Hipango HareteHARETE HIPANGO (National—Whanganui): Tēnā koe. Ngā mihi ki a koutou i roto i Te Whare i te ata nei.[Thank you. Greetings to all of you inside the House this morning.]My acknowledgment to all members in the House this afternoon as I stand to speak in the position of last speaker for the National Party. In so doing may I just first acknowledge all those who have worked conscientiously on this bill—the members of the Governance and Administration Committee. I haven't had the opportunity nor the advantage of sitting on the select committee during the discussions that have occurred as a result. However I have conscientiously read the bill although not with a thorough scrutinised legal lens and I have glanced over the debates that have been recorded in Hansard. I've also listened intently to the discussion and the debate in the House this afternoon and may I first and foremost say that National supports this bill. My colleagues have addressed the detail around what their concerns are and although the proposals for amendments to this bill have not been heeded it is noted on the record. In the committee stage of this debate—as we are now in the third reading—there was considerable discussion around those concerns and I will come back to that. However from what was canvassed or discussed in opening the debate this afternoon Minister Jones mentioned to the previous Speaker in the Chair that he doesn't always hear accurately the female voice. Although that may have been said in jest he unconsciously also said in the next breath made reference to that this bill is about Civil Service leaders who are handsomely remunerated". So as a woman MP in the House I just detected the unconscious bias that sometimes pervades the kōrero that comes through. As a member of the fairer sex this bill is about ensuring that there is a level of parity so I just thought I'd mention that. Some of those subconscious biases may be there and some of that subconscious bias may also prevail in this legislation. My colleague across the House Paul Eagle made reference to the fact that this Government is about sending the signal of integrity and accountability and full transparency and accountability. I invite the Government to do more than signal. I invite the Government to exemplify this. This is a bill that is attempting to exemplify ensuring that there is greater integrity and accountability in the management of State services by providing a strengthened and more consistent regulation of conduct and remuneration of employees at the most senior level. So I just gave those two examples where we have members of the Government who subconsciously are expressing messages that are not consistent with what the broad policy statement of this bill is about: integrity and accountability. Let me now turn to the details in the provisions of this bill. As all previous speakers in the House before me have given an overview the overview that I share with the House is that this bill is an omnibus bill and at the committee stage before the select committee and also in the House amendments have been proposed and they have been factored into this. Part 1 of the bill seeks to make amendments to the Crown Entities Act in relation to the appointment of chief executives for statutory Crown entities so the select committee is requiring that the boards of statutory Crown entities obtain the State Services Commissioner's written consent to the terms and conditions of employment. The committee of the whole House at the committee stage recommended an insertion into clause 4 of this bill—which amends section 117 of the Crown Entities Act—not only requiring the commissioner's written consent but requiring that the commissioner have regard to the legal commercial and operational context of that entity any information that's been provided by the board of that entity such as advice about the candidate's knowledge skills and experience the public nature of that entity and its role and importantly the related public interest in prudent stewardship of public resources. It also requires the commissioner to have regard to relevant market information Government expectations and other relevant factors. I'll come back to the concern that was expressed by my senior colleague the Hon David Carter when this House was in the committee stage yesterday and that was in relation to a concern about the neutrality of an appointment of a chief executive to such a State entity. My colleague referenced his concern around clause 4 which is seeking an amendment to section 117 relating to the employment of a chief executive and that the commissioner in having regard to Government expectations question political neutrality in that appointment. My colleague's concerns have been detailed on the record around that and notably that concern in having been noted was one of the reasons why this party was somewhat hesitant about that amendment not being factored in. Another amendment that the select committee had requested be taken into consideration was around Part 2 relating to improving the commissioner's investigatory powers and setting provisions to apply codes of conduct. The committee recommended that the bill would be improved by including additional sections of the Inquiries Act. That is outlined within the Act without me having to go into the detail around that. However by inclusion of that the select committee's recommendations have been factored in and taken into account in the amendments accordingly to be made.As indicated to the House I did not sit on the select committee but I can speak from experience as a board member when one of those members turned somewhat rogue in relation to the conduct. The board has been at a loss in terms of holding to account around the integrity of the board and what is required in terms of the duty there the conduct. So this bill sets out very clearly what the terms of that will be.In taking this call the National Party supports this bill with reservations as has been noted at the committee stage of the debate yesterday. It has been recorded in Hansard and importantly should there be any concerns around the application and the interpretation of this Act the National Party's integrity will stand without question and without reservation having that noted on the record. Accordingly the National Party commends this bill to the House and as a member of that party I support that decision."