Dyson Ruth: Environment Canterbury (Temporary Commissioners and Improved Water Management) Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Dyson Ruth: Environment Canterbury (Temporary Commissioners and Improved Water Management) Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
[Sitting date: 13 February 2013. Volume:687;Page:7823. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Hon RUTH DYSON (Labour—Port Hills) 
: 
 Mr Speaker you are absolutely correct: this is a split call. Can I thank you Mr Speaker for allowing me the privilege to speak on this bill the Environment Canterbury (Temporary Commissioners and Improved Water Management) Amendment Bill. I want to make just a very brief comment about the member who has just resumed her seat Maggie Barry and that is that the display that she has just put on for the rest of the House was very similar to that which she put on in Canterbury. It caused not just concern not just a bit of annoyance but absolute outrage that somebody had the audacity to come from the other end of the country arrive briefly in our city and tell off submitters who were so distraught at losing their right to vote and were so poorly dismissed by the members of the Government. I found it amazing that when submitters came to the table and said that all they were asking for is the right to vote members of the National Party said: “Why is that such a big deal? Why is that important?”. People have died in other countries literally arguing and fighting for the right to vote but members of the National Party sat at a select committee asking why democracy is so important and saying: “Are not the commissioners doing quite a good job? We appointed competent people.” Nobody is arguing about the competence or otherwise of any of the commissioners. What we asked for in Canterbury—and I still do not think it was a very big ask—was just the right to vote for our regional council. 
I believed Nick Smith. I am sure some of my colleagues will laugh at that but I believed the Hon Nick Smith when he promised us that the removal of our democratic right to vote for our regional council was a very short-term measure. I disagreed with it in the first place—it was wrong—but I trusted his words because he said not just “we hope” not just “we think” and not just “we’d like to” but that “whatever the circumstances the next regional council elections in Canterbury will take place no later than those scheduled for late 2013.” I am really disappointed that we are making a liar of the Hon Dr Nick Smith by passing this legislation. I think he intended his words to be reflected in practice. I am sure that when he said that he had no intention to mislead the people of Canterbury. 
But I am really disappointed that we are arguing about the removal of a democratic right to vote immediately prior to the departure the valedictory speech of our former Speaker. I want to pay tribute to Lockwood Smith and he will probably be a little surprised at that because it is not something I have done a lot but I have had great admiration for his ability as Speaker to let the debate flow in a way that acknowledged the depth of passion of politicians whatever party they are attached to but also to ensure that the House generated a greater degree of respect than it has in the past. I find it offensive to the former Speaker Lockwood Smith to have his actions so highly regarded by Parliament and I think by many New Zealanders immediately butting up to a bill that takes away a democratic right. I want to apologise on behalf of the Government actually for putting such an obnoxious bill immediately next to the valedictory speech of someone who has worked so hard to improve the behaviour in Parliament without stifling the conversation. 
I know that the current Speaker would be pretty outraged that this bill was going through because he is from Canterbury and unfortunately was the Minister who shepherded it through. I want to express my strong disappointment in the Hon David Carter during his term as the Minister of Local Government for progressing this. As a Cantabrian I would have thought that there would be greater acknowledgment of the strength and the passion of people’s desire to vote. We have had some of the biggest demonstrations in Canterbury about this very issue immediately upon its announcement and further since the extension. 
This really does come on top of the other issues that we are dealing with. There is a feeling of disempowerment as the National Government bulldozes through the rights ambitions and desires of Cantabrians to play a critical part in our recovery and rebuild. We are just being ignored by the Government. That is not just our loss; it is a loss to the rest of the country. I want the Government to reconsider. I want it to recognise our right to vote and stop the progress of this bill.