edithatogo/nz-hansard-corpus huggingface dataset:
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That the Business Payment Practices Bill be now read a second time.Ayes 75New Zealand Labour 62; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 9; Te Paati Māori 2; Kerekere; Whaitiri.Noes 39New Zealand National 29; ACT New Zealand 10.Motion agreed to.Bill read a second time.
Business Payment Practices Bill — Second Reading
Accident Compensation (Access Reporting and Other Matters) Amendment Bill — Third Reading
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That the Accident Compensation (Access Reporting and Other Matters) Amendment Bill be now read a third time.Ayes 75New Zealand Labour 62; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 9; Te Paati Māori 2; Kerekere; Whaitiri.Noes 41New Zealand National 31; ACT New Zealand 10.Motion agreed to.Bill read a third time.
12. Question No. 12—Cyclone RecoveryCHRIS PENK (National—Kaipara ki Mahurangi) to the Minister for Cyclone RecoveryQuestion No. 12—Cyclone Recovery12. CHRIS PENK (National—Kaipara ki Mahurangi) to the Minister for Cyclone Recovery: How much of the cyclone recovery funding provided to the Hawke's Bay region for business support grants has been allocated to date and can he confirm whether any funding that has not been paid out in grants will be returned to the Government?Hon BARBARA EDMONDS (Associate Minister for Cyclone Recovery) on behalf of the Minister for Cyclone Recovery: Fa'afetai tele lava Mr Speaker. On behalf of the Minister the business support package to help businesses in cyclone-affected regions is led by the local delivery partners who know the region best supported by central government through the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE). The response in each area will be different and this regionally led approach means the decisions made by the local agencies will be driven by the local needs in their communities. All applicants who have met the criteria have been or will be paid out. I am advised that for the Hawke's Bay $21.6 million of the allocated funding of $30.4 million available to support businesses in the region has so far been paid out to help with clean-up costs from the impact of the cyclone. The grants have been paid to around 1500 businesses. These figures have not been finalised with some outstanding grants yet to be fully processed. The policy as we announced it when we released it was that any remaining funding that has not been allocated will be returned to MBIE.Chris Penk: Does the Government seriously believe that the needs of businesses hit hard by Cyclone Gabrielle have been met by the regime they established and if not what is the Government going to do about it in particular that additional $8.8 million that has not yet been distributed?Hon BARBARA EDMONDS: The Government absolutely acknowledges that it is a tough time for our affected businesses right throughout the North Island who have been severely affected by these weather events. The distribution of business support grants is made by the local delivery partners and the criteria that was set by MBIE. We will ensure that we are supporting these businesses right throughout the recovery phase of the cyclone and we will continue to keep a watching brief on it.Chris Penk: Does the Minister agree with the comments of the Hon Kieran McAnulty that among key factors contributing to the lack of funding delivery is people's emotional capacity" and if so does the Minister believe that people's emotional capacity will be helped or hindered by the lack of distribution of these funds earmarked to support them?Hon BARBARA EDMONDS: I always agree with my ministerial colleagues particularly when their comments are made in the context around communicating the support that's available to them. Right at the beginning of the cyclone it was a difficult time for a lot of those businesses and we had a role to play through local delivery partners to ensure that we communicated to them how they could access that business support."
11. Question No. 11—Commerce and Consumer AffairsLEMAUGA LYDIA SOSENE (Labour) to the Minister of Commerce and Consumer AffairsQuestion No. 11—Commerce and Consumer Affairs11. LEMAUGA LYDIA SOSENE (Labour) to the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs: Talofa lava lau afioga le Fofoga Fetalai. What announcements has he made about supporting competition and better deals for consumers across the economy?Hon Dr DUNCAN WEBB (Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs): Talofa lava Mr Speaker. Three market studies by the Commerce Commission have found concerning use of land covenants: building supplies fuel and groceries. Large players in these sectors use land agreements to make sure their competitors can't locate close by. This tactic obviously has a chilling effect on competition. Using land agreements that dampen down competition for consumers isn't good enough. So that's why I'm undertaking a review of anti-competitive land agreements.Lemauga Lydia Sosene: What are anti-competitive land agreements?Hon Dr DUNCAN WEBB: These are agreements—Chris Bishop: Google it!Hon Dr DUNCAN WEBB: —such as land covenants or lease agreements—this is for you Mr Woodhouse—that make it harder for an existing or potential competitor to do business. For example a company selling a gas station might prohibit the land ever being used for another gas station. Another example is where a land purchase agreement requires only building materials from a certain supplier to be used. These agreements suppress competition and this Government is doing something about it.Lemauga Lydia Sosene: Why do they matter to Kiwi consumers?Hon Dr DUNCAN WEBB: Kiwi consumers win when existing businesses compete and when new businesses are able to get off the ground. A competitive market sees different players vying for customers with the best deals on price or the most innovation and products services and variety. This Government knows Kiwi consumers deserve the best and that's why we will unearth what's going on in these arrangements and act to ensure the most competitive markets—not just in fuel groceries and building supplies but wherever they're needed in the economy.Lemauga Lydia Sosene: How can Kiwis get involved in the next phase of the work?Hon Dr DUNCAN WEBB: It's time for Kiwi businesses that have experience in anti-competitive land agreements to start thinking about how the system could work best. Shortly the Ministry for Business Innovation and Employment will be seeking feedback from anyone with experience and insights into how these agreements are working. With input from businesses small and large we can determine what arrangements are out there and whether they're working for New Zealand consumers. Then unlike the last Government we can get cracking to get these markets working for all New Zealanders.
