Brown Peter: Injury Prevention Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment Bill (No 2) — Third Reading 
Brown Peter: Injury Prevention Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment Bill (No 2) — Third Reading 
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PETER BROWN (Deputy Leader—NZ First) 
: 
 Just on that point—about self-inflicted harm—I agree with the member that it is a sad day. But the bill actually reflects what is happening in society and there is little anybody can do about it. New Zealand First members checked into the issue and we felt as concerned about it as the member obviously does but the bill reflects what is actually happening and it is better to have legislation that covers it. 
Let me just say that the accident compensation scheme legislation that the National Government brought in in 1974 was good but by crikey subsequent National Governments decimated it—cut it to shreds. In 1974 it was good legislation but then that Bill Birch and a few others got on to it and they tore it to shreds. 
New Zealand First will be supporting this legislation but we think it should have gone further. For example we would like to extend the coverage and we would like to blur the line between accidents and sickness and that can be done. Years ago— 
David Bennett 
: Is that out of self-interest Peter? 
PETER BROWN 
: Mr Bennett should shut his mouth for a minute and he might learn something. Years ago I was covered by accident compensation. [ 
Interruption 
] 
I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Members are making so much noise over there that they cannot even understand their own thinking. 
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER 
: It is about time members paid attention to the speaker. 
PETER BROWN 
: Some years ago I was covered through workplace insurance—and most New Zealanders see the Accident Compensation Corporation as an insurance company. My health was also covered by the company. I cannot for the life of me see why gradually those two entities cannot be combined together. 
Katrina Shanks 
: How are you going to fund it Mr Brown? 
PETER BROWN 
: We can fund it in the same way—pay for it. Think a little bit and pay for it! The National Party has raised two issues and they both revolve round funding. If that woman over there would stop shouting like a fishwife she might learn also. 
The National Party wants more coverage and New Zealand First has some support for that. National wants cover for people who witness a traumatic event who are not workers—in other words people covered by the non-earners account; in other words people covered by the taxpayer—and it wants retrospectivity. 
David Bennett last night made a big play of retrospective legislation only to be torn to shreds because he had no substance to his argument by Russell Fairbrother. I have never seen an MP in this House verbally torn to shreds to such an extent because he did not know a thing. He was so bad so ashamed that he got under the desk. All one could see was the cue ball! 
Both aspects require extra funding so where does it come from? Well the National Party tells us that there are umpteen dollars in the Crown account—so much that it will give very significant tax cuts if and when it becomes the Government. So National is saying—and I assume it has done its homework—that there is plenty of money to dish out to taxpayers. Well what about giving a little bit to accident victims by extending the coverage? 
Katrina Shanks 
: How much Mr Brown; how much do you need? 
PETER BROWN 
: I do not need it; National is saying it wants to extend the coverage. Let me give the other option. Accident compensation is meant to be fully funded by the year 2014. That is not set in concrete. Moving the date out another 10 years would allow some funding that currently goes into accident compensation to be spent in another area. I have checked that out. It is quite reasonable and quite straightforward. 
Katrina Shanks 
: How much? 
PETER BROWN 
: That member does not have a clue what she is talking about. National had a very good idea and it implemented that very good idea. It saddens me somewhat because at one time I was a member of the National Party that National members are now behaving like hollow men with an empty drum making an empty noise. That member behind me David Bennett makes as much empty noise as anybody I have ever known. 
Hon Darren Hughes 
: He is their star! 
PETER BROWN 
: He is their star! We need to do more for accident victims in this country. In our view this bill is a start and it is a good start but there is more to come. I hope the National Party takes that on board because from the way National members are talking I think they will rescind this legislation if they get on the Treasury benches. The public should be aware that National will rescind this legislation if it gets on the Treasury benches and that would be a sad day for New Zealanders. 
I have the utmost sympathy for people who are involved in very serious accidents. I have spoken to many of them. I have seen serious accidents during my time on the waterfront and in shipping; we do have them from time to time. I can tell members that accident victims lead a life of hell and it is about time that this country did more for them. The Injury Prevention Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment Bill (No 2) goes some way towards doing that but it does not go far enough and I know that the Minister for ACC has taken note of New Zealand First’s views. However New Zealand First supports this bill because it does that much more for accident victims.