Brown Peter: Identity (Citizenship and Travel Documents) Bill — Second Reading Instruction to Committee In Committee 
Brown Peter: Identity (Citizenship and Travel Documents) Bill — Second Reading Instruction to Committee In Committee 
[Volume:625;Page:20104] 
PETER BROWN (Deputy Leader—NZ First) 
: 
 I have a few words for my colleagues who have spoken before me. First I would like to talk to the United Future member. He made New Zealand First a bit of a target by saying that it is “Winston First”. I say to the honourable members over there that we would prefer that to being known as “Dunne First” as they will be after the next election. 
I have to say that Matt Robson is prepared to sell New Zealand’s citizenship very cheaply. He would give it away. I have a few words that I would like Matt Robson to take note of: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” Who said that? It was President Kennedy. After listening to Matt Robson’s speech I think it is pretty pertinent that he take note of that and digest it. 
This country is a magnificent country. It has three major assets. 
Darren Hughes 
: Helen Clark Michael Cullen and Jim Anderton. 
PETER BROWN 
: No I am talking about assets not exports. The first major asset is its physical beauty. Members do not need me to explain that. Does anybody disagree with that? Does anybody over there want to change that? Does anybody in the National Party want to change the physical beauty of this country? The second major asset this country has is that New Zealanders are basically and fundamentally hard-working enterprising and very friendly people. Does anybody disagree? Does anybody want to change that? The third asset this country has and let me remind members to think about it very very carefully is that it does not have too many of those hard-working friendly people. It has a very small population and that is an asset. 
Does anybody recall hearing of a place called Wood Green in the UK? It has made the news this very evening. A terrorist was locked up there. He was producing evil chemicals to put on cars and if people touched them they would die. The commentator on Television One said tonight that if he had got away with it the situation would have been greater than 9/11. Why do I mention this? That scumbag—and that is the only word I can use—escaped. He got to Manchester. He stabbed a detective who was trying to arrest him. 
Brian Connell 
: Killed him. 
PETER BROWN 
: He killed him and stabbed many other policemen and seriously injured them. I do not know whether he was born in the UK but I guess that if he was his parents came from somewhere. 
But most important there was a description of Wood Green. [ 
Interruption 
] The Minister should not make a joke of these sorts of issues. This bill is the Government’s bill to tighten up on people coming to this country. I went to school in Wood Green. I can tell you that those few years ago it was quite a different place from what it is now. I can say to you that New Zealand First— 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: Please do not bring the Speaker into the debate. 
PETER BROWN 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I do not mind you drawing me back to the bill but if you are going to allow idiots like that Minister to perform like that— 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: The member will be seated. I was not bringing the member back to the bill. I was referring the member to the fact that twice he brought the Speaker into the debate. 
PETER BROWN 
: I have to defend myself. 
Simon Power 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Speaking in defence of my colleague from New Zealand First the Minister who has just entered the Chamber will be unaware that this bill has progressed since 7 p.m. in a manner in which all speakers at the second reading have been allowed a fair go without a barrage of mindless abuse coming from Ministers who have only just turned up in the House. I ask that you apply to Mr Brown the standard that other speakers have enjoyed at this second reading. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: The member will please be seated. The reason Mr Brown was pulled up by myself was that he twice brought me into the debate. That was the only reason. I have made a ruling. 
Simon Power 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. At no time did I refer to the comments you made about the reason Mr Brown brought you into the debate. I made no reference to that at all and I would not dispute your ruling in any sense. I raised a fresh point of order relating to the interjections coming from the back bench of the Labour Party and the fact that a Minister who has recently arrived in the Chamber has decided to interject on a member when the rest of this bill has been heard in comparative silence and other members of Parliament have been given a fair go. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: Mr Brown was dealing quite adequately with the interjection. It was just when he brought me into the debate that I responded. 
Hon Annette King 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: I have dealt with the point of order. 
Hon Annette King 
: It is a fresh point of order. When you were on your feet hearing that point of order the member who raised it interjected the entire time you were trying to rule. If he is going to raise a point of order then he also ought to obey the Standing Orders. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: I thank the member. I appreciate that. Can I just say to members that there is a ruling in the House that when a point of order is being taken and being heard it is to be done in silence. 
PETER BROWN 
: I need to explain—and I accept your ruling—that when I was responding to the Hon Rick Barker I did say “you” but I meant him. I said it twice and I apologise. 
New Zealand First is well on record as wanting strict criteria to be applied to people who come to this country. We want them to come here in good health. That is for obvious reasons. We are not talking about coughs and colds; we are talking about basic health. Why should a person come here heavily diseased with whatever and be an expense to the taxpayer? That we think is reasonable sound social and economic policy. We want people to come here who are able to speak English. That is sound common sense. 
Hon Matt Robson 
: My in-laws cannot speak English. 
PETER BROWN 
: I understand that the member’s in-laws cannot speak English because as an Australian he struggles at times himself. So there are exceptions to everything. 
New Zealand First wants people who come here to be crime-free—people who were law-abiding citizens where they came from and who are intending to be that here. We like the 5-year requirement before a person can get citizenship because we think it is a good period of time to be crime-free before— 
Hon Matt Robson 
: You don’t think you just parrot. 
PETER BROWN 
: The member should put his brain in gear from time to time and listen. 
Hon Matt Robson 
: Thinking requires analysis not parroting. 
PETER BROWN 
: My patience is wearing a bit thin. I am prepared to deal with the member but I just note that I am— 
Hon Annette King 
: You’re getting tired. 
PETER BROWN 
: Yes and I am getting less tolerant. New Zealand First believes that a 5-year period for people to live here before they get citizenship is a reasonable time frame and that within that time frame they must be crime-free. If they want to get involved in crime within that time frame then they get a one-way ticket out. [ 
Interruption 
] I say to the member who keeps yapping over there that I am prepared to give him a one-way ticket out. 
New Zealand First believes that there is an obligation on anybody and everybody who comes to this country and who wants to live here permanently to assimilate into the country. By that I do not mean that they have to give up their national dress and such things but I do believe that they need to make the effort to become part of New Zealand society in the wider sense. I see the Minister of Immigration sitting there. I think he nodded in agreement. I have to say that he has learnt the lesson the hard way. If he had listened to us he would have nodded in agreement much more quickly. 
We are taking people into this country now who come from war-torn countries—countries savaged by war. 
Dianne Yates 
: Might even be from Britain. 
PETER BROWN 
: Yes and Britain might be one of them but there is a good deal worse than Britain. People who are under the stress of living in war-torn countries might not make good New Zealand citizens and we should possibly examine that criteria—where they come from. 
Hon Annette King 
: For whom does that bell toll? It tolls for thee. 
PETER BROWN 
: It tolls for thee? I have frequently been accused by that Labour Government of being an immigrant and wanting to close the door after me. [ 
Interruption 
] And those members are pretty close. When I came here I had to be in good health and I have maintained that. I had to have a job and I have had a job ever since I have been here. I had to make a commitment to this country and although I am a soccer man I have taken up rugby. I can see that the Labour members over there are very tired and in a very humorous mood so I think I might conclude my speech and have a little bit more fun during the Committee stage. 
Amendments recommended by the Government Administration Committee by majority agreed to.