6. Question No. 6—HealthMARJA LUBECK (Labour) to the Minister of HealthQuestion No. 6—Health6. MARJA LUBECK (Labour) to the Minister of Health: What announcement has the Government recently made about reducing pay disparity between community and hospital nurses?Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL (Minister of Health): Last week I was pleased to announce that approximately 6100 more GP community nurses and kaiāwhina will be eligible for pay rises of an average of 8 percent. This will go a long way to addressing pay disparity between hospital nurses and nurses in the community including GP nurses. This will also lift pay rates for about 1300 nurses and kaiāwhina who work in Family Planning Plunket Well Child Tamariki Ora school nursing services mental health and addition rural hospitals telehealth community care services and the youth one stop shops.Marja Lubeck: How will this support GP community nurses and kaiāwhina with the cost of living?Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL: This significant investment is a major step towards tackling longstanding issues of pay gaps between nurses who work in the community and those who work in hospitals. This incentivises nurses to work in parts of the sector that keep people well in their homes and communities and supports those nurses with the rising cost of living.Marja Lubeck: When will these increases come into effect for these nurses?Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL: This group of hard-working nurses will benefit from this pay boost from July this year. This payment is in addition to the payment that 8160 nurses and kaiāwhina received under this initiative from the start of April.Marja Lubeck: How many nurses will benefit from this programme of work?Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL: In total this pay disparity programme has increased the pay of 14250 nurses and kaiāwhina across New Zealand. I am proud of this Government's record on valuing this vital workforce. Nurses play a critical role in caring for the health and wellbeing of our community. This is in addition to our action for nurses employed by Te Whatu Ora in hospitals. Since we became Government graduate nurse base salaries have risen 35 percent from $49000 to $66000 and the top base salary for registered nurses has risen 43 percent from $66000 to $95000.
Lewis StephSTEPH LEWIS (Labour—Whanganui): Thank you Mr Speaker. It is my pleasure to rise and take a call on the Fuel Industry Amendment Bill.I'm a bit confused. Does the National Party support transparency and want transparency or do they not want transparency? Because surely if they were genuine about wanting transparency they would support this bill—but they're not. So I want to put it on record to the small-business owners and business owners to the individual families struggling in Whanganui right now that National are voting against a bill which would introduce greater transparency to the fuel market; which would mean that we would finally have an answer as to why we are having to pay 30c to 40c a litre more at the pump than towns 20 minutes down the road.Because to date nobody can answer that. It's not due to fuel excise and it's not due to transport cost. It does not cost 30c to 40c a litre more to transport fuel to Whanganui than it does to Marton to Turakina or to Sanson. This bill will introduce transparency which will finally require the companies to explain the differences and the variations in price between regions. Can you tell me: why does fuel cost more in Whangārei than it costs in Northland yet the tankers go straight through Whangārei to get to Northland?The answers that we are being given do not add up. That is why we need this bill to ensure that we have a competitive and transparent fuel market—where competition is failing in the market. Then we will finally have a mechanism to intervene. On behalf of my constituents in the Whanganui electorate who are frustrated and fed up with paying high fuel prices with no reasons for it I commend this bill to the House.
