edithatogo/nz-hansard-corpus huggingface dataset:
Peters Winston: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumePeters Winston: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 02 June 2016. Volume:714;Page:11641. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]11.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First) to the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs: In light of its report on Silver Fern Farms does he believe the Financial Markets Authority is performing its function well as a “risk-based conduct regulator” promoting and facilitating “the development of fair efficient and transparent financial markets”; if so how?Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH (Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs): Yes; the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) is continuing the long-term task of building confidence in our critical markets which in turn helps businesses raise capital efficiently so they can invest in jobs and growth.Rt Hon Winston Peters: If the Financial Markets Authority found no problem with Silver Fern Farms understating its profit by 85.8 percent while overstating debt by up to 24 percent what benefits are taxpayers getting from the $30 million Financial Markets Authority turning a blind eye to blatant deceit and corruption at the Silver Fern Farms shareholders’ expense?Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH: It is not appropriate for me as Minister to second-guess an independent Government authority’s decision making. It is for the FMA as an independent regulator to form its judgment as to the appropriate level of investigation. No regulator applies the full force of the law every time it receives a complaint; each individual complaint is assessed on its merit.Rt Hon Winston Peters: If it is proven as it soon will be that the Financial Markets Authority failed on this complaint in the same way it failed on the NZX Clear Grain Exchange case which is now before the courts will he demand accountability and resignations?Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH: My expectation as Minister is that the FMA continues to act in a professional and independent manner by ensuring the market participants act according to the law. And I would expect the member if he made a complaint to the FMA to have put all the information before the FMA and it will have considered it.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I seek leave to table a letter dated 18 April 2016 to the Financial Markets Authority laying out the case that it failed to investigate.Mr SPEAKER: Order! The letter is from presumably the member himself is it?Rt Hon Winston Peters: It is.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that particular letter. Is there any objection? There is none.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.
Bakshi Kanwaljit Singh: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeBakshi Kanwaljit Singh: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 02 June 2016. Volume:714;Page:11640. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]10.KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI (National) to the Minister of Police: What recent successes has Police had in targeting drug dealing?Hon JUDITH COLLINS (Minister of Police): Police today announced the outstanding results of its annual national crime and cannabis operation. The 7-month-long operation involved nine police districts and targeted drug-dealing houses. It has resulted in 791 charges laid against 155 offenders. More than $11 million worth of property is under investigation or restraint by police. Around 900 grams of methamphetamine 42 kilograms of cannabis plant material and seven firearms have been seized; 46 addresses were selling methamphetamine 70 addresses were selling cannabis seven addresses were selling synthetic cannabis and 25 addresses were selling both cannabis and methamphetamine.Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi: How has this contributed to preventing social harm?Hon JUDITH COLLINS: Police is very focused on shutting down drug-dealing operations to prevent the significant social harm they cause any community. Drug offending is often linked to other crime and this operation is no different.Gang members feature prominently among those arrested.Eighty-nine of the people charged have previously been convicted of burglary theft theft ex car and receiving offences; 54 percent of those charged have previously been linked to family violence incidents; and another 44 percent have been convicted of a violence-related offence. Forty children aged between 3 weeks old and 16 years old were found in drug-dealing houses across the country and a number of referrals to Child Youth and Family have been made.Stuart Nash: Although I join with the Minister in congratulating the Police on its recent success when John Key said in 2008 that “I will expect the Police to use the full force of the law to shut down the organised gangs that control the distribution of these drugs”—Hon Steven Joyce: The question.Stuart Nash: —just wait—can she inform the House how many organised gangs have been shut down since this promise was made 8 long years ago?Hon JUDITH COLLINS: Well it is quite a long way from the primary question but I am happy to tell that member that when we have got approximately 3000 gang members and gang associates in jail right at the moment he can do the maths himself. Forty-five percent of all Head Hunters members by the way are in jail. They are being shut down. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order!
Peters Winston: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumePeters Winston: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 02 June 2016. Volume:714;Page:11640. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First): I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I understand that you will be moving on to question No. 10. In the interests of this Parliament’s image how did this question get past the Speaker’s office? I mean that is not even grammar.Mr SPEAKER: Well it has certainly got through. If the member is not happy with the grammar I am afraid that is going to be his problem. It is an accepted question.
