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Young Jonathan: Organised Crime and Anti-corruption Legislation Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeYoung Jonathan: Organised Crime and Anti-corruption Legislation Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 04 November 2014. Volume:701;Page:514. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]JONATHAN YOUNG (National—New Plymouth):Good afternoon Mr Assistant Speaker Mallard. This is my first occasion to congratulate you on your very elevated position.I am very happy to stand in support of the Organised Crime and Anti-corruption Legislation Bill. It is a bill that is going to continue to enhance New Zealand’s reputation as being a country in the world that has a very strong and good reputation regarding law and order issues and also a country that protects its integrity around issues concerning organised crime and anti-corruption legislation. It is important to have pieces of legislation like this which harmonise us with our key trading partners and nations overseas because increasingly organised crime is becoming a borderless global issue.New Zealand law enforcement agencies are regularly being asked to contribute to overseas investigations of organised criminal activity and therefore we need to be up with the play in terms of not only our legislation law enforcement but also the technologies that protect our societies. It is very important that we do this because we know that organised criminal networks and operations are opportunistic and highly adaptable moving rapidly to any perceived vulnerabilities in legal frameworks or in technology trade or financial systems. It is important to have that level of integrity in order that we are not seen as a vulnerable place or an easy place for crime to make its home.Our comprehensive approach to fighting all forms of organised crime will help safeguard New Zealand’s economy now and into the future our international reputation and also public safety. We have a zero-tolerance approach to domestic corruption. New Zealand and its institutions are consistently perceived as the least corrupt in the world. We are highly ranked on several integrity measures including first equal out of 182 countries in Transparency International’s 2013 Corruption Perceptions Index and first out of 132 countries in the 2014 Social Progress Index. So we can be proud as a nation of those achievements and those standings. We must however continue this work that we do in order to protect our country from corruption organised crime and money-laundering. I commend this bill to the House.
Bakshi Kanwaljit Singh: Organised Crime and Anti-corruption Legislation Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeBakshi Kanwaljit Singh: Organised Crime and Anti-corruption Legislation Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 04 November 2014. Volume:701;Page:511. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI (National):Thank you for the opportunity to speak during the first reading of the Organised Crime and Anti-corruption Legislation Bill. This legislation will further strengthen our reputation as one of the least corrupt countries in the world. Our law enforcement institutions are dealing with regular requests from counterparts across the globe to provide or contribute to information. We have come to learn that the people who want to funnel money illegally look for loopholes in the system to do so. For New Zealand this National Government is working tirelessly to maintain our corruption-free brand name. National recognises however that there is a still a risk of organised crime therefore we take it very seriously and understand we must remain vigilant. However despite our best efforts we will need to continuously be vigilant towards preventing organised crime.The current legislation will ensure we will comply with international legislation in this area. The bill also brings New Zealand domestic law into line with the United Nations Convention Against Corruption and the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions. Further this legislation provides us with the instruments to deal with international as well as domestic crime circuits. Regardless of how much we do criminals will always try to cheat the system. Therefore we must constantly keep ourselves a step ahead of our competition in dealing with such matters operationally and legislatively.There are two points that I would like to bring your attention to. This bill will be amending the people-trafficking offence so that it applies to such activities in New Zealand and not just when victims are moved in or out of the country. This bill will be amending the Policing Act 2008 to expressly provide police with the power to share information with their international counterparts. This is very important because sometimes the timely passing of the information may stop a crime. With these words I commend this bill to the House.
Smith Nick: Standards and Accreditation Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeSmith Nick: Standards and Accreditation Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 04 November 2014. Volume:701;Page:503. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister for the Environment)on behalf of theMinister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs: I move That the Standards and Accreditation Bill be reported back to the House by 31 March 2015.Motion agreed to.
Hayes Joanne: Standards and Accreditation Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHayes Joanne: Standards and Accreditation Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 04 November 2014. Volume:701;Page:503. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]JOANNE HAYES (National):Kia ora Mr Assistant Speaker. I stand for a very short call on this bill. I want to support this bill. This is a great achievement for our new Minister Paul Goldsmith. I have no doubt that it will be one of many bills that will come through this House. So without any further ado I support this bill. Thank you.Bill read a first time.Bill referred to the Commerce Committee.
