Volume 670 Week 67 - Thursday 10 March 2011 
Volume 670 Week 67 - Thursday 10 March 2011 
[Volume:670;Page:17117] 
Thursday 10 March 2011 
Mr Speaker 
 took the Chair at 2 p.m. 
Prayers 
. 
Business Statement 
Hon SIMON POWER (Acting Leader of the House) 
: 
 Next week it is the Government’s intention to make further progress on the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Bill. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Labour—Hutt South) 
: 
 Can I seek from the Acting Leader of the House an undertaking that there is a continuance of the previous undertaking not to take that bill under urgency. 
Hon SIMON POWER (Acting Leader of the House) 
: 
 Correct. 
Chamber Lobbies and Galleries 
Customs Training Programme—Graduates 
Hon MAURICE WILLIAMSON (Minister of Customs) 
: 
 I draw to the House’s attention that in the gallery today we have a stunning group of fine New Zealanders who are graduating from the customs training programme and becoming customs officers. 
Questions to Ministers 
Earthquake Christchurch—Government Support for People Affected 
1. 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) 
 to the  
Prime Minister 
: Is he satisfied that all systems set up pursuant to commitments he has given to assist residents following the Christchurch earthquake are appropriate and working? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH (Deputy Prime Minister) 
on behalf of the  
Prime Minister 
: Generally yes but due to severe damage in the eastern suburbs some households may well be without power water and sewerage for some time yet. However I want to assure people that everything that can be done is being done to restore essential infrastructure. 
Hon Annette King 
: Will he ask the Minister of Finance to issue a direction under section 12 of the Earthquake Commission Act requiring prompt and direct payment for rebuilding in Christchurch in light of comments by the master plumbers’ chairman Mark Whitehead and builder Nick Rogers who said today that they are refusing to carry out rebuilding work for the Earthquake Commission because they do not get paid and they are now requiring distressed homeowners to pay cash up front before any work is done? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: I do not think that the Earthquake Commission would need a direction to ensure that it does as much as it can do to expedite the rebuilding process. I understand the pressure particularly on contractors who were expecting the rebuild from the first earthquake to be well under way now. That has been delayed by maybe a month or two. But we will work with the commission to ensure it does it as fast as it can. 
Hon Annette King 
: In light of that answer will the Prime Minister ask the Minister of Finance to take urgent steps to ensure contractors and subcontractors who are owed thousands of dollars by the Earthquake Commission for emergency work done after the September quake are paid given that in order to avoid their businesses failing with the loss of hundreds of jobs some businesses have already taken out loans to stay afloat? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: Certainly if there are contractors who have not been paid and who should have been paid according to normal credit terms then the Earthquake Commission should get on and do that. But I think the significant shorter-term problem concerning the construction industry in Christchurch was its expectation that it would be gearing up quite rapidly now and that has been delayed by the second earthquake. All the parties involved though now have a great deal more experience in how to get this work under way faster and I hope it will be under way faster than last time round. 
Hon Annette King 
: Does he agree with Mayor Bob Parker that landlords who are hiking up rents on houses and business premises in Christchurch are “looting by another name” and has he considered taking action similar to that of the Federal Government of the United States following Hurricane Katrina when it limited the increase in rents etc. to no more than 10 percent to prevent greedy landlords from profiting from other people’s misery? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: We would share the mayor’s concern if there is significant profiteering. The Government will be listening to the advice of the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery who is on the ground and also shares those concerns. 
Hon Annette King 
: Who is collating and acting on information about vulnerable residents—for example elderly people who are living alone people who are bedridden and those with disabilities—when some have been visited several times by various agencies including Maori wardens the police the army social agencies etc. and others have not been visited at all and how can the Government ensure that these people get the assistance they need? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: As the member has pointed out a number of agencies regard it as their obligation to contact vulnerable people who simply do not have the capacity to deal with the difficult circumstances they find themselves in. There is quite a bit of work going on to try to coordinate those efforts to ensure that there is complete coverage and no one is left out. 
Hon Annette King 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I really appreciate that answer but would the Minister be able to tell us by whom—that is the issue. Who is collating and acting on this information? That is the core of the question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: What I will do is to allow the member to repeat her question but do keep it succinct. 
Hon Annette King 
: Who is collating and acting on the information about vulnerable citizens in Christchurch some of whom have been visited by many agencies and some have not been visited; who is ensuring that they get the services they need? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: I would not want to give the member an exact answer about that specific task. It is quite likely that the Ministry of Social Development is the primary Government agency for delivery of the contact by telephone calls the social assistance with the Earthquake Commission assessors—social workers going around with the assessors—and setting up the neighbourhood offices that give more people easier access to the support. But I will check to see whether the ministry is performing that particular task. 
Hon Steve Chadwick 
: What procedures will be followed when determining which heritage buildings damaged by the earthquake will be demolished? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: I cannot answer that question in detail because it is the subject of discussion between the civil defence controller the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery and the Christchurch City Council. But clearly there needs to be a transparent and predictable process for dealing with that issue. 
Hon Steve Chadwick 
: Does he agree with the comments of the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery on the preservation of heritage buildings: “There is a need to move fairly quickly” and “if I had my way they’d be down tomorrow.”? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: The Minister has expressed a view that a number of older buildings that after the first earthquake were regarded as heritage buildings worth preserving have now collapsed and killed people. He has expressed the view that some of those buildings should be dealt with because they are dangerous. We would expect that regardless of whether they are heritage buildings if they are a danger to public safety they should be dealt with shortly. 
Economy—Reserve Bank Forecasts 10 March 2011 
2. 
DAVID BENNETT (National—Hamilton East) 
 to the  
Minister of Finance 
: What do this morning’s Reserve Bank economic forecasts show? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH (Minister of Finance) 
: 
 The forecasts show that both consumer spending and business investment increased only modestly in the second half of 2010. There were recently some signs of an upturn but the earthquake has had a significant impact. The immediate impact will be to cut GDP by about 0.6 percent in the March quarter and the Reserve Bank believes that growth this year will be relatively weak. The earthquake impact comes on top of an economy that was already a bit weaker than expected before Christmas. 
David Bennett 
: What is the outlook for interest rates and exchange rates over the next few years? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: Although the Reserve Bank is forecasting growth to peak at over 4 percent in 2013 and unemployment to reach below 5 percent it believes that the interest rate cycle will be relatively subdued. Inflation is expected to be stable and the picture on interest rates is similar. Although the current low official cash rate will not last indefinitely the bank projects that 90-day rates will lift gradually to 4.6 percent by 2014 which is a low peak compared with the last cycle where the official cash rate reached almost double that figure. 
David Bennett 
: What discussions took place between the Government and the Reserve Bank prior to today’s official cash rate announcement? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: More discussion took place than usual. About 2 weeks ago just after the quake the Reserve Bank contacted us and suggested that in the presence of a national emergency policy makers might best be mutually informed of the likely crisis response. We agreed and we briefed the bank on the emergency measures that the Government was taking and how it was likely to impact on the 2011 Budget. The bank in turn described its own economic forecasts its thoughts on the appropriate stance for monetary policy and the availability of cash and banking services in Christchurch. At all times the official cash rate decision remained with the governor; I was not entirely sure until this morning what the decision would be. 
David Bennett 
: What are the implications of today’s forecasts for the rest of the Government’s programme? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: It is good to see that the projections of the Reserve Bank include increases in household savings. According to the bank New Zealanders will continue to increase their savings rate. The bank expects that the Government will be back to financial surplus around 2014-15. This projection fits in with our own intentions. 
Official Cash Rate—Reduction 
3. 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Labour—New Lynn) 
 to the  
Minister of Finance 
: By what amount has the Reserve Bank lowered the official cash rate today and what reason has the bank given for this action? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH (Minister of Finance) 
: 
 As the member will know the governor has reduced the official cash rate by 50 basis points to 2.5 percent. It noted that the Christchurch earthquake had caused considerable disruption. Although it is difficult to know how large or long lasting this will be the bank has said that economic activity will be negatively affected. Secondly the Reserve Bank noted as I have previously in the House that before the earthquake the growth was weaker than expected through the second half of 2010 because households had been careful with their money and the agricultural sector has been paying off its debt. The Reserve Bank noted that the signs that the economy was picking up in early 2011 have been more than offset by the earthquake. 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: By how much did the Reserve Bank revise downwards its estimate of economic growth in the last quarter of 2010 in today’s Monetary Policy Statement? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: I cannot give the member an exact answer but I am sure it did revise it down. I think if we go back we will find that it has revised down its forecasts for two or three quarters of this year as well. 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: Given that the bank has revised down its pre-earthquake forecast for the last quarter of last year and confirmed that the economy was either flat or in recession for the last two quarters of last year can the Minister say how much his tax cuts stimulated the economy given the bank’s comments that “Even before the earthquake GDP growth was much weaker than expected”? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: It is always hard to judge what might have happened if we had not put up the tax package. I think it is important to remember though that the tax package was broadly fiscally neutral. It was not expected to stimulate the economy because whatever people were getting through income tax cuts they were paying back to the Government through higher GST or higher tax on property. 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: Have households been net savers or dissavers in the last 2 years according to Reserve Bank data released today? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: I think the data will show that—to use the member’s term—the rate of dissaving has slowed. In 2007 New Zealand households were spending something like $1.11 for every dollar they earned. The Reserve Bank forecasts show that we will have positive savings rates over the next 12 or 18 months for the first time in 20 years. That is good for the economy. 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: Given that the Reserve Bank has confirmed today that it estimates households will not actually start positive saving until 2013 and have continued to increase their borrowings since the Minister took office how can he possibly blame the deepening national recession on household saving? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: Well I disagree with the member’s idea of a deepening national recession. The fact is that the usual way in which the New Zealand economy recovers is for people to go back to the shops go back to the housing market and start spending on the back of easier credit. That is simply not happening this time because banks are not going to lend more money to people to drive up house prices and to encourage retailing. So people are saving and they are getting on top of their debt. That means a flatter economy in the short term but a stronger one in the long term. 
Hon Sir Roger Douglas 
: Will the Minister explain to the Prime Minister that his instructions to the Governor of the Reserve Bank on interest rates only create uncertainty in the minds of investors particularly overseas investors thereby killing off a good deal of investment that might otherwise have taken place? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: There were no instructions to the Reserve Bank governor. As he said this morning he made the decision about interest rates on his view of the economy. 
Fuel Prices Increase—Effect on Economy 
4. 
GARETH HUGHES (Green) 
 to the  
Minister of Finance 
: What will be the impact of the recent fuel price rise on the New Zealand economy including impacts on GDP consumer spending and the current account? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH (Minister of Finance) 
: 
 The impact on each of those amounts will be adverse but it is too early to say by how much. The spike in oil prices has happened fairly quickly with prices trending up since September last year. The rise in prices at the pump has been boosted by the recent weakness of the New Zealand dollar although that weakness in the New Zealand dollar is generally beneficial to the economy. What happens from here depends on how long the lift in international prices is sustained. 
Gareth Hughes 
: Does he agree with analysts at Morgan Stanley who say that sharp increases in global oil prices pose the biggest threat to the global economy and that the last five major recessions followed oil price shocks? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: I think we are all concerned about the impact of a sharp rise in oil prices in terms of both the pressure it could put on households and the way it takes more resources from our economy to keep petrol and diesel running. However we are resilient. The latest spike is not yet as big a spike as the one experienced in 2008. We have plenty to do to get this economy in better order but we cannot actually influence the oil prices. 
Craig Foss 
: What impact has the general lift in commodity prices had on New Zealand’s income and economy? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: We need to keep in mind that part of the general lift in commodity prices is record high prices for the commodities we sell as well as higher prices for the ones we buy such as oil. The net impact is measured by terms of trade. Overall our terms of trade have lifted 25 percent in the past decade. New Zealand has been a net beneficiary from the significant increase in commodity prices including the price of oil. 
Gareth Hughes 
: Does he expect—as many commentators expect—that the next decade will see continuing oil price spikes? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: It is possible. That is why if we are to expect continued instability in oil prices we need a resilient economy that is able to adapt quickly both in a straight economic sense and in terms of how people live their lives. 
Gareth Hughes 
: Why does New Zealand not have a strategy to reduce our current vulnerability to higher oil prices as many other countries do? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: People are pretty sensible. When they see prices going up they start thinking about whether they want to continue with their energy-intensive business or lifestyle. As it happens over the years New Zealand as I understand it has become less energy-intensive in its production which is a trend that will probably continue if oil prices keep going up. 
Gareth Hughes 
: How is spending $10 billion on new motorways reducing our vulnerability to higher oil prices? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: Spending on the motorways creates a more efficient traffic system whereby commuters get better value out of what they invest in their cars bus fares and petrol. We are keen to make sure we finish the current roading infrastructure investment because despite the earthquake it is important for New Zealand’s long-term productivity and standard of living. 
Gareth Hughes 
: For Kiwis who are struggling at the pump at the moment how will the $10 billion the Government is spending on motorways help Kiwis who start walking or cycling and who flock to the buses and trains as large numbers did in 2008 during the last oil shock? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: It will help in two ways. It means that when they catch the bus it will actually spend more of its time travelling than sitting at the traffic lights. Buses are the most common form of public transport and they need efficient roads to be effective. They cannot be run on railway tracks. It is the same with cars. 
Gareth Hughes 
: Will the Minister finally support an inquiry into how New Zealand can best protect its economy from high oil prices? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: Probably not. When we talk about strategies to deal with high oil prices we see that the fact is that the best strategy is for people to see the price signals and change their behaviour accordingly. The Greens understand that strategy because it is the theory and practice behind the emissions trading system which is precisely about sending a price signal to people although in that case it is about carbon usage. 
Question No. 5 to Minister 
Hon DAVID PARKER (Labour) 
: 
 I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Given that neither the Minister for Economic Development nor the Acting Minister for Economic Development is in the Chamber I seek leave to carry over my question to the next sitting day. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought for the question to be carried over to the next sitting day. Is there is any objection to that? There is objection. 
Economic Development Acting Minister—Duration of Appointment 
5. 
Hon DAVID PARKER (Labour) 
 to the  
Acting 
Minister for Economic Development 
: Has he been advised by the Prime Minister whether his appointment as Acting Minister for Economic Development is temporary or expected to carry on to the election? 
Hon SIMON POWER (Acting Leader of the House) 
 on behalf of the  
Acting Minister for Economic Development 
: No. The advice the Acting Minister received from the Prime Minister is the same as what he has stated publicly—namely that these changes have been made for the foreseeable future and will be kept under review as the recovery progresses. 
Hon David Parker 
: Given that his appointment is as he has just said for the foreseeable future can he please tell the House what new plans he has to halt the slide in the New Zealand economy? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: I can do no better than borrow a phrase from history used by the Hon John Tamihere in response to a similar type of question and that answer was “Heaps!”. 
Hon David Parker 
: Is the Minister aware that there are already low levels of confidence in the economy and does he think it was wise then for members of his Government to add to New Zealanders’ feelings of insecurity by softening up the public for possible cuts to Working for Families and student loans? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: In respect of the second part of the question I do not believe that is what the Minister did or what the Government has done in any case. 
Hon David Parker 
: Given those very low levels of confidence why is the Government continuing to speculate on effective increases in taxes for middle-income New Zealanders via cuts to Working for Families and student loans? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: The member opposite should not assume any of those things and should wait and see what the Government has in store. 
Hon David Parker 
: Why can the Minister not see that more responsible leadership is needed to ensure that the wheels of the economy turn rather than fall off and when will he bring forward some new ideas to get the economy running? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: In respect of the first part of the question responsible leadership in these areas is well and truly entrenched and under way. 
Public Transport Wellington—Rail Network Improvements 
6. 
KATRINA SHANKS (National) 
 to the  
Minister of Transport 
: What action is the Government taking to improve Wellington’s train network? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister of Transport) 
: 
 Today I announced a further funding package from the Government that will bring Wellington’s metro rail back up to a high and reliable standard for commuters. The Government is committing a further $88 million for the upgrade of the remaining signalling and power supplies in Wellington. In addition the Government will also co-fund the Greater Wellington Regional Council’s $80 million refurbishment of the 30-year-old Ganz Mavag units with the help of the New Zealand Transport Agency. This funding comes on top of the existing $383 million upgrade which includes the new Matangi trains. 
Katrina Shanks 
: What other changes have been announced today as part of the package? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: The Greater Wellington Regional Council has agreed to share the cost of and responsibilities for delivering these and future improvements to Wellington’s rail system. The New Zealand Transport Agency will now fund rail on the same basis as it funds other forms of public transport including a move to a 50 percent funding rate over 10 years but also funding the capital improvements. The council will pay a realistic track access charge to KiwiRail with a subsidy from the New Zealand Transport Agency that reflects the fair cost of maintaining the track and other assets. The Wellington rail network has been a considerable and ongoing source of frustration for many commuters and it took the previous Government a huge amount of time to get around to doing anything about it. This package coupled with the previous investments will transform the service into a modern reliable public transport option for Wellingtonians. 
Chris Hipkins 
: Why is the Government not funding the full cost of the Wellington rail upgrade which will mean that Wellingtonians will face increased rates to fund the rest of it and why should they not feel like they are getting the rough end of the deal given that he is spending 15 times what he has allocated for Wellington rail on his “Holiday Highway” north of Auckland? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: I realise that Mr Hipkins is one of the Labour Party people who thinks that Government money is costless but actually it is not; it comes from taxpayers. This is a very good partnership between taxpayers; the Greater Wellington Regional Council; KiwiRail which is contributing some assets; and the New Zealand Transport Agency which is contributing transport subsidies. It is a very good package and I am sure that the member could endorse it because it will be very good for Wellingtonians including members of his own electorate. 
