Quinn Paul: Minimum Wage and Remuneration Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Quinn Paul: Minimum Wage and Remuneration Amendment Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:652;Page:1686] 
PAUL QUINN (National) 
: 
 I join my colleagues on this side of the House in opposing the Minimum Wage and Remuneration Amendment Bill. I start by making the observation that Darien Fenton in her opening remarks defending the bill made the observation—as I heard it—that she took over the bill when she entered this House in 2005. 
Aaron Gilmore 
: When? 
PAUL QUINN 
: It was 2005 I think. She gave the impression that she took it over from someone prior to that. So I am left wondering given the sincerity and forcefulness with which the previous speaker Parekura Horomia delivered his heartfelt concerns and given that as a former senior Minister in a Government that the people rejected very recently he had those feelings that were so passionately delivered here tonight why this bill was not supported by his Government. 
The bill has been left to sit since 2006—what a disgrace. Then we have the audacity of the previous Minister of Maori Affairs lecturing me about my people when he sat in the previous Government for three terms and did nothing—absolutely nothing. My first observation is that if the members of the Opposition are so sincere about supporting this bill now then I really question their integrity and honesty. 
Hon Member 
: Take a deep breath. 
PAUL QUINN 
: Parekura has got me excited. 
Hon Steve Chadwick 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. I wonder why we have to suffer the decibels from the member opposite. It is really quite hurtful to our ears over here. I urge you to ask the member to speak more moderately. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Rick Barker) 
: That is not a point of order. The member is entitled to debate in the debating chamber. This is a loud robust debate. I suggest that he has been encouraged to speak louder by the interjections from the Opposition benches. I think it is about one all. 
PAUL QUINN 
: I am sorry the Opposition junior whip is having problems with her hearing but she may take her leave if she wishes. The reality is that my ears are deaf from the pummelling they took from the previous speaker Parekura Horomia so I am not actually hearing myself properly. 
I will carry on. The second point I make is that this bill as it is now presented represents the moving feast of the Opposition being unable to decide what to support. We recently had a Supplementary Order Paper that changes the goalposts because the Opposition cannot decide what it is really pursuing. For that reason alone this bill should be rejected. 
Let those members opposite consider that the real reason I stand here is because I want to share with my colleagues on both sides of the Chamber the knowledge that some of the greatest pleasures I have ever enjoyed in life—certainly greater than representing the New Zealand Maori team on the rugby field— 
Hon Parekura Horomia 
: What have you done about the Maori team Paul Quinn? That’s a disgrace. 
PAUL QUINN 
: I knew that would get the member going. 
Some of the greatest pleasures I have had have been as a young master—an adolescent—working for my father on the farm doing the dipping and helping out in the woolshed in a “penny a pound” type of atmosphere. I was encouraged in my youth to work hard and I was rewarded for the number of sheep and lambs that I could catch and drench. The reward was at a piecemeal rate which was great. 
I look at the schedule here and see that most of the people mentioned are contractors—and they love to be contractors—such as for courier services.