SpeechLAND TRANSPORT (DRUG DRIVING) AMENDMENT BILLThird ReadingDebate resumed from 1 March.SHANAN HALBERT (Labour—Northcote) (remote): Thank you Madam Speaker. It's always good to join the House albeit virtually from Auckland this afternoon. Greetings to all of my colleagues and people watching this very very important bill the Land Transport (Drug Driving) Amendment Bill. As a member of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee I've followed this closely and at times cautiously because this particular bill provides the police with new powers to use oral fluid testing devices to test drivers anywhere any time to see if they have consumed impairing drugs before driving. We know obviously it's important to ensure that our New Zealand police officers are supported to do the job that they need to but also what I'll speak to towards the end of my speech is the importance of education as a part of this particular piece of work.When we look at the particular problem that we're trying to solve here other than alcohol cannabis is the most commonly detected psychoactive substance in blood samples from drivers that are killed in our road crashes—23 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash if you're affected by alcohol drugs or prescription medicines when driving. And drugs and alcohol are a contributing factor to almost 50 percent of fatal crashes in Aotearoa New Zealand. Thirty percent of deaths are a result of drivers who are under the influence of drugs other than alcohol in this instance. While drug-drivers already face serious criminal penalties if they are caught the current law makes it hard for police to carry out more tests that could deter drug-driving. Recent studies have shown that randomised roadside testing would in fact improve road safety.As a member of the select committee we heard a number of oral submissions and what I was particularly interested in was an Auckland or Tāmaki-makau-rau lens. When I broke down some of those statistics when we face this particular bill we know that Auckland is facing particular challenges in this area. In fact last year 64 people died and 749 others were seriously injured due to road trauma and after loss of control and speed driving under the influence of drugs is the third highest contributor to vehicle crashes that result in death.Now these particular stats are very sobering and it's important—and as I understand listening to the previous speeches last week it was there's a general consensus that this bill is very very important to address the particular problem that we need to a fact that's taken some time but it's under this particular Government that we've been able to move forward on this. While drug-drivers currently face serious criminal penalties if they're caught they are often not. So this bill enables oral fluid tests which will make it easier for our New Zealand Police to screen more drivers and this will create a deterrent for those who might choose to drive while under the influence of drugs.When we canvassed with submitters and with officials the nature of testing the oral fluid devices will initially be able to test for six particular drugs. Of course we're familiar with THC. We hear more and more about methamphetamine in use particularly in Auckland and our surrounding suburbs. Benzodiazepines is also another one. MDMA—which is ecstasy—opiates and cocaine. So what we need to do is to ensure that we are able to test adequately and ensure that the right tests and the right approach by New Zealand police is in place in this particular area.I want to turn to one of the submissions that we heard which was from Community Action on Youth and Drugs (CAYAD) which you may be familiar with. One of their statements that stood out for me was around the importance of deterring dangerous drug-driving as a vital step in decreasing our road harm as well as reducing drug-related harms in our community. But they also acknowledged the importance of ensuring that the right support is in place that we have compulsory referrals for assessment and that part of that referral process is into further education and drug education in particular or the need for rehabilitation where relevant. In my sense this is an and/and discussion that yes we do need to put forward this particular bill to save lives to keep people safe but also obviously we need to ensure that we continue to educate those that may get in behind the wheel when they are under the influence of alcohol or in this instance of drugs. We know that this type of prevention works and we want to ensure that we put our best foot forward in that as well. So I can't promote the educational lens enough; that's my takeaway in particular from hearing these oral submissions.But without further ado it is important that this particular piece of legislation the Land Transport (Drug Driving) Amendment Bill moves forward that it does progress under this Government because we're doing a lot of work to progress transport in New Zealand. Finally can I acknowledge both Minister Wood and Minister Williams and the work that they've done to progress this particular bill and also all members of our select committee for transport and infrastructure well chaired by a good gentleman with a lot of experience in this area Greg O'Connor. So without further ado I would like to commend this bill to the House. Tēnā koe.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean): Barbara Kuriger—five minutes.