Smith Nick: Gambling Bill — Instruction to CommitteeCWH In Committee 
Smith Nick: Gambling Bill — Instruction to CommitteeCWH In Committee 
[Volume:611;Page:8509] 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH (NZ National—Nelson) 
: 
 In talking to Part 4 I want to challenge the Minister— 
Sue Bradford 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. I believe that this is the fourth call the National Party has had in this debate. The Green Party has still not had one call and we have made a significant contribution to this bill. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Clem Simich) 
: Yes it is National’s fourth call. I have called the Hon Dr Nick Smith. The member’s time will come. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: When I read Part 4 I am truly astounded because I see all these provisions about age restrictions. I have a simple question for members of United Future and the Labour Party. How does one enforce an age restriction on Internet gambling? Through a slick move at the last moment—this bill has been sitting around for 4 years—the Minister in the chair has slipped in a Supplementary Order Paper so that New Zealand can have the most liberal gambling laws anywhere in the world. There is no Internet gambling in Australia no Internet gambling in the United States and no Internet gambling in the United Kingdom. But we are going to have it in New Zealand. We are going to have the most liberal regime—brought in by United Future the family-friendly anti-gambling party! 
But we are also going to have in Part 4 harm prevention and minimisation enforcement. I want to know from Mr Marc Alexander and his friends in United Future how one enforces an age restriction on Internet gambling. I can understand how it could be done for Lotto sales. I can understand how it could be done for casinos. I might understand how it could be done for the TAB. But how does one apply an age restriction on Internet gambling? We know that 815000 homes—[ 
Interruption 
] Could “Mr Benson-Dope” tell the Committee how we are going to enforce an age restriction— 
David Benson-Pope 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. This is not the first occasion on which that member has insulted me. I do not take it personally; I think it is a reflection on his puerility. But I do think an apology is in order. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Clem Simich) 
: I ask the member to withdraw. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: I withdraw. I wish he would not interject but just answer the question as to how one would put an age restriction on Internet gambling. 
David Benson-Pope 
: Go and find the truth somewhere. Go and look. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: The member says “Go and look.” I have looked through all the 60-plus clauses and if the member would only take a call—that lazy member—and explain to the Committee how one would enforce an age restriction—[ 
Interruption 
] The member is getting all excited. The provisions in this part are all nonsense. Members opposite cannot explain the reason for this radical liberalisation that the Minister of Internal Affairs is introducing at the last moment in providing for Internet gambling. The Minister believes that one can enforce an age restriction. Who in the Committee believes that? Who would possibly believe that given the 815000 home computers out there somehow the 30-odd staff in the Department of Internal Affairs will be able to make sure that nobody under the age of 18 is taking part in Internet gambling? What a laugh! The provision for age enforcement is a joke. 
Then we come to the issue of problem gamblers. Can the Minister explain how the department will be able to prohibit problem gamblers from gambling on the Internet? We can understand how they might be banned from a casino. We can understand how they might be banned from the TAB. But what about the Internet? I do not think the Minister has the foggiest idea. I do not think he has thought about it. We do not expect it of him because we all know he is a fool. But the real issue is United Future. It claims to be the great family-friendly party. Its gambling policy talks all about restrictions. How can it be condoning the introduction of Internet gambling? 
R Doug Woolerton 
: Is it voting for this bill? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: It is but its members will not take a call to explain how we can possibly provide a restriction on people who are problem gamblers using Internet gambling. I say to the Minister to every Labour member and to United Future that their problem-gambling provisions are an absolute joke given that this bill introduces Internet gambling. There is absolutely no way that those provisions will provide any restrictions on or capacity to restrict gambling through that form.