Kris Faafoi 
: Will the Minister reassure Wellington rail commuters that they will not face fare increases until the service has actually improved; if not why not? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: If the member had done his research he would know that the fares for Wellington rail are set by the Greater Wellington Regional Council not by the Government. That happens to be the reality of it. It is important to note as we have said previously that many years of mismanagement of the Wellington rail network—including a good number of years by the previous Government before it got its act into gear and started making some form of investment—has meant that there has to be a catch-up which has to be met in a fair way between all the stakeholders including passengers ratepayers and taxpayers. 
Hon Sir Roger Douglas 
: Has the Minister seen the comments of Dr Roderick Deane in a recent speech that the rail network will be valued at $14.5 billion by 2015 yet KiwiRail will not generate any surpluses over the next 5 years and does he agree that pouring money into projects that do not yield any return is a sure path to fiscal crisis? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: There is a whole range of answers and I am struggling to pick one. The point that I would make to Dr Deane is that one has a sunk asset that one has to decide whether one is going— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I just wonder whether instead of leaning over the member could— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No I will not have that. 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: One would think the member for Hutt South would have some interest— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: We will not have any of that. The House will come to order. 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: The important thing which perhaps Dr Deane does not realise is that passenger transport in both Wellington and Auckland—and in fact around the world—have never made profits. They provide congestion benefits to motorists which is why public transport subsidies are in place. In regards to his other assertions about the rail network generally I do have concerns about the value of that asset. The Government certainly has concerns and we think the previous Government overpaid hugely to return that asset to the public fold. We are making the best of a bad situation and seeking to get the best possible return we can from that asset. 
Pike River Mine Tragedy—Government Funding for Recovery of Victims 
7. 
Hon DAMIEN O’CONNOR (Labour) 
 to the  
Prime Minister 
: Can he assure the families of those killed in the Pike River mine disaster that Government funding will be available for the recovery of bodies given the mine is now in the receivers’ hands? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH (Deputy Prime Minister) 
 on behalf of the  
Prime Minister 
: As the Government has said many times the key issue in deciding whether the recovery of the bodies could take place is the safety and stability of the mine. Money has not been an issue. 
Hon Damien O’Connor 
: How can the grieving families of the 29 Pike River miners trapped in the mine be reassured that every effort is being made to recover their remains when receiver John Fisk has stated that “the body recovery operation is the responsibility of the police and that operation stopped some time ago.” and when the receiver has now announced the possible sale of the whole mine? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: The recovery operation by the police came to an end simply because it appeared to be making no progress in the face of the difficulties of stabilising the mine and making it safe to go in there. Authorities such as the police maintain the same interest in the recovery of the bodies regardless of who owns the mine. 
Hon Damien O’Connor 
: Can the Prime Minister then assure the families that any new owner of the mine will also have a legal and moral obligation to pay for the recovery of the remains of their loved ones who are still trapped in the mine? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: The member is raising some complicated issues I think to do with conferring an obligation on an owner in the face of the stability and safety problems in the mine. That is a matter that no doubt we could get some advice on but I would simply restate the case: money has not been an issue. There has been significant money spent there in order to try to get some safety and stability in the mine. Unfortunately that has not occurred but the authorities still maintain the same interest in the cause of death and the recovery of those bodies. 
Hon Damien O’Connor 
: Does the Prime Minister’s statement “I gave a commitment to the families at Pike River that I would do everything I could to get their men out and I stand by that” mean that he will guarantee to fund the recovery of their remains or is that statement about as reliable as the one that stated he would not increase GST? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: I will not dignify that comment on the very real commitment that all people have shown towards the recovery of those bodies. If the member wants to make a political circus out of it that is up to him. Those bodies are still there. The Crown has taken every step it possibly can. The hurdle is the safety and stability of the mine—not the receivers not the new owners. There is no other obstacle but the safety and stability of the mine. If the efforts made by the police to try to secure the mine had been successful of course we would be in there recovering those bodies. No one has yet in my view come up with a plan that goes anywhere near achieving the safety and stability that would be required to go 2½ kilometres into the mountain retrieve the bodies and come 2½ kilometres out and do it all on foot which would be the only viable way to do it. 
Earthquake Christchurch—Replacement Toilets 
8. 
COLIN KING (National—Kaikoura) 
 to the  
Minister of Civil Defence 
: Is the Government satisfied with the provision of replacement toilets for earthquake-affected Christchurch residents? 
Hon JOHN CARTER (Minister of Civil Defence) 
: 
 The answer is yes; 88 percent of Christchurch City now has water and it is expected that by the end of this weekend 95 to 96 percent of households will have water. As for the other 4 percent because it is difficult to ascertain the situation we are asking those people who do not have water by the end of the weekend to ring 941 8999 to tell the Christchurch City Council. We want those homes to get water on and the toilets to then be flushed so that we can ascertain whether the sewerage system is working. We ask them to check in their backyards and in their streets to see whether there are any difficulties and if difficulties occur we ask people to ring 941 8999 to tell the council. About 60 percent of homes as we understand at the moment have usable toilets. The problem we have is that there is so much siltation in the pipes that we need to carry on ascertaining the damage and many of those pipes will have to be jet-blasted so that we can know what is there. In the meantime 40131 temporary toilets both Portaloo toilets and chemical toilets have been sourced. Some have yet to arrive but civil defence is getting them into Christchurch and out to affected people as quickly as possible. We are using military personnel to deliver the temporary toilets. I can tell members that I was speaking with a controller just before I came down to the House and the toilets are being checked regularly to make sure we are delivering them as widely as we can. 
Colin King 
: Is the Government concerned about the possible outbreak of disease in the light of sanitary conditions and the need for neighbourhoods to share Portaloo toilets? 
Hon JOHN CARTER 
: Yes we are of course. Communicable disease risks from gastroenteritis are being monitored planned for and managed. So far no unusual spikes have been seen. In media conferences and advisories civil defence and Ministry of Health officials continue to remind residents to boil drinking water regardless of where it comes from. They should also boil water that is being used to clean wounds. Advice includes reminders to wash hands or use hand sanitisers. Free hand sanitisers are available from water-tanker sites. 
Women on Boards—Self-assessment Tool 
9. 
CAROL BEAUMONT (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister of Women’s Affairs 
: Can she outline a significant improvement for women initiated by the current Government? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA (Minister of Women’s Affairs) 
: 
 Tena koe Mr Speaker. Bringing about real and sustainable change in the long tradition of Aotearoa New Zealand is about the leadership of women themselves. This Government has recognised and respected that by providing resources and tools to support women and to translate their interests skills and ambitions into practical effect through the development of the “my board strengths” initiative the Women on Boards’ self-assessment tool to be officially launched next week. The toolkit supports women’s own abilities to make smart decisions about developing their governance skills with a view to lifting women’s representation in governance in the public and private sectors. “My board strengths” forms part of the new and improved Women on Boards website. 
Carol Beaumont 
: Why were most of the achievements recently outlined by the Government in the report on progress on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women initiatives of the previous Labour Government while the negative changes from National were left out? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women report was the fifth report over the last 50 years. I think it is somewhat arrogant to suggest that all of the changes somehow occurred in one administration. As I said in my previous— 
Carol Beaumont 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The question was specifically referring to the last report not all five reports. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I think the member is being a little hasty in raising a point of order. My greater concern was that a question was asked and an answer was being given and the noise was pretty excessive. 
Hon Annette King 
: Because it was political. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Well to suggest the question was not political I think is stretching it a bit. 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: As I said in my response to the primary question Aotearoa New Zealand has a long tradition of New Zealand women themselves taking responsibility taking leadership for the decisions about the lives they lead. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women report captures some parts of that journey—the parts that the Government contributes to—but there is a whole wide world that women themselves are in charge of and that is what this Government is committed to supporting. 
Carol Beaumont 
: What is the Ministry of Women’s Affairs saying or doing about the changes to the Employment Relations Act that will enable the dismissal of workers without reason or recourse from 1 April and that will disproportionately impact on women? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: The Government has taken a widespread approach to the way in which we can engage women across the entire economy. That means we are looking for opportunities for them to be given chances to be taken on into employment areas where they might not otherwise be taken on. That means we have seen that the occupational segregation that has forced women into lower-paid opportunities must be addressed. That means we have focused on the pay disparity gap that that side of the House has generally focused on. We have seen that gap for instance moving in the right direction and falling from 13 percent in 2008 to 11.3 percent in 2009 and to 10.6 percent in 2010 an indicator only— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I accept that the question contained a couple of statements that were certainly capable of being disputed. But it did not actually invite a prolonged speech. I think the answer has been quite long enough. 
Carol Beaumont 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I think the question was quite specific in referring to the changes to the Employment Relations Act— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No no—the member will resume her seat now. I am not going even to invite her to repeat her question because in it she made a couple of assertions that were completely capable of being commented on by the Minister. The Minister chose to respond to the latter part of the question and if the member wants to have a question answered she should keep it short—for instance cutting out the last two parts of that last question. 
Carol Beaumont 
: Does the Minister agree with her colleague Kate Wilkinson that New Zealand women who are underpaid and who are facing ever-rising prices and struggling to make ends meet should be “grateful that there is a National Government that has a focus of lifting economic performance and ensuring the well-being of families and communities.”? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: As I have already said this Government is committed to raising opportunities for all women to participate in the economy and in ways where their work and their potential is properly rewarded and valued. 
Catherine Delahunty 
: Tena koe Mr Speaker. Despite the generic figures she has mentioned does she agree that we do not have enough information on the gender pay gap to know whether the problem is one of equal pay or pay equity or both; and how can we close that gap if we do not report robustly on these problems? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: The gender pay gap as it is discussed in New Zealand at the moment is one indicator only. It compares the average of women’s and men’s work across the entire economy so it does not take into account texture of qualification places of work length of service and so on and so forth. So yes there needs to be more work on a wider range of issues so that we can address the causes of that gap. 
Earthquake Christchurch—Continuity of Early Childhood Education and Schooling 
10. 
ALLAN PEACHEY (National—Tamaki) 
 to the  
Minister of Education 
: What provisions have been made to ensure continuity of early childhood education and schooling in the Christchurch region since the 22 February earthquake? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister of Education) 
: 
 I am pleased to inform the House that as of this morning 80 schools and 165 early childhood education centres have opened. In addition at least another 30 schools and 45 early childhood centres have said that they are planning to open either tomorrow or on Monday. This means that by the beginning of next week approximately 40000 students will be back at school and continuing their education. Around the country a number of Christchurch children have enrolled in other schools. To give schools certainty we are effectively double-funding these students by funding them in their new school and in their original Christchurch school. This and other measures are expected to cost around $20 million. 
Allan Peachey 
: What provision has been made for the students of those schools that are so severely damaged that they will not be able to open this term? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: Schools in Christchurch are being extremely flexible and are looking at very innovative solutions to ensure continuity of schooling. In some cases we are looking to share school sites. For example next week Shirley Boys High School will share the Papanui High School site with Papanui High School using the classrooms in the morning and Shirley Boys High School using them in the afternoon. In other cases we are putting relocatable classrooms on to school playgrounds. Where schools can open but do have severe infrastructure issues we are working on a number of solutions. For example the Defence Force is working to develop temporary sewerage systems and we are bringing water on to school sites. The Farmy Army has also helped to clear the results of liquefaction at 10 school sites. 
Allan Peachey 
: What reports has she had of the initial response to the earthquake in schools? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: I am very pleased to say that the schools had worked on their earthquake drills and the children were very well rehearsed. We have had no reports of serious injury on school-grounds. I take this opportunity to thank principals teachers and other school staff for their support for pupils. I have had reports that teachers stayed on-site with children until well into the early evening waiting for their parents to come and collect them. Those teachers and principals had problems in their own homes and with their own families but they did not leave before they had made sure that every single child was accounted for and safely with their family. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Tena koe Mr Speaker. Kia ora tatou. Will any extra resources be made available to schools outside of Christchurch such as Te Kura Kaupapa Maori Hoani Waititi in Auckland Te Kura Maori o Porirua or Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Ruamata which have had a quite big influx of students because of the earthquake? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: Yes. I should acknowledge the fact that many kura and in fact many other schools throughout New Zealand have done a fantastic job of welcoming Christchurch students into their schools and making provision not only for them but also for their families. We are double-funding; we are paying those kura and schools for those students even though they are still enrolled in schools back in Christchurch schools that are being paid for them. We are dealing as we can with those schools that need extra resources to cope with those students on a case by case basis. But we are asking schools to try to share the students amongst the network so that we do not put pressure on our property; of course all the temporary property is being directed down to Christchurch. 
MediaWorks—Advice on Perceived Conflict of Interest  
11. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Labour—Hutt South) 
 to the  
Minister for Communications and Information Technology 
: What advice did he receive on any perceived conflict of interest before he took part in the Cabinet decision that led to the deferral of the requirement for MediaWorks to pay its frequency licence to the Crown? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister for Communications and Information Technology) 
: 
 I sought Cabinet Office advice on whether I faced a potential conflict of interest as a result of my previous association with the radio industry. That advice confirmed that I did not face a conflict in relation to this matter. Nevertheless I made sure that my Cabinet colleagues were aware of my previous association and this was noted. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Why did Gerry Brownlee lead negotiations with broadcasters around this package? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: I have no idea what the member is referring to. The decision was made by Cabinet and the paper went forward under my name. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Why was it that Gerry Brownlee and his office had a series of discussions with the broadcasters before that Minister was involved; was that informal or had he recused himself? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: The approach that I received was from the Radio Broadcasters Association and that is the approach that the Government responded to. I am aware that a number of broadcasters at different times approached other Ministers about their concerns but it was formally dealt with by me through the association. It was taken to Cabinet and all of Cabinet discussed and agreed on the outcome. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Was 2degrees offered a similar arrangement for its spectrum; if not why not? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: No and that is because the approach was made by the Radio Broadcasters Association and 2degrees is of course not a member of the association because it is a cellphone company. But the important thing was that Cabinet was asked to consider whether because the frequencies were due to be paid right at the point of the worst recession since the Depression back in the 1930s the association could make a delayed payment option available and after discussion it was decided to do so. I should note that this has actually been in the public domain for the last 18 months. If the member has concerns about other things he might have missed there is a website called www.beehive.govt.nz which he might like to refer to and where he could search for other press releases that he missed at the time. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Is the 11 percent interest rate available to small Kiwi information and communications technology entrepreneurs who owe the Government money or only to foreign-owned media companies with which he has a long-term relationship? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: The point I need to make to the member again is that the rate was available to all those radio frequency holders who were due to renew at that time. His comment about associations is interesting. I think the member is trying to suggest that if somebody was involved with an industry at some point in their past career they should not be able to be the Minister in relation to that industry. This is an intriguing position given that as a former teacher he was the Minister of Education afterwards and Annette King a former dental nurse turned out to be the former Minister of Health. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: We do not get into that kind of personal direction in answering a question. 
Hon Steven Joyce 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I think we have got into that sort of personal situation. I was responding in kind. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That is not a point of order and the Minister should know that. Members of this House are perfectly at liberty to ask members about perceived or potential conflicts of interest and Ministers are responsible for answering to this House where there may be any such perception. I will be watching very carefully to make sure that the member does not question the Minister about his personal affairs. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Was he cognisant of the pending staffing cuts to TVNZ 7 when he approved this deferral for the foreign-owned company? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: I reject the assertion in the question. It was offered to all frequency holders who were due to make payments at that time—a deferred payment that involved them paying interest and making their payments over a period of time. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. It was a straightforward question which asked whether he was cognisant of the pending cuts to TVNZ 7 when he approved this deferral to a foreign-owned company. That was not addressed. Was he cognisant of— 
Hon Simon Power 
: He said he rejected the assertion. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Rejected which assertion? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Acting Leader of the House should know that he does not interject during a point of order because that is when we get into a messy situation. The Minister in answering the question in my view answered it by pointing out that all broadcasters as I understand it from his answer had access to deferral arrangements. His answer I think implied there was no favouritism to any one company over any other and I believe he therefore answered the significant part of the question. The member has a further supplementary question in which to pursue the matter further if he wishes. 
Hon Member 
: Didn’t you understand English Trevor? 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: The intellectuals speak— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: We will not have this. Members can see that when they interject like that they are likely to cause disorder. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Was he cognisant of the pending funding and staffing cuts to TVNZ 7 when he approved this process of deferral? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: The decision was made in 2009 I point out to the member and it was announced in 2009 which was the point I was trying to address. The member would have to address any changes to the broadcasting portfolio to the Minister of Broadcasting. 
Earthquake Christchurch—Search and Rescue Progress 
12. 
KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI (National) 
 to the  
Minister of Internal Affairs 
: What reports has he received on the progress of urban search and rescue and firefighter teams working in Christchurch following the 22 February earthquake? 
Hon NATHAN GUY (Minister of Internal Affairs) 
: 
 I have received daily reports and updates since the earthquake. The New Zealand Fire Service attended 3919 incidents between 22 February and 7 March. This figure includes 155 rescues and just under 2000 property-related incidents. Currently five urban search and rescue task forces are deployed from New Zealand and overseas which include 295 highly trained personnel. More than 500 buildings have now been cleared and the focus is moving from large buildings in the centre to smaller structures further out. 
Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi 
: Has the Minister received any report about an increased number of volunteers wanting to join the Fire Service since the Christchurch earthquake? 
Hon NATHAN GUY 
: Yes I have received some very positive reports of New Zealanders wanting to help out by becoming firefighters. I am told that the number of website inquiries to the Fire Service has tripled since the earthquake and that applications have increased from an average of five a day to more than 15 a day since the earthquake. This is very encouraging news because the Fire Service relies heavily on both volunteer and professional firefighters to help New Zealanders in times of need. 
Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill 
Procedure 
Hon SIMON POWER (Acting Leader of the House) 
: 
 I seek leave for the introduction and passing of the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill prior to 6 p.m. today. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought. Is there any objection to that course of action being followed? There is none. 
