Bennett David: Employment Relations (Continuity of Labour) Amendment Bill — First ReadingText is subject to correctionBennett David: Employment Relations (Continuity of Labour) Amendment Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 13 November 2013. Volume:694;Page:79. Text is subject to correction.]DAVID BENNETT (National—Hamilton East): I just want to apologise to the members of the public who were listening to that last speech. Andrew Little is actually a very fine member of our Transport and Industrial Relations Committee and he is somebody who does work well.Jami-Lee Ross: He’s not.DAVID BENNETT: No no Jami-Lee Ross; he is a good man and I think he got a bit too passionate in his speech and said a lot of things there that just were not the case. It was just sad. The next speaker from the Labour Party I am sure will have a more moderate approach to it I would imagine.This bill the Employment Relations (Continuity of Labour) Amendment Bill was put forward by Mr Jami-Lee Ross who is a fine member of Parliament who represents a great area of New Zealand. He has done a great job in his seat. This bill is part of the vision he sees for New Zealand. It is a vision in which he sees all New Zealanders having rights and responsibilities where there are those choices for people and where people are not being restricted and told what to do. It is that freedom of choice that underlies this bill that is really what Jami-Lee Ross is trying to promote tonight—that freedom of choice to work that freedom of choice as an employer to keep the business going and that freedom of choice of parties to come to a sensible arrangement and to work together for the best interests of each and every party in an employment relationship.An employment relationship is a give and take matter. There is a lot of give and take required on both sides and I think that in a lot of cases we undervalue the role the unions play and the important role that they play in actually working towards making that relationship a very strong one. But although we say that there is also the need for some choice and some freedoms and for the ability for employers to work towards keeping their businesses going.I think that in a situation where there is a business that is very difficult in the sense that you cannot stop or start it a business that relies on say something that may be perishable or that needs to be distributed in a very short period of time there could be a context where the employment relationship has broken down but there is also a product that still needs to be delivered a product that still needs to be manufactured and jobs that still need to be done. I guess that this bill is an attempt to give that balance so that that production that process can still be maintained and can go through at the same time as the parties try to work out their disagreement around their employment relationship.I think that everybody in this room would accept that situation and would want that to be the case. They would not want the productive heart of New Zealand for example—or something that is very much needed for personal survival or health or something like that—to fall down because there was a breach in the employment relationship. So I think that that is a big part of this bill and where this bill can actually help in providing a more sustained economic environment in New Zealand.We have had comments made by the Opposition that National members do not care and that we are against the rights of unions and workers. That simply is not the case and those comments are made out of context and are an attempt to cloud this bill. They are not done in a genuine way. It is very sad that the Opposition has resorted to that kind of politics in regard to this bill. [Bell rung] I will not sit down this time; I will keep going just for your benefit. [Interruption] Yes I have been here for 5 minutes.But speaking of 5 minutes—members over there are smiling away—Winston Peters was not so chipper about 5 minutes ago when his bill got slammed was he? And now his whole party has left him. [Interruption] Oh no I will say something nice about him because you know there will be a situation where New Zealand First will want this bill. The day when Brendan Horan runs out and Andrew Williams goes with him New Zealand First will need this bill so it is in Winston Peters’ self-interest to vote for this bill. That is enough for him to vote for it generally so we would expect him to vote for it. I would like to commend Jami-Lee Ross for bringing this bill forward to the House and for doing a great job. Thank you.