Parmar Parmjeet: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeParmar Parmjeet: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 02 June 2016. Volume:714;Page:11639. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]8.Dr PARMJEET PARMAR (National) to the Minister of Science and Innovation: What new investment does Budget 2016 make in science and innovation?Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister of Science and Innovation): Budget 2016 significantly increases the Government’s investment in science and innovation. As part of the wider $761 million Innovative New Zealand package Budget 2016 provides a further $410 million in operating funding over the next 4 years for science and innovation. The increased funding will greatly strengthen New Zealand’s science system. It will increase investment in the sector by a further 15 percent by 2019-20 taking cross-Government investment in science to $1.6 billion annually for the first time. This very significant increase shows how committed this Government is to science-led innovation to strengthen and diversify the New Zealand economy.Dr Parmjeet Parmar: Why is the Government making significant new investment in research science and innovation?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Investing in the work of our researchers scientists and innovators is hugely important for developing an innovative New Zealand with a truly diversified economy. We are doing that with initiatives like $113.8 million more over 4 years for the new Endeavour Fund the contestable fund devoted towards longer-term high-impact mission-led science; $97 million over 4 years for additional health research through the Health Research Council of New Zealand; and $66 million over the next 4 years for the Marsden Fund a boost in support for investigator-led research. These investments will fund more projects like Game of Clones which is a study of antibiotic resistance and the global threat of that to human health—Hon David Cunliffe: I thought it was the National caucus.Hon STEVEN JOYCE: —and investigating destructive volcanic eruptions in “Mount Doom” which is not about David Cunliffe but about pyroclastic flows on Mount Ngāuruhoe.
Carter David: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeCarter David: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 02 June 2016. Volume:714;Page:11636. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Mr SPEAKER: Order! No that does not help the order of the House. Just ask the question.
Clendon David: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeClendon David: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 02 June 2016. Volume:714;Page:11636. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]DAVID CLENDON (Green): My question is to the Minister of Corrections—I can see she is looking forward to it—
Ross Jami-Lee: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeRoss Jami-Lee: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 02 June 2016. Volume:714;Page:11636. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]5.JAMI-LEE ROSS (National—Botany) to the Minister for Building and Housing: What specific new requirements for councils are proposed in the National Policy Statement on Urban Development Capacity and how will these support the Government’s long-term work on improving housing supply and affordability?Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister for Building and Housing): Councils will be required to ensure that sufficient development capacity is provided in their plans to meet projected growth. They will have to monitor and report for the first time on issues of housing supply and affordability. They will have to take into account the difference between theoretical capacity and that which is commercially feasible as well as providing a 20 percent over-supply to ensure that there is genuine competition. These requirements on land supply are an important part of the Government’s work on housing affordability because it is actually the price of the section—now averaging $450000 in Auckland—that is at the core of New Zealand’s housing affordability problems.Jami-Lee Ross: What background work has gone into the development of this National Policy Statement on Urban Development?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: I have to acknowledge the work of the Productivity Commission which produced last September a 380-page report that identifies this key area in which our planning system is failing. I would also draw attention to the research work on other jurisdictions in which it was found that between Australia and the UK our Resource Management Act systems for ensuring adequate development capacity were weaker than any of those other jurisdictions. They were also very poor in terms of the information and analytical requirements and that is why they are included in the national policy.Matt Doocey: What examples are there to show that increasing development capacity directly impacts on housing prices and affordability?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: It was interesting to note yesterday that the only urban area in New Zealand that had house price inflation under 10 percent was Christchurch. In that same city rents in the last year have dropped by 5 percent. When we look at the intervention that Mr Brownlee took 5 years ago to open up 25 years of supply of land for housing that directly shows the link between land supply and housing affordability—Dr Megan Woods: That’s just ridiculous!Hon Dr NICK SMITH: —and members opposite say it is ridiculous. At the time they said there was a housing crisis in Christchurch. We have fixed it and we are going to fix it in Auckland with the same successful methods.