First Reading 
Hon KATE WILKINSON (Minister of Labour) 
: 
 I move  
That the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill be now read a first time 
. I thank the House for supporting the passage of this bill through all its stages today. 
The bill provides for 18 March 2011 to be a day of commemoration in those parts of Canterbury—that is in northern and central Canterbury—that observe Christchurch Show Day as Canterbury Anniversary Day in order to commemorate the devastating consequences of the Canterbury earthquake on 22 February 2011 at 12.51 p.m. Just over 2 weeks have passed since Christchurch was shattered by its second major earthquake. This bill has been introduced to allow for the people of Canterbury to take a day to come together as a community and as a region to grieve together and mark an event that has so deeply affected each and every one of us. We are still in the response stage of the earthquake. There is an enormous amount of work left to do and that will be ongoing for years but next Friday we want to take the time to provide an opportunity for all of Canterbury to mourn. It will also be a chance to celebrate the lives of those who have been lost. There is no denying that the wounds are still open for everyone to see. Next Friday’s memorial service will not bring an end to the grieving process but I hope it will help Canterbury at the beginning of this long road ahead. 
This bill provides for next Friday to be observed as a public holiday known as Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day. Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day is to be treated in those part of Canterbury that observe Christchurch Show Day as Canterbury Anniversary Day as a one-off public holiday for the purposes of the Holidays Act 2003 and as a day to which section 65C(1) of the Education Act 1989 applies which requires schools to be closed. 
The provisions of the Holidays Act 2003 governing observance and payment for public holidays will apply to Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day as follows: employees are entitled to be paid if Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day 18 March 2011 would have been a normal working day for them. If employees do not work on Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day they are entitled to be paid what they would have earned had they worked on the day; if employees work on the day they should be paid at least time and a half for the time they actually work on that day. They are also entitled to an alternative holiday if the day would have been a normal working day for them. 
I am aware that this will place some unexpected costs on some businesses in the region and of course this was taken into consideration when the Government discussed creating a one-off public holiday for the region. However there was no getting away from the fact that this earthquake is the greatest tragedy ever to strike the Canterbury region. Most people in Canterbury will want to attend the memorial service but without a public holiday it would be much more difficult for many of them to do so. It is important that all of Canterbury is able to take a day to mark this tragedy and we hope that businesses in the region will support this public holiday. Many businesses are not able to operate right now and the Government is providing support to them and to thousands of employees. 
The welfare of the people of Canterbury is what matters most at this time. I expect that tens of thousands of people will want to attend the memorial service and I encourage everyone who can get to Hagley Park to do so. The Government considers that to mark a very significant event it is appropriate to have a public holiday for the people of northern and central Canterbury. I commend this bill to the House. 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) 
: 
 The Labour Opposition will be supporting the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill. We are determined to work alongside the Government and the community to make sure that Christchurch is a better place for everybody including our children. One way we can do that is to ensure that this day of commemoration is able to take place. 
I am one of those who have been to Christchurch over the last 2 weeks on two occasions and I have seen firsthand the devastation and the impact on the lives of so many people; not only people who live in Canterbury but also family and friends right around New Zealand. I do not think I have ever seen such devastation in one of our cities or towns in New Zealand. We have had many disasters over many years but I do not think I have seen in my lifetime such devastation. 
Yesterday I went to Lyttelton and unless one has been there one will not believe that almost that entire town has fallen down. It will take a lot of hard work to rebuild it as it will in many parts of the city of Christchurch. As we have said on a number of occasions over the last 2 weeks we feel for the people of Canterbury and we want to be part of the rebuild of that area as fast as we can. We want to ensure that they have the opportunity to work live and play in a most wonderful part of New Zealand. As a former South Islander who trained there as a school dental nurse I have a lot of affection for that city. 
We believe it is appropriate to set aside a day for the people of Christchurch to mourn for the staggering loss of life. I would however have to say that it would feel better if we knew the names of all those who had passed away; if we knew whom we were commemorating. There is a feeling of emptiness that there are only so many who at this stage are identified as having passed away. I understand the terrible work that has to be done in identification and I say to the Minister of Police that the work the police have been doing is absolutely amazing. They will do it thoroughly and they will ensure people know that the remains returned to them are those of their loved ones. I understand that but I feel that a commemoration should really be about commemorating those who have lost their lives and we will be in a situation where this day is held but we will not know whom they all are. 
It makes one wonder whether at some stage there needs to be some other commemoration. Perhaps a year after this event when we have been able to identify everybody and when people’s minds have been put at rest we will be able to commemorate this terrible disaster together as a country. We also believe that by having a day to commemorate people will be able to stop and reflect on what they would like to see happen in their own region and their own city. That is important. 
One of the things that was said to me over and over again when I was in Canterbury is that Cantabrians must have a say in what happens to their city. They must have a say in how it is developed designed and built. I think that is a strong message we must all take on board when we think of the people of Christchurch. If we think about it as if it were our own back yard it would be wrong and we would feel aggrieved if somebody said to us: “This is how you are going to have your own domain and we’re going to make the decision for you.” So I think there is a clear message to us. 
Those of us who would like to see a rebuild happen quickly should stop take a breath and think about how we can ensure that there will be a rebuild of that city that has the buy-in of many many of those people. We know that the economic cost to us as a country along with the social cost is huge if we do not get the rebuild of that city right. So when we commemorate and when people are thinking about it I urge us to consider the views of Cantabrians and what they would like to see happen. 
There is no need for us to panic in terms of the re-establishment of the city. We with the people of Canterbury have an opportunity to ensure we build a city of the 21st century the like of which we do not have in this country. We will look back in 100 years’ time and say that out of that devastation and rubble has grown a city that is providing economic and social sustenance to many many people over many generations. 
Labour members support this bill and we will ensure we are represented at that memorial service. I know that the Leader of the Opposition alongside the Prime Minister will be speaking on that day making it a parliamentary occasion. I think that is important because it is not a Government occasion. We have been talking across this House about how we stand together. It is important I think that the commemoration service represents political parties across the political divide so people can see we are together in commemorating with them the loss of so many lives. We stand here to support this bill and commend it to the House. 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS (Minister of Police) 
: 
 It is truly humbling to speak on the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill. I have just returned from Christchurch for the third time since the earthquake of 22 February. 
I will just take a moment to deal with an issue raised by the member who has just resumed her seat the Hon Annette King in relation to the memorial day and the fact that it is a shame we do not yet have all the names released of those who have lost their lives. I am fully aware that we may never have all the names of those who have lost their lives such has been the devastation that has been wreaked on some individuals. As that member has acknowledged the police are doing their very best to get absolute accuracy in relation to the remains of those deceased so that they are returned to the correct families. 
We should not underestimate the dreadful job the disaster victim identification teams—DVI teams—have had to endure. I visited them at their work. I can say only that it is quite clearly the Lord’s work because I am not sure that too many other people would do it. They do the most amazing job. When the bushfires in Victoria went through and killed over 200 people it took over 6 weeks before any victims could be returned to their families. Our team was returning them after a few days. It is a stunning effort from some fantastic people. I take this opportunity to thank all of the people who have been part of that team—all of the people from around the world and from around New Zealand who have been part of it. 
This memorial day is about those who have died but it is also about the many survivors in Canterbury who have to live with the fact that they have lost loved ones or friends and about those who have had their businesses and everything else destroyed around them. All they have left is their own lives. When we look for anything positive we can take from that terrible day of 22 February it would have to be the absolute value of human life. Those who are still alive even those who have lost limbs have had their backs or necks broken and have the most dreadful injuries still have life. They cling to life and they wish to live it as fully as they can. 
I know there will also be people who think this service will make things harder for many businesses because it is another paid day off. But I say that we should think about those people who have continued to go to work through all of this. Think about our police our corrections officers our nurses our doctors and our council workers who have been collecting the rubbish off the streets to try to do what they can. Think about the people who have been trying to reconnect sewers. Think about the people who have been doing all the plumbing and the electricians—the people who have been working all the way through. This is a day that we owe to Canterbury. 
I recently read a comment in an Australian magazine about this quake. It said for all Australians today they are Kiwis. I say to this House for all New Zealanders today we are Cantabrians. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Labour—Hutt South) 
: 
 I want to join with members in the tone of this discussion. I was not going to start this way but I will acknowledge the work of the police and the teams they have developed. It must be pushing 15 years since I spent a number of nights out with the police in my city. On one of those early occasions I was with a team that was involved in cleaning up after a road accident where someone had hit a power pole and the remains were spread over 50 to 70 metres down a road. The police officers were using tweezers to pick up body parts. The police and others in Christchurch—our other heroes—are doing that on a scale 200 times bigger and that is an enormous effort. It is almost like under every boulder brick and stone they lift there is a possibility of finding part of a loved one. It must be so hard yet in a way I am sure for many of them it is rewarding. 
I have had discussions with people from my area who have been involved in the work just as there are people in Christchurch from every area in New Zealand. Police from my area have been in Christchurch and have come back. In a funny way it must also be enormously rewarding work to be part of a team that is now doing the best that can be done in returning as much of the remains of the loved ones to the families as they can for appropriate burial or other disposal. It is hard work and we thank them for it. 
Perhaps a related question is that of whether there can be some informal arrangement or direction from the commissioner that the police and others who have already worked in Canterbury and who are now back home can be taken off active duty at least for the period of the memorial service so that they can be part of the commemoration. I think that would be a good thing and it should probably apply to the fire service and other personnel as well. 
I say to the Minister of Labour—again I think it will be a matter of the discretion of individual employers—that there are now tens of thousands of Cantabrians who are outside Canterbury. Many of them are working for nationwide employers or are outside their normal place of work in the Canterbury province. I wonder whether the Minister—and she might like to report at a later stage—could encourage employers to treat those Cantabrians who are now outside Canterbury as if they were in Canterbury for the purposes of the commemoration. Because of the television aspect to the commemoration I think a lot of us will want to feel a part of it and it would be good for those who were in Christchurch or who would normally be there to be allowed to be part of it. I think gentle encouragement could be given for that to occur. I do not think we need an amendment to the legislation but if we can get some leadership from the Government on arrangements for the police and paid firefighters at least then that would be a good way of progressing. 
As well as acknowledging those people an enormous number of public servants in Wellington as well as in Canterbury have been burning the candle at both ends in order to best respond to this terrible event. We need to acknowledge them and thank them. In fact I tell the Minister of Police that the police with whom I have had a discussion have had some arrangement where they have been down in Christchurch for a week. I think they went down on the ferry late in the afternoon of the earthquake and stayed there for a week. There was not one occasion when they had their normal 9-hour break between shifts. They were always working for at least 16 hours a day and often longer. There will be some issues that flow from that. 
Before I get back to that point I acknowledge Anne Tolley and the work she and her team have done. Through informal links—and occasionally some tears on Lambton Quay—I have caught up with what has been going on within the Ministry of Education and its team. I acknowledge her leadership and the work that Karen Sewell and those people have done in order to make the best possible arrangements at this stage. It is an enormous job. It could have gone much worse. There will be enormous challenges to come and I am sure that at the appropriate time we will give Anne Tolley some hurry-up to make sure the good work continues. She has taken some leadership there and part of it has involved some additional funding some double funding in order to make sure that arrangements are appropriately in place for schools. 
I want to go back to the Minister of Police and ask that she too looks at the effect on police district budgets as a result of the earthquake work arrangements. Because of briefings on the Rugby World Cup I know that this year will be enormously tight for the police. As far as leave is concerned there are large blocks of time when the police will not be able to take leave and therefore there will be an accumulation of leave. I understand that the Minister of Police has already approved the paying out of time in lieu for police who have been in Christchurch where that is appropriate. I say to the Minister of Police that I think we should not pressure some of the police who have been in that situation to take payment of time in lieu unless they choose to. As a result of working for a week some of them have effectively accrued about 3 weeks’ leave. If some of that is paid out that is good. But I just want to make sure that the funding arrangements are in place in the same way that the Minister of Education has arranged it for schools so that policing is not reduced as a result of the exercise. 
I know it is a matter that will take some working through and it is not as urgent as it is in respect of education but it is a very real question. Having been involved in some negotiations in the past as the Associate Minister of Finance—if I take off my shoes and do some counting on my fingers—I think about a week’s policing from the Hutt was the loss of an officer for about 6 months. That gets to be quite a serious drop in a relatively small community so we need to work though it. 
I will finish on what might be a slightly discordant note and say as our leader and deputy leader have indicated that because the Government has made this decision and because of our determination to stand beside the Government in these matters we will be supportive of it. I just want to toss in my personal view now which is that it might have been better to wait a little while until we had an understanding of who died or at least as good an understanding as we will ever get. I know of a relatively close friend and acquaintance who has died but whose name has not been released. I do not know whether others are on that list. I think that all of New Zealand is thinking about that at the moment. At Pike River we knew who the 29 were. But we do not know in this case and my view is that it might have been better to leave it a bit longer until we do. 
But what is clear out of all of this is that at some stage in the future we have to work out what a proper memorial is. I want to think in grander ways than the physical for that sort of memorial. Thank you. 
KEITH LOCKE (Green) 
: 
 The Green Party will be fully supporting the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill. Since the horrific 22 February earthquake New Zealand has been mourning those who tragically were killed in that earthquake and our hearts are very much with their families at this very difficult time. In a myriad of ways New Zealanders have been extending their support to those who survived and those whose lives have been very badly affected. This support takes many different forms more than I think I have seen in New Zealand in as long as I can remember. It includes everything from the official response by civil defence—and I see that John Carter is with us today and civil defence has done a tremendous job—right through to the very grassroots things such as people having a little sausage sizzle in their street in suburban Auckland and sending the money as their contribution to those who have suffered. We particularly feel for those at the front line the medics and search and rescue people who are uncovering such horrible sights that none of us would ever want to experience. I pay tribute to people from all levels of society on behalf of the Green Party for the wonderful response across New Zealand. 
It is appropriate that we have a more formal opportunity as a nation to mourn what has happened and those who have died and the ceremony on 18 March will provide that but I must admit that when I first heard the Prime Minister’s announcement of the date my instinctual reaction was that it was too soon. Many of the bodies of the victims have not yet been identified and returned to their families. As of today only 65 of the 166 bodies have been identified and the families of most of the deceased have not had the opportunity to properly grieve with their loved ones. However I think this memorial service will help those families including the families of the overseas citizens who died mainly in the CTV building. They will all get to see that the whole of the New Zealand community is behind them and with them in their grief. 
I hope that the ceremony to be held a week tomorrow is more down-to-earth than many of the ceremonies that we as parliamentarians are involved in. An image in my mind is of a whole lot of dignitaries in suits ties and formal regalia and that clashes with another image that is in my mind from the time I spent going door-to-door in the suburb of Aranui of people who have not been able to wash their clothes for more than 2 weeks whose toilet is a bucket and who will find it quite difficult to travel over the cracked and bumpy roads to even get to the Hagley Park event. I certainly hope that they do get there. 
It is unfortunate that having a public ceremony so soon and declaring a public holiday has provoked quite a bit of angst and controversy amongst the good citizens of Christchurch which can be seen in the blogs and in the comments on the TV3 website at the moment for example. All the points made by people in Christchurch on those websites and blogs are relevant even if they do clash a bit with each other. Some business owners who are already on their knees have complained about missing a day’s work or the cost to them of a paid holiday. Others have replied in the comments section in blogs that the additional cost to business should not override the importance of collectively remembering the tragedy and huge loss of life. Both sides have a point and we should welcome such public discussion not only now but also in terms of the future of Christchurch. 
I think that whether it be on such matters as the memorial day which heritage buildings to reconstruct or whether to continue with the Rugby World Cup at AMI Stadium in Christchurch we should be open to that discussion. It worried me a little bit to read today that reports on the state of AMI Stadium would be shared with the International Rugby Board before the people of Christchurch were told. It seems to me that there needs to be a good public discussion about whether the Rugby World Cup games should go ahead at that Christchurch stadium weighing up all the pluses and minuses and there are a lot on either side. I am worried that there might be a fait accompli announcement by the Government the International Rugby Board or the Rugby Union. I hope I am wrong about that because although it is likely that there will be a reduction in the financial return if the games are held in Christchurch and there would certainly be many other difficulties with holding the games there this needs to be balanced against whether the games would be an important morale boost for the people of Christchurch. 
Although this memorial service is dedicated to remembering those who died in the earthquake it will inevitably be to some degree an opportunity to express our feelings towards all those in Christchurch who have suffered and who are still suffering as a result of the earthquake. Just about everyone living in the eastern half of Christchurch has suffered some degree of trauma and their nightmare has not ended. Nerves are frayed from not knowing just how big the next aftershock will be how much extra damage it might cause and whether they will be hurt. Then there is the sadness at the loss of precious items in the big quake worries about when homes will be repaired—if they can be—and where the money might come from. Add to that the daily grind for the many who are living without water and sewerage for the indefinite future. The memorial day will be an opportunity to remember those whose lives were lost but we will also be thinking of those whose lives are now badly damaged and who are living in their own version of hell. 
However the story of Christchurch is also the story of great resilience of community spirit and togetherness. When going door-to-door in Aranui offering food and support I came across a front lawn with a substantial fireplace and a pile of wood on it. The neighbours had been cooking food together. The next-door neighbour commented that it should not take a disaster to bring people together. But together they now are and this story is repeated across the affected suburbs of Christchurch. Earlier that day I had been at Canterbury University watching students mobilising with their shovels for another hard day attacking the liquefaction. It brought tears to my eyes because along with the Farmy Army the students have shifted tonnes and tonnes of silt that was covering the lawns and drives of so many householders who did not know what to do next. Much of the food that we were distributing on that day in Aranui was home-baked goodies. I was particularly touched by a set of buns covered with white icing. The person who had baked them had taken the trouble to add lettering in pink icing to each bun reading simply “We love you”. That to me is the spirit of Christchurch today. 