O'Connor Simon: Standards and Accreditation Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeO'Connor Simon: Standards and Accreditation Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 04 November 2014. Volume:701;Page:500. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]SIMON O’CONNOR (National—Tāmaki):I am pleased to rise to speak briefly to this bill. I need to respond to Chris Hipkins my colleague across the House. I think the standards of this Government have been incredibly high and have been well recognised—accredited if you would like—with an almost 50 percent vote to return us here to the House. So you could not get a higher accreditation. I will not though make a contrast with the other side.This is an important bill. I am very pleased to see that there is a range of support across the House and I commend it to the House.
Mathers Mojo: Standards and Accreditation Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMathers Mojo: Standards and Accreditation Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 04 November 2014. Volume:701;Page:498. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]MOJO MATHERS (Green):I rise to speak in support of the Standards and Accreditation Bill. As my colleague James Shaw has indicated we will support this bill’s referral to a select committee. As our spokesperson for consumer affairs I am very aware that this bill has the potential to impact on all areas of New Zealand society. It may have a dry name but it is absolutely critical law.At the moment we have over 3000 New Zealand standards and we are looking at over 50000 more from overseas. These standards play a critical role because they are clear and confident. They set health and safety standards they ensure that products are reliable and that they are safe to use they can minimise risk in a disaster and so on. It is incredibly important that we can have faith in the regulatory body that oversees the setting and implementation of these standards because we rely on these standards to keep us safe as consumers. They set the standards for playgrounds for electrical equipment for banking—for all areas of our lives. To do that we need to have trust that the relevant expertise has been drawn upon in the setting of the standards and that the people involved have high standards of integrity and are trusted by all of society.It is also incredibly important that the ability to set and maintain the standards is flexible enough to take into account modern innovation and that it updates to reflect the changing needs of different consumers. One area in particular that I have been involved in around standards of course has been standard 4121 in the building industry which sets the standards around accessibility. That standard has stagnated and has not been updated to reflect the changes in wheelchair sizes scooters and so on and also modern innovation. So people have been very very frustrated with the slow pace to update that standard and I am sure that as with the other standards people have been really frustrated that the necessary updating of the standard has not appeared in a timely fashion. We hope that the restructure will allow for a more rapid response to changing consumer needs.It is also incredibly important that we hear from the people who are involved with the setting and maintenance of these standards including people like health and safety representatives councils the regulatory body and consumers themselves as well as people from the industry as to how they perceive the current system is working and how this bill will make things better for them. It is an incredibly important bill and it is incredibly important that we get this restructuring right. So we support the bill’s referral to a select committee but we will be listening very carefully to the feedback from submitters. Thank you.
Bakshi Kanwaljit Singh: Standards and Accreditation Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeBakshi Kanwaljit Singh: Standards and Accreditation Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 04 November 2014. Volume:701;Page:498. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI (National):Thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the first reading of the Standards and Accreditation Bill. As consumers we have minimum expectations of a product or a service. These expectations are what we have come to know as standards. Standards ensure that consumers can buy a product or service with confidence and businesses can market and sell their products and services with confidence knowing that these products meet the customers’ expectations as well as health and safety requirements. The Standards and Accreditation Bill follows a comprehensive review to ensure that our standards system is independent and sustainable. With these words I commend this bill to the House.
