Woodhouse Michael; Woods MeganParts 1 and 2 Schedule and clauses 1 to 3Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National): Thank you Madam Chair. I have a couple of questions for the Minister in the chair Megan Woods. The first is in respect of her Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) 566 and I note that clause 9 which inserts new section 33A inserts further subsection (4) which reads Any regulations made under this section may not be held invalid just because they confer a discretion or allow any matter to be determined by any person whether or not there are prescribed criteria." I'm a little confused by the Government's intention in respect of that addition and I would appreciate—the committee would appreciate I think—just an elucidation into why that was necessary and what that was intended to do.The second question is—with apologies to the Minister if she touched on this in her second reading speech but she mentioned this in her first reading speech and that was in respect of the intention of the regulations to provide for a compassionate exemption for Māori returning to attend a tangi and to acknowledge the special relationship through the Treaty that Māori have. I support that entirely; I have no question with that but I am interested in whether or not it's the Government's intention to pass a regulation that is more broad than that and actually provides for a compassionate exemption for all New Zealanders who suffer a bereavement and are required to return home to be with their loved ones or whether there will actually be some kind of distinction made on the basis of iwi affiliation. So there are just two questions to kick off.Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS (Minister of Housing): In answer to the member's first question about the SOP clause 9 it is just there to be consistent with section 17 of the principal Act re the section 11 orders. So that's the purpose of that amendment. In respect to the second question that the member posed around the reference I made in my first reading speech around the importance of making sure that Māori are not disproportionately affected and that we are not breaching our Treaty of Waitangi obligations this will be in the context of a broader exemptions and waiver regime that will allow compassionate waiving and exemption from fees for all New Zealanders returning on compassionate grounds whether that be for funeral or for tangihanga or whether it be for a very ill or dying relative. It won't be separate provisions; it will be under a broader set of provisions around the ability to waive but part of what we did have to do in checking the legality of the regime that we were setting up was make sure we were consistent with Treaty of Waitangi obligations.Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National): I thank the Minister for those answers. In respect of the first one it's pretty quick to come back with an answer to that question but I'm afraid I'm none the wiser about the addition of subsection (4) into section 33A so if there is time in the committee of the whole House perhaps we could get a slightly fuller explanation of regulations that are made that won't be held invalid because of a certain thing that might have occurred.The answer to the second question in respect of bereavement that's great. It does raise the question—and I apologise if this has been addressed—of whether or not this bill has gone through a New Zealand Bill of Rights Act section 6 vet and what the outcome of that vet was.Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS (Minister of Housing): In answer to that question in terms of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act vet yes it has and it is seen as consistent with the Act.Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National): Very good—thank you."