I agree with what Annette King said. We have to take time to grieve; we have to take a breath. The memorial service on 18 March is only part of the process; there is a lot more to be done. Everyone in this House particularly the Christchurch MPs—including the Green MP Kennedy Graham—are doing their utmost to offer assistance. That is to be commended. We are working very much in a cross-party spirit as we should in such a tragedy and I think we will all be together next week on 18 March with the people of Christchurch. Thank you. 
TE URUROA FLAVELL (Maori Party—Waiariki) 
: 
 Tena koe Mr Assistant Speaker kia ora tatou katoa e te Whare otira koutou e whakarongo mai na ki nga korero e paoho atu nei ki a koutou i tenei rangi. Katahi ano au ka whai wahi ki te tu ake ki te tuku i waku mihi waku poroporoaki penei i wetahi atu i nga wiki kua hipi ake. Katahi ano au ka tu ake ki te ki atu ki te hunga kua ngaro atu i te tirohanga kanohi e moe e moe e moe. Ko koutou tera ko te hunga i mate i Te Tai Poutini i nga marama kua hipa ake. Haere koutou ki te wahangutanga. Haere koutou ki Hawaiki nui ki Hawaiki roa ki Hawaiki pamamao. Moe mai i roto i nga ringaringa o te wahi ngaro ma ratou kotuou e manaaki e tiaki. Hoi ano ka hoki mai ki a tatou ki a tatou e noho nei me ki nga urupa o ratau ma tena koutou tena tatou katoa. 
Ko tera parekura nui i te 22 o Hui-tanguru kua tuhia ki roto i te ngakau i te wairua o te tangata me ki o te motu o Aotearoa mo ake nei. Ahua pera tonu ki tera hunga i mate i raro i te whenua i Te Tai Poutini. Ko etahi o te Whare nei kua tae atu ki te Otautahi. Kua rongo koutou i te tangi. Kua rongo koutou i te mamae. Kua rongo koutou i te ahuatanga o mate. Kua kite koutou i nga uauatanga nga mamaetanga o tena o tena o tena e noho mai ra ki tera takiwa. Ko ahau kare ano kia tae atu. He mataku pea noku he mataku penei na tera pea mena ka haere au ki reira ka kite atu i nga whare kua turakina. Ka kite atu i te ahuatanga o nga kaimahi e keri nei i te whenua kia kitea mai ai mena he tupapaku ki reira tera pea ka tangi. 
Kare e kore ka tangi kia kite atu i tera momo ahuatanga. Hoi ano ka taea te whakatu ano i tetahi whare hou ka taea te hoki ki te kura ka taea te whaiwhai haere i nga taonga i roto i nga whare engari ko taku noa ake e kore pea te hunga e noho mai o roto o Otautahi e kite i te puawaitanga o nga moemoea kai mua i te aroaro engari ko te mea tino nui rawa atu kua tau mai te ahuatanga o te mamae o taumaha o anipa o awangawanga ki runga i a ratau mo ake ake nei. Koi nei te aroha atu. 
Mena ka hoki mai au ki toku Ao Maori ara no etahi kaupapa e korerohia ana. Ko tetahi ana kai te putake o tenei pire. Ko te ingoa o tera tikanga e kiia ana ko te poroporoaki. He aha te poroporoaki? He wa e taea ana e te marea e te marae ranei e te tangata ranei te tuku i tona ake korero ki te hunga kua mate. Ahakoa kotahi nei he ika hui rua ranei he parekura ranei. Koi nei te ahuatanga o te poroporoaki. Ko ta te poroporoaki he whiu i te kupu korero ki runga i te tangata he whakahe i a ia i etahi wa engari ko te nuinga o te wa he whakanui i a ia. He whakanui i nga mea kua kitea nei kua rangona nei e te nuinga. He wa ka whai wahi nga tamariki ki te tuku i etahi korero tera pea kaore i korerohia i te wa i a ratou e ora ana e takatu ana i te mata o te whenua. 
He wa kia heke te roimata heke i te kanohi nei nga paparinga o te tangata ana ma enei tohu o te hupe me te roimata i korerohia mai na e te Honore Pita Sharples ka ahua ngawari mai te ahuatanga o tenei mea o te mate. Engari ko te 18 o nga ra o tenei marama katahi te tangihanga ko tera. He tangihanga nui whakaharahara mo te motu whanui tonu. No reira ko taku patai ki a tatau pehea e taea ai e te motu te whakanui ranei te whaiwhai haere ranei i tenei mea o te poroporoaki i te mea ara ano etahi raruraru penei ta te Honore Trevor Mallard i korero mai na ina tata nei. Penei i ta Honore Annette King penei ano ra i ta Keith Locke i te mea ara ano nga raruraru. Tuatahi ko te tangata nei ko Joseph Pohio no tera takiwa. Ko ia tera i to mai i tetahi wahine ki taku mohio a i te wa o te ru. Na kite mai ai tana tinana tana tupapaku kua tukuna na tana marae a ia i poroporoaki kua tapukengia ki te whenua kua hoki ano ra ki a Papatuanuku. Ko ia tetahi i mahi nei i roto i te civil defence 
  
e ai ki taku mohio mo nga 21 tau hipa noa atu. Pehea e taea ai te tuku roimata i te mea kua ea tera? 
Pehea mo nga matua o te pepi nei o Taneysha? E rima wiki noa iho tana pakeke. Mo Baxter? E rima marama noa iho tona pakeke. He pepi kare i kite i te puawaitanga o nga moemoea kaore i kite i te ao. Me pehea hoki te tuku i te roimata mo te hunga pakeke koeke koroua ranei kuia ranei? E ai ki nga korero ko Stuart raua Lucy Routledge. He whaiaipo i a raua e tamariki ana 50 tau raua e noho tahi ana. Tera pea ko Maureen Fletcher? Pera ano hoki tera kuia e ai ki taku rongo. E hia ke nei nga ingoa e hia ke nei nga maumaharatanga. Kua turakinatia katoatia era ahuatanga katoa. Me pehea e taea ai e tatau te whakatau i tera hunga te kahui kua ngaro atu i te tirohanga kanohi. 
Ko taku ko te mihi ki nga kaipapaho e ngana nei me ki ki te paoho i nga korero o tena o tena o te hunga kua ngaro. Na ratou ano ra te korero mo Jaime Gilbert. Ko ia tera i mate nei me tana mohio i te ora tana tana tuahine. Ko ta ratou ko ta te kaipapaho he paoho i nga korero kia kitea a-kanohi a Aotearoa otira te ao i nga taumahatanga kua tau mai ki runga o Aotearoa. 
Ko taku patai e penei ana. Me pehea te hunga kaore ano kia whakahokia ki nga whanau pani? Kai te tatari tonu kai te tatari tonu ratou ki o ratou ake tupapaku. Pehea e taea ai te tuku i te korero i te mihi ki te hunga kaore ano kia hoki mai ki roto i o ringaringa? Koia nei kai te putake o te korero a te Honore a Trevor Mallard. Pehea e taea ai te tuku i nga korero hohonu whanui mena karekau he tupapaku. Na kei te ahua tukituki tera momo ahuatanga ki roto i te Ao Maori i te mea ko ta te Ao Maori he kite atu i te tupapaku i te wharenui a katahi ka tuku i te mihi i te poroporoaki. No reira enei korero katoa. Pehea e taea ai te tangi te auwe te waiata te whaikorero ranei te karanga ranei enei tikanga o roto i te Ao Maori engari ki taku mohio he tikanga ano ra kai tena kai tena kai tena. He uaua te tuku i te mamae i te roimata i te hupe mena karekau tetahi i reira. No reira me whai whakaaro tatou mo era. 
Ka mutu he hunga ano o tawahi he pera ano te ahua. I rongo au i te reo irirangi ko nga whanau o roto o Japan he pera ano wa ratou tikanga. Kai te tatari tonu ratou kia hoki mai nga tupapaku ki a ratou. No reira kei te ahua aro tonu oku whakaaro ki era kua korerohia. Ae he kaupapa nui ae me whakatinana ae me tautoko engari tera pea he ahua moata rawa mo etahi. Kai kiia mai whakateretere tatou i te haerenga o te hunga mate ki a Hinenuitepo. Ko taku e ki nei mahia te mahi kare he he o te whaiwhai haere i enei ahuatanga katoa engari me whai tatou mo te hunga kare ano kia kite i o ratou ake tupapaku. 
I korerohia mo te ahuatanga o tenei mea o te rahui. Ko te rahui he momo taiapa kia kore te tangata e haere ki reira penei i nga taiapa i te taone o Otautahi i tenei wa. He aha te tikanga o te rahui? Kia waiho ki tona ahua. Kia kaua e pa atu. I te ngahere ka waihotia kia tipu kia puawai ano ra nga kai. Mo te rahui o te hunga kua ngaro kia waiho ake kia noho i runga i te ahuatanga o te tapu. He wa tona ka whakanoatia kia taea e te hunga te whakatau i te ahuatanga o mate. 
Ka mutu ko taku korero whakamutunga kia whai wahi ano ra ko te ahuatanga o te karakia kia whakangawari i te noho i Otautahi me te mohio ano hoki kare ano etahi tinana kia kitea noa. Ma te karakia pea ka whakangawari mai ai te noho o era tupapaku ki reira. No reira ko ta matau he tautoko he tautoko engari te tumanako ia kua rongo i te tikanga o enei korero kaua ki te whakahawea engari ki te ki atu ara ano etahi take e noho tarewa ana. Huri noa i to tatau Whare kia ora tatou. 
[ 
Greetings Mr Assistant Speaker and the House and to those listening in today to this broadcast. This is my first opportunity to offer up words and farewells as others have done in these weeks past. This is my first opportunity to stand here and say to those who died rest in peace; abide with those who perished in the disaster on the West Coast mere months ago your voices hereafter mute. Depart to great Hawaiki to long Hawaiki to distant Hawaiki. Rest in the world of the spirits who are to care and tend you. Returning here to us as we sit here—the remnants so to speak—I greet us all.  
The disaster that fell on 22 February has for ever left an indelible mark on the hearts and the souls of the people of Aotearoa. Its effect was similar to the mining disaster on the West Coast. Some of the members of this House have visited Christchurch. You heard the lamentations. You sensed the pain. You felt the foreboding of death. You saw the effects of the disaster and the pain borne by the individuals of the region. I myself have not yet gone there. Perhaps I am fearful of going lest I see the collapsed buildings lest I witness the rescue workers digging through the rubble searching for bodies and lament.  
Having to look upon those sights I have no doubt that that is what would happen. Buildings can be rebuilt students can in time return to school and household possessions can eventually be replaced. I maintain however that the people of Christchurch will never see their dreams realised and pain darkness worry and anxiety will be a permanent companion. For this I extend my love.  
Allow me to turn to aspects of my Maori World Mr Assistant Speaker and speak of things therein that here pertain. One of those aspects or customs is at the heart of this bill. That custom is poroporoaki. What is poroporoaki? Poroporoaki is the opportunity given for the multitude or individuals usually at a marae to speak to the departed. It matters not whether one person is lying in state or two or many deaths due to disaster. In a poroporoaki words of farewell are offered to the deceased. There are times when harsh words may be uttered but most speeches extol the virtues of the deceased the good that people saw and heard. Often an opportunity is given for young people to say farewell perhaps share things they never said to the person when he or she was alive.  
This is a time for acknowledging loss and expressing our grief. For it is the shedding of tears and mucus referred to by the Hon Pita Sharples that alleviates some of the pain caused by death. Come the 18th day of this month we will grieve; the whole country will be in mourning. So my question is how can the nation appropriately acknowledge and be engaged in the farewell to the dead? For as the Hon Trevor Mallard only recently stated there are difficulties. The Hon Annette King and Keith Locke have also raised concerns. How do we pay our respects to them? How do we pay our respects to Joseph Pohio of Christchurch? During the earthquake he dragged a woman away from danger. When his body was found it was taken to his marae to be mourned then interred in the bosom of the earth. I understand he had worked for civil defence for 21 years. How can we mourn this one if it has already been done?  
And what of the parents of baby Taneysha? She was only 5 weeks old. What about Baxter? He was only 5 months old. Those were babies who never got the chance to enjoy life. So many families are bereft left without the wisdom and cultural heritage of their elders—Stuart and Lucy Routledge childhood sweethearts married for over 50 years; grandmother Maureen Fletcher ever remembered for her uplifting spirit—so many names and memories and shattered dreams that we in this House cannot possibly do justice to.  
I want to acknowledge the media for trying to record the stories of the dead. They told us about Jaime Gilbert who died with a smile on his face knowing that his sister was out of harm’s way. They have accurately recorded this tragedy so that the people of the country and the world can know the calamity that has befallen Aotearoa.  
I pose this question: what of the dead who have not yet been returned to their grieving families? The families are waiting for the release of their loved ones. How can one grieve for the dead if there is no body to address? That is at the heart of the address by the Hon Trevor Mallard: how can the appropriate words be said if there is no body? That conflicts with Maoridom for it is only when the deceased is lying in state in the meeting house that observations and farewells can be made. So in these circumstances how can Maori acquit their customs their lamentations their mourning their songs their oratory?  
I acknowledge that others have their own customs and practices. It is difficult to release the pain the tears and the mucus if there is no body. Think about that. Foreigners were also victims of the earthquake. I heard the media make mention of Japanese students who lost their lives. The Japanese have their own rituals and customs surrounding death somewhat similar to Maori. They await the return of their loved ones to them. I listened to the comments on the proposed day of commemoration and agree; yes it is a very significant occasion it should proceed and it should be supported by all. But some say that perhaps it is too early to hold a commemoration; accusations of moving with indecent haste to bury the dead are being made. I say carry on with the task in hand. There is nothing wrong with carrying on with these proceedings but give all support to those who still await the return of the bodies of their loved ones to them.  
I turn now to the term “ rahui”. That term refers to a kind of fence or barricade that prevents people from entering similar to the warning fences around parts of Christchurch. What is the purpose of rahui? Things are left alone untouched. In the forest rahui allows for regeneration and protection of food sources. For rahui in relation to the dead let it remain in place sacred. At the right time the rahui will be removed and the grieving will settle.  
And finally has space been afforded for the appropriate prayers to be given to give succour to Christchurch in the knowledge that there are still bodies not yet recovered? Prayers may help to bring peace to those still buried under the rubble. We are in support. But we hope that our words are heeded not to be taken as criticism but to bring to the attention of all that some matters still need addressing. So to us all throughout our House thank you 
.] 
JO GOODHEW (National—Rangitata) 
: 
 As I rise to speak on the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill I need to record my heartfelt sympathy to those who have suffered great loss as a result of the 22 February earthquake. Loss has come in many forms: loss of loved ones—and with that loss of future dreams and plans—loss of homes and possessions loss of businesses and jobs and loss of what we knew to be the Christchurch we lived in worked in and visited. Here I must add an acknowledgment to those from overseas who are also mourning lost ones and for some of them lost jobs as well. 
This tragedy became international from the moment it happened. Reports of the earthquake sped rapidly around the world and within minutes we were receiving texts and emails from people asking whether we were OK. Some of those texts and emails were never received and no reply with good news will ever be received either. In a modern world with communication tools aplenty being out of communication causes immeasurable anxiety particularly at a time like this. After the earthquake cellphones helped to save lives they helped to bring aid to those in need and they brought good news to many as well. We all looked at those texts with relief in our hearts. But the silence of cellphones when answers were sought was unnerving and worrying and in the end hinted at sorrow and loss. 
Although there has been great loss correspondingly great courage has been displayed and tremendous generosity exhibited. Again the international nature of this event has marked its gravity. Incredibly rapidly nations from around the world offered their assistance and New Zealand as a nation said “Thank you. Yes we do need your help.” We are a generous nation when it comes to offering our expertise to others in strife so it was no great surprise that it was reciprocated. It was no surprise; nevertheless it was a huge comfort to know that the numbers of our incredibly skilled emergency personnel and our urban search and rescue people were to be massively swelled by ranks of Aussies Singaporeans Brits Americans Taiwanese Chinese and Japanese. We welcomed them with open arms. 
Emergency services people in fluoro vests and in uniform brought enormous comfort to a nation on edge as we hoped against hope that more lives could be saved in the aftermath of the earthquake. The courage of those who have been searching will spawn heart-warming and emotional stories that will become part of this nation’s history. The early searchers were actually the people who were caught up in the earthquake. They displayed sometimes superhuman efforts as they freed trapped people. We heard of despair elation hope and tragedy. 
We must acknowledge the media and the way they brought this event into our lives through all of their mediums. At times the scenes of destruction became too much the bad news unendurable and we turned them—the media—off. But really we could not escape the reality of what the Christchurch people were living through so the question became what we were going to do in response. Everywhere—again not just in New Zealand but also internationally—the questions were “What can we do?” and “What should we do to help?”. I have witnessed and spoken to people who have become quite agitated because they personally could not think of a way they could physically help. But over time we have worked out ways to help—each of us in our own way. 
The armies of all shapes sizes and descriptions were there mobilised. Our own armed forces which so fortuitously were in Canterbury on an exercise were in Christchurch very quickly. Then we had the Student Volunteer Army the Farmy Army the Salvation Army the other church groups that mobilised their own armies of helpers the army of Government departments that swung their plans of support into action the health army the armies of businesses that looked to fill every need their own expertise could offer and the skilled and generous armies of volunteers who man every welfare centre and take aid to those in need. 
On Friday 18 March we will commemorate the event and it is fair to say that in my electorate of Rangitata there is a mixed reaction to the public holiday. The businesses in mid-Canterbury are concerned at the financial impact this unexpected public holiday will have on them. The decision to commemorate the event with a public holiday was not made without all the parties of Parliament considering its financial impact. The proposal the Government put to the other parties and to which they have agreed was to allow people through the memorial service to have a day on which to reflect upon the event and to be amongst their loved ones family and community. 
