Carter David: Public Finance (State Sector Management) Bill — In Committee 
Carter David: Public Finance (State Sector Management) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:622;Page:17916] 
Hon DAVID CARTER (National) 
: 
 I also want to speak to Rod Donald’s amendment to clause 199. I just imagine now in Auckland Judy Bailey pulling up to TVNZ’s office in her Audi convertible thinking that the first item on the news tonight will be that Rod Donald has successfully moved this dramatic amendment in Parliament today—this dramatic amendment whereby we are going to add the words “or registered building society”. What an achievement for a man who has been here for 6 years! Six long years! 
Simon Power 
: Eight! 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: Eight long years! Rod Donald has been here in this Parliament for 8 long years and he comes up with this dramatic amendment that can justify his— 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: He’s been working on it. 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: Yes he has. It must have taken him a long time. Not only does he achieve this monumental step in his parliamentary career but he takes the opportunity of revealing to Parliament today that he may have a vested interest because he has an account with a credit of $10 at the Southland Building Society. I say to Barry Coleman that as he is preparing the next NBR Rich List he needs to check out this man. He needs to check out Rod Donald and show what a remarkable capitalist that man has become and the progress he has made with this huge amendment in Parliament today. 
I also want to comment on the incredible contribution I heard from Gordon Copeland. He said he is supporting this legislation because it empowers a Crown entity to open a bank account. What are we doing rushing a bill of this size through Parliament today? Gordon Copeland says his party United Future is supporting it on the basis that he has found a clause in here that states that Crown entities must establish a bank account. 
I am more worried by the level of Government interference in Crown entities that can occur if this legislation is passed today. There are clauses like clause 213 “Minister of Finance instructions”. Subclause (1) states: “The Minister of Finance may issue instructions to Crown entities that—(a) prescribe minimum requirements … (b) prescribe the non-financial reporting standards …” etc. What we have seen over many years is the establishment of Crown enterprises as a means of getting politics out of their operations so that they can operate to the best economic performance and deliver to the shareholders—in other words the New Zealand taxpayers. But what this Government does with this legislation is put its ever-increasing political manipulation into the operation of State-owned enterprises and Crown entities. I say that is fundamentally wrong. We will see issues like the performance pay of Judy Bailey become something that is decreed by the degree of political embarrassment that the Prime Minister feels. She appointed every one of the board members of Television New Zealand. They are all well and truly recognised as Labour Party lackeys. 
Russell Fairbrother 
: Did the Lyttelton voters appoint you? 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: No. The Lyttelton voters do not exist. The electorate I tell that member is actually Banks Peninsula. It is a Labour electorate and I am proud to represent the people who have the sense to vote for me every time we have a general election. 
Rod Donald 
: And you lost that seat. 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: Rod Donald has stood in that electorate on four occasions and he hardly gets his deposit back so he can chip in all he likes. I will make one guarantee to Rod Donald: he will never win the Banks Peninsula electorate as long as— 
Brian Connell 
: He’ll never win an electorate. 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: That is true—but he may now because of this remarkable development today. He has done a deal with Labour. He has said the Greens will support the urgency motion and will let Labour rush this huge bill through Parliament provided that he can have the audacity to include the words “or registered building society” in clause 199. I say to the Committee that it should take note of this monumental achievement from the Green member Rod Donald. He has been here a long time and has achieved very very little but today he has his first significant win and the words “or registered building society” will now be included in the legislation.