Hudson Brett: Standards and Accreditation Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHudson Brett: Standards and Accreditation Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 04 November 2014. Volume:701;Page:495. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]BRETT HUDSON (National):It is a privilege to be able to stand and speak in favour of this bill at its first reading. This National Government is focused on boosting growth and on creating more and higher-paying jobs. Standards contribute to a more productive and more competitive economy. They improve the safety and reliability of many goods and services used by consumers and businesses every day.This Standards and Accreditation Bill is part of our Business Growth Agenda and it strengthens the development and delivery of New Zealand standards. A well-managed standards system builds innovation by facilitating the creation and diffusion of technology by codifying technical excellence and by protecting that which New Zealand businesses create. Secondly the arrangements that are proposed support exports by preserving New Zealand’s connections to international standards organisations and ensuring that the expectations of the international community are met.I would like to commend the pragmatism and insight of the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs in proposing under this bill the independence that matters the most: statutory independence of the board and of the executive officer. Granting them that statutory independence will mean that both can operate with neither fear nor favour of any undue influence—or any influence at all in fact—from the responsible Minister from officials or indeed from the department they might share quarters with.But I tell you what: that is a very pragmatic decision because the alternative of course would simply be to squander taxpayer money on duplicate systems duplicate real estate and duplicate facilities for no good purpose. It would give nothing greater to the powers or to the actions and outcomes of either that board or that individual if they happened to be housed in their own building. But what I would say is that by locating the function within the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment it is anticipated that it will ensure that the standards that they are working on reviewing proposing and approving are linked more effectively to the innovation the economic growth and the international trade that this country is seeking to expand upon. So I do congratulate the Minister on a very pragmatic approach to very important issues.I would also like to comment very briefly on the cost recovery measure that has been proposed. That is going to strengthen the ability of the NZ Standards Executive to set fees that have regard to equity efficiency transparency and flexibility. It will also make sure that the standards that we develop and need to maintain are in fact adequately catered for and that both his role and the board’s role can be discharged effectively. So I would just like to conclude by saying that I think this is a sound and pragmatic bill. I commend it to the House. Thank you.
Barclay Todd: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeBarclay Todd: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 04 November 2014. Volume:701;Page:487. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]12.TODD BARCLAY (National—Clutha-Southland)to the Minister of Energy and Resources: What update can he give on Government-funded renewable energy initiatives?Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Minister of Energy and Resources):Last week I was pleased to welcome and support the launch of New Zealand’s first region-wide wood energy heat hub in Southland. The Wood Energy South hub is a joint venture between the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority and Venture Southland that will see them partner with local businesses schools and health care facilities to help them convert to cleaner renewable wood energy. The hub will also work with forestry companies and fuel suppliers to establish a sustainable supply chain using some of the 300000 tonnes of wood waste generated in Southland each year. This is a unique opportunity for Southland to be a leader in the use of the renewable energy.Todd Barclay: What savings are expected as a result of the Wood Energy South hub initiative in Southland?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: From a modest investment by the Government of $1.5 million with private investment expected to at least match this funding we expect up to 8000 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year could be saved. This is equivalent to taking 2500 cars off the road. The renewable heat hub initiative is just one of four programmes the Government has committed $5 million to to encourage businesses to become more energy efficient and reduce their carbon footprints.
Stewart Barbara: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeStewart Barbara: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 04 November 2014. Volume:701;Page:486. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]10.BARBARA STEWART (NZ First)to the Minister for ACC: What is ACC’s latest estimate of fraud occurring within the scheme and what percentage of this fraud is being detected?Hon NIKKI KAYE (Minister for ACC):I am advised that ACC estimates fraud by a measure that looks at projected savings made as a result of fraud investigations. For the 2013-14 financial year ACC identified projected savings to the scheme due to fraud investigations of $23.6 million. If the member was to compare this in terms of total claims paid $23 million would represent about 0.8 percent.Barbara Stewart: How many staff does ACC have to counter fraud within the scheme?Hon NIKKI KAYE: Forty.Barbara Stewart: What confidence can the public have in ACC estimates of fraud given the recent New Zealand Herald revelation of a draft Serious Fraud Office report indicating fraud on a massive scale with the ACC scheme and the poor performance in this area of the former Minister for ACC?Hon NIKKI KAYE: I believe that the public can actually have huge confidence. As I said before in the House that was a survey of about 2000 files and what was very clear was that that was not 8 to 10 percent in terms of fraudulent files; that was 8 to 10 percent of files that needed another look. Just to give the member an explanation on that it might be that they saw an increase in billing hours for example but when they looked behind that they saw a range of reasons—perhaps more people were employed. So I think people can have a lot of confidence that that was a ropey report and that ACC is doing a huge amount in this area.
