Mitchell ClaytonCLAYTON MITCHELL (NZ First): I have to say I had to rush through a bit of dinner because I was not expecting the last bill to go through quite so quickly—there were only a couple of speakers and it was about 30 minutes. So anyway I have rushed back and got all my notes and I think I am ready to go. Good news: we will be supporting this bill through this Committee of the whole House stage.David Bennett: Ha ha! That's not a New Zealand first?CLAYTON MITCHELL: Despite what my colleague over there—my less learned colleague over there—thinks we do actually like to support good solid robust discussion and also good bills. To be fair when we spoke on the second part of this legislation we said that we were considering a Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) and I have to give accolades to Nikki Kaye's office for contacting New Zealand First and myself directly with regard to a potential SOP from New Zealand First. I tell you what it is the first time actually—oh no the second time; Amy Adams has also done it. I am very very congratulatory—if that is a word; I think I might have made that up. It is a good thing actually. So I actually replied with a No. We won't be putting an SOP in but we will be supporting Clare Curran's SOP." and we did have some discussion around clause 19 in regard to the timing of things and that information that is going to be coming out.I do have to point out that we would like to see this hurried along. I know it is on the Order Paper quite high up and we would like to see it moved through. As much as Gerry Brownlee is probably disappointed that we are not going to continue on all night with this we would like to see it put through under urgency because the second phase of this legislation which is talking about large-scale events large earthquakes like Christchurch is really what we need to focus on. And as the climate is changing around the planet we are certainly seeing a lot more small-scale localised events and floods and slips and slides and all the other things that create all these problems. So anything that we can do to expedite that through to make sure that we are well prepared for those weather conditions and those civil defence emergencies the better.We would certainly like to see the time frames of this—I think it is 180 days after receiving the Royal assent—potentially expedited by the Minister. If the Minister would like to say the reason why the select committee is bringing it out to 180 days after the Royal assent is achieved to actually bring this into force—we have seen this Government putting bills through the House when we have felt that there has been unnecessary speed and haste. We have seen it do that. And on occasions where we can see the necessity for something to be expedited it seems to go quite slowly. So if the Minister could answer as to why it is going to take 180 days after the Royal assent to come through—if there is a good reason for that as to why we cannot actually push it through.Obviously the second part of the commencement date is around that provision in clause 19 and some further clarification required about the civil defence emergency management groups' responsibilities in building on their plans. I know the Minister has got plenty of experience with civil defence emergencies because he has been heavily involved with that down there in Christchurch. Some may beg the question whether he has or not but I believe he has probably been working down there day in day out. That takes me to another part of the bill which is around transitional notices. My staple fell out of my pages so I am going to have to sort of dig through them until I can find them if you can just bear with me for a moment.Transitional notices are a good thing. The national transitional notice for the 90 days gives provisions to the Minister to extend that quite simply and also to add to that to make sure that they can actually shorten them if required if the clean-up gets resolved quickly. And of course the Minister has the right to actually cease the civil defence transitional notice period. With local issues where you have got a 28-day transitional period again this ensures that the Minister makes it a priority to contact the local mayors or local civil defence emergency management groups or the council etc. to ensure that they are on top of things before they actually call it short on a local emergency. We see it as quite a good provision.All in all we certainly will be supporting this through. As I say our big issue is making sure that this is transferred through this Committee rapidly and is implemented as quickly as practicably possible. We have not heard anything in the way of negativity towards this and New Zealand First will certainly be supporting positive good legislation that helps our communities rebuild in times of need. Thank you."