In South Canterbury the southern part of my electorate where people identify very closely with Christchurch and with their friends and families there and who feel like close neighbours of Christchurch there is no public holiday and some are not happy about that. Nevertheless there will be an opportunity for them to mark the commemoration with reflection. It is my hope that through the memorial service in Christchurch and the planned services at lunchtime in Timaru and at 9.30 a.m. in Ashburton our people can gather together to mourn to pay tribute and to gather their energies for the future. It is my hope that the day will be a day for reflection tributes and a strong sense of community and purpose. 
As our Prime Minister has said we will stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Christchurch and their loved ones. We will also stand shoulder to shoulder with those from other nations who have experienced loss. Our support shoulder to shoulder will not need to be just for today tomorrow and next week; it will be required for months and years to come. The people of Christchurch may doubt their strength when in the depths of despair but they are gaining in strength as are their neighbours in wider Canterbury. The strength of the nation will be from strong shoulders to help Christchurch in the days weeks months and years to come. Thank you. 
DARIEN FENTON (Labour) 
: 
 It is a privilege to take a call on the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill. I start by paying my respects to all those who have lost their lives to their families to all those who have been injured to all those who are still struggling just to get along in their homes and to all those who have lost homes. Just the sheer enormity of this disaster I think has been a shock for all of us even those who like me have not been to Christchurch since the tragedy. I think that all of us throughout New Zealand have been struggling to come to terms with this horrendous event. 
I also acknowledge all of the Ministers and particularly the Minister of Labour who I know lives in Christchurch. I thank her for bringing this bill to the House. Even though we have some reservations—very small ones—about the timing of it we think it is a very good gesture and an appropriate one in the circumstances. 
There is genuine grief and sadness throughout the country. It will last for some time to come and there will be many times in the future also when people will need support. They need it now but they will continue to need it. We must make sure that the commemoration day commemorates those who lost their lives and takes care of the families that are suffering. But also we must look to the future and continue to work together to help rebuild Christchurch. 
It affects us all. We are all in this together and all of those who live today will not forget it easily or quickly. My grandfather was in the Napier earthquake and he talked about it a lot. He was a minister of religion at the time and he had to immediately leave his family of four and help his parishioners. My father who was just a little boy relates the story that he was at school and was walking away from a building when he turned round and saw an enormous crevice behind him. He ended up with a little ticket almost like a refugee ticket that helped him get access to food and other things. Both my grandfather and father were enormously affected by that earthquake. Both of them had been through world wars but the earthquake was the thing they talked about much more when we talked about tragedies and the awful things that had happened in their lifetimes. 
I think the commemoration day is an appropriate response to the tragedy. I dedicate the words in my first reading speech this afternoon to the workers of Canterbury. Many of the people that were killed or injured were just ordinary working people who were going about their jobs. It was tragic that it happened at lunchtime. Some had stepped outside and gone to lunch and were caught in Cashel Mall and others had just come back from lunch and had just got back into their buildings when their buildings collapsed. They were just people who went to work in the morning said goodbye to their families and were never seen again. That is utterly heartbreaking. We mourn all of those workers—the dead the injured and the lost—but also we mourn with all the people who are affected. 
I also acknowledge all the workers that have been at the forefront of the rescue effort in Christchurch and I thank the Minister of Police for her contribution today. It is pretty gruelling stuff to listen to and it must be even more gruelling to be working on the front line retrieving the lost and trying to get them back to their families. It is a pretty gruesome job and I thank them for being there to do that. An important part of families being able to have closure is getting their loved ones home and saying goodbye to them. 
Of course there were firefighters and rescue workers health workers social support workers education workers and community workers. An enormous effort has been put in by the working people of Christchurch and indeed around the country. People have mentioned for example Ministry of Social Development workers. I tried to contact my local Ministry of Social Development office in Northcote the other day and the message was that they were all working on Christchurch. That is fair enough; I understand that. It just shows us the effort that is being put in and I really appreciate it. 
When Helen Clark our previous Prime Minister visited Christchurch she said it was worse than Haiti. I am sure it is worse in terms of devastation but what is not worse is the fact that we live in a country that is a democracy has great public services has a Government and a Parliament that are able to work together and is wealthy enough to get through this—and we will get through this. We do not have to witness the dreadful post-earthquake scenes we saw in Haiti. 
There are many stories which will emerge in the weeks to come of workers who were absolute heroes. Let me say that I am not talking about just workers—I know there were many heroes—but I particularly want to talk about them. I heard of workers who helped workmates out through the rubble and over the bricks and who put their own lives at risk to help people they were working with. Thousands of workers have volunteered along with the rest of the community to help in a variety of ways despite their own losses. They may have lost a loved one or be missing someone they may have lost their homes and they may be living in absolute devastation. 
Caregivers helped relocate hundreds of older people from aged-care facilities to other parts of the country. Can members imagine what it was like for those who live with disabilities particularly those with intellectual disabilities who are living in their family home? It would have been caregivers who comforted them and looked after them. Nurses rolled up their sleeves and went off to work. They reported for duty and got stuck in as of course did doctors. 
As I said I think it is really appropriate that we set aside a day to mourn the losses and it is appropriate that it is a public holiday because there is no other way we can be sure that the workers of Christchurch will be able to attend—there is no other way. As others have said we have some questions about whether it is the right time but I do not want to go into that too much at the moment. Like my colleague Trevor Mallard I want to ensure that the front-line workers—police officers health workers and rescue workers—are able to attend. I feel a little concerned that they will be needed elsewhere and I would appreciate the cooperation of the Government in trying to get the message through that it is very important for those workers to attend because it is for them as much as anyone else. Imagine what they have witnessed and what they have been through in the last couple of weeks. 
There are consequences of course of the earthquake. I do not want to go into them too much but thousands of workers are now out of a job. A lot of businesses no longer exist and many are on the margins. I think there will be questions about that as we go through the next few weeks. 
While I have the opportunity I want to say that the Government’s response its emergency package was far more generous than last time and I know it has been taken up by tens of thousands. I think that something like $50 million has been given out so far and I congratulate the Government on that. There are some other issues around that response package. I do not intend to go into them now; maybe I will a little later in the debate. 
I reiterate my genuine sorrow and sadness about this dreadful event and give my aroha to the people of Canterbury to the people in this House who are suffering and to all of us in New Zealand who will have to stand together to get through this. 
Hon TAU HENARE (National) 
: 
 Te mea tuatahi ki nga morehu ki nga whanau pani o te ru whenua o Otautahi ka nui taku mihi me taku aroha ki a koutou katoa. Ki nga mate o te parekura nei haere atu ra haere atu ra haere atu ra. He wa potopoto tenei mihimihi he wa potopoto tenei aroha ki a ratou engari nunui taku mihi nunui taku aroha ki a ratou katoa i roto i te rohe potae o Ngai Tahu. 
He patai taku ki taku hoa ki taku tuakana a Te Ururoa. He aha te kaupapa he aha te tikanga mo te ra e heke mai nei a te 18? No te mea kaore tera ra he ra nehu. Harakau nga tupapaku i mua i a matou no reira patai ai ki a koutou katoa i roto i te rangimarie. He aha te tikanga he aha te kaupapa o te ra nei? Ki ahau nei he whakamaumahara he whakahonore i nga morehu i nga tupapakui ranei i Otautahi. Kaore he ra nehu. 
[ 
First of all my immense sympathy and admiration to you all the survivors and grieving families of the Christchurch earthquake. In regard to those who died in this disaster I bid you farewell goodbye journey on. While this acknowledgment and tribute is a very very brief one my sorrow and regard to all of them in the Ngai Tahu region is immense.  
I have a question to my fellow member and senior relative Te Ururoa. What is the thinking and meaning behind the coming 18th? Because it is not a burial day. Those who died will not be lying in state before us. So I ask this of you all with respect and without malice. What is the purpose and meaning of this day? To me it is a day to commemorate and honour the survivors or those from Christchurch who died. It is not a burial day. 
] 
I have been trying to figure out in which box to put 18 March. I for one am not concerned about the day itself but I am concerned about the significance the tikanga and the protocol behind it all. To me it is not right and it is not wrong; my own personal point of view is that 18 March is a time to commemorate not only those who lost their lives but also those who survived and those who assisted with the recovery and the rescue. It is a day to honour all of those people of Christchurch. I am a fan of history so I have looked very hard at Napier over the years. I have looked at all sorts of incidents that have happened in our world over the last 100-odd years. But in my room at 10 to 1 on that fateful day I could not help but be transfixed and heartbroken at what I was seeing. 
I also say that that day will become a day for the people of Christchurch who regardless of their own personal circumstances have reached out to strangers and to people they would not even say hello to on a normal day. It shows the strength of Christchurch and of the people in Christchurch of people in New Zealand and also of people around the world that we can actually assist and help each other in a time of need. 
I commend the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill to the House. It is unfortunate that we have to use the word “holiday”—ehara i te hararei—but it is the only word that allows us— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: “Holy day”—pronounce it the old way. 
Hon TAU HENARE 
: I do not believe that it is a holy day. I do not believe that it is a holy day; I think it is a special day a commemorative day. Tera te tikanga o te ra nei ki ahau nei. Kaua e papouri ki toku nei whakaaro. 
[ 
That is what that day means to me—and do not be disappointed 
.] 
I commend the bill to the House. I think it is appropriate that we commemorate all those people who have been involved who have been hit and who have been hurt by this huge event that will live long in our memories as we go on. 
I give my special regards to Ngai Tahu and to all of the iwi who have rallied around and sent health teams. The brother-in-law has kept me informed of what Tainui has been doing so I congratulate Tainui. I congratulate Te Arawa Raukawa and all of those iwi who have seen fit to send teams of helpers to Christchurch to help not only Ngai Tahu but also their whanau. It shows that iwi can actually help each other in their time of need as well. 
Hoi ano ano taku mihi ano taku aroha ki a ratou ki o ratou mamae ki o ratouawangawanga hoki. No reira tena koutou a tena koutou kia ora mai tatou katoa. 
[ 
So my sympathy and admiration again to them for their pains and concerns as well. Greetings to you greetings to you and to us all 
.] 
CHARLES CHAUVEL (Labour) 
: 
 It is an honour to have an opportunity to speak in the debate on the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill. As others before me have done I begin by acknowledging the people of Christchurch and Canterbury and in particular those who have died or who have been injured and their families and friends. I also echo the words of appreciation that have already been said in the House about the work of the emergency services—both the workers in the domestic New Zealand services and also all of those from overseas who have come to assist New Zealand in its hour of need. There would not be one person in the Chamber who has not been moved by that extraordinary gesture of support that was so quickly forthcoming and so reassuring. It almost seemed as if we did not need to ask. The help was there and it has been and is magnificent. I know that the police and others have been incredibly impressed by the level of the support they have been able to call on and have also said what a difference it has made in practice on the ground. I do not think that we as MPs can do enough to stress just how important that support has been. 
Obviously it is also appropriate to acknowledge all the many New Zealanders who have volunteered in many ways—through fund-raising or their own labour and through donating cakes at the bake-off in Auckland the other day—or who have simply got on with providing assistance in whatever way they have been able to. The importance of what we are doing today by moving to enact this bill I think is to acknowledge all those people and to say that we want to do something concrete by way of demonstrating appreciation as well as doing the appropriate thing to remember all those who have been so devastated by the event itself. 
I had a family member in Christchurch on the day of the quake. For my family and me it was an anxious time while we waited to hear about her safety. She told us just how terrifying it was to be in the quake itself. She managed to get under a table when it started and when she got out from under the table after the earthquake she saw that a bookcase had fallen right on to the chair she had been sitting on and crushed it. She then described just how awful it was to be there for another 24 hours hearing the roaring sound of the aftershocks. I know that Canterbury members who have experienced this must have found that it really wears them down on a daily basis. It was hard enough to hear about a family member being trapped in it for a day. The sense of relief that we felt when she arrived back in Wellington was extraordinary. If that is what it feels like to have a connection on that sort of intimate level for 24 hours it must be much more harrowing to be living this day to day in Canterbury and participating in the recovery efforts. 
I also acknowledge a staff member of mine who moved to Wellington from Christchurch last year and who has family and friends still down there. I have seen firsthand what she has gone through in terms of finding out about loved ones affected by the quake and about people close to her who have died. Again it is not a firsthand experience but it gives some insight into just what people in Canterbury are going through at the moment. It makes it doubly appropriate I think for us to be mindful of those experiences while we have this debate today. 
Of course other memorial services have already been held across the nation and I speak in particular of the ones that were held on 1 March. There was the service here on the steps of Parliament which was organised by the Anglican Cathedral next door and in which a number of other faiths participated. It was a real privilege to be able to participate in that service on behalf of colleagues. The deputy leader of the Labour Party has said previously that it is appropriate that it has been agreed that the procedure to be followed on 18 March is that partisanship will be set aside and there will be speakers from across the House. That is absolutely right. These affairs ought to be ones where we can participate as a Parliament in a solemn and non-political occasion. I hope that that will always be the convention in respect of these sorts of matters. We should not even have to ask about them; it should be second nature that these events are held in this way. 
In respect of the present bill I do not think that anybody disagrees with the absolute appropriateness of a day of commemoration a day of honouring the work that has been done already in relation to the Canterbury recovery. I am not sure how the House will progress this debate—or whether there will be a traditional Committee stage where the Minister will discuss any issues concerning the bill. Depending on how we proceed it might be appropriate to ask her a couple of questions about what is planned. I will foreshadow a couple of issues now that I hope she might be able to have a think about. Whether we have a Committee stage or whether the Minister chooses to deal with questions in her second or third reading speeches I am happy either way. 
Obviously there has been a concern about timing. A lot of people in Canterbury are still engaged in the recovery and clean-up. There are still lots of people without power sewerage or water and we know that all effort is being put into prioritising the restoration of those services. We know how important that is but will the commemoration day be too soon for some of the people working in essential services the people who have contributed in the aftermath: police officers civil defence staff fire brigades doctors and nurses other health workers drainlayers contractors demolition crews and many others? It would just be fantastic to be assured that appropriate provision will be made so that everybody who wants to come together to participate in the service on 18 March will have the opportunity to take a little bit of respite from the dreadful recovery work and have the opportunity to do that. 
Of course there are the 70000 people who have already left Canterbury and who are only just beginning to think about whether they can return. It would be good to know that the Government has thought about their position as well. Obviously people who have had to leave but want to come back and be part of the commemoration process need to be considered as well. 
I do not think there is any doubt about the appropriateness of a public holiday. I do not think we should be concerned about the economics. I had a call from one of the MPs in Christchurch today who was working with a delicatessen in Lyttelton that has had to move premises. The owners need to apply for a new licence because they serve wine. They were told by the city council that if they applied for a new licence it would be opposed because the policy now is that delicatessens are not the ideal place to serve wine. Well that is the sort of red tape we need to cut through rather than worry about whether we should be having a public holiday and the effects of that. With those words I congratulate the Government on moving to a commemoration and I commend the bill to the House. 
DAVID BENNETT (National—Hamilton East) 
: 
 I follow on from all the speakers in the House today and I am sure all the members of the House and the wider New Zealand community in paying respect to the people of Christchurch their family and friends and all those involved in the rescue efforts from New Zealand and around the world. The spirit of the Canterbury people has shown resilience and a desire to be strong in these times and the wider New Zealand public has shown tremendous feeling and respect for the people of Christchurch and Canterbury and the desire to help where they can. 
A lot of what has been done and is being done is quite symbolic in the sense of sharing emotions and grief. That symbolism is also very important to people going through the situation in Christchurch who know that they have support and comradeship and that they are in the thoughts and feelings of all New Zealanders. 
The Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill enshrines another aspect of symbolism of the support that New Zealanders are willing to show at this time. It sets aside a holiday for the people of Christchurch and Canterbury in commemoration of the devastating consequences of the earthquake. It will be a symbol for that region of what people have endured and also I am sure a symbol of what they want to achieve and rebuild. Such a symbol will be followed by people throughout New Zealand also and I guess around the world by New Zealanders overseas who wish to pay tribute and wish to support the country and the people of Canterbury at this time. 
Speaking as one of the members from outside the Canterbury region I express that our thoughts and our feelings are with the people of Canterbury and Christchurch. We look forward to this day as a way to show that support so that the people of Christchurch know that they are supported and that New Zealanders are together and with each other in showing respect for the people of Christchurch at this time. I commend the bill to the House. 
Bill read a first time. 
Second Reading 
Hon KATE WILKINSON (Minister of Labour) 
: 
 I move  
That the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill be now read a second time 
. As we have said this bill provides for 18 March 2011 to be a day of commemoration in those parts of Canterbury that observe Christchurch Show Day as Canterbury Anniversary Day in order to commemorate the devastating consequences of the Canterbury earthquake on 22 February 2011 at 12.51 p.m. It is a day and a time that will I think be indelibly etched on all our minds for many many years and decades to come. 
This day will be treated as a public holiday with schools required to close for the purposes of the Education Act. There is no restriction on shop trading. Businesses will be able to continue trading on the day if they choose to. The significance of having a public holiday on Friday 18 March is to provide people with an opportunity to attend the memorial service for the victims of the 22 February earthquake. 
A couple of issues were raised in some of the first reading speeches and as a Cantabrian I thank all members of the House for the compassion the feelings and the concern expressed for Canterbury and Christchurch. Christchurch is my home town and as many will know I am a pretty proud Cantabrian. One of the issues was whether it should be a national public holiday or a regional public holiday. It was considered more appropriate that it be a provincial holiday. It is an important day of mourning for Canterbury and is very personal for the region. That is not however to diminish its national importance and indeed also its international importance. 