Bakshi Kanwaljit Singh: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeBakshi Kanwaljit Singh: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 04 November 2014. Volume:701;Page:485. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]9.KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI (National)to the Minister of Corrections: How is the Department of Corrections working to meet the Government’s Better Public Services target of reducing re-offending by 25 percent by 2017?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA (Minister of Corrections):The Department of Corrections is working hard through a targeted and innovative programme of initiatives to meet our Better Public Services target of reducing reoffending by 25 percent by 2017. This will mean 4600 fewer offenders returning to the corrections system and 18500 fewer victims of crime by 2017. We are doing that by investing in programmes such as increased alcohol and drug abuse treatment greater access to education skills training employment programmes expanded reintegration services and innovative rehabilitation programmes for prisoners. We are committed to working with our partners in the community and across the justice public and private sectors to move people away from a life of crime and ultimately away from a life in prison.Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi: Why is alcohol and drug abuse treatment so important in helping to reduce reoffending?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: Good question. Drug and alcohol abuse is a major driver of crime. More than half of New Zealand prisoners have substance abuse problems and more than 50 percent of crime is committed by people under the influence of drugs and alcohol. We have made remarkable progress to date on tackling this issue. In 2013-14 alone there were 24678 alcohol and other drug interventions delivered to prisoners and community-based offenders. This is a 95 percent increase on the previous year and a 105-fold increase on interventions delivered in 2008 under the Labour Government. As the new Minister I will be putting a special focus on these particular programmes by tackling this issue and breaking the cycle of dependence. We can help people lead a life free of crime once they leave prison.
Lee Melissa: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeLee Melissa: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 04 November 2014. Volume:701;Page:483. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]7.MELISSA LEE (National)to the Minister for Communications: What recent reports has she received on the use of broadband internet by New Zealanders?Hon AMY ADAMS (Minister for Communications):Last month Statistics New Zealand released its annual internet service provider survey. This report shows the rapid change occurring. In just the last year New Zealand has tripled the number of fibre connections. Internet speeds are increasing with twice the number of New Zealanders now able to access speeds over 24 megabits per second. We are using twice as much data. Businesses have also grabbed the opportunity that greater connectivity provides with a tenfold increase in connections with large data plans. These results reiterate the importance of this Government’s $2 billion commitment to faster broadband.Hon David Cunliffe: How’s the update going?Hon AMY ADAMS: Very well thank you Mr Cunliffe.Melissa Lee: What further steps is the Government taking to ensure a greater number of New Zealanders have access to faster internet and improved connectivity?Hon AMY ADAMS: Although the statistics are improving we think that more can be done to ensure as many New Zealanders as possible have access to improved broadband services. Our ultra-fast broadband and Rural Broadband Initiative programmes are ahead of schedule and within budget and during the election National promised to extend the successful ultra-fast broadband programme to reach at least 80 percent of New Zealanders an extra 200000 people. We also promised to invest an additional $150 million in rural connectivity covering improved rural connectivity and a $50 million investment for mobile blackspots. This new investment will build on the already strong increase in connectivity that this Government is delivering.
Foster-Bell Paul: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeFoster-Bell Paul: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 04 November 2014. Volume:701;Page:480. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]4.PAUL FOSTER-BELL (National)to the Minister of Science and Innovation: What recent investment has the Government made in high-quality investigator-led research?Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister of Science and Innovation):Earlier today I announced the results of the latest round of the Marsden Fund. A total of 101 projects from many of New Zealand’s top researchers have been approved and will receive between them $56 million in funding from Marsden Fund grants over the next 3 years. The Marsden Fund which is administered by the Royal Society of New Zealand on behalf of the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment aims to enhance the quality of research and support the advancement of scientific knowledge in New Zealand. Since we came into Government we have increased our support for this fund by 38 percent despite the global financial crisis from just under $38 million annually in 2008 to $52.4 million annually this year.Paul Foster-Bell: What sorts of programmes will receive Marsden Fund grants?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Interest in the Marsden Fund continues to grow with 1222 applications received for this round. The level of competition has resulted in a high degree of quality amongst the 101 successful applicants in diverse areas such as investigating the behaviour of atoms and molecules under extreme pressure and temperature exploring the higher incidence of heart failure in diabetics fine-scale imaging of the Alpine Fault and probing the origins of high-energy cosmic rays. Through our support for the Marsden Fund we are investing in high-quality investigator-led research to generate new knowledge which creates long-term benefits for this country.Paul Foster-Bell: Why is investigator-led research so important?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Excellence in research is key to New Zealand becoming a more innovative nation. Encouraging investigator-led research through the Marsden Fund and other programmes is instrumental in further developing advanced research skills and helping attract and retain top research talent for New Zealand. Although the value of a project might not always be clear at the outset investigator-led research generates ideas expands the knowledge base and contributes to the development of our skill base. It is part of the balanced approach that this Government is taking to science and innovation funding.