Naylor Jono: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeNaylor Jono: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 02 June 2016. Volume:714;Page:11631. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]1.JONO NAYLOR (National) to the Minister of Finance: What is Treasury’s latest forecast for economic growth as set out in the 2016 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update?Hon BILL ENGLISH (Minister of Finance): Treasury tells us that the outlook for the world economy is somewhat weaker but that New Zealand’s economic outlook is positive. It is forecasting real GDP growth of around 2.9 percent over the coming year and 2.8 percent on average over the 5 years to June 2020 including another 170000 new jobs by 2020. Unemployment is expected to drop to 4.6 percent and the average wage is forecast to rise to 63000 a year. Of course these forecasts are subject to the usual risks both in the world economy and the domestic economy. But few developed economies enjoy a positive outlook.Jono Naylor: Whatare the main drivers of the positive outlook for growth?Hon BILL ENGLISH: Looking into the detail of this forecast strong population growth is both an indicator of New Zealand’s economic performance and a contributor to it. However Treasury expects migration to fall fairly sharply from 71000 currently to the long-run average of 12000 per year. Similarly the growth forecast remains robust despite rising oil prices and a wind-down of investment in Christchurch. This is because consumer spending and exports continue to drive economic growth plus a large pipeline of construction projects and low interest rates which should continue to stimulate investment.Jono Naylor: What other reports has he seen that suggest New Zealand is expected to display strong growth over the next few years?Hon BILL ENGLISH: The OECD released its forecast which shows a similarly positive outlook for the New Zealand economy. It projects 3 percent growth in 2016 and 2.7 percent in 2017. The New Zealand Institute of Economic Research also released its forecasts which show solid growth more jobs higher wages and falling unemployment broadly in line with Treasury’s forecasts.Jono Naylor: What steps is the Government taking to support the growing economy?Hon BILL ENGLISH: We are always taking steps week by week but it is important that the Government remains following policy that is consistent economic reform to give business the confidence to invest and grow. The main vehicle for this is the Business Growth Agenda which includes new free-trade agreements reducing ACC levies rolling out ultra-fast broadband simplifying tax for small to medium sized enterprises and in Budget 2016 a large forward-looking package—the Innovative New Zealand package—that will support scientists entrepreneurs and innovators.
Graham Kennedy: Motions — Turkey—Withdrawal of Parliamentary ImmunityText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeGraham Kennedy: Motions — Turkey—Withdrawal of Parliamentary Immunity[Sitting date: 02 June 2016. Volume:714;Page:11631. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM (Green): I seek leave to move a motion without notice or debate on the decision of the Parliament of the Republic of Turkey to amend the constitution to withdraw parliamentary immunity from some of its members.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there any objection? There is none.Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM: I move That this House express support for the statement of the Inter-Parliamentary Union stressing the critical importance of the principle of parliamentary immunity and express concern at the vote in the Turkish Parliament amending the Constitution whicheffectively stripped a quarter of the country’s MPs of their immunity noting that such wholesale lifting of immunity will weaken the Parliament.Motion agreed to.
Finlayson Christopher: Business StatementText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeFinlayson Christopher: Business Statement[Sitting date: 02 June 2016. Volume:714;Page:11631. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Attorney-General) on behalf of theLeader of the House: When the House resumes on Tuesday 7 June the Government will look to complete debate on the Appropriation (2016/17 Estimates) Bill and make progress on the Coroners Amendment Bill the Natural Health and Supplementary Products Bill and a number of other bills on the Order Paper. Wednesday 8 June will be a members’ day.
Motions — Turkey—Withdrawal of Parliamentary ImmunityText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMotions — Turkey—Withdrawal of Parliamentary Immunity[Sitting date: 02 June 2016. Volume:714;Page:11631. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]MotionsTurkey—Withdrawal of Parliamentary ImmunityDr KENNEDY GRAHAM (Green): I seek leave to move a motion without notice or debate on the decision of the Parliament of the Republic of Turkey to amend the constitution to withdraw parliamentary immunity from some of its members.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there any objection? There is none.Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM: I move That this House express support for the statement of the Inter-Parliamentary Union stressing the critical importance of the principle of parliamentary immunity and express concern at the vote in the Turkish Parliament amending the Constitution whicheffectively stripped a quarter of the country’s MPs of their immunity noting that such wholesale lifting of immunity will weaken the Parliament.Motion agreed to.
Business StatementText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeBusiness Statement[Sitting date: 02 June 2016. Volume:714;Page:11631. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Thursday 2 June 2016Mr Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.Prayers.Business StatementHon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Attorney-General) on behalf of theLeader of the House: When the House resumes on Tuesday 7 June the Government will look to complete debate on the Appropriation (2016/17 Estimates) Bill and make progress on the Coroners Amendment Bill the Natural Health and Supplementary Products Bill and a number of other bills on the Order Paper. Wednesday 8 June will be a members’ day.
Wednesday 6 July 2016 - Volume 715
12. Sport High Performance—FundingTODD BARCLAY (National—Clutha-Southland) to the Minister for Sport and Recreation:Sport High Performance—Funding12. TODD BARCLAY (National—Clutha-Southland) to the Minister for Sport and Recreation: Can he confirm that the Government is investing an extra $20 million over the next 4 years to support high performance sport?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN (Minister for Sport and Recreation): Yes. Today marks 1 month to go till the opening of the Rio 2016 Olympics where around 220 New Zealand athletes will compete. As part of Budget 2016 High Performance Sport New Zealand will receive a further $16 million over 4 years to maintain the momentum of our high performance system from Rio through to the Tokyo Olympics and beyond. New Zealand's system is recognised as world leading and produces athletes who are succeeding on the world stage. I would like to wish all of our Olympians all the very best for Rio and I am sure they are all going to make New Zealand very very proud.Todd Barclay: What extra support is the Government providing to safeguard the integrity of our sport system from doping?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: Doping is an ongoing concern in sport and testing protocols have become more complex and costly as doping practices get more sophisticated. As part of this year's Budget an extra $4 million over 4 years is going to Drug Free Sport New Zealand to fund more tests for more athletes and to increase the agency's capacity for analysis intelligence gathering and investigations. This increases its funding from $2.2 million to $3.2 million—an increase of 45 percent. We need to ensure that we keep our clean sporting reputation. International experiences show that doping can creep in wherever controls get lax.