Economically it is also important that the rest of the country can continue working as this will assist Canterbury and the Canterbury rebuild. It is certainly hoped that many people throughout the country outside Canterbury will at least be able to watch the service from afar so that they in their own place and in their own way can mourn. They can pay tribute contemplate the utter tragedy of what happened build strength and use that strength to help Cantabrians and New Zealanders on the long road ahead for the rebuild and recovery. 
I also acknowledge one of the previous speakers who referred to the timing and asked why we are holding a provincial holiday on 18 March. I am not sure that there is ever a right time for such a commemoration. For some undeniably it will be too soon; for some it may be too late; and for some it is about right. But we hope that it is appropriate for Cantabrians to join together on that day and to know they are not alone. We are there with them shoulder to shoulder as a province and a nation and as a Parliament to help them down the long road of recovery and rebuild. It will be a chance to reflect on the terrible loss of life suffered as a result of the earthquake and the massive impact it has had on our second-largest city. 
It is also an opportunity to give thanks for the civil defence services by which I mean the volunteers the community the friends the family and the professionals. All were out there working with one thought in mind and that was the welfare of Cantabrians and Christchurch people and of the visitors who had been so unfortunately caught up in such a tragic event. I think we can have some pride in the resilience of our communities when we have our professionals—the police nurses doctors civil defence professionals and search and rescue workers—and volunteers all out there with no thought at all for their own homes which were also shattered and in tatters in many cases. 
This is an opportunity for the people of Canterbury to mourn together. We consider that providing a one-off public holiday for the people of northern and central Canterbury to allow them this opportunity to attend a memorial service is an appropriate response in these truly difficult times. I commend this bill to the House. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Labour—Hutt South) 
: 
 I indicate again without any surprise that Labour will support the second reading of the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill and will support the bill going through tonight. I acknowledge the speeches that were made after mine. I know that is slightly unusual after the first reading. In particular I commend the eloquent speech my colleague Mr Flavell made. He expressed much of what he said as being for Maori but I think much of what he said applies to all New Zealanders. The importance of having the dead to commemorate and memorialise is important. He made some comments about the timing of the commemoration and getting that right. Although we are heading for a parliamentary unified outcome in the end the date is the Government’s decision. We understand that a certain amount of the timing has been driven by the availability of international visitors so we acknowledge that and we accept that this is going to happen. 
But I think this leaves us with a question about what happens later. I think we should take time—months or even years—to decide how we want to remember this occasion. I will also mention Pike River because proportionately in community size that was an enormous tragedy too. I hate to think of putting labels on tragedy but it is almost like we will have to make some sort of memorial arrangements for the South Island tragedies of 2010 and 2011. It may be that people with better linguistic skills than mine can develop a label for that and we can head towards some sort of commemoration on a regular basis. As I said earlier I think too often we think of physical commemorations and we have to find ways of thinking more deeply than that. I indicate to the Minister of Labour that she might have a bit of work to do in Christchurch. I have just seen a comment that has come through from local business people who have some anxiety about the timing of the commemoration. I think it is important that she works hard to get them on board with this. 
I did not think I ever would have felt supportive of “red and black”. I am a strong Wellingtonian and when it comes to it at least as far as New Zealand is concerned in the National Provincial Championship I support Wellington and anyone who is playing Canterbury. We have seen the fervour of some of us watching the rugby match last Friday night. I send our best wishes to the Crusaders and if they can do the London thing I think that would be a wonderful opportunity for the tens—or hundreds—of thousands of New Zealanders in Europe. If they have an opportunity to be brought together on that sort of occasion I think that would be superb. It is an opportunity to get together and remember but it is also related to an event that shows some of the best of Canterbury. Although I do not always want the Crusaders to win I acknowledge the fact that they regularly do. I certainly hope they will on that occasion. 
I do not know whether the Minister in charge of the bill has given a briefing in this area yet but it might be an opportunity for her to give some further explanation around the international fund that Mr Weldon has been engaged to work on for the next 4 to 6 weeks. Getting the pitch of it right is very important. We cannot be seen to be in a situation like Haiti. We are not. We are not a poor country and we have to be very very careful not to be seen to be begging for others to do what is our responsibility to put right. I understand that a figure of $2 billion has been set by the Prime Minister as the objective of the fund. I think we need to be very clear right from the outset about the use of that money. In my opinion it should be used for extra things—not to replace things but used for things that were not there before—in order to make Christchurch a better and more attractive place. 
Like many of us in the last couple of weeks with Parliament not sitting I have had a little bit of time on my hands. I have had a look at the articles about Kobe and what happened there. It was a double disaster. There was an earthquake and then effectively there was an abandonment of the city by some of its leadership and some of the city’s most important people. As a result Kobe has effectively become a low-income refuge. I was discussing that situation this morning with one of the leading young brains of Canterbury whose name is not unfamiliar to this place. James Caygill said he was confident that that situation would not happen in Canterbury and that there are people of his generation and younger who are so firmly Cantabrians that they will stay. 
However I just want to signal that I think there is a danger that people are scared and that as a result they might stay away and there is also the possibility that many of the opportunities that people need might not now be available in Christchurch. So as we rebuild Christchurch we have to think of ways of rebuilding the city’s people strength. Some of my initial thoughts for the Minister would involve some very well-endowed chairs at the university so that some of the best professors from around the world could be attracted to Canterbury for either a shorter term or a longer term in order to rebuild the university. A similar approach could be taken to PhD scholarships so that we can get people to come to Christchurch even if it is for only 4 or 5 years. 
I am glad Mr Joyce has returned to the Chamber because I am working on the assumption that he has responsibility for international education. I give him one little piece of advice. A couple of times in the past after crises with international students—and this has not been very public—we have found it very worthwhile to send a Minister of Education to China quite early in the process in order to give some explanations there. Those in both China and Japan have very much appreciated that. I think in the interests of longer-term relationships that if we are seen to be sending senior personnel there even if for only a day to meet with officials and with whichever family members can be gathered there it would be very much appreciated. Not only do we have to look after our own commemorations but we have to acknowledge that a significant proportion of the people who have died are not from New Zealand. We need to ensure that that is acknowledged and that those relationships are maintained. 
ALLAN PEACHEY (National—Tamaki) 
: 
 Thank you Mr Deputy Speaker for the opportunity to make a few comments on the second reading of the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill. I will take a moment to reflect on the 6 years I had in Christchurch in the later years of the 1960s and the early 1970s as a student of Canterbury University—in particular and most fortuitously as a student of what was known as the town site those beautiful buildings to which I always used to return whenever I was in the centre of Christchurch to take a moment’s rest on the seats in the old courtyard where we used to gather as students and enjoy the beauty of the city. 
I take a moment to reflect also on the 60-plus years of my life and on the small and larger tragedies that from time to time have befallen the people of this country—the most poignant for me being the Tangiwai disaster in 1953. As it was with those tragedies so it has been and so it will be with Christchurch with the rescue of the trapped the rescue and treatment of the injured the recovery and mourning of the lost and the reflection on the power of nature but also on the power of human love and the spirit which we all have that can never ever be beaten. As those qualities were brought to other tragedies so they are being brought and will continue to be brought to Christchurch and Canterbury. The lives of the people who are affected will be rebuilt and the city will also be rebuilt. Thank you. 
Hon MARYAN STREET (Labour) 
: 
 First of all I will begin by recognising and paying tribute to those who lost their lives in the 22 February earthquake in Canterbury. I think of their loved ones and the people who are grieving for them. I also wish to acknowledge those who have been injured and who are still suffering and trying to recover from serious injury. For some the mental injury will be the difficult issue to deal with and will linger for a long time. 
Just a few minutes ago on my BlackBerry I received a photo. It was a photo of the United States - New Zealand Partnership Forum of which I was a part. The photo was taken at the AMI Stadium about an hour before the earthquake struck. It was a forum that consisted of some very high-powered US delegates. Fortunately those on the largest congressional visit to this country that there had ever been had left earlier that morning for Wellington so were out of harm’s way. However Kurt Campbell the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill the previous Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs numerous business leaders from the United States corporate dignitaries an only recently retired senator and their wives and partners were all assembled with their New Zealand counterparts. It is good to have this lovely picture taken across the breadth of the AMI Stadium at that time. 
By the time the earthquake struck the conference had divided up into small groups to go out and visit and have lunch briefings with Christchurch businesses. I was at Tait Electronics out towards the airport; others were dispersed around the city. It was a circumstance that gave the American ambassador as he said to me later 2 hours of panic as he tried to assemble all his compatriots from around the city. I pay tribute to the Defence Force personnel and the staff at the Antarctic Centre where by about 4.30 p.m. we had all assembled mostly in one piece. People had been evacuated from around the city and assembled together by the good offices of the American Embassy the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and every remotely official person who was connected with the United States - New Zealand Partnership Forum. Stephen Jacobi who leads that forum deserves particular mention for his professionalism and his concern and care for our United States guests. At 12.51 p.m. we had just finished having a briefing at Tait Radio Communications part of Tait Electronics. We had just been told that we were in one of the safest possible buildings a round single-storey building and so it proved to be. 
The earthquake struck with a bang which I am not used to. Coming from Taranaki I am used to hearing earthquakes before they arrive or feeling them as little shudders building into a larger one. But this explosion took us all completely by surprise. The ferocity of the shudder the sideways movement was truly frightening. Then the power went out and the lights went off and the 10 or so of us who were around that lunch table dived under the table with glassware and crockery flying and smashing around us. When the power came on through the back-up system that Tait had we all went outside. The staff had been evacuated outside. Then the phone calls started and the stories started to come back immediately. In particular I remember two sentences from a woman who worked for Tait who was standing just a couple of metres away from me. She was obviously phoning in to a loved one in the central city. She was saying: “Gosh that was big wasn’t it?” when suddenly her face changed and she started repeating for those of us around her what she was hearing. The two sentences I recall most vividly were: “The cathedral’s down. There are dead people.” 
Suddenly the enormity of it began to strike us. As we evacuated I took a couple of American guests under my wing. They were very shocked by this event but I took them to the airport which by that stage had been evacuated. We took refuge in the Sudima Hotel. After a short time the American Embassy got messages through to its delegates saying: “If you are near to the Antarctic Centre go there.” Of course the Antarctic Centre is a matter of metres away from the Sudima Hotel out by the airport so we walked to the Antarctic Centre. That building was not in terribly good nick either—bits of ceiling had fallen in—but it was better than many others. By 8 o’clock that night all of the American guests and many of the New Zealanders present at the United States - New Zealand Partnership Forum had been evacuated by Hercules to Wellington feeling very lucky to get out so quickly. So to those Defence Force personnel and to the officials who rallied every available service I pay a tribute. I also pay a tribute to the Christchurch-based members in this House from all sides who have been working with their people alongside their people assisting them in their grief and in the catastrophic disruption of their lives. Those members have our support and if there is anything practical we can do—if staying away is the best thing we can do—then they need only to let us know. 
I will make another comment about the memorial day. I want to reflect on two cultures that are not my own: one is Maori and the other is Jewish. Both of them have something in common. They both wait a year after an event after a bereavement. They wait a year and then they return to the place and unveil a headstone. I cannot help thinking with all the reverence I can muster for the people of Christchurch that this memorial day is too soon. A year from now when people are learning to live with their grief—the grief that they cannot see a way through at the moment—they can return to the place and we can grieve collectively. 
Immediately after I returned to Wellington I had to go to China for an official visit that had already been scheduled. At every formal meeting I attended in China people began with a tribute to New Zealand and the expression of their condolences for the earthquake victims and the suffering that people were enduring in New Zealand. I in return was able to thank them for that and express our condolences for those Chinese students who perished in the CTV building collapse. In addition I was able to thank them for President Hu Jintao’s very generous financial contribution of US$500000 to New Zealand. In addition to that I thanked them for their immediate dispatching of search and rescue teams to assist us. They know what it is like. I visited the Tangshan earthquake memorial. They have a dignified memorial there to 240000 people who lost their lives in 1976. They know what it is like. Around the world regardless of numbers or scale grief and loss are the same. Kia ora koutou. 
KEITH LOCKE (Green) 
: 
 I think this debate—it is hard to call it a debate because everyone is going in the same direction—has shown that we all have a connection with Christchurch. The earthquake was not just a Christchurch event; it was one that has affected just about everyone in New Zealand and I think that has come out in today’s speeches. Maryan Street’s speech just before was about being in Christchurch Charles Chauvel’s speech was about relations in Christchurch and Allan Peachey’s speech was about the time he spent in Christchurch. I think everyone is connected in some way with friends or relations in that city. That is why it is such a difficult and emotional issue for us. 
I spent the first 22 years of my life in Christchurch and have relations there who have suffered in the earthquake—a sister and a sister-in-law in particular as well as a brother-in-law and family. There is also physical damage which is why the debate around heritage and what will be reconstructed is so important. To a significant extent the identity of the city is related to the buildings and to the built nature of the city. 
There is also the environment to consider. I was brought up next to the Avon River in what is now known as the Avon Loop. I went back there a week ago and the riverbank I used to play on is now much wider as a result of the lateral spread. The river has come up the river has narrowed and there are big metre-wide cracks etc. and that makes one feel very sad. No doubt we will get over that; it is more the effect on the people that we are most worried about. 
Just to give members a feeling of the effect on people I thought I would read a piece from a friend of mine Pam Vickers who lives on Clifton Hill next to Sumner. Her experience is very well put: “The gossip round the water cooler at the office has been exchanged for gossip at the water tanker as we queue up with our plastic bottles for what we are most short of—water. Who has left town with who? Who is sleeping in a tent? Who is sleeping in the garage? Few people here—along with Lyttelton the worst affected part of the city—want to sleep in the house if they can avoid it. 
Water is heavy and I haven’t quite got the knack of balancing it on my head but I am certainly adept at carrying three very large water bottles—one in each hand and the third in between supported by both sets of fingertips. Everything looks grey the colour of the liquefied earth squeezed out of the ground like toothpaste by the earthquake. It has been shovelled into piles by our fantastic student army but it has dried in the heat and the dust is picked up and blown around by the strong north-westerly winds covering everything. The fruit on the trees no longer has an autumnal ripeness but is also the colour of grey. This greyness is punctuated by the odd moment of colourful humour—usually about the way we are getting rid of human waste. Drains and sewers are broken so gardens are invaluable now. 
And the aftershocks keep coming. Someone in England asked me ‘Do they feel like little electric shocks?’ No they damn well do not. They are small earthquakes that follow the big one. They throw our stomachs into our throats and in a split second I am taken back to where I was when the big one hit—the cathedral cafe ground zero for all of the destruction. I felt it coming and screamed to everyone there to get down. The events from there are still too cruel and too raw to talk about. The aftershocks still shake rubble from our homes and have a noise and movement under our feet that confirm there is no such thing as terra firma. 
Our nerves are frayed our sleep disrupted our tempers frazzled and we live on a diet of all-day earthquake news and another tin of cold food … Thank goodness we had the rehearsal with the 4 September quake otherwise I don’t think we would be doing as well as we are. Did I really say that! 
This one was big and it was as though we had been hit by an atomic bomb. With our landmarks no longer there it was hard to recognise Sumner or Christchurch in the first days after the earthquake. Is this really our home? Going up our road coming home from the water tanker we cross crevices in a domestic car that might challenge an all-terrain vehicle. Road cones danger tape and yellow paint mark the cracks humps and road edges where the cliff has fallen away. You need nerves of steel to navigate it all—waiting for another aftershock to drop you into a hole or dislodge a boulder to land on your head. It’s like a war zone. 
We find ourselves doing strange things. I stand in the middle of a room piled high with debris and pick up a screw. I look at it for a long period wondering ‘What is this off?’. It is as though in this heap of damaged possessions I will ever find where it belongs. It is all headed for the dustbin. I talk to my neighbour who says she has spent 10 minutes just looking at a butterfly when she should be tidying up. Life seems unreal and time seems to unravel. We keep telling ourselves time will put this right. With time the aftershocks will lessen. With time power and water and sewage will be restored. With time our roads will be repaired. With time our houses will be rebuilt. With time. But at the moment time goes slowly. Time brings us pain and anguish—and fear that we might not have the strength to get through this. Time brings despair because all that we have built up has gone and our future is in jeopardy.” 
That description was from Pam Vickers. Last night her power did come on but she is still without water and sewerage as are many people in the city of Christchurch. There is still a lot more to do to help people in the east of Christchurch. Teams are still going door-to-door helping people. The Green Party has a team going around most days or every day. Kennedy Graham is in Christchurch leading that work. 
We have to remember as we prepare for the memorial service that the recovery will require a combination of effort: voluntary effort such as the students and farmers are engaged in along with all kinds of other organisations including church organisations and community organisations; the official response through civil defence in all its various parts; and all of the citizens of Christchurch in their own particular way helping and working together. It will take a while to recover but we cannot slacken our efforts right now. Thank you. 
MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National) 
: 
 In my short call on the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill I commend not only the many thousands of staff and volunteers who are working in Christchurch and the surrounding areas but also the many thousands of people who have opened their hearts and their homes right around the South Island particularly in my own city of Dunedin. People there have adopted a rather novel approach to providing support by opening at the Dunedin Railway Station the “Christchurch Embassy”. It is probably the first embassy for a city anywhere that I can think of but it is a terrific initiative that has brought together organisations such as the Citizens Advice Bureaux the Order of St John— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: They used to have one at the Back Bencher. 
MICHAEL WOODHOUSE 
: Well there you go; it was pinched off the Back Bencher which is always a pioneer. 
It has also given to those of us who were not in Christchurch on 22 February and who simply cannot imagine what life has been like since then a small insight into the trauma that was created for those who have been effectively displaced and who are now being accommodated in our schools homes and workplaces. I commend the work that they are doing. 
