Mitchell Clayton: Social Assistance (Portability to Cook Islands Niue and Tokelau) Bill — In CommitteeText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMitchell Clayton: Social Assistance (Portability to Cook Islands Niue and Tokelau) Bill — In Committee[Sitting date: 16 June 2015. Volume:706;Page:4453. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]CLAYTON MITCHELL (NZ First): I rise on behalf of New Zealand First to take a call on this bill. I think this is another indication somewhere else where the National Government has come out and shown its mean-spiritedness. It is short-sighted and mean-spirited. In actual fact looking around the Chamber tonight we are hearing a lot of support for the intent of this bill but having that eligibility clause in there Mr Doocey has some serious implications and some unfairness for New Zealand citizens. Mr Doocey I have to say you have got a chance to “Doocey” some homework and “Doocey” something about this instead of just sitting there playing on your phone right now. The reality is that this piece of legislation if we unite together as a Parliament can actually make some serious changes for those people who need some help.New Zealand First knows like the rest of the parties in this Chamber understand that the populations in these small minority islands are actually on the decline. To not accept Supplementary Order Paper 71 will actually just enhance that exit migration that is happening in those islands. Who is going to be picking up the pieces in the likes of these small islands of the Realm? It is going to be New Zealand. The fact that it was pointed out that they are in governance of their own shows that they are doing everything they can to minimise the impact on the costs that New Zealand is putting forward in aid of and support to those island nations.We heard Anne Tolley stand up and speak for a very brief moment when she was comparing apples with kiwifruit. The reality is that they have no similarity when we are talking about other parts of the world that we want to compare these islands with that are part of our Realm. What we should be specifically talking about and comparing them with are the other islands that are surrounding New Zealand—the likes of Stewart Island Matakana Island Great Barrier Island. Goodness me! Are we going to start disenfranchising those New Zealanders as well? They are adding to New Zealand’s currency they are adding to New Zealand’s popularity and doing everything they can to add a wider diversity to this country. To disenfranchise those islanders for the simple reason that they live so far away on an isolated island—we should be seriously looking at that Supplementary Order Paper. [Interruption] You can sit there and laugh all you like but the reality is that this is very serious for those people who grow up in these Island nations all right?If we could just get rid of this mean-spiritedness that this National Government has shown us time and time again—you know everything it can do to rip a little bit away—then I think we could actually all get along. Like Cadbury’s said wouldn’t it be nice if the world was made of chocolate? But would it not be nice if you could seriously see the sense in the Supplementary Order Paper that the Rt Hon Winston Peters had put forward to actually make a difference to those Island people living so close but yet so far away from New Zealand? Yes the intent of the bill is absolutely supported because it does make sense but you are missing a key point. You are putting a condition on it that should not be put there for those disenfranchised people who do not specifically live under the roof and umbrella of New Zealand. Thank you Mr Chair. That is all I have to say at this stage.