Brown Peter: Aviation Security Legislation Bill — First Reading 
Brown Peter: Aviation Security Legislation Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:638;Page:8112] 
PETER BROWN (Deputy Leader—NZ First) 
: 
 Let me say that New Zealand First will support the Aviation Security Legislation Bill’s first reading but it is a very very sad day for New Zealand. I can remember the time when I first came to New Zealand from the UK and this country had absolute maximum freedom. People could leave their doors open and go down the street and could leave their cars unlocked. 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: Was that before airplanes? 
PETER BROWN 
: Did the member say something? 
Hon Harry Duynhoven 
: He said: “And then all the Brits arrived.” 
PETER BROWN 
: Oh did he? 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: I didn’t say anything. But I think it’s a sad day too. 
PETER BROWN 
: It is a sad day because this bill represents a little bit more loss of freedom. Freedom and security pull the country in different directions. If we want maximum freedom we have minimum security and if we want maximum security then freedoms have to be impinged upon. Freedoms get lost. Freedoms are put in the too-hard basket. 
We live in a very very volatile world. There is an obligation in this country to strengthen security again and New Zealand First supports that. Sad as it is we support the passing of this bill. We know that it will restrict freedom it will inconvenience passengers and it will make extra work for many people who work at airports. I think I recall the Minister for Transport Safety Harry Duynhoven saying that the economic and trade freedoms of this country are at stake. It is more than that. At stake is the economic well-being the trade well-being and the social well-being of many people in this country who want to travel. It is a sad day for New Zealand but this sort of legislation is essential in the world in which we live nowadays. 
I will not go into the details of the bill because they were well canvassed by the Minister earlier on and by some members who have spoken before me. But one area does concern me and that is the little bullet point that states: “require airlines to deny carriage to passengers who refuse to be searched;”. I have to say to the Minister that I hope the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee when it considers the bill looks at that point very seriously. I am aware and I know the Minister is aware of a young woman who went through an airport and had to be searched. Something made the bell ring but the staff could not find it very readily. They could not find what was setting off the alarm so they asked the woman to remove more and more clothing or unzip whatever she was wearing to the degree that she was totally embarrassed. 
Hon Harry Duynhoven 
: Not in New Zealand though. 
PETER BROWN 
: I am aware of a similar type of case occurring in New Zealand. The member has corrected me; the case he is aware of did not occur in New Zealand. But it could easily occur here. The select committee will have to consider such situations. If people refuse to be searched in a public area then they should be able to go into a private cubicle where the situation can be handled with a degree of decorum or whatever. It is not the right of aviation security guards to embarrass people particularly young people or old people. So New Zealand First will want to see some alternative option for people who do not want to be searched publicly. 
But we cannot fault this bill. We wish we could say that New Zealand does not need this legislation—that we do not live in such a world and that we do not want to be captured by this sort of legislation. Unfortunately those are not the facts of life. The world is getting more and more volatile more or less as we speak. The problems are of a huge dimension. It is not impossible that some terrorist will get into this country and try to use his— 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: Or some soccer hooligan. 
PETER BROWN 
: That is not impossible; some of them get up to weird tricks. On a more serious note it is not impossible that somebody will want to do something very very sinister in this country in terms of airport security and what have you. We need this bill to protect the many New Zealanders and tourists who travel internationally and throughout the country. New Zealand First supports the first reading of the bill. As I said we wish that the bill was not necessary but it is very necessary. In fact it is essential.