Vote: Employment Relations Amendment Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeVote: Employment Relations Amendment Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:459. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]A party votewas called for on the questionThat the Employment Relations Amendment Bill be now read a third time.Ayes62New Zealand National 60; ACT New Zealand 1; United Future 1.Noes58New Zealand Labour 32; Green Party 13; New Zealand First 11; Māori Party 2.Bill read a third time.
Vote: Address in ReplyText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeVote: Address in Reply[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:437. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]A party votewas called for on the questionThat a respectful Address be presented to His Excellency the Governor-General in reply to His Excellency’s speech.Ayes64New Zealand National 60; Māori Party 2; ACT New Zealand 1; United Future 1.Noes57New Zealand Labour 32; Green Party 14; New Zealand First 11.Address in Reply agreed to.
Vote: Address in ReplyText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeVote: Address in Reply[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:437. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]A party votewas called for on the questionThat the following words be added to the Address: “and expects over the next 3 years to see every child grow up in a warm dry home; the number of affordable homes built increased; every New Zealander have access to affordable healthcare; wages for all rising faster than the cost of living; jobs created and unemployment back under 4 percent; exports increased as a percentage of GDP; the economy diversified towards value-added goods and services; economic and social inequality reduced; targets to measure and reduce child poverty; a cross-party approach to addressing domestic and sexual violence; real measures to target climate change and improve our sustainability; a plan for the recovery of Canterbury; and the Government to be guided in their work by the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi; because without these commitments and goals New Zealand will not grow or move forward to the future New Zealanders deserve.”Ayes57New Zealand Labour 32; Green Party 14; New Zealand First 11.Noes64New Zealand National 60; Māori Party 2; ACT New Zealand 1; United Future 1.Amendment not agreed to.
Mallard Trevor: Sittings of the HouseText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMallard Trevor: Sittings of the House[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:473. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Trevor Mallard): Well I will put the leave to the House but I do note that I would otherwise have had to call out of retirement my old friend Tau Henare who was interrupted mid-call as he retired. Is there any objection to the House rising? There is no objection.
Macindoe Tim: Sittings of the HouseText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMacindoe Tim: Sittings of the House[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:472. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]TIM MACINDOE (Senior Whip—National):The House has made excellent progress this week and as it is 1 minute to 6 I seek leave to rise early.
Macindoe Tim: Third Readings —Text is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMacindoe Tim: Third Readings —[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:472. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]TIM MACINDOE (National—Hamilton West):Notwithstanding Mr Nash’s long list of indiscretions this has been a mostly intelligent debate. I thank all members for their constructive contributions and if I stop now we will get the vote in before the House rises.Bills read a third time.
Mallard Trevor: Third Readings —Text is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMallard Trevor: Third Readings —[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:472. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Trevor Mallard):The member’s time is expired.
Parmar Parmjeet: Third Readings —Text is incorporated into the Bound VolumeParmar Parmjeet: Third Readings —[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:470. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Dr PARMJEET PARMAR (National):I congratulate you Mr Assistant Speaker Mallard on your election. My views on the legislation arising from the Accounting Infrastructure Reform Bill equal those of my colleagues. This legislation aligns with the Government’s Business Growth Agenda as it proposes a number of important changes to enable more efficiency and effectiveness and also an improved international outlook. It is a great pleasure to commend this legislation to the House. Thank you.
Bakshi Kanwaljit Singh: Third Readings —Text is incorporated into the Bound VolumeBakshi Kanwaljit Singh: Third Readings —[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:468. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI (National):Mr Assistant Speaker it is my pleasure to take a call my first call in your presence as a presiding officer. I congratulate you. I look forward to the day when a member tests your patience and you send him or her out of this House. It will be a real pleasure to see that.The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Trevor Mallard): The odds would not be high on that member.KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI: I would love to do that.It is my pleasure to take this call on the legislation arising out of the Accounting Infrastructure Reform Bill. It is part of the Government’s Business Growth Agenda. It is wonderful legislation that the Commerce Committee which I was a part of did a lot of work on. I commend this legislation to the House. Thank you.