10. New Zealand Curriculum—Digital TechnologyMELISSA LEE (National) to the Minister of EducationNew Zealand Curriculum—Digital Technology10. MELISSA LEE (National) to the Minister of Education: What recent announcements has she made about digital technology and the curriculum?Hon HEKIA PARATA (Minister of Education): Ā tēnā koe Te Mana Whakawā otirā tēnā tātou e whakanui nei i tō tātou Reo.[Tēnā koe Mr Speaker but at the same time acknowledgments to us on celebrating our language.]Yesterday I was pleased to announce that digital technology is to be formally integrated into The New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa. This is the first change to The New Zealand Curriculum since its introduction in 2007 and it reflects our Government's commitment to championing 21st century practice in teaching and learning. The decision is an outcome of the Government's Science in Society strategy plan A Nation of Curious Minds: He Whenua Hihiri i te Mahara.Melissa Lee: How will this assist our young people to be better prepared for the future?Hon HEKIA PARATA: It will ensure that we have an education system that prepares children and young people for a future where digital fluency will be critical for success. The digital technology sector is best placed to state how this will impact on young people and feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. For example Mind Your Own Business has stated: We welcome the Government's announcement that digital technology is going to be included in the curriculum. It's vitally important that the next generation is equipped with the skills and knowledge required to compete in the digital world. … There are enormous opportunities out there for young people looking for a career in IT. This announcement ensures that the most up-to-date digital learning practices will help tomorrow's tech graduates gain a foothold in the workforce." From 2018 digital technology will be fully integrated into both The New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa."
8. Homelessness—Government ResponseMARAMA DAVIDSON (Green) to the Prime MinisterHomelessness—Government Response8. MARAMA DAVIDSON (Green) to the Prime Minister: Ka tū a ia i runga i te mana o āna kōrero katoa?[Does he stand by all his statements?]Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister): Yes.Marama Davidson: Ka tū a ia i runga i tana kōrero Yes there are more people." i te wā i pātaihia a ia "Do you accept that homelessness is increasing on your watch?"[Does he stand by his statement "Yes there are more people." when asked "Do you accept that homelessness is increasing on your watch?"]Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Yes.MARAMA DAVIDSON: Tokohia ngā tāngata e noho kāinga kore ana?[How many homeless people are there?]Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I do not have an accurate number of that. You would need to ask the Minister for Social Housing.Marama Davidson: Pēhea te comprehensive plan ahakoa kāre tēnei Kāwanatanga e mōhio ana ki te nuinga o ngā tāngata e noho kāinga kore ana?[So what is the comprehensive plan even though this Government is unaware of what the number of homeless people is?]Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Firstly I am not sure any Government would have an absolutely accurate number. They would have an indication and that work is done by the City Mission and others for instance. But one of the reasons we know we have a comprehensive plan—but we are certainly prepared to do more—is that we can look at what we are actually doing which is spending around about $2 billion a year which is up from $1.3 billion when we came into office to support New Zealanders in the social housing and private housing rentals. That is why the Budget included $41.1 million to help people in the emergency housing sector. It is why the Government is moving about 135 people a week into social houses. It is why the Budget had $200 million extra for social housing. It is why the Ministry of Social Development providers have been working at places like Te Puea Marae and others to try to assist people who want support. So there is a very broad range of support being offered. If there is more that is required the Government will look at those issues."
6. Building and Construction Industry—Residential Building ActivityALFRED NGARO (National) to the Minister for Building and HousingBuilding and Construction Industry—Residential Building Activity6. ALFRED NGARO (National) to the Minister for Building and Housing: What reports has he received on how much of the $17.8 billion of national construction is being done in Auckland and what proportion of this is residential building?Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister for Building and Housing): This $17.8 billion of building activity across New Zealand is an all-time high and exceeds the last peak in inflation-adjusted terms by 25 percent. The Auckland boom is even stronger. Total building activity in Auckland is $6.5 billion per year up 33 percent on the last peak in real terms a decade ago. Residential building activity in Auckland is at $4.3 billion per year and this is 37 percent greater in real terms than the last peak more than a decade ago.Alfred Ngaro: How much has residential building activity in Auckland grown since the Government's intervention and housing accord in 2013?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Residential building activity has grown in the last year in Auckland by 26 percent. This is on top of growth of 22 percent in the previous year and 32 percent in the first year of the accord. Auckland is currently experiencing the longest and strongest boom in residential building in its history illustrating that the Government's supply measures are working.
