Foster-Bell PaulPAUL FOSTER-BELL (National): Like others in this House I want to begin by congratulating the Minister of Internal Affairs the Hon Peter Dunne who has achieved a significant updating of the basic underpinning legislation for the New Zealand Fire Service soon to become the Fire and Emergency New Zealand organisation. Congratulations Minister. This is something that has been overdue for some time and the constructive and consultative way in which you have undertaken this work is something worthy of praise I believe.I also want to thank members from across the House. I had the pleasure of sitting on the Government Administration Committee during the consideration of this legislation. With the sole exception of New Zealand First I think all parties in this House have taken a very constructive view. They listened to the evidence that was put forward from not only our heroic and hard-working firefighters but the community groups the museums—all the organisations and individuals who came forward to submit on this bill. I think it is very unfortunate that there is one party in this House that is taking the view that this legislation is not necessary and in fact that is a view based in my opinion on ignorance rather than on an understanding of what this bill actually does.This legislation updates the underpinnings of our Fire Service for the 21st century. It is a fact that already more than half of the emergencies attended by the Fire Service are not actually fire in nature. They are the car crashes they are the accidents. In some cases the Fire Service is a key component of our civil defence response. So it is quite appropriate that the name of the Fire Service be updated to include reference to that emergency component.In so far as the way levies are raised and given that the starting point from this legislation did not see a move away from the use of insurance levies rather than general taxation to fund our fire and emergency services I think we on the committee paid close attention—certainly I paid very close attention—to what those in the museum and gallery sectors were saying. These are organisations where the capital value of the precious taonga that they hold—the paintings the artworks and in the case of the Museum of Transport and Technology in Auckland the Lancaster bomber which is one of maybe only 10 left in the world and of incalculable value—and the insurance they take out on these capital products these investments these treasures is not reflective of the cost perhaps of actually servicing them from a fire protection point of view.So I am grateful that the Minister listened very carefully to those concerns and they will be reflected I think in a regime for levying those organisations which is sensible and allows them to pay their dues and to pay their way and to make sure they are contributing their part. But at the same time it does not impose crippling costs upon organisations that are crucial for protecting our treasures and our history.There are many other clauses in this legislation that are positive. I think the way we looked at search and surveillance powers—this is something I certainly took particular interest in. I think that when you are using the coercive powers of the State to pry into people's private business there have to be checks and balances. But bringing the search and surveillance powers that may be used for instance for fire investigation into line with the Search and Surveillance Act so that there are warrants and there is the need to produce identification—these are all measures that I think provide appropriate checks and balances.So I think all up this is very good legislation. I want to once again pay tribute to the men and women of the Fire Service who risk their lives to keep the rest of us safe and who do so much more than fighting fires. They do the protective work and the educational work but also are out there freeing people from damaged vehicles and generally serving their community in a selfless way. I also want to pay tribute to the many officials who worked on this legislation as well as the serving officers of the Fire Service who offered their views during the consultative process. I commend this bill to the House.