Shaw James: Third Readings —Text is incorporated into the Bound VolumeShaw James: Third Readings —[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:465. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]JAMES SHAW (Green):The assurance industry is a critical component of our economic framework. The idea that there is a trusted independent watchdog of the public interest underpins investor confidence and ensures financial probity on behalf of our country’s leading institutions. New Zealand has generally been isolated from the kinds of catastrophic audit failures such as Enron and WorldCom that shook up the industry and led to such restructuring back in the early 2000s.When the Accounting Infrastructure Reform Bill first came before the House we did have a number of concerns. Although not opposed to widening the pool of people who are able to perform audits we did have a concern that in New Zealand’s comparatively light regulatory environment there was some risk that to do so would lower the quality of audits being performed.Second we were concerned that the regulatory impact statements indicated that there was little or no evidence that the proposed changes would bring about the benefits that we were looking for such as quality audits or being aligned with other jurisdictions. Many of those benefits could be achieved if we were to move to a co-regulatory regime such as in the UK or a direct regulatory regime such as that in Australia—which are two of our major trading partners—rather than retaining the relatively light self-regulatory environment that New Zealand has.Our third main concern was that really this represented a bit of a missed opportunity for a broader review of New Zealand’s regulatory environment in the wake of the global financial crisis and domestic finance sector meltdowns. However obviously the bill contained a number of other measures that we supported such as introducing the requirement for financial statements of medium and large sized charities.However we heard the submissions and we were assured that the proposed changes are relatively minor and will not substantially change the status quo within the confines of the current framework. We do still hold the concern that the current framework which relies on self-regulation is out of line with some of our major trading partners—for example Australia and the United Kingdom—and that a co-regulatory or direct regulatory framework such as those employed would reduce economic risk in New Zealand. However given that the changes in the final set of bills do have the support of all submitters and that if enacted they do seem to make our regulatory framework more efficient and more effective we are supporting these bills. Thank you.
Williamson Maurice: Third Readings —Text is incorporated into the Bound VolumeWilliamson Maurice: Third Readings —[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:464. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon MAURICE WILLIAMSON (National—Pakuranga):Mr Assistant Speaker I will not trouble you with using the entire time and then having to put up with that dreadfully flatulent sound that you were making over there before because of your squeaker—Hon Ruth Dyson: Oh that’s outrageous.Hon MAURICE WILLIAMSON: Well it is not outrageous. If you had heard the sound he made you would know what I was talking about.In the words of Henry VIII when he was speaking to Anne of Cleves I will not keep you long but I will just talk about a few things and they are to do with the changing world we live in. As a young man growing up in Matamata I used to go with my dad to see the local accountant. He had a big Friden machine. It was big with buttons down and with big handles and you turned them all and it kept adding things up. That is where we were just during my lifetime. No such thing—Kris Faafoi: When was that?Hon MAURICE WILLIAMSON: That was in the 1960s—the early 1960s. So that is how far we have gone now where most accounting is done online. It is done through phenomenal companies like Xero that wonderful New Zealand-based accounting firm which is taking on the world.I give notice to this House that we will probably be back here many times in future years changing the law again because what used to be a set in the office with the armbands up and the quill pen and the Friden machine is now going to become a global service like a whole lot of other industries. We need to open up our minds and get rid of all the shackles that have stopped some of those people growing. The more we can open it up to the rest of the world to participate and the more we can open it up for New Zealand accountants to participate in the rest of the world we will be doing the whole country a great service.So it is part of the Business Growth Agenda and it is something that is well and truly overdue. I tell this House that we will be back in many years to come doing the next tranche and the next tranche as accounting changes before our very eyes and morphs into forms that we have yet to be able to even understand. I support the legislation.
