Sabin Mike: Land Transport and Road User Charges Legislation Amendment Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeSabin Mike: Land Transport and Road User Charges Legislation Amendment Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 27 August 2013. Volume:693;Page:13043. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]MIKE SABIN (National—Northland): That was a valiant contribution from Julie Anne Genter. I suggest that the old “take down the leader” approach might be happening in the Green Party because that speech was so technical and confusing it almost sounded like Russel Norman. I think she might actually be making a play for Russel Norman’s space there.It is ironic that we are talking about being off the beaten track and off the trail as are many of the vehicles that the Land Transport and Road User Charges Legislation Amendment Bill relates to because many of the Opposition members of course are off that beaten track and up the garden path seeking a nomination from and seeking the support of their fellow party members and the like. Well I would suggest that where they are actually heading is the big old road to nowhere—the big old road to nowhere.The big disappointment for me and for my colleagues on this side of the House is that any good Government actually relies on having a good Opposition. Is that not true? A good Government relies on having a good Opposition. The New Zealand public relies on having a good Opposition to hold the Government to account not to hold the snapper in the House for a bit of show-and-tell. That did not go down so well did it? That gutted that particular member’s leadership opportunities.However there is a vacuum and it is quickly going to be filled by one of the three or possibly Russel Norman because I think actually that when we are talking about the Leader of the Opposition are we not talking about Russel Norman? I think we are. I think he has done an outstanding job. Now he has got Julie Anne Genter on his tail—Hon Simon Bridges: No one’s as good as Cunliffe though.MIKE SABIN: No absolutely and he makes a stunning portrait does Mr Cunliffe.This bill which I am sure will enjoy support from across the House is really about—Darien Fenton laughs about tractors that can do over 40 kilometres an hour. The member would not do that if she was standing in front of a John Deere coming down the road at 41 kilometres an hour. That is pretty much the reaction I am sure she would getif she talked to farmers about the importance of this sort of thing. Although it is a technical bill and although it is quite narrow it actually has relevance to a lot of people who are out there actually earning this country’s way in the world.Although the Opposition can trifle about the nature of this bill and the anomalies that need to be rectified when the Road User Charges Act 2012 the amendment to the road-user charges was done it was quite clear that it was a very complex piece of legislation that went back to 1978. So remedying here the anomalies that although quite narrow are quite significant is actually very pragmatic. Although the union stalwarts over there will laugh and gibe about it the farmers around this country know just how important it is. Yet again they can rely on National actually doing for them what they were—Hon Annette King: He belonged to the best union of all the Police Association.MIKE SABIN: Sorry what was that Annette King?Hon Annette King: You were a union member.MIKE SABIN: I still am. I still am a member of the Police Association. What is wrong with that? I actually know how to drive a tractor at more than 40 kilometres an hour as well. How about that? I can use a front-end loader and the digger bucket—not too bad not too bad. But that is what you have on this side of the House—you have people who are practical and who are about doing. On that side of the House you have people who are interested in doing what is in the best interests of themselves and that is exactly what we are seeing as the numbers are starting to line up over there. It is a very interesting and fascinating contest.This is a good bill. I commend it to the House.