Bennett GlenGLEN BENNETT (Labour—New Plymouth): Kia ora Mr Speaker. I'm rising to support this second reading of the Fuel Industry Amendment Bill this afternoon. As someone who sat on the select committee and so was able to listen and learn and know a bit more about the legislation than the other Mr Bennett in the room I'd just like to highlight I guess that for Gull in terms of for them and the conversation that was had they're saying that without this Act it would be completely impossible for them to source and to operate their services in the South Island and to provide that competitive tension down there.So if a company like Gull is saying We need this" I'm willing to sit up and listen. They have been disrupters in the market as we've seen Gull move its way around Aotearoa New Zealand over the last two decades. When they have moved into places and spaces—for example New Plymouth several years ago—we see that it did challenge the fuel price within the New Plymouth market.Being a member of the Economic Development Science and Innovation Committee—it was a pleasure to be on it—I mean it was so controversial that we had six written submissions and two oral submissions! Good legislation. No need to talk more on it. It's clear. I commend this bill to the House.Simon Court: [Walking into Chamber] Mr Speaker?DEPUTY SPEAKER: We'll indulge you Mr Court because it's Thursday afternoon."
Chen NaisiNAISI CHEN (Labour): Thank you Mr Speaker. New Zealand is a country of 5 million people. To put that into context it is the size of New South Wales across the Ditch our neighbour state. It is 1.5 percent of the population of the United States of America. It is 0.3 percent of the population of China and 0.4 percent of the population of India. Our population of 5 million means that we have a very small market and that often competition doesn't happen because of the sheer size of our market. And that is exactly what this study in 2019 by the Commerce Commission has found. Because we're such a small market industries such as the fuel industry such as the building supply industry such as the grocery sector industry don't have a lot of competition in New Zealand. So that is why when we implemented our first bill the Fuel Industry Bill we needed to make sure that there was fuel gate pricing.What this bill has done here today is make the recommendations by the commission—those who actually go out there and do the market studies; they can actually recommend to the Minister whether or not our market is working whether or not there is competition and whether or not New Zealanders ultimately get a fair deal at the pump. This comes after this Government has reduced our fuel tax reduced our road user charges reduced public transport charges and we need to be making sure that all Kiwis get a fair deal at the pump. That is why the Economic Development Science and Innovation Committee has been working very hard and making sure that this bill has all the details we need to make sure there is competition in our fuel industry. That's why I commend this bill to the House.
Clark DavidHon Dr DAVID CLARK (Labour—Dunedin): Well Mr Speaker you'd have to be in a pretty dark place to oppose this bill I think—especially if you believe in markets because markets are about the provision of information. That's exactly what this bill does. This bill provides transparency. It gives the market an understanding of who pays their bills on time and who does not. You'd have to be in favour of opacity and against the disinfectant of sunlight to oppose this bill in my view.We know from the last speaker in fact that the UK and Australia have already done this; the sky did not fall in. I think it's kind of embarrassing to be from a party that speaks about the market and economics and to be opposed to something that creates good information so that businesses can make good decisions about who they choose to partner with. On this side of the House we support the bill we support transparency and we're against the kind of opacity that is being argued from the other side. I'm very pleased to support this bill to the House.
Bennett GlenGLEN BENNETT (Labour—New Plymouth): Kia ora Mr Speaker. It's lovely to be here talking about the Business Payment Practices Bill today. As we continue the theme of small-business owners I was one also. Many years ago I owned a small coffee business back before coffee carts were cool. I led the way—don't take that as a complete fact! For three years I ran a small coffee cart. It was part of a lot of the other work I was doing and it was always a challenge in terms of payment in terms of ensuring that I got through. I would often run events for companies or they'd put on a breakfast and you'd turn up and you'd make them the coffees. It really was a challenge. I wasn't out to make a lot of money. I was doing other work and also running a social enterprise at the time.When you look at companies that are slow to pay I was looking at the facts from Xero saying that almost half of invoices are paid late. That creates stress. That creates uncertainty. If you're financially on a knife edge that can make or break things for you and we don't want that.This is good legislation. I was surprised to hear Tama Potaka telling us to stop telling businesses how to run businesses. Well I would happily do that if they actually paid their bills on time if they actually did what was right. I'm not sure what this war on mum and dads" is all about but I think it's a war on my vocal chords and my ears actually when Tama Potaka was talking.This is what we are doing. It has been good to be a part of the select committee to work through this to explore some of the options to make some changes to ensure that we've got it right for the sake of small business and for the sake of all business in New Zealand. Of all businesses in New Zealand 97 percent are small. They need support they need us to walk alongside them and we walk alongside them with this bill."
