behaviour at all but what we are saying is that it is very easy for the Greens to sit there and throw stones at the industry when in actual fact the problem is the overall binge-drinking culture because there is no personal responsibility. I would just like to come back to the bill now and settle myself down just a fraction—Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Good.CLAYTON MITCHELL: I can see the look of joy on your face Mr Deputy Speaker. The reality is the District Licensing Committee and the current legislation were designed to actually get engagement with the community. Those local alcohol policies that certain councils around the country have put together after consideration and consultation with the people within their community were designed for this very reason.A local alcohol policy could be designed to have a licensing closing time at midnight and an opening time at 10 a.m. or they could go to the standard operational hours of 4 a.m. closing if they decided not to get a local alcohol policy in and an 8 a.m. opening. I think the majority of councils around the country—those that could afford the time and the resources to put one together—either made up their own plan or adopted somebody else’s plan. That is vital. What we have around the country is a number of councils that have come out in support of these special licence applications. They have come out in support of these special licence applications going through the District Licensing Committee.However because of the ambiguity of this legislation the police have said that in terms of what makes and what constitutes a special licence they do not see a rugby match on the TV as being that special because anybody can get it. Our whole point is that we have got to make it so clear that there is no clunky ambiguity and so that the police know that New Year’s Eve is considered to be a special licence. So providing you stick within the laws of your licence you should be able to apply for it and comfortably understand that you are going to get it. So too it may warrant the Rugby World Cup which we are currently discussing here today. It may be the Olympics and it may be the FIFA World Cup. That is for the Government to decide instead of leaving it up to the ambiguity of the police councils or others.We do have some concerns. I have outlined those fears. It comes back to personal responsibility. We do want to just put one more point forward for the House to consider. We would like this Government to support New Zealand First’s policy to broadcast games of national significance live on free to air. We would like you to take on our policy to broadcast games of national significance live on free to air—games that the taxpayers are already paying for to support our rugby team and to support our netball teams.If you are talking about harm minimisation would that not be a panacea? Because people could actually stay at home on free to view and watch rugby in their own living room instead of packing on the jersey and popping down to the pub to watch it. There is the best of both worlds. Then clearly people back home can make a choice about whether they want to watch the game at the pub for the atmosphere or stay at home and watch the game for the atmosphere in their own home. [Interruption] They may be yelling and jeering and I cannot hear what you are saying as a lot of it—Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!CLAYTON MITCHELL: Yes I could hardly hear myself think Mr Deputy Speaker. Thank you very much. I can guarantee that in time this Government will support this bill but it will put it into its name and dress it up and try to say it was its own but you know that New Zealand First is saying this first and foremost because it is standing up for New Zealanders and the people who need it the most.[Interruption] Mr Bennett you know what you remind me of? You remind me of a funny bone which of course is an oxymoron. You are little bit “oxy” but mostly “moron”. Thank you.