Banks John: Regulatory Reform Bill Regulatory Reform (Repeals) Bill — Second Readings 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Banks John: Regulatory Reform Bill Regulatory Reform (Repeals) Bill — Second Readings 
[Sitting date: 20 March 2012. Volume:678;Page:1130. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Hon JOHN BANKS (Minister for Regulatory Reform) 
: 
 I move  
That the Regulatory Reform Bill and the Regulatory Reform (Repeals) Bill be now read a second time 
. Both bills form a key part of this Government’s commitment to better and less regulation; better and less regulation for business—the lifeblood of the New Zealand economy—for those who create the wealth from the farmers to the manufacturers to the retailers and for the people who go out and commit their money take the risks produce the jobs and pay the taxes. 
As an aside I would note as the ACT MP for Epsom these bills dovetail nicely with the concepts philosophies and principles of the ACT Party. These are the concepts of less regulation smaller government and free enterprise. Before we can spend we first have to sell and ACT believes that a more prosperous New Zealand will be one that unleashes business from unnecessary and unwanted regulation by the Government. 
As Minister I would like to acknowledge the work of the previous Minister for Regulatory Reform in getting these bills to this stage. His commitment to improving our regulatory environment is seen in these bills. I would also like to thank the Commerce Committee and all those who made oral and written submissions on the Regulatory Reform Bill. 
The committee’s report includes some sensible recommendations to further reduce compliance costs for business. My role in life here in this ministry and coalition is to further reduce compliance costs for business. This Government is a Government for small business for the 420000 business people up and down the country who employ fewer than five people. This Government is committed to addressing the barriers big or small that hold back New Zealand businesses from reaching their fullest potential. The challenging economic environment makes reducing compliance costs more important than ever. 
I know that the people of Epsom will be very happy to see what their local MP is doing in his role as Minister for Regulatory Reform to get the Government off their backs and out of their pockets. And if this crowd opposite was in charge it would not be getting off their backs and out of their pockets; it would be heavier on their backs and deeper into their pockets as it borrowed more and spent more money that it had not produced. 
The Regulatory Reform Bill improves the quality of regulation in New Zealand. It recommends small but important amendments to 13 Acts to reduce the regulatory burden on business. It reduces those 13 Acts which produce regulatory impediments to the spirit of free enterprise and the people who create the wealth across this country. The bill was introduced under the former Standing Order 259(a) as the amendments can be regarded as implementing a single broad policy. The Regulatory Reform (Repeals) Bill repeals—listen to this—31 unnecessary and spent Acts of Parliament on the statute book tonight. This bill was introduced under the former Standing Order 259(b) as the amendments are of a similar nature to each other. 
I endorse the Commerce Committee’s commitment to canvass a number of options to ensure that the progress of these bills is as efficient as possible. I particularly want to acknowledge the efforts of the committee chair the Hon Lianne Dalziel to save this House time. It is not easy but I do acknowledge her work and give her thanks and praise for helping out small businesses up and down this country which say the Government is too heavy on their backs and too deep in their pockets. 
It is pleasing that the Business Committee which I am a member of has agreed to my request that the bills be treated as cognate bills under Standing Order 266. The Commerce Committee also recommended that the Committee of the whole House stage be dispensed with for the Regulatory Reform (Repeals) Bill and it is pleasing that the Business Committee also agreed with this request and the bills can now be progressed very efficiently. 
Hon Lianne Dalziel 
: Must have had a very good chair. 
Hon JOHN BANKS 
: Well we are from the Government we are here to help small business and the people listening to this debate on their crystal sets up and down the country tonight will be pleased that a businessman is the Minister for Small Business. 
I turn now to the Regulatory Reform Bill. Most submitters were supportive of the Regulatory Reform Bill and the Commerce Committee has not recommended any substantive changes. How good is that? I would like to focus on the most significant issues addressed by the committee. The committee recommended changes to the amendments to the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act 1997. My colleague from Epsom knows that Act as he knows the Animal Products Act 1999 and the Wine Act 2003 and he wants less regulation in business less red tape less difficulties and less Government interference. That is what my colleague from Epsom—my mate from Epsom—recommends as well. 
The committee has recommended changes to the amendments to the Companies Act 1993 clarifying that companies may send—listen to this; as if we would have to do this—hard-copy materials as well as electronic material for communications meetings and voting. The Government was involved in that. As if it is the Government’s business as to where and how companies can send electronic material for communications. 
The committee also recommends changes to clarify that a shareholder may appoint more than one proxy for a meeting as long as there is only one proxy exercised for any particular share. The committee recommended changes to clause 50 which enables regulation to impose time frames on concessions processing under Part 3B of the Conservation Act 1987. This change will allow for the rolling on of expired concessions where an application has been made for a new concession. It is amazing that we even have to do that. Why would that have been put in the statute in the first place so that it needs to be changed by the Minister for Regulatory Reform in circa 2012? But I am glad I am doing it and I am glad the House—and this side of the House—supports it as indeed does the other side of the House. It is very encouraging for small businesses up and down the country that the Labour Party would be supporting small-business enterprise up and down the country. 
Jami-Lee Ross 
: That’s new. 
Hon JOHN BANKS 
: It is novel but it is welcome. Small businesses up and down the country which I represent from the powerhouse seat of the New Zealand electoral system the Epsom electorate say that they want less regulation and they want the Government to get off their backs and that is what this about. 
Submitters were mainly supportive of the changes to the Films Videos and Publications Classification Act 1993. One submitter sought a change to the commencement date Part 5 to ensure that industry can gain benefits from the amendments as soon as possible and the committee said that is not a bad idea. Lianne Dalziel said we can tick that off and she has and full marks for that. The Government is committed to ensuring that industry can take advantage of reduced compliance costs as swiftly as possible. As we come out of the second wave of the global recession businesses need the Government to get off their backs and out of their pockets and this bill does that. 
Part 7 of the bill removes requirements under the Friendly Societies and Credit Unions Act 1982. I was in this Parliament when we debated that bill. We felt that the friendly societies and credit unions needed an Act of Parliament applying to credit unions and now we are addressing those silly parts of that silly piece of legislation enacted so many years ago that are an impediment to small business. This National Party and ACT coalition with its friends believes in getting off the backs and out of the pockets of small business. 
The committee recommended the removal of clause 113 of the bill. This clause amended section 20 of the Takeovers Act 1993 to add international comity as an objective to the Takeovers Code. 
Now to the Regulatory Reform (Repeals) Bill. The final change recommended by the Commerce Committee that I will comment on is the inclusion of a new schedule 2 to the Regulatory Reform (Repeals) Bill. The schedule contains three additional regulations to be automatically revoked as the Acts that they are made under would be repealed by this bill and that makes sense and people will welcome that. This is a great night for small business up and down the country.