Utikere TangiTANGI UTIKERE (Labour—Palmerston North): Talofa lava Mr Speaker. It's a pleasure to rise and take a call on the Business Payment Practices Bill which is a bill that will provide for hard-working business owners and will provide for an increased level of transparency. I was sitting here listening to the ACT member Chris Baillie before—Hon Kelvin Davis: Oh you poor thing!TANGI UTIKERE: —who talked about—yes it was rather unfortunate but he talked about the fact that members on this side of the House talk about how they used to be a small-business owner how they used to be this and how they used to be that. Well unlike the ACT Party we're not part-time members of Parliament on this side of the House. We prefer to put all of our focus into supporting our communities rather than the ACT Party who seem to have adopted a part-time approach. But that to one side I want to acknowledge the work of the Economic Development Science and Innovation Committee for the work that they've done in bringing some of the changes to the House changes that look quite sensible: locking in a transition period for this piece of legislation to apply looking at that first reporting period applying to those entities for which the threshold is a minimum of more than $100 million over a two-year period—actually a two-year consecutive period according to the select committee's report. But it also introduces other provisions that make a lot of sense—for example the entities' ability to separate or distinguish those invoices that might be in dispute vis-à-vis those that might be paid late. So those are just some examples of some good changes of a hard-working select committee that will make a difference to small businesses and other businesses. I commend the bill to the House.
Halbert ShananSHANAN HALBERT (Labour—Northcote): Thank you Madam Speaker. It's my privilege to speak on the Business Payment Practices Bill second reading this afternoon. Like any good local MP and there are very many across the House we all worked hard to engage well with businesses in our electorate. We know that the majority of businesses in our electorates are small businesses and I'm very proud of the work that this Government has done to support small businesses over what has been a very difficult period and challenging time in the last few years particularly over the pandemic. But those of us who would have spoken to their small-business owners will know that delays receiving payment are hurting their cash flow increasing their stress in their business in already difficult times and inhibiting their business growth.This bill is about disclosing practices like the amount of time it takes for entities to pay their suppliers. It requires large firms—and we are talking large firms; those with an excess of $33 million annual revenue—as well as Government departments and other large entities to publicly disclose information about their payment practices. They will need to report on their payment practices twice a year if they have that level of revenue and that data would be stored and made publicly searchable by the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment.I said that I'm proud of the work I do as the local MP working with my local businesses ensuring that they get the resources and support from not only our Government but I encourage future Governments to do the same. So I commend this bill to the House.
Menéndez March RicardoRICARDO MENÉNDEZ MARCH (Green): Thank you Madam Speaker. I just wanted to make a quick reflection listening to previous speakers on this bill that it is often those politicians that deride so-called identity politics that will start their statements saying things like as a merchant" or "as a business owner" and then go and talk about the "woke reign of terror of identity politics". I don't really care whether anyone was a previous business owner if they're perpetuating systems that drive inequities. And I think it's important to ground our debates in this bill and what this is trying to achieve which is greater transparency in terms of business-to-business payments with an attempt to even the scales between big and smaller players.The Green Party does support the intent of this bill and particularly its attempt to bring forward greater transparency when it comes to this. In terms of alleviating unethical practices from bigger players I don't think anyone has said in their speech that this is some form of silver bullet and when it comes to the practices of the big players there are many other levers this Government could be using such as an excess-profits tax which would actually even the scales even further.But when it comes to the comments made regarding the select committee I do want to acknowledge that there obviously were challenges with an even number of people from Government and Opposition when it came to recommending whether this bill would go through or otherwise. But from what I can understand both parties were engaging with submitters in good faith and that ultimately I think was one of the key things that needed to happen. So as I said previously the Green Party does support greater transparency in business practices and will be supporting this bill."
Leary IngridINGRID LEARY (Labour—Taieri): This change will be good for small business. I've been a small-business owner where I had staff and contractors between five and 25 people at any one time and a turnover occasionally of more than a million dollars. I learnt very quickly that cash flow is incredibly important to small business and being across my cash flow was a way at precarious times to stay afloat. It was the number one discipline in running a small business. I would have welcomed a scheme like this.I also worked for an international organisation that quite callously changed its payment terms from one week or two weeks to the four- to six-week minimum—whatever it could get away with. It didn't matter how that impacted on the trade suppliers; those trade suppliers were a widget in the system when it came to that international organisation and it made life very very difficult for them. So I've seen the impact from both ends.I think the National Party missed the point really that this is not about small businesses paying money to go and get a credit check; it is about incentivising the right behaviours from big business. What this bill does is it rewards good payment terms. That in itself drives good behaviours—that's the point of this.The other change actually that I don't think National can take full credit for is the change to the $10 million threshold on expenditure. That was something agreed to by all of us as a committee and certainly as a small-business owner I understood that making this change and making this scheme proportionate so that it didn't cast a net a too widely was really important. So we worked very collegially with the members of the other side of the House to make sure that we did have a fit for purpose scheme.So this is great for small business. I'm not sure why the National Party don't want to back small business. I've been a small-business owner I know how important cash flow is and this will make a real difference to small business.