Hudson Brett: Third Readings —Text is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHudson Brett: Third Readings —[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:462. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]BRETT HUDSON (National):I rise with great pleasure to take this short call to commend this legislation—the bills arising from the Accounting Infrastructure Reform Bill—in its third readings in the House. It is a pleasure too that I am speaking on legislation that has broad support across the House. I recall watching this legislation being debated in the Committee of the whole House and it is fair to say that it was treated very much with multipartisan support which was great to see. Although this particular legislation is not perhaps as sexy as some other areas of legislation are reputed to be it is indeed important legislation and in fact it has some important changes.This Government is focused on our Business Growth Agenda as a policy engine to drive growth in this country to provide higher-paying and more jobs. That includes things like investing in infrastructure investing in skills opening new markets harnessing our natural resources and also strengthening our capital markets which is where this legislation and these changes sit.What is most important and what I talk about today is confidence: confidence from investors confidence from lenders and confidence that will translate to market conditions that will mean that our businesses can find people to invest in them they can borrow money to grow and in growing they will create more jobs. They will be able to strengthen their businesses and they will be able to pay people more.This is the third part of a legislative programme promoting fair transparent and efficient markets. The programme had the Financial Markets Conduct Act to give confidence in market behaviours. It had the Financial Reporting Act which improved transparency and also removed some costly complexity for smaller companies. That is always very pleasing to see.This legislation of course improves efficiency. It realigns the structure of the audit and accounting industry so that participants can adapt more quickly in an evolving environment and it provides a more competitive and efficient accounting market that will ensure better business advice for New Zealand firms. This will improve confidence in capital markets and it will support our economic growth and that ultimately delivers more prosperity for New Zealanders.This legislation will also improve competition and our international outlook in our market. I am pleased to say that it has tidied up some areas that were obviously of concern to the industry and to businesses as well as to members within this House obviously. The Registrar of Companies now has some criteria to use when considering applications for approval for people as qualified auditors who are overseas individuals. I am very pleased to see that it also addressed an issue that was raised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants around making sure that statutory audits could still be performed. It is my great pleasure to commend this legislation to the House. Thank you.
Guy Nathan: Third Readings —Text is incorporated into the Bound VolumeGuy Nathan: Third Readings —[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:459. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon NATHAN GUY (Minister for Primary Industries)on behalf of theMinister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs: I move That the Auditor Regulation Amendment Bill the Charities Amendment Bill (No 3) the Financial Reporting Amendment Bill and the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants Amendment Bill be now read a third time. The legislation arising from the Accounting Infrastructure Reform Bill will enable the accounting and audit industry to be more effective and more efficient. This Government has progressed a raft of important changes for the Business Growth Agenda which began with the passing of the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013 and the Financial Reporting Act 2013.The Financial Markets Conduct Act ensures financial markets are fairer. It regulates how financial products are offered promoted issued and sold to support confident and informed market participation. The Financial Reporting Act improves transparency. It has reformed reporting obligations by removing the requirement for smaller companies to produce complex financial statements. It allows shareholders of small and medium sized companies to decide whether the company must prepare financial statements enabling companies to better direct resources where the need is greatest growing their businesses. The accounting infrastructure legislation is the third step and will build on these improvements. It will realign the structure of the audit and accounting industry so that participants are able to quickly adapt in an evolving environment. A more competitive and efficient accounting market will ensure better business advice for New Zealand firms while a robust audit industry will provide improved assurance for users of financial statements building confidence in our financial markets.Together these pieces of legislation will encourage the confident and informed participation of businesses investors and consumers in the financial markets. They support a key plank of the Government’s Business Growth Agenda—that is the development of our capital markets by promoting fair transparent and efficient financial markets. I thank all the submitters who took the time to contribute to this very important legislation. I commend these bills to the House.
Mallard Trevor: Employment Relations Amendment Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMallard Trevor: Employment Relations Amendment Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:459. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Trevor Mallard): Is there any objection? [Interruption] I am just checking—do you have permission?Phil Twyford: Yes.The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Trevor Mallard): Is there any objection? There is no objection. The documents will be tabled.Documents by leave laid on the Table of the House.
Twyford Phil: Employment Relations Amendment Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeTwyford Phil: Employment Relations Amendment Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:459. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]PHIL TWYFORD (Labour—Te Atatū):I seek leave of the House to table the payslips employment contract and daily timesheets of Charles Finlay a forestry worker who died at work.
Tisch Lindsay: Employment Relations Amendment Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeTisch Lindsay: Employment Relations Amendment Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:455. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch): Just before I call the honourable member we are having trouble here with the bell so I will call out “2 minutes to go” if you last that long.
