Brown SimeonSIMEON BROWN (National—Pakuranga): Thank you very much Madam Assistant Speaker. It is a sad day in this Parliament to be rising to speak on this motion to truncate the process for submissions and for the Finance and Expenditure Committee to report back on the Land Transport Management (Regional Fuel Tax) Amendment Bill. This is a day when we as a Parliament will be telling New Zealanders across this country that their voices are not valued when it comes to how we're going to address the transport issues. We've heard from the Government about all the things and the ambitions and the visions that they have but now we're saying to the public that they are not welcome—except if they can hurry up and get something in within eight days—to have their voice heard by the select committee.One of the other elements of this which hasn't been raised so far is that this is not just a tax—a petrol tax—but it also includes an increase in GST. That's a whole other issue which needs to be raised and a select committee can look into that and the costs and the implications of that. There are a wide range of stakeholders who deserve the right to have their say on this issue. I think of councils up and down this country who won't have time to put together submissions because their governing body meetings or their council meetings won't sit over the next eight days. I think of ratepayer organisations whose next meetings won't be over the next eight days and that won't have time to be able to put forward and put together a select committee and hear from their members. I think of organisations like the Automobile Association freight companies and other organisations and associations which have the responsibility to consult with their members before putting forward submissions on this important issue.All of these organisations need the time and need the ability to be able to put forward their submission and then for the Parliament to actually take into account to listen to hear those submissions and to have real engagement with the people of this country. We're often criticised as politicians for being those who are quick to act and slow to listen. Well this is an opportunity for us to show and demonstrate that we're willing to listen to New Zealanders and let them have their say.There're also a number of important issues which need to be addressed by the select committee and submissions are an important part of allowing those issues to be addressed so that the legislation if it is to pass—and I hope it isn't—is actually better legislation. There are issues of fairness and equity which are at the heart of this regressive tax which will impact on the voters in the Labour Party parts of Auckland and South Auckland and west Auckland as well who will be adversely affected to a greater level by this tax because they live further away from places of employment or from the city centre. Those people in the electorates represented on the other side of the House deserve the right to be able to have their say and to be able to put their submissions in.There are issues of price spreading and there are issues of avoidance and market distortions. These are technical issues which require people with experience with the ability to do some analysis and with the ability to get on and do some of the work which needs to be done to put in their submissions. So I just want to finish off by saying it's a sad day to be standing here with a Government which is not prepared to listen—not prepared to listen to the voices of New Zealand on what is another tax. There should be no taxation without representation and they've got rid of the representation but are carrying on with their taxation. What a shame.