Cunliffe David: Rugby World Cup 2011 (Empowering) Bill — Instruction to Committee In Committee 
Cunliffe David: Rugby World Cup 2011 (Empowering) Bill — Instruction to Committee In Committee 
[Volume:668;Page:14902] 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Labour—New Lynn) 
: 
 Mr Chairperson I begin my remarks on the Rugby World Cup 2011 (Empowering) Bill by complimenting you. It is quite moving to see a person of your monumental physique in the Chair. I would warrant a guess that you yourself are a fan of the golden game of rugby and I would warrant further that you have played the odd game or two and what is more in the position of lock. As a former lock I count it a privilege to rise to speak on this bill. In fact as a former lock I find it a privilege to rise to speak on any subject at all because we all know that locks do not get much of a say buried as they are at the bottom of the scrum. But on this occasion joined with you by an invisible bond of lockhood I rise to take a call. 
My main reason for taking this call today constrained though I am by my former position on the team is that I wish to say this: Labour loves rugby. Labour loves rugby! It is the national game. It is the game where if our national team does not win we want to know why. It is a great thing when the All Blacks win and it is even greater when they win under a National administration because National needs all the help it can get. Labour loves rugby. Labour loves rugby and Labour dearly wants to support this bill because we love the Rugby World Cup tournament. It would not be coming to New Zealand if it were not for the former Labour Prime Minister Helen Clark who flew all the way to Dublin on her way to South-east Asia to procure this monumental event for future generations of New Zealanders—and it was not due just to the fact that one of our former colleagues was making the travel bookings! Helen Clark made sure New Zealand got to host Rugby World Cup 2011 and it behoves members all around the Chamber to be in a position to support this bill. Were it not for another part which the Committee will shortly be debating Labour members would be absolutely unanimous and unequivocal in our support for the bill and it would be heartfelt too. So one can imagine the pain it brings upon Her Majesty’s loyal Labour Opposition to be somewhat conflicted in our support for this bill. We are at one in spirit with the rest of the Committee in wanting to see this grand tournament proceed but we are somewhat hamstrung by the fact that Part 4 conveys extraordinary powers potentially on a Minister. 
As one looks through the report one is struck by the fact that the drafters and indeed the Government Administration Committee have left no stone unturned to bring to New Zealand an extraordinary event. My personal favourite although strictly outside the part under debate is on page 5 of the commentary where we learn to our relief that pain has been taken to separate advisory from administrative staff on the administrative secretariat. There can be few matters more troubling to Aucklanders and I am sure all New Zealanders than to think there could be some co-mingling of administrative and advisory staff in carrying out the functions of the secretariat for the Rugby World Cup. 
Charles Chauvel 
: God forbid! 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: God forbid that that should be the case and it is a matter of relief to us that it is the usual decision maker who may comment upon applications. 
Ambush marketing has been a great concern. We hope the ambush will occur every time a foreign lock forward is treading the wing towards our try line. 
Hon Tau Henare 
: Where’s Phil Twyford? 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: He is sitting right behind me. He is another great fan of the great game I tell Mr Henare and we are all looking forward to his contribution. But I deign to say that I convey the heartfelt greetings of all my colleagues on the Labour side in wishing the Chairperson Mr Roy and the Rugby World Cup the very best of luck. 
It is timely that we should be debating this bill tonight of all nights because we have heard today that New Zealand has secured yet another extraordinary event: not one but two Hobbit films shall be made upon our shores and for $15 million—a mere trifle it would seem upon the exchequer. We would warrant that were it not for the extraordinary contortions of the current Government—and of the Prime Minister in particular—that sum might have been somewhat greater. The Government might have had to exchange a somewhat larger fiscal offering had it not been prepared to sacrifice workers’ rights on the altar of Warner Bros. 
Hon Dr Wayne Mapp 
: Helen Kelly’s to blame and you know it. 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: While the member opposite is mentioning the name of the esteemed president of the Council of Trade Unions we might reflect on the fact that that self-same president found herself in the role of peacemaker in this dispute. We offer shared congratulations to Gerry Brownlee who upon the advice of the self-same president reached an accommodation we understand with Sir Peter Jackson the actors’ union and all other parties some 2 weeks ago. We can only ask what happened. As I hear tell it is possible—indeed it was the case—that the supposed worldwide boycott of this movie had already been lifted only for certain demonstrations to spring up around the country after the fact. 
Could it be that the party opposite was trying to position Her Majesty’s Labour Opposition in this matter as somehow unpatriotic in the same way that it tries to position the Labour Party as opposed to the Rugby World Cup? We will have none of it. I have not yet revealed to the Committee my other life. My other life is as the patron of the Suburbs Rugby Football Club in west Auckland. As the patron of the Suburbs Rugby Football Club I would like to commend all members of this Chamber to ask Mr McCully to make one or two slight amendments to Part 4 so that we could all join together in unison to get behind our team get behind this bill and make sure that the Rugby World Cup is executed flawlessly in this wonderful country of Godzone. 
Chris Tremain 
: Part 3 buddy. He doesn’t even know what it’s about but never mind. 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: Well it is a little hard to tell by a cursory glance at the commentary. That member did not sit on the select committee—a member who I am sure had one or two good rucks in his day. 
Phil Twyford 
: One too many I think. 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: That could be but we could not possibly speculate on that. 
Jacqui Dean 
: Read the bill. 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: Yes. I take exception to the fact that certain members opposite have tried to impugn the honour of our party in respect of the country’s great game. I am sure that this game is as dear to those members as it is to us. Perhaps the one thing about Part 4 when we come to it that will be of some interest to the Committee and the public is the selection process for precisely which Minister will find gainful employment as the Minister for the Rugby World Cup. My personal bet is that it will be Gerry Brownlee practised as he is in suspending the rule of law having done so for Canterbury admittedly for good reason. 
Aaron Gilmore 
: You all voted for it. 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: Yes indeed Mr Gilmore because as I said it was for good reason in extraordinary circumstances and on the basis of good-faith consultation which usually but not always happens I observe. 
Aaron Gilmore 
: It’s going very well. 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: Yes the earthquake reconstruction is going very well; that is right. My personal bet is that Mr Brownlee experienced as he is in such matters will swoop to the rescue and play the same role for the Government in respect of the Rugby World Cup. 
Jacqui Dean 
: Shame about Labour. 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: It is a shame about Labour winning the 2011 election. As it is likely to occur before the Rugby World Cup Prime Minister Phil Goff will be there to receive the winning team which will be of course the All Blacks. My earnest word in conclusion to the Committee and to the public is that they back the All Blacks and they back Phil Goff to be Prime Minister on the day that the Rugby World Cup is bestowed upon our national team. We should get behind rugby and we should get behind this bill but we cannot get behind the bill until Part 4 is amended to reduce and remove the extraordinary suspension of liberties that New Zealanders have fought and died for over many generations.