Chen NaisiNAISI CHEN (Labour): Talofa lava. There is nothing more than that speech by Andrew Bayly that tells us who the National Party really cares about. Their interests are in the big players in our economy in the larger companies and they don't want to look after the small businesses that are actually propping up middle New Zealand. They don't want to look after the interests of our mum and pop businesses; they just want to look after the interests of all big companies the ones with over $100 million. I think this bill goes to the heart of the difference in values of the two parties. This is a bill that makes sure that we protect our small companies and businesses the ones that make up 80 percent of New Zealand companies. It is making sure that they can go to a publicly available register to make sure that if they're going to engage with a bigger company they can see their business payment practices and whether they've paid their suppliers on time and whether they have a good track record. I do want to thank the select committee as well—the Economic Development Science and Innovation Committee the best select committee around here—for making sure that we have worked in the detail during the select committee process as well. As the Minister has already mentioned we've now implemented a six-month transitional period. But one thing I really wanted to talk about was that $10 million in expenditure threshold to make sure that the big companies that we do see and that have to come in and declare their payment-practice time lines on this register are the ones who actually have a big market share in spending here in New Zealand. We were given some of those examples in select committee where it could be a digital company where the majority of their so-called bills will go towards paying people's wages or paying Government taxes or paying other things and we wanted to make sure that their suppliers were actually a significant part of the business's expenditure as well. So this is a very sensible bill. We've made the relevant changes. We've listened to submitters and we've listened to small businesses—it was actually their idea—who wanted the bill in the first place. That's why I commend this bill to the House.
Roberts Angela; Salesa JennyANGELA ROBERTS (Labour): Thank you Madam Speaker. It is a real pleasure to stand and take the last of the last calls on the Accident Compensation (Access Reporting and Other Matters) Amendment Bill. There's something very circular about this conversation in that there's a feeling of completedness when you can come back to an election manifesto promise and say to the electorate that we have delivered upon it. That's really important that we can do that. And it's really interesting: over the last few days we've started to talk about what we will restore or what we will cut and how things might look. And so it's really great that this bill is a really good example of how we've had—one aspect of this bill is about restoring and replenishing entitlements that have been taken away. And we hear the Opposition talk every day about recommitting to cutting things and then we have to come along and restore them. And you know that's the tiring and wasteful bit.I do want to acknowledge the confusion I guess about the intent of the data that we are requiring ACC to gather now and the discipline that comes with that requirement. The interesting thing is it was suggested that we should just trust the officials to get on with it. Well that would be great except the politicians—it doesn't matter which side of the House we're talking about—interfere and that means that we have had interruptions to what is a really important aspect of data gathering and evidence which is about it being longitudinal. And so actually the really important thing is this helps the officials to start to build a really strong database and it gets the politics out of it. And what it means is that we can return ACC to its original purpose of assisting all New Zealanders who have had an injury not just claimants. I wish to thank the two Ministers who had helped to shepherd this bill through the House and I'm very proud to commend it.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa): Fa'afetai tele lava.
Sosene Lemauga LydiaLEMAUGA LYDIA SOSENE (Labour): It's a real pleasure to be speaking on this bill the Accident Compensation (Access Reporting and Other Matters) Amendment Bill. I want to acknowledge that at the time of the drafting of the bill I was not a member of the Education and Workforce Committee so I do thank the committee for their work and especially the submitters who took the time to put their views forward.We've heard the purpose of the bill is to improve the focus of and the understanding of how people with those personal injuries can get access to the ACC scheme and have help earlier but also to improve the transparency and the levels of access to the scheme because sometimes the very schemes that are there are not clearly understood by many people in our community—because of the languages and the understanding sometimes of what they are entitled to. There are disparities in the access to the ACC scheme specifically for Māori Pasifika and other groups.The amendment bill will give better effect specifically to the weekly compensation. It is not about the Government being noble—as I heard from other speakers the other evening—but it is the right thing to do to especially allow for those who need compensation earlier down from the six weeks and that long wait of another four weeks. They can actually receive it in the second week. That is the main change. So it is an important bill. I commend this bill to the House.
