Penk ChrisCHRIS PENK (National—Kaipara ki Mahurangi): Thank you Madam Chair. As my colleague and friend the Hon Paul Goldsmith has done I want to start by acknowledging the Minister the Hon Kiritapu Allan. We've had good engagement with her and it's important for the reasons that Mr Goldsmith has outlined in the area of electoral law that we have an enduring system. These are the rules of the game by which we must all play. So the engagement of the Minister has been helpful in that regard. I don't know what engagement she has had with other parties. No doubt she would have reached out to them and she made a point in her opening remarks on Part 1 of noting the importance of getting non-partisan consensus. So I think that's really positive.Of course in the spirit of enlightened self-interest there is the aspect of the entrenched provisions of the Electoral Act. It might have been the case—and indeed we've heard from the Speaker of the House and now also the Chair of the committee that it is the case—that for certain changes being made within this legislation it would have required 75 percent of the House. Having said that just to acknowledge if the Government had wanted the Government could have passed by simple majority a repeal of the entrenchment provisions. So it could have got to where it wanted had it wished to force its will upon the Parliament and therefore the country but they've done the right thing by having that discussion with us. So I wanted to start just by acknowledging that.I think the only remarks that I would really make in relation to Part 1 would be just understanding the mechanics of how it is that a person can change rolls. We've talked about the fact that we want roll changing to be maximised—and therefore the interests of democracy to be served by maximising voter participation in the way that that feels right to those persons who are able to exercise that option—without of course jeopardising the integrity of the system as a whole. We've talked about that enough at previous stages but in terms of the mechanics of how this operates I guess I do have probably only three questions and they're reasonable short. I'll just give you a heads-up Madam Chair; I'm not seeking particularly to prolong the matter but a couple of important points I think are worth putting on the public record.One is that in exercising the option we see in the amendment to section 78 which is clause 6 within the bill—so that's talking about exercising the option not only in writing but also the opportunity to do that in an approved electronic medium by providing the required information—I presume that the intent there is to align the exercise of the Māori electoral option at this different timing in a way that is consistent with other ways that people can update their details on the electoral roll; and also just to test with the Minister her thinking about voting by electronic means. I think I'm right in saying that most voices within the Parliament are nervous about electronic voting per se. But it's worth acknowledging that overseas-based New Zealanders can cast a vote I think by faxing it through of all things which is kind of amusing in itself. I've some written questions on the use of faxing and as soon as those telegrams arrive in your office Minister I look forward to your response by pigeon post!But actually in all seriousness just to sort of get a feel for as it will be amended section 78(1)(b) approved electronic medium" and just to see if there were any thoughts you have about the way that we want to make it easier for people whether in this bill or going forward and in relation to the Māori electoral roll or general roll to exercise their preference for being on a particular roll and indeed for voting by some method other than a physical piece of paper and ticking a physical box. I invite any comments you may have in that space."