Watts SimonSIMON WATTS (National—North Shore): I move That the motion be amended so that 27 July 2023" is omitted and replaced with "19 November 2023".The proposal on the Table this evening in regards to shortening the report-back date for the Water Services Entities Amendment Bill is completely outrageous. It is indicating to those watching that this Government is not willing to allow appropriate process and appropriate public consultation that will enable complex and significant changes to this bill to be heard by the public and to allow adequate time in order for them to make those submissions. As we have heard this afternoon the changes in regards to this legislation are significant. They are worthy of appropriate scrutiny both by those within this House and also by members of the public. The increasing of the number of entities from four to 10 is of itself a significant change in regards to this legislation. In addition to the changes around the number of entities it is also proposing that it extend the effective commencement date for two years which is another significant implication that should be appropriately discussed in regards to the implications that that has on our communities our neighbourhoods and in particular the local government entities across this country who will be significantly impacted by this.The key aspect and issue of an extension of time for this bill which is needed for people to provide feedback is because for the local government sector one of the most significant issues it faces is uncertainty and staff turnover. This aspect of the bill is a significant change which requires time for input to be fed in. We have seen throughout this bill and bills that have preceded it and bills which this bill amends that are not yet passed into law—and for those that are trying to follow that narrative there are two bills on the Order Paper pending second reading—ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean): Order! I'm just going to invite the member to speak more directly to his proposed amendment.SIMON WATTS: Thank you very much Madam Speaker. The amendment in regards to the amended report-back date is to allow adequate time for public input in regards to those significant changes.The other aspect in regards to the motion is the fact that the Finance and Expenditure Committee which has looked at water services bills to date—and a motion that I have tabled is that this bill is going to be going to the Governance and Administration Committee. This in itself has significant implications: one because the members of the Finance and Expenditure Committee have the continuity of knowledge of the passing of this bill—ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean): Order! The member is speaking to his proposed amendment. Once I have put the motion and the question on the member's amendment the debate will open up more broadly to both questions. But at the moment the member is speaking to his amendment. He will confine his comments to them.SIMON WATTS: Thank you Madam Speaker. So as I have outlined the key issue that we have is in regards to that shortened report-back date that will not allow adequate public input or consideration by members and all members of this House in regards to what are complex and significant changes to this bill. We oppose the motion that has been put on the Table by this Government and support the motion that I am tabling that will amend the date from 27 July to 19 November 2023.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean): I will now put the question. The question is that the motion be agreed to—that is the Government's motion. I will also put: the question is that the amendment be agreed to. Now the debate is opened to—I hear Matt Doocey."