Eagle PaulPAUL EAGLE (Labour—Rongotai): It's great to speak in the House this afternoon. I was enlightened by—I just heard one phrase there: butter chicken pie. That got me excited! It made me think I need to avoid some of those pie shops down The Parade in Island Bay. Thanks to the previous speaker Tama Potaka for highlighting that.Look I'm taking a short call on this bill by the Hon Peeni Henare in Samoan Language Week. That made me think—one thing I did do yesterday was I had chat with a good friend of mine Taulalo Fiso who was in the Accident Compensation Corporation—ACC—prior to 2010. We had a good chat about this. We weren't there to talk about this but I knew that I might be talking about this today.So look I just want to reiterate a couple of things for the House in terms of what this bill is going to achieve and that is to really improve the focus on and the understanding of how people with personal injuries are accessing the ACC scheme and secondly to increase the transparency of the levels of access to the scheme—the key point here is to look at or include any disparities in accessing the scheme by Māori and identified population groups—and number three to give better effect to the purpose of weekly compensation.That's something that Taulalo and I had a good chat about because that's the key thing in this: it will bringing forward the eligibility for the minimum rate of weekly compensation from that sixth week to the second week of the claimant's incapacity to work. I think that's key to this and it will impact 10000 New Zealanders. I think that that's an amazing contribution that this bill will achieve. So I commend this bill to the House.
Walters Vanushi; Salesa JennyACCIDENT COMPENSATION (ACCESS REPORTING AND OTHER MATTERS) AMENDMENT BILLThird ReadingDebate resumed from 30 May.VANUSHI WALTERS (Labour—Upper Harbour): There's been a bit of a theme in politics over the last week. It's been a theme of the nice-to-haves" versus the must-haves. For example on that side of the House access to medicine is a "nice-to-have"; on this side of the House it's a must-have. On that side of the House access to contraception is a "nice-to-have"—let that sink in—on this side of the House it is a must-have. Listening to the debate on this bill on Tuesday evening it sounded like the Opposition members were saying that the data on who is and who isn't accessing ACC is just a "nice-to-have"—put out a request and see what you get. On this side of the House we say that it is a must-have.I wanted to respond to some of the tensions that I heard in the House on that Tuesday night. The first is: request or require. There's a core question about whether data is a "nice-to-have" or whether it is a must-have. It's true that we will not be requiring through legislation data about every single aspect of Government but there are issues where we must know the data which is why we're requiring as legislative directive for data to be provided in relation to ACC access.The second question is what sort of data you are requiring and how you require it. Now what we heard on Tuesday night was that we already have the information; that's what the Opposition was telling us: "Just request it. Just put it out in your letter of expectation." But Jan Logie actually responded to this really well. She said that there's not information about access to all parts of the ACC scheme; there is more research needed. She also pointed out that it is different to require reporting to the House. In short it is about broadening the content of data that's coming to us and strengthening the weight of that data by ensuring reporting to the House.Finally I want to talk about operationalising the data collection and reporting. I think it's very easy for us as parliamentarians here to request a variety of information. What we very rarely think about is how that lands with agency managers on the other side. It is very different asking a manager for a snapshot or even a period of review as opposed to creating systems that collect enduring data. There is a very valid reason for putting it within legislation. It allows greater reach and an investment in a robust data set. Data in this area is a must-have. I commend this bill to the House.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa): The next call is a split call. I call on Tama Potaka—five minutes."
Rurawhe AdrianPETITIONS PAPERS SELECT COMMITTEE REPORTS AND INTRODUCTION OF BILLSSPEAKER: Petitions have been delivered to the Clerk for presentation.CLERK: Petition of SAFE requesting that the House ban the use of colony cages for henspetition of Josiah Tualamali'i requesting that the House conduct an inquiry into best practice for justice interventions to support young people.SPEAKER: Those petitions are referred to the Petitions Committee.I present the report of the Controller and Auditor-General entitled Four initiatives supporting improved outcomes for Māori". That paper is published under the authority of the House.Select committee reports have been delivered for presentation.CLERK: Report of the Finance and Expenditure Committee on the Auditor-General's draft annual plan 2023/24reports of the Health Committee on the:2021/22 Annual reviews of the South Canterbury and Waitematā District Health Boards andpetition of Marion Maw: Ensure access to ERP therapy for people living with OCDreport of the Social Services and Community Committee on the 2021/22 Annual review of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Board.SPEAKER: The draft annual plan is set down for consideration.The Clerk has been informed of the introduction of a bill.CLERK: Fuel Industry (Improving Fuel Resilience) Amendment Bill introduction.SPEAKER: That bill is set down for first reading."
Robertson GrantBUSINESS STATEMENTHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Leader of the House): Next week legislation to be considered will include the first readings of the Fuel Industry (Improving Fuel Resilience) Amendment Bill and the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Rugby World Cup 2023 Extended Trading Hours) Amendment Bill; the second reading of the Deposit Takers Bill; and the third readings of the Child Support (Pass On) Acts Amendment Bill and the Health and Safety at Work (Health and Safety Representatives and Committees) Amendment Bill. Wednesday will be a members' day and on Thursday there will be a debate on local issues.