Tisch Lindsay: Employment Relations Amendment Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeTisch Lindsay: Employment Relations Amendment Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:453. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch): The member’s time has expired.
Tisch Lindsay: Employment Relations Amendment Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeTisch Lindsay: Employment Relations Amendment Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:452. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch): I will just explain the new procedures for this Parliament. The 9th call will always be a split call. The Green Party will get the first call. My comments are probably directed to the Labour members. Call No. 9 from now on is going to be a split call and the Green Party will always get the first call. The other 5-minute call goes to a Government support party not necessarily to the Government but to a Government support party. If the Government support party does not take the call it goes to the Labour Party. I am calling Su’a William Sio—5 minutes.
Tisch Lindsay: Employment Relations Amendment Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeTisch Lindsay: Employment Relations Amendment Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:451. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch): I call Catherine Delahunty—5 minutes.
Scott Alastair: Employment Relations Amendment Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeScott Alastair: Employment Relations Amendment Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:450. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]ALASTAIR SCOTT (National—Wairarapa):It gives me great pleasure to speak on the first occasion post - my maiden speech yesterday in support of the Employment Relations Amendment Bill. I have heard the Opposition talk negatively trying to concern us by scaring the general public around health and safety issues and talking about Jetstar planes potentially crashing. That is just nonsense. This bill does not override any health and safety obligations of any employer. This is about giving flexibility and giving some reality to what is actually happening out there already today.I will give you a very simple example. I have employees of my own who spray when the weather is fine. These guys are flexible and pragmatic about their working conditions. We have agreed that they will continue to work and spray when the weather is calm and obviously take their break when the wind picks up or the rain starts to fall. That is what is happening out there today and this bill reflects what is real. These guys over here do not understand the realities of the workplace. They do not understand what flexibility really is required in the workplace so that is why I am here today supporting this amendment bill.I am going to talk about the flexibility that is required to reflect the balance between the needs of the employees and the needs of the employers. I reject the scaremongering tactics employed by the Opposition regarding health and safety. It is a non-event. It is not an issue. I commend the flexibility that this bill allows. Remember there is an obligation to negotiate contracts in good faith and that remains. The employer is not able to walk away as the Opposition suggests. Good faith means just that. It means sitting at the table negotiating hard and finding a practical and real solution to the employer-employee relationship. Thank you for this opportunity today. I support this bill wholeheartedly.
Tisch Lindsay: Employment Relations Amendment Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeTisch Lindsay: Employment Relations Amendment Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:448. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch): The member must call out “Mr Speaker” or if we are in Committee “Mr Chairman”. I call Clayton Mitchell.
Bridges Simon: Address in Reply — Presentation to Governor-GeneralText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeBridges Simon: Address in Reply — Presentation to Governor-General[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:438. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Deputy Leader of the House):I move That Mr Speaker accompanied by the mover and seconder and other members of this House do present the said Address to His Excellency the Governor-General at a place and time to be appointed by His Excellency.Motion agreed to.
Carter David: Address in Reply — Presentation to Governor-GeneralText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeCarter David: Address in Reply — Presentation to Governor-General[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:438. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Mr SPEAKER: The address is as follows:ADDRESS FROM THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVEStoHis Excellency Lieutenant General The Right Honourable Sir Jerry Mateparae Chancellor and Principal Knight Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit Principal Companion of The Queen’s Service Order Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief in and over New Zealand.YOUR EXCELLENCY—WE the House of Representatives thank you for the speech addressed to us when you opened this Fifty-first Parliament.We assure you that the matters referred to in your speech will receive our careful consideration.Ko te tūmanako nei kia mahi tahi tātou katoa.[Our hope is that we will work together.]Address agreed to.
Carter David: Address in ReplyText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeCarter David: Address in Reply[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:437. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Mr SPEAKER: I thank the member. She is a new member so I have allowed for this to be sorted out with some patience. The vote as announced therefore stands.
Fox Marama: Address in ReplyText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeFox Marama: Address in Reply[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:437. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]MARAMA FOX (Māori Party):Kia ora Mr Speaker. The phone has told me again that we are two votes opposing it which I thought was right in the first place but the phone told me otherwise.