Patterson MarkMARK PATTERSON (NZ First): It's with some determination actually I get up and speak on the Overseas Investment Amendment Bill. As many of you know I was a member of the National Party and I was active in the National Party and I do have sympathy with some of their philosophies. But the one thing—the one thing—I could never get my head around was this obsession with putting foreign interests in front of our own citizens' and that is why I stand here. This is absolutely core New Zealand First policy and it is something that we are united about on this side of the House. I would commend Minister Parker and the work that he's done. It was said that we could not do it—we couldn't do this and comply with our international obligations. Well guess what? We're doing it. We are.So what happened was that the way it was structured up until now was our homes have essentially been a commodity on the international market to buy and sell like pork bellies or coal or iron ore—exactly the same. Kieran McAnulty: Embarrassment.MARK PATTERSON: It is an embarrassment. There are no restrictions. So while we can play around with the figures and we could say there are only 3 percent well that's 3 percent too many. In our biggest city Auckland our houses are at $1 million just for an average house—how could you let that happen over that side? How could you let that happen?ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams): Order! MARK PATTERSON: Sorry Madam Assistant Speaker not you. How could the National Party have allowed that to happen under their watch?I tell you what I know—I can pinpoint to the day—the day that sentiment changed against that former Government. There was an item on The Nation. Mike Wesley-Smith went round—the Hon Jenny Salesa I believe was involved in that. I was sitting in my comfortable lounge in Lawrence watching that with my jaw open—to see my fellow New Zealanders living in garages at best paying exorbitant rates.Kieran McAnulty: They don't care.MARK PATTERSON: They did not care. What on earth? Where are the morals? Where are the morals in that position? When your citizens when our citizens are in that situation we pull every lever—every lever—and one of those levers is to take demand out and those foreign speculators that are coming in here had to go and they are going.There are record low levels of homeownership. We heard from the Rt Hon Winston Peters today when he quoted the great National Party Prime Minister Sir Keith Holyoake who used to brag that New Zealand was a property-owning democracy—an absolute founding principle and quality and value that we want the most. That has been taken away slowly eroded over time particularly for Māori who have incredibly low rates of homeownership in their own country. That is a shame. I would also pick up on Minister Sage's comments about the Land Information New Zealand and the Overseas Investment Office and farm ownership and how we're tightening up on the letters of intent there. [Interruption] There was a day when young New Zealanders Mr Yule could aim at picking up a handpiece putting on a set of cuffs and working their way to farm ownership. I've just heard him over that side of the House saying that we need foreign investors in here to prop up the markets keep the prices up. What about letting young New Zealanders those that are out there working hard—giving them the incentive like past generations have had to get out and own their own piece of dirt. That has been taken away.I do have the privilege of owning a farm but I don't care if it drops by 20 percent. I'm not in there for the capital gain; I want to pass it on to my family as I'm sure most farmers round New Zealand do. We're now seeing that the current rules are going to actually put substantial and identifiable benefit where it belongs and actually up in lights so that our young farmers can have that hope and that dream.Of course we have been pragmatic about this bill. The Finance and Expenditure Committee—we've taken on the views particularly as has been mentioned around the cutting rights for trees as we build towards our billion-tree strategy that nation-building strategy as we seek to accept our responsibility to meet our Paris commitments. That is a thoroughly sensible amendment and credit to the select committee and those that have worked through that process. We're not banning foreigners from owning property here or building property; there are provisions where people are coming in to add to the existing housing stock. That investment is welcome. It is helping it is beneficial to us as an economy—we accept that. But the rules are ours. We're making the rules for our benefit. We're not enabling speculators to come in and disadvantage our own citizens. So on this side of the House we make absolutely no apology—none whatsoever—for putting the interests of our citizens New Zealanders first.Andrew Bayly: Madam Assistant Speaker.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams): I call—Kieran McAnulty: Here we go Old Shouty".Andrew Bayly: Madam Assistant Speaker it's a pleasure—ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams): Just a second. I apologise to the member; I hadn't quite called you. Could I ask the Government whip when I'm calling members to actually restrain himself. Thank you. I call Andrew Bayly."