O'Connor GregTHURSDAY 1 JUNE 2023The Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.KARAKIA/PRAYERSGREG O'CONNOR (Deputy Speaker): Almighty God we give thanks for the blessings which have been bestowed on us. Laying aside all personal interests we acknowledge the King and pray for guidance in our deliberations that we may conduct the affairs of this House with wisdom justice mercy and humility for the welfare and peace of New Zealand. Amen.
Wednesday 7 June 2023 - Volume 768
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That the Housing Infrastructure (GST-sharing) Bill be now read a first time.Ayes 57New Zealand National 34; ACT New Zealand 10; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 9;Te Paati Māori 2; Kerekere; Whaitiri.Noes 62New Zealand Labour 62.Motion not agreed to.
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That the Companies (Directors Duties) Amendment Bill be read a second time.Ayes 74New Zealand Labour 62; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 9; Te Paati Māori 2; Kerekere.Noes 44New Zealand National 34; ACT New Zealand 10.Motion agreed to.Bill read a second time.
Companies (Directors Duties) Amendment Bill — Second Reading
VoteA personal vote was called for on the question That the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Exemption for Race Meetings) Amendment Bill be now read a third time.Ayes 74Allan (P)Halbert (P)Nash (P)Sio (P)BaillieHipangoNgarewa-Packer (P)BaylyJacksonNgobi (P)Smith DBennett DKanongata'a (P)O'Connor D (P)Smith SBishop (P)KurigerO'Connor S (P)Stanford (P)Brooking (P)LearyO'Connor G (P)Strange (P)Brown (P)Lee (P)Parker (P)Tirikatene (P)Brownlee (P)LorckPenkUffindell (P)CameronLubeckPotakaUpston (P)ChhourLuxon (P)Pugh (P)UtikereCoffey (P)Luxton (P)Reti (P)van de MolenCollins (P)McClay (P)Robertsvan VeldenCourtMcDowallRosewarneWaititi (P)Davis (P)McKeeRurawhe (P)Watts (P)DeanMcKelvieSepuloni (P)WhiteDoocey (P)McLellanSeverinWilliams PEagle (P)Mitchell (P)SeymourWillis (P)Goldsmith (P)Mooney (P)Simmonds (P)Woodhouse MGrigg (P)Muller (P)Simpson (P)Noes 43Andersen (P)Henare (P)Pallett (P)Tuiono (P)BelichHenderson (P)Peke-Mason (P)Twyford (P)Bennett GHipkins (P)Prime (P)Verrall (P)Boyack (P)LeavasaRobertson (P)Walters (P)ChenLewis (P)Russell (P)Warren-ClarkClark (P)Little (P)Sage (P)Webb (P)Craig (P)Logie (P)Salesa (P)Whaitiri (P)Davidson (P)Mahuta (P)Shaw (P)Williams AEdmonds (P)McAnulty (P)SoseneWoodGenter (P)Menéndez March (P)SwarbrickWoods (P)Ghahraman (P)Omer (P)Tinetti (P)Motion agreed to.Bill read a third time.Sitting suspended from 5.58 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Exemption for Race Meetings) Amendment Bill — Third Reading
10. Question No. 10—Digital Economy and CommunicationsGLEN BENNETT (Labour—New Plymouth) to the Minister for the Digital Economy and CommunicationsQuestion No. 10—Digital Economy and Communications10. GLEN BENNETT (Labour—New Plymouth) to the Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications: What recent announcements has the Government made about boosting our digital workforce?Hon GINNY ANDERSEN (Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications): Budget 2023 lays the foundations for a low-emissions high-wage economy with major investments into our digital and tech sectors. The Government is investing $27 million in a digital skills package that will focus on growing the tech sector workforce under the Digital Technologies Industry ITP—Industry Transformation Plan. Funding will support the development of apprenticeship-like pilot programmes that will include support for both trainees and employers to make the most of these pathways into employment. We're supporting these pilots so people can earn while they learn and also get industry experience while they study.Glen Bennett: What else will the digital skills package be supporting?Hon GINNY ANDERSEN: We're also then supporting in-school outreach programmes. These programmes are designed to provide students with the opportunity to get a real view of the industry by highlighting tech careers and integrating the skills needed into their education programme. This includes integrating in-school learning and work-based learning with local employers. For example students might gain NCEA credits and work towards completing qualifications in information technology. Through programmes such as these students become work-ready and are able to earn higher wages.Glen Bennett: Why are you looking to grow the tech sector workforce?Hon GINNY ANDERSEN: The digital tech sector significantly helps lift New Zealand's productivity and wealth. In 2021 alone the sector contributed $7 billion towards New Zealand's GDP and since 2016 has grown twice the rate of the wider economy. We want to make the tech sector accessible especially for women and underrepresented groups such as Māori Pacific peoples those with disabilities and also neurodiverse people. We know from looking at advanced economies like Germany South Korea Japan and Singapore the best investments you can make in the future of your economy are in science technology and skills and infrastructure.Glen Bennett: What feedback has the Minister seen on the digital skills package?Hon GINNY ANDERSEN: Heaps. NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says It's great to have some focused funding to address the skills shortage in the tech sector particularly around new pathways and diversity and the ITP provides a framework to help coordinate efforts across Government and industry." Stephen Knightly of RocketWerkz said "It's great to see the Government taking tangible action to support not only interactive games but also the wider digital economy too." Health Informatics NZ board chair Karen Blake said she's "particularly excited to see funding for boosting women's participation" in the sector."
