Webb DuncanHon Dr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour—Christchurch Central): Kia ora Madam Speaker—thank you very much. I'm surprised at that member Jamie Arbuckle actually because as I understand it he's double-dipping with the Marlborough District Council. And Marlborough District Council's one of our largest territorial authorities. What's more—and the former Minister for the National Emergency Management Agency has left but I understand that it's still struggling with the aftermath of heavy weather events from a couple of years ago. In fact Kenepuru Road which as you can imagine goes up to Kenepuru Sound and out to the outer Sounds is still impassable.So what are we saying to the people who live in the outer Sounds? We're saying well You can't participate in democracy because you're stuck out there. So if you wanted to stand for local body election we're not going to make it easier—or possible even—for you to attend meetings remotely. You can't go and cast your vote as a representative that's been democratically elected. You're going to have to get a chopper to come in or jump in the boat and manage to navigate into Blenheim where the meeting is held." So I'm surprised at that member whose district does face the challenges of being geographically difficult spread out subject to difficult conditions and still suffering from the effects of a natural disaster.So I challenge him to think carefully. Because it's all very easy for me as a member of Parliament for Christchurch Central to simply say "Well if you want to stand for Christchurch City Council jump on your bike and get to the meeting." because that's what you can do in Christchurch Central. Our friends from Te Pāti Māori aren't here today and a lot of those members would absolutely be wanting to say "What about spread out rural communities? What about people who have whānau commitments?" What are we saying about our access to democracy for people like that? What about people who suffer from a disability? What about people who have to organise transport a wheelchair and whatever other equipment their disability might require? We're saying "Well sort it out get into the council chamber." That's not the kind of representative democracy I think we should have and particularly at local government level where it's really important that everyone can access it.So the other side of the House are doing what they always do. They say "Well let's have the same rules for everyone because everyone should be a bit like me." But no they haven't thought about this. And I'm surprised that the so-called champions of farmers over in the corner there haven't thought about that as well because we know that farmers actually have a lot to say in local and regional governance and yet they also have significant demands on their time. If the storm's coming they can't simply say "Hang on just hold off. I've got to go to a council meeting and jump in the new ute I've just bought and get into town for this meeting." But if this kind of rule was in place the amount of time that would be taken getting into town would be much less. So I'm surprised that you're not promoting participation in democracy for rural people including farmers and others.This is just a common-sense bill. It makes no sense to say "You can participate you just can't vote." The reason we get elected to democratic positions is to vote.Tom Rutherford: Is to go to the meetings!Hon Dr DUNCAN WEBB: Well you might go for morning tea but a lot of people go because they want to actually be a decision maker to exercise the power that's been conferred upon them responsibly and carefully. I would like to see a much more diverse group of people from all walks of life all places of New Zealand.So I'm disappointed that the parties on the other side of the House have chosen to once again take a narrow view of democracy—an exclusive view of democracy—and not try to use the very tools we've got at our disposal to have a more inclusive more effective and more robust democratic framework. I'm disappointed in the approach from the Government."