The Octagon saw around 10000 people stop for 2 minutes’ silence last week and if that is a measure of what the memorial will be like North Hagley Park will be a quite special place next Friday. I do not agree with the member Maryan Street that this commemoration day is too early; I think it is a necessary catharsis and I certainly support it. 
DARIEN FENTON (Labour) 
: 
 I do not want to change the tone of the debate at all because I think the contributions on the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill have been very genuine and heartfelt. It has been very moving to hear the contributions from all sides of the House and particularly the stories that have been told by people such as my colleague Maryan Street who was there when the earthquake happened. 
I am absolutely petrified of earthquakes. I am like Lianne Dalziel who said after the September earthquake that she had always thought the place to be frightened was Wellington. Of course that is now not the case. I come from a place in the country Auckland where we do not think we have earthquakes but apparently we do. Chris Hipkins showed me yesterday a little gadget he has on his iPhone that records every earthquake in the country and there are masses of them all over the country. It was amazing to see. I live in Auckland as I said and I think I am safe—apart from the volcanoes of course but that is another matter. 
As I said I commend all of the speakers for their very moving contributions and I repeat my sympathy for all of those in Christchurch who are suffering because of loss of life loss of home loss of jobs and so on. 
Just in case we do not get to have a very long debate in the Committee stage I will turn to the bill in this second reading speech if I may. It is a pretty straightforward bill and I think the Minister of Labour and the department have done a good job. It is a pretty simple approach. The bill provides for a one-off public holiday on 18 March—that is next Friday—in the Canterbury region to commemorate the Christchurch earthquake when there will be a commemoration service at Hagley Park. 
I am just seeking information because I am not sure of my information. I have already had quite a few texts calls and emails—and I know that my colleagues in Christchurch are getting these too—about what the day actually means. What does it mean for workers? What does it mean for business? It is a day that will be treated like any other public holiday except that it will apply only to Canterbury which means that employees can be required to work if their agreement says they can be required to work. If employees work on all or part of the day then they must be paid time and a half and they are entitled to an alternative day off. At the moment that alternative day off has to be agreed; after 1 April if it cannot be agreed the employer can decide when that day will be. Of course there is a reference to the Education Act which means that schools will be closed for the day as well. 
I will mention some of the issues that are coming up; I know that the Minister mentioned them in her first reading speech. For example businesses are expressing some concern about this bill. I was just talking to my colleague Lianne Dalziel who is in Bexley and she expressed concern—as indeed have other members in Christchurch. Some shops in Bexley where she works have opened today for the first time. It is the first time people have been able to get into their premises and they are really concerned about having to provide for time and a half or a day off next Friday. I know that other employers are complaining about having to fund a public holiday. It is not that they are against it; it is just that some of them are so much on the margins that they say it could tip them over. 
There are a whole lot of other issues as well. Somebody earlier in the discussion referred to the workers who had been transferred into Christchurch to help out and who have now been transferred out—people who are living and working in Timaru for example or people who have been transferred to other parts of the country by their employers who have other places in New Zealand where they can work. Will they be entitled to a public holiday? You know there are issues and there will be questions about those people that will need to be addressed. 
Of course there are some real difficulties concerning other questions that are coming up. Businesses are asking whether they are supposed to close and I think the Minister needs to make that clear. Because it is a commemoration day some businesses do not understand that they do not have to close. They have to let their staff off on pay or pay them time and a half. Because it is a commemoration day it feels something like Anzac Day when there is no trading. But there is trading under this bill. I think that needs to be made clear. 
Another question that has come up is about the situation if staff want to only go to the commemoration service and do not want to take the day off. What are they entitled to? How does that work? A very practical question came once again from Lianne Dalziel who is dealing in Bexley with constituents who still do not have access to Portaloos or chemical toilets. She asks where the Portaloos will come from if thousands of people pour into Hagley Park. I am not being facetious here; that is a very practical question that I think needs to be given some consideration. That is why many members on our side of the House are saying that it is just too soon and we are not sure whether these practical considerations have been thought through. 
Then we have all the workers who of course do not have jobs. I mentioned in my previous speech that millions of dollars have been paid out to employers to cover staff and individual employees. But another category of employees cannot even get to their jobs because of their personal situations—for example they have no toilets or showers no transport or their children are off school. Their employers are saying that their jobs are available and because their jobs are available they are not entitled to any subsidies. Those people are at home without any income. 
Then there is a whole other category of workers who are in no man’s land: their workplaces are still up and running but orders have reduced by 80 percent. So the laying off of staff has begun but they are not entitled to a subsidy situation. There are other stories as well that I think will need some answers. 
The other thing I will raise for the Minister—it may not be the time; it is not related so much to this bill—is that there are workers who are employed by multinational companies international companies which I understand are not eligible for earthquake cover. Hundreds of cleaners in the central business district for example are getting no support at all at the moment. 
There are issues but as we have said all along Labour will support this bill. We support the people of Christchurch and we will join in coming together to grieve next Friday. 
NIKKI KAYE (National—Auckland Central) 
: 
 I will start by paying tribute to the New Zealand men women and children who lost their lives on 22 February. I also pay tribute to the overseas citizens who lost their lives. I think many of us would acknowledge that the earthquake has been a pretty horrific tragedy for this country and many New Zealanders might not have lost someone but will know of someone who has been lost. But in such a time of tragedy we have also seen some extraordinary New Zealanders step up. To mention just a few I know that so many New Zealanders around the country have offered anything from a bed to some linen and some food. I acknowledge all of those New Zealanders who have stepped up. 
We have also seen some extraordinary leadership come through. The Student Volunteer Army has captured the respect of the nation. I think those students have also captured the pride of the nation. One of the things about this crisis is that sometimes it takes an extraordinary crisis to change the values of a nation. That is one of the positive things that could come from this. 
Everybody has a story. A lady walked into my office recently who had not known that her husband was travelling to Christchurch on the day of the earthquake. He was actually working in the Pyne Gould building. Fortunately for her—and for him—he had popped out for a coffee. So that day he lived but he was one of the lucky ones. Her story is not unique; many people around New Zealand are sharing those stories and I think that is a really important part of the process. 
Finally I pay tribute to the New Zealand armed forces. I had the opportunity with our Minister of Defence to be on board HMNZS  
Canterbury 
 and to see the extraordinary support that our New Zealand armed forces were giving to the people of Canterbury. It really made me reflect as I hope many other members of Parliament will do on the huge contribution that our armed forces are making in Canterbury at this time. 
I am very pleased to support the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill. I acknowledge that even though there has been an extraordinary tragedy so many New Zealanders around the country are stepping up in every possible way and that is making a huge difference to the lives of so many New Zealanders particularly the people of Canterbury. 
CHARLES CHAUVEL (Labour) 
: 
 I begin my short contribution in the second reading debate of the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill by acknowledging the Minister of Labour for addressing in her second reading speech some potential concerns I raised in my first reading speech. I accept that the choice of timing is never easy and that there are always pros and cons. 
I agree with Trevor Mallard that a decision has been settled on and the course of action which is the commemoration on 18 March is now clear. It does leave a further decision which is what opportunity there will be at a later date for the entire nation to have an opportunity to mourn to commemorate and to celebrate what we know will be the recovery of Canterbury. Maybe the idea advanced by Maryan Street about an unveiling in a year’s time from the anniversary of the earthquake is an appropriate thing to consider. 
I mentioned in my initial contribution the services that were held around the nation on the first day of this month. I think they reveal a real need amongst New Zealanders outside Canterbury to participate in that process. I will say no more on the issue other than to respectfully urge the Minister and her colleagues to consider that need because I do think it is real. As I said Labour accepts the decision with regard to the timing and the regional nature of the holiday we are discussing now. But I think it is very important that we acknowledge that wider need and acknowledge the importance of making sure everybody has an opportunity to as I said engage in that three-stage process: mourn those whom we have lost commemorate the event then look forward to the future. I hope looking forward to the future is something we can all begin to focus on. 
I really encourage Ministers and members of the Government to think about two things as we move forward. One is the need for compassion. We have heard all sorts of comments in the last couple of weeks about looters. Many would say fair enough; that sort of behaviour is terrible. But let us not forget that there is other behaviour going on such as profiteering price gouging and excessive renting. We need to think about the people who are affected by that sort of behaviour. As far as I am concerned it is every bit as bad as looting. We may need to think about taking powers as has been done in the United States in post-emergency situations that provide some ability in the short term to control that sort of activity. We may need to do that so that people particularly those at the bottom and in the middle who need to rent commercial premises or houses and need to buy goods and services are not affected by the rawness of the rules of supply and demand. That is the first hope I express going forward. 
The second one is to urge the Government to be far-sighted. There is a huge opportunity here for the people of Christchurch and Canterbury when it comes to rebuilding what has been lost. Would it not be fantastic to see a true eco-city with businesses and houses built to the highest energy-efficiency standards a world-class transport system and clever town planning while preserving the beautiful heritage buildings wherever possible? We should concentrate on the intellectual and entrepreneurial opportunities that the city has going forward such as the wonderful cleantech sector; the university which is a real jewel in the crown; the tourism businesses that contribute so many jobs; and the other educational and training institutions. There is a huge opportunity to get people upskilled and to address all the training needs that we know people have so that they can go forward and contribute to the rebuilding of the city. 
It would be fantastic if rather than looking inward and being preoccupied with the awful past we have all spoken about today we were able to look forward with pride and have a think about the opportunities that that sort of visionary rebuild would guarantee to that magnificent city in the South Island. With those words I commend the bill to the House in the second reading. 
COLIN KING (National—Kaikoura) 
: 
 One cannot avoid the tragedy of what happened in Christchurch on 22 February 2011 at 12.51 p.m. We are now at the second reading stage of the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill and I think it is quite appropriate that the interpretation clause makes specific reference to the Christchurch Show Day. Notwithstanding all the tragedy loss grief and dislocation that have happened in that community that in itself conjures up the thought of the country and the town coming together and celebrating the unity that we have all grown to have amazing confidence in. When I was a child the highest structure in Christchurch was the cathedral and on the odd day when one was up on the Port Hills and looked across at a canopy of fog the only thing sticking out would be the cathedral. It will take a lot of work for us to ensure that our children and our grandchildren have a similar view to us as children of Christchurch as a city of excitement and flair and colour. 
I will move on to one aspect of the event in North Canterbury. It is interesting that a lot of families still send their children to the various colleges of eminence in Christchurch and it is pleasing to see that the community of North Canterbury especially the area schools—and I will mention them; they are Amuri Area School Hurunui College and Cheviot Area School—were able to open their doors for whatever time will be necessary to children who have been displaced from those colleges. 
We look forward to 18 March when we will come together to support one another and to look toward a brighter future. I am aware that the speakers that have gone before have very eloquently articulated the heartfelt emotion of it all. Leaving it at that I commend this bill to the House. 
Bill read a second time. 
Procedure 
CHRIS TREMAIN (Senior Whip—National) 
: 
 I seek leave of the House to go to the third reading of the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill forthwith and to forgo the Committee stage. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Eric Roy) 
: Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there anyone opposed to that course of action? It appears not. Leave is granted. 
Third Reading 
Hon KATE WILKINSON (Minister of Labour) 
: 
 I move  
That the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill be now read a third time 
. As we have heard from other speakers in the House today the Christchurch earthquake will shape the identity of the Canterbury region for many years to come and I appreciate the positive contributions of other speakers so far. I think there is a wonderful opportunity for Canterbury to rebuild. After hearing the contribution from some of the Wellington speakers I have to say that if the Crusaders get too good the Hurricanes might not be able to beat them in the near future but we certainly appreciate the gesture. I also appreciate that there was mutual agreement that the game that was due to be played be a draw. 
On a more serious note this bill provides for Friday 18 March to be the day of commemoration to mark the tragedy that we have all suffered and the devastating consequences that it has brought. The death toll of this day is yet to be officially confirmed but we know that some 200 families may have lost a loved one. Those of us from Canterbury all have a link to someone who has died whether it is a personal friend a colleague or a passing acquaintance whom we happened to meet. In some respects though the entire nation is grieving. The grief is of course most real for the people of Canterbury but none the less I believe that the entire nation is grieving and I certainly thank people for that. 
Tens of thousands of people have damaged homes and property. Many of those need to be rebuilt entirely. The entire region is exhausted by the continuing aftershocks. Our nerves are always on edge and it is important that the region is provided with an opportunity to come together to grieve as a community. The memorial to take place next Friday will be a day of mourning. It will be a difficult day for many of us but I believe that it is crucial. I know that there are some genuine concerns about the cost to some businesses and this is the case for all public holidays. But sometimes in the context of an extraordinary tragedy we need to look past these short-term costs and focus on what we believe will help the people of Canterbury as a whole at this time. I believe that allowing this day to be observed as a public holiday is the best way to ensure that all Cantabrians have the opportunity to attend the memorial at Hagley Park to take a step back from the carnage for a moment and to grieve. 
I once again thank the members of this House for the concern the compassion and the support for Canterbury and for Christchurch during these tragic times. I again commend the bill to the House. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Labour—Hutt South) 
: 
 The Opposition parties will of course be supporting the third reading of the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill. 
I will start off by doing something that maybe I should have done earlier and that is to acknowledge and thank the Canterbury MPs and in particular the Christchurch MPs for the work they are doing there. I have been lucky enough to hear from their—I was going to say “emissary” but Mr Cosgrove is not normally regarded as having diplomatic status. He has come out of Canterbury a couple of times when the others have not in order to brief colleagues on the situation. It has become clear that an enormous amount of work is going on there even though the personal circumstances of the MPs are not a lot different from the personal circumstances of many of those who have been affected. We know of colleagues sleeping in tents in the backyard. We know that all of them are doing enormous work and that a couple of them have lost their houses. It is a truly awful situation but like Kiwis do they are putting their all into it. 
I acknowledge that in a way this tragedy is developing a sense of community and it is a community that occurs within the city and within the country and that has been exemplified by this debate here today. Like all families and all communities some of us might have done things in a slightly different way but now that we know that a decision has been made for this approach to be taken we will get in behind it and make sure that the commemoration is the best that it can possibly be. 
One of the things I am hoping is that out of this tragedy across the country and in this Parliament—I am an optimist but I am not unrealistic; we cannot be like this all the time—we will learn that there are strengths all around the House and that the more often that we can avail ourselves of those strengths the bigger the contribution that Parliament can make to the country. Having said that I want to single out—and there are always dangers in doing this—both the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery and Mr Flavell for their contributions and but not quite to the same extent Mr Locke as well. Things have been said from a Christchurch perspective by both the Minister and Mr Locke that are very special and Mr Flavell is someone who I think exemplifies New Zealand’s understanding of death and has an ability to express it in a way that many of us would love to be able to do. 
I will share with the House the fact that I spent a couple of minutes 10 minutes ago with the senior Government whip and the Minister. I think we came to the conclusion that in a legal sense this legislation is unnecessary. The regulation-making powers that we granted to the Government under the Act passed last year following the September earthquake gave it the ability to create this day. But we came to the conclusion together that we as a Parliament are pleased that the powers that sat there are not being used and that there is an opportunity for members to come together as a Parliament to be supportive and to indicate again the fact that we care deeply for the people of Christchurch and the people internationally who have lost people for the people young and old who do not know where they are going to live over the next few months and over the next few years and for the people who have been living and are living in what are currently unacceptable circumstances. 
What we have done is to resolve to do together what we can to make the best of this tragedy to learn from it but most of all to put on the record our commitment to make sure that Canterbury is strong again not only in the Crusaders sense but as an important counterbalance to Auckland in a way that is important to our society and to our economy. As we all know although I love Dunedin Canterbury is effectively the capital of the South Island and for New Zealand to be strong it must be strong too. 
Hon HEKIA PARATA (Minister for Ethnic Affairs) 
: 
 Tena koe e te Mana Whakawa otira ki a tatou o te Whare Paremata. Tenei te poroporoaki ki nga tangata ki nga whanau o Otautahi o tawahi hoki. E ai ki tetahi o nga rarangi i roto i te haka taparahi ara ko tenei: “Ko Ruaumoko e ngunguru nei au au aue ha!”. I runga ano i tera korero kei te mohio tatou ka rongo tonu tatou katoa i te mamae o nga tangata o tera wahi o Otautahi. Na reira he poroporoaki poto noa iho i tenei wa ki a ratou kua hipa atu i te po haere haere haere atu ra. Hoki mai ki a tatou te hunga ora tena koutou tena koutou tena koutou katoa. 
[ 
Greetings to you Mr Assistant Speaker and indeed to us of the House. This farewell tribute is to the people and families of Christchurch and to those from overseas as well. In the ceremonial haka there is a line that goes like this: “It is I Ruaumoko the earthquake god rumbling here; take care look out be warned!”. On the basis of that statement we know that we will all continue to experience the pain of the people of that place Christchurch. So this brief farewell gesture at this moment to those who have passed on into the void: farewell depart and journey on. I come back to us the living: greetings to you greetings to you and greetings to you all 
.]  
I join with every member of this House and with all New Zealanders in expressing our sadness for those families here in Aotearoa New Zealand who have lost loved ones and those families who face the tragedy of having either to come to New Zealand or to wait in their home countries to receive back members of their families. We acknowledge that the pain that has been experienced by everyone will take much longer to go away than the days we have experienced so far and indeed will last beyond the commemorative day next Friday that the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill puts in place. But part of the process is that we have the opportunity to come together formally as a nation to recognise the grief sadness and loss in Canterbury and to begin the healing that will be part of the restoration and recovery of Christchurch and the strengthening of communities in and around Canterbury Te Wai Pounamu and New Zealand. 