9. Question No. 9—EducationERICA STANFORD (National—East Coast Bays) to the Minister of EducationQuestion No. 9—Education9. ERICA STANFORD (National—East Coast Bays) to the Minister of Education: Does she stand by all her statements and actions?Hon KELVIN DAVIS (Associate Minister of Education (Māori Education)) on behalf of the Minister of Education: On behalf of the Minister in the context they were given yes.Erica Stanford: How many students are not enrolled in school based on the latest data she has seen?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: I don't have that information directly to hand and if she wanted specific information on that subject she should have put it in the primary question.Erica Stanford: Is the reason the numbers of non-enrolled students are not reported in the publicly released attendance data because her office requested this data be omitted?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: On behalf of the Minister no.Erica Stanford: Why is it that the number of young people who've completely disengaged from the education system is not released to the public alongside other attendance data?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: Look I don't have a specific answer to that question. Again that's something I think she should put in writing to our Minister and the Minister's office will get back to her.Erica Stanford: Is the reason she isn't proactively publicly releasing the number of young people unenrolled from school because under this Government that number is two and a half times higher after six years in office; and will she commit to regularly publishing the number of unenrolled students with the rest of the attendance data?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: There were about three questions in that—no.
6. Question No. 6—AucklandHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National) to the Minister for AucklandQuestion No. 6—Auckland6. Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National) to the Minister for Auckland: Does he stand by all his statements and actions?Hon MICHAEL WOOD (Minister for Auckland): Yes in their full context.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Does he stand by his statements to the Cabinet Office about his personal shareholdings in Auckland International Airport?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: Yes I do in their full context.Hon Paul Goldsmith: And if he stated to the Cabinet Office that he was going to sell his shares in Auckland Airport why didn't he sell them?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I commenced the process of selling those shares in early 2022. I regret that I did not complete it. That is an issue that I am focused on fixing now.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Did he not say to the Cabinet Office in late 2020 that he was going to sell them and why did he only start in 2022?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: It's important to note that I declared all of my shareholdings to the Cabinet Office at the time that I became Minister. They did provide advice to me on a number of occasions that I should have sold them. I regret that I did not pursue that as quickly as I should have. That is the process that I am focused on fixing now.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Does he acknowledge that for a Minister not to do something he has told the Cabinet Office he will do once is a mistake but to do it twice as the Minister for Auckland and another 10 times before can only be either deliberate concealment or rank incompetence; and if so which one is it?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: The member's assertion is wrong. I only became the Minister for Auckland in February of this year.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Point of order Mr Speaker. We just heard from the Prime Minister that he was asked twice during the time he was the Minister for Auckland by the Cabinet Office whether he'd sold his shares or not.SPEAKER: Either way the question was addressed.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Does he agree with the characterisation of his performance over the shares in The Post this morning as creeping incompetence"?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I agree that I should have sold the shares more quickly than I did. I deeply regret that I did not. My focus now is on fixing that issue.Hon Paul Goldsmith: During his meetings with the Mayor of Auckland when the conversation turned to tourism and Auckland's connectivity did he disclose to the mayor his personal shareholding in Auckland Airport?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: No I did not but I note that I did publicly disclose that shareholding on the register of pecuniary interests in early 2022.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Did he have any conversations with the mayor or with any unions about the council's proposed sale of Auckland Airport shares?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I have had no conversations of that kind. On a number of occasions the major has spoken to me in general terms about his budget process and I have said to him as I have said publicly that that is a matter for Auckland Council."