SpeechSIMON O'CONNOR (National—Tāmaki): Thank you very much Madam Speaker. As the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs has resumed his seat this does remain an uncontroversial bill—just happy to report that to the House and put everyone at ease.Look again in some ways we are repeating—well sorry not we; I—I am repeating what was said at first reading second reading—not at committee stage; it was very prudent to get through that. This is not controversial. It's actually a good example of how the Parliament works to—it is to fix a legislative oversight but I'm hesitating as I say that because I actually don't think there's any particular reason that the error happened beyond that a rather complex bill that being the Public Finance Act was changed. People carried on the practices that they were familiar with and it was only until more recent times that eagle-eyed officials went Hold on a moment. The legislative power granted to us to allow these consular loans has ended." And as I noted in previous speeches the original Public Finance Act I think in 1989 provided that that power that statutory or legislative power—because as people at home will understand you just don't give out money and so there needs to be an authority to do that.When—I think it was in 2013—changes were made to the Public Finance Act it was overlooked at the time that actually that statutory or legislative authority to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) had ended. Consequently loans were being given out rightly as I said earlier—morally ethically or whatever words you want to use—just unfortunately not legally correct. And as the Minister pointed out not only is this legislation now making sure that future loans will be legal but retrospective as well—and it's probably important to say that we don't use retrospectivity all that often but this is an excellent case of where it makes sense.It was useful actually in the committee stage to briefly hear some of the numbers from the Minister. These are not used often these loans but in a growingly—growingly? Yeah growingly—troubled world New Zealanders do find themselves in difficult positions. And consular loans I'd better stress are just one way that our embassies and consulates help people.So as I move to wrap up I'd just make a couple of quick observations. Firstly it is actually with grateful thanks to our consulates and the Minister and our embassies. The Minister is right: our facilities in DC are amazing and always worth a visit. But to our MFAT people who look after those consulates and embassies we are grateful for the work they lead on behalf of the Realm. And can I just acknowledge the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee for its work. Vanushi Walters—no apologies. Apologies. I'm mixing up my select committees; it's because Jenny Salesa is the chair of that. But also to acknowledge the officials within MFAT—I think that's probably the overarching theme I want to end with. We are grateful to our Ministry of Foreign Affairs each and every one who represents the Realm of New Zealand overseas in many many different ways but in particular in reference to this bill is making sure that New Zealanders get the assistance they need. And once this bill passes and receives Royal assent they'll be doing so legally."