I went to Christchurch last week and had the opportunity to visit ethnic communities who were responding with the same resilience that has characterised the entire response of Cantabrians to this tragedy. Those communities where English is not the first language were coping with their own particular and special challenges. In situations of stress understanding the different cultural cues of a different culture provides another layer of complexity to the way that those communities can respond. Nevertheless they were binding together sharing resources amongst and between themselves taking succour in their own cultural and religious practices and gaining access to the services that are available to all New Zealanders. 
I had the opportunity also to visit the women’s refuges and to see again the strong work that that group of women does both in normal times and in abnormal times. They responded as did everyone else to the needs of their particular communities and they will continue to require support. One of the by-products of stress is sometimes violence towards those closest to us. In recognising that that happens it is important to acknowledge that it is no more acceptable in times of tragedy than it is at any other time. We must continue to provide support to organisations like Women’s Refuge to meet the demands of the situation. 
I also had the opportunity to visit Orion the company responsible for getting electricity back up throughout Christchurch. Its own building was rendered uninhabitable by the earthquake. It operated from a marquee under an oak tree and subsequently in prefabricated buildings that had been trucked in to allow it to work to get the electricity network up and going again. I pay tribute to those workers; as has been remarked on by other speakers many many of the workers whoever they were—whether working on restoring power lines or water or for the Red Cross or the Salvation Army—were themselves directly affected by the earthquake. Despite that they went out and provided the work that was needed to begin the restoration and recovery of Christchurch. 
Finally I mention the volunteers. They have been an example to all of us of how well New Zealanders respond to the needs of their neighbours and to the needs of communities. Volunteers who live close to Christchurch and others who have travelled from other parts of New Zealand have gone there to help in this time of need. It is really important that we maintain the spirit of Kiwi voluntarism. It is important that we acknowledge the contribution that has been made by those volunteers and that will continue to be made and it is important that we recognise that there will be an ongoing need for volunteers in the weeks and months ahead of us. 
I join with the rest of this House in supporting the passage of this bill. Although it may not be legally necessary it gives us the opportunity to come together as a parliamentary community to recognise and respect the need for us as a nation to stand as our Prime Minister has said shoulder to shoulder with the people of Canterbury. I commend this bill to the House. 
KEITH LOCKE (Green) 
: 
 The Green Party fully supports the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill. I would like to comment on Trevor Mallard’s view that perhaps this bill was not necessary and perhaps the provision of a public holiday could have been implemented under the Canterbury Earthquake Response and Recovery Act which gives very significant powers to the Government to override most bits of existing legislation. I think it is good that we are passing this bill rather than using those executive powers because those powers have been under some criticism in the community and in the legal fraternity. 
There is a fear that the Government if it chooses could use those powers in a way that is not appropriate. That little fear popped up in some of the community debate about Gerry Brownlee’s comments on heritage buildings whether or not those comments were rightly interpreted. I think there is a fear despite the crisis of giving too much power to the Government as opposed to Parliament. So it is good that we are debating this bill and will pass it today. 
The cooperative spirit involved in developing legislation having a debate and working together across parties is the sort of cooperative spirit that is superior to the Government just going its own way. It reflects the cooperative spirit that has been generated so well amongst the people of Christchurch and more broadly across the whole of New Zealand. Other speakers have mentioned the international response. The response from Australia and from many other countries has been fantastic. It will be a challenge for this Parliament and for the people of New Zealand to try to keep hold of the best of that cooperative spirit of helping each other of neighbours helping neighbours and all the sorts of things that have been generated around this tragedy. We want to hold on to that as much as possible. 
It is also important to recognise—and sometimes if we are outside Christchurch we do not quite recognise it fully—that there are three other areas where the solutions are much further off. We are seeing more zones open up in the central business district and the four avenues area and we are seeing the power going back on for most people. I pay tribute to Orion for what its staff have done. At least from the outside it looks like a fantastic effort. They have gone on day after day working for long hours and they have used very creative solutions to get the power on to just about all areas. A few areas still do not have power and those people are still suffering. 
But as I said there are three other three other areas where solutions are much further off. One is the area of water and sewerage. The Bromley sewage treatment plant is stuffed. Christchurch relies on that to a significant extent so processing sewage is a big problem. There are water-quality problems throughout the city not only in the affected east. Those problems will not be resolved very quickly so we have to be very supportive and put in alternative facilities there—Portaloos and everything else—and also make sure that they are cleaned out. A huge area is affected and even with the Portaloos the situation is not very nice for the people concerned. So that will be a big area of concern. 
The other area where there is a bit of testiness is in relation to the speed at which the fix-up will take place—that is people fixing up their houses. Of course there is the whole question of replacing houses and which houses cannot be replaced. That is a very difficult problem for many people but for people across the eastern part of Christchurch most buildings have some fix-up required. Getting the insurance getting the tradespeople—all of that stuff—will take a long time and we have to be very supportive wherever we can. Parliament and the Government have to support creative solutions. 
Sometimes tradespeople do not get on the job unless they are guaranteed payment. There is debate at the moment between the Earthquake Commission tradespeople and homeowners about who is paying how quickly and all the rest of it. We want to do what we can to make sure all of that is resolved as smoothly as possible. 
The third problem that requires a lot of support—counselling as well as financial support—is the whole question of people who do not know how they will survive financially. I have struck that question all over the place with friends and relations. They have perhaps rented out a flat and their tenants have disappeared their flat is damaged their home is damaged their business is damaged or they are well behind as a result of their business being closed for a few weeks. There are piles and piles of people who have financial problems and who do not quite see their way out of them. 
The Government is of course providing interim grants and things like that which are benefiting a lot of people and the Red Cross is too but there is a lot of work to be done for quite a long period to assist people in that area. I think we have a considerable role to play in making sure the mechanisms are there and in supporting the volunteer efforts. Often those efforts have happened because of the initiative of the organisations and the people concerned but I think the Government has a responsibility to foster and support those volunteer initiatives. They are a part of the cooperation ethic that has arisen in this crisis. They are usually cost-effective solutions as well. Although volunteer efforts require a certain resource they achieve a lot as well. 
With those few comments the Green Party supports this bill. 
TE URUROA FLAVELL (Maori Party—Waiariki) 
: 
 Kia ora Mr Assistant Speaker. Kua korerohia te ahuatanga o te titiro o te Ao Maori ki tenei parekura nui no reira waiho tera ki reira. Hoi ano ko taku ko te ki atu ara ano tetahi tangata no Waikato te tangata nei ko Tetaki Tairakena tona ingoa. I whakanuia tana ra whanau e 60 ina tata nei. Ki te nuinga ko Wally ke te ingoa ki taku mohio ko ia tetahi kaiako mo te reo Maori mo nga tau e 25. He nanakia te tangata nei mo te purei i te rakuraku te kita ka mutu ki te waiata i nga waiata ngahau i roto i tetahi pene. E ai ki nga korero i te taha o te tangata nei a Steve Apirana. A te Ratapu e tu mai nei ko ia tera ka takoto i tona marae i Tauwhare he marae tenei tata ki Morrinsville a ko ia tetahi o nga aitua ka nehua a ko ake nei. No reira ko te kaupapa nui ae me whakanui ko te hunga kua ngaro i te tirohanga kanohi. Hoi ano kore taea te karo i tera ahuatanga. 
He hararei te ra kei mua i te aroaro? E ko taku e ki nei e kao. Ehara i te hararei. Ko te hararei he wa whakata he wa okioki he wa ki te mahi i nga mahi i tua atu o te mahi o te wa. He hararei tenei? Karekau. He wa kia tuku i nga whakaaro ki te hunga e noho pani nei ka mutu ki te tautoko i te hunga e tangi tonu ana kia tuku i nga whakaaro ki te hunga kua ngaro. Me tu pokohiwi ki te pokohiwi ki te taha o te hunga e noho mai ra ki reira Pakeha mai Maori mai te hunga no tawahi mai manene mai koi na te mahi nui a nga ra kei mua i te aroaro. No reira mo te kaupapa kore taea te whakahe. Whakawateahia mai he ra me ki mo tera o nga takiwa. Ko taku noa ake ko te ki ae kai te tautoko ake te Pati Maori i tenei o nga ahuatanga. 
Ko taku kia whai wahi tatou ki te mihi ki te hunga nga ringa raupa nga kaiawhina nga mea whakapau werawera mo tera o nga hapori otira mo te motu; kaua o roto Aotearoa nei engari mo te hunga i hara mai i tawahi ano hoki. Ko nga mea o Hapanihi te hunga o Ahitereiria nga pirihimana i hara mai i Ahitereia ki te tautoko. Nga mea o roto o Amerika i hara mai i tawhiti kia eke mai ki konei tautoko mai ai i a tatou. 
Ko taku he mihi ki te hunga ope tuao ara te voluntary army. Me mihi nui ki a ratou ka tika nga watene Maori o te motu Salvation Army te Ropu Hapai Ru Whenua i Rangiora Student Volunteer Army Farmy Army Red Cross me nga marae o te motu. I whakawatea mai nga marae o te motu i o ratou kuaha ki te hunga i noho raruraru nei ara kai raro iho nei kei Pipitea tetahi i whakatuwhera nei i nga kuaha o to ratou marae. 
Engari me penei rawa te mihi nui me ki ki a Ngai Tahu. Ko Ngai Tahu tera e kaha tonu nei ki te hapai ki te awhina ki te noho hai pou hai tuara mo te hunga e rongo nei i te ngau o mamae Pakeha mai Maori mai. Kai Wigram ke ratou i tenei wa tonu nei kai a ratou te nama waea hai awhina i te hunga e kimi korero nei e kimi awhina nei mai i nga moutere o Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa me etahi atu. No reira ka nui te mihi ki a ratou me nga putea ka tukuna ki te kai ki te awhina. No ratou te whakaaro nui ki te hapai me ki i nga mea e noho mai ra ra i Te Wai Pounamu. Nga Hau E Wha Marae ko ia tetahi kua whakatuwhera nei i tona kuaha me ki ki Te Manatu Whakahiato Ora ka mutu kua noho tera hei wahi hapai i te whakaoranga o te tangata. Me mihi ra ki Te Puni Kokiri me nga non-governmental organisations nga ropu awhina Kawanatanga. 
Na reira ko taku ko te mihi ki nga iwi katoa o te motu i roto i a au ana kua whakatuwherahia nga kura kaupapa Maori i te kuaha ki nga tamariki o roto o Ngai Tahu kia haere ki roto i a au o Te Arawa. 
Hai kupu korero whakamutunga maku i te whakaaro ake au mo tetahi aitua nui i roto i a au ana ko te hu o Tarawera i te tau 1890. I tera wa e ai ki nga korero e 150 o Ngati Rangitihi-Tuhourangi i mate. Na i whakawatea mai a Te Arawa i nga kakahu i nga whenua i nga kai ki te hunga morehu ana kei reira tonu tera here ki roto o te Whakarewarewa ko Ngati Wahiao ki Ngapuna ko Ngati Hurunga ki Waitangi ko Tapuika ki Matata ko Ngati Rangitihi ana kei reira nga uri i tenei wa na te whakaaro nui o nga wahi nei o roto i a au o Te Arawa ki te hunga i raruraru i tera o nga ru nui. Kai te pera ano hoki i tenei wa tonu nei kua whakatuwherahia te ngakau ki te awhina ki te tautoko i te hunga kua parekuratia na runga i te ahuatanga o te ru nei. 
Me mihi ki a Ngati Porou me ki nga whanaunga o te Honore Hekia Parata ki te reo irirangi i kohi moni ki te awhina ki te Pouaka Whakaata Maori mo  
Hyundai CODE 
 i tuku i a Glen Osborne raua ko Reuben Wiki ki te waiata ahakoa koretake raua ki te waiata te kohanga reo o tenei takiwa Te Kohanga Reo o Nga Mokopuna me Te Kohanga Reo o Te Kaahui me ki i mahi i te kapa haka i Lambton Quay i nanahi nei ki taku mohio ki nga nehi o roto i a au o Te Arawa a Waikato-Tainui i tuku i wa ratou kaihanga whare ki tera takiwa me tetahi tangata tera pea kaore ano koe kia rongo mo te tangata nei Mr Assistant Speaker a Henare O’Keefe. No roto o Heretaunga tenei tangata. Ko tana mahi he heri i ana mihini tunu kai. Koi na te ingoa o tana kaupapa Tunutunu. Kua heria ki reira ki te tunu kai mo te hapori. 
Ka mutu me waiho pea ki reira engari ara ano nga marae; Takahanga ki Kaikoura Tuahiwi Marae ki Kaiapoi Te Aitarakihi Marae ki Te Tihi-o-Maru ratou katoa kua awhina mai. No reira ko taku he mihi nui whakaharahara o te ngakau otira o te Pati Maori me te Paremata taku ki atu ki a ratou katoa i kaha ki te tautoko i te hapori e tangi nei e auwe nei me te tumanako ia na runga i te ahuatanga kua whakawateahia mai tenei ra me whakanui i te hunga kua ngaro waiho ratou kia moe kia okioki. Kua ea te wahi ki a ratou. Ko ta tatou he tuku i te roimata me te hupe kia ea ai te ahuatanga o mate. Huri noa kia ora tatou. 
[ 
Greetings Mr Assistant Speaker. Mention has been made of the Maori World’s view on the Christchurch earthquake so I will not take that further. Let me begin by talking about a man from Waikato by the name of Tetaki Tairakena. Recently he celebrated his 60th birthday. To most he was plain Wally. To my knowledge for over 25 years he taught the Maori language. He was very good at playing the guitar and was even in a band according to some alongside Steve Apirana. This Sunday he will lie in state on his marae at Tauwhare close to Morrinsville. He is one of the ones who is about to be buried. So yes the most important thing is to acknowledge those who are lost from sight. Death is something that cannot be avoided. 
Is it a holiday that is ahead of us? I say it is not. A holiday is a time to rest and recuperate to catch up on things that one is not able to do on a working day. Is this a holiday? No. It is a time to give thought to those who have suffered the loss of loved ones to offer help to those who are still grieving and to grieve for those who have passed away. We must stand shoulder to shoulder with the people over there be it non-Maori Maori people from beyond our shores or migrants. That is the most important thing ahead of us. The principle cannot be faulted. Set aside a day for the people of that region of ours. I simply say that the Maori Party supports this emphatically.  
Personally I believe that it is an opportunity for us to acknowledge the rescue workers the helpers the ones who have worked tirelessly for that one of our communities and indeed the nation—not just the ones from here in New Zealand but those from overseas as well particularly the rescue workers from Japan the police from Australia and those all the way from the United States of America who came to support us.  
I particularly want to acknowledge all the voluntary organisations. It is most appropriate that we thank them immensely—Maori wardens of the country the Salvation Army the Rangiora Express the Student Volunteer Army the Farmy Army the Red Cross and the marae of the country. The marae opened up their doors to those with difficulties. Pipitea Marae just down the street along from us was one. It opened up its doors.  
But Ngai Tahu must be accorded the greatest accolade. They were resolute in their efforts to lift morale and provide assistance and be a pillar and backbone for those who suffered hardship whether they were non-Maori or Maori. They are currently set up at Wigram airbase. They have a telephone number to assist those seeking information and assistance relating to Pasifika people and other people. So a huge accolade is due to them and the financial help they provided for food and assistance. Ngai Tahu have enormous foresight to help those living in the South Island. Nga Hau e Wha Marae is one that has opened up its doors to the Ministry of Social Development which has become a recovery assistance centre. Thanks indeed to the Ministry of Maori Development and the non-governmental organisations.  
I acknowledge all the tribes of the country that are part of me. Maori-medium schools have opened their doors to children within Ngai Tahu to go and stay within me in Te Arawa.  
To conclude this address I recall a huge disaster that occurred in my area. It was the eruption of Tarawera in the year 1890. At that time and according to the stories 150 of Ngati Rangitihi-Tuhourangi perished. Te Arawa made clothing land and food available to the survivors and that bond with Ngati Wahiao of W.hakarewarewa Ngati Hurunga of Ngapuna Tapuika of Waitangi and Ngati Rangitihi of Matata still remains. The descendants are still there today due to the great regard of these places within me in Te Arawa for those who suffered that huge earthquake. We have a similar situation again today where the heart is opened up to assist and support those who have become victims of this disaster.  
I need to acknowledge Ngati Porou; relatives of the Hon Hekia Parata; radio stations that raised money to help; Maori Television for Hyundai CODE releasing Glen Osborne and Reuben Wiki to sing even if their efforts were not very flash; Maori-medium schools and language nurseries of this locality such as Te Kohanga Reo o Nga Mokopuna and Te Kohanga Reo o Te Kaahui which performed cultural items on Lambton Quay yesterday as I was told; the nurses from within me of Te Arawa; Waikato-Tainui who sent their carpenters to that place; and a person whom you may not know anything about Mr Assistant Speaker Henare O’Keefe. This person is from Hastings. He owns a mobile barbecue kitchen. Its name is Tunutunu. He has taken it down there to barbecue food for the community.  
Perhaps I should stop there but before I do I need to mention the marae: the one in Kaikoura the Takahanga Marae; the Tuahiwi Marae in Kaiapoi; and the Te Aitarakihi Marae at Timaru—all have offered help. I extend my immense and heartfelt accolade and that of the Maori Party and Parliament as well to all those who supported the community here which is grieving and hurting so strongly in the hope that this day will be set aside. Celebrate those who have perished. Allow them to sleep and rest. The part concerning them has been fulfilled. Ours is to shed tears and mucus to acquit our losses through death. Thank you to all of us throughout the Chamber 
.] 
Bill read a third time. 
Sittings of the House 
CHRIS TREMAIN (Senior Whip—National) 
: 
 The House has made good progress this afternoon. I seek leave for the House to rise early. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Eric Roy) 
: Leave is sought for the House to rise early. Is there anyone opposed to that course of action? It appears not. Leave is granted. 
The House adjourned at 5.48 p.m.