McKelvie IanIAN McKELVIE (Chairperson of the Primary Production Committee): E Te Mana Whakawā tēnā koe.Ron Mark: Tēnā what?IAN McKELVIE: Ha ha! The primary production sector is the No. 1 sector in New Zealand. It returns $37 billion to New Zealand and causes this Parliament very little work other than in the environmental area where of course we have some challenges and we have got plenty of work to do. The Estimates discussion with the Primary Production Committee was led admirably by Ministers Goodhew and Guy. We spent an hour and a half discussing quite a number of issues that are going to keep us busy for the next year or so but I think biosecurity particularly is an area that Minister Guy has talked about a lot. We spend an awful lot of money in that area and the new levy that was introduced in last year's Budget has returned some $108 million.The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Trevor Mallard): Order! The time has come for me to leave the Chair. Before Ron Mark leaves the House and before I do report progress I do want to warn Ron Mark and ask other members that when members make an attempt during Māori Language Week then they should not be ridiculed. A number of members including myself do struggle with our pronunciation. I want to encourage members to try and part of that is accepting that sometimes some of us will get it wrong.House resumed.Progress reported.Report adopted.The House adjourned at 9.56 p.m.
Mallard TrevorPrimary SectorThe CHAIRPERSON (Hon Trevor Mallard): Members we come now to the votes in the Primary Sector volume B.5 volume 2. The question is that Vote Lands and Vote Primary Industries and Food Safety stand part of the schedules.
Borrows ChesterJustice SectorThe CHAIRPERSON (Hon Chester Borrows): Members we come now to the votes in the Justice Sector B5 volume 7. The question is that Vote Attorney-General Vote Corrections Vote Courts Vote Justice Vote Parliamentary Counsel Vote Police and Vote Serious Fraud stand part of the schedules.
King Annette; Borrows ChesterHon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour): I seek leave to table two documents that are paywalled so not available. One is from the New Zealand Doctor dated 6 July 2016 and is headed ProCare demands sit-down with minister over funding fears". The second one is also from the New Zealand Doctor and also paywalled—not available unless you pay for it—dated 22 June 2016 and is headed "To the bedside manner born".The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Chester Borrows): Leave is sought to table those documents. Is there any objection? There appears to be none.Documents by leave laid on the Table of the House."
Borrows ChesterHealth SectorThe CHAIRPERSON (Hon Chester Borrows): Members we come now to the vote in the Health Sector volume B.5 volume 6. The question is that Vote Health stand part of the schedules.
Genter Julie Anne; Borrows ChesterJULIE ANNE GENTER (Green): E Te Tiamana tēnā koe ki a koutou huri noa i Te Whare tēnā koutou katoa ka tū au mō ngā Kākāriki ki te kōrero i te tautohetohe mō ngā whakatau tata e pā ana ki ngā take pūtea. [I acknowledge you Mr Chairman and all of you throughout the Committee. I rise on behalf of the Greens to speak in the Estimates debate about funding matters.]I rise to speak on Vote Finance during this call. I joined the Green Party and I stood for Parliament because I believe it is paramount that we protect our planet and that we ensure all people in our communities are able to live in warm healthy homes with opportunities for meaningful work that makes this world a better place for all of us. I studied economics before I came to this place because I knew it was essential to understand how it is we can protect our people and protect our planet—and it is possible. In this National Government's Budgets it has consistently protected the status quo and that is essentially what you see when you look at Vote Finance. There is no attempt to solve the major problems of our time such as climate change and inequality. There is no attempt really to fundamentally set us on a track towards the kind of world that I would like to see us live in and the kind of Aotearoa that I know most New Zealanders would like to live in. That New Zealand is one where everyone has a fair opportunity and we are not polluting our rivers we are not polluting our atmosphere and we are not letting kids go to school hungry or grow up in cold damp mouldy homes or worse sleep in cars as has been the recent trend. If we look at Vote Finance we see that there are many missed opportunities to address the major challenges of our day. The first one starts with the housing crisis because the housing crisis is fundamentally bad for our people. It means that there are more children who are unable—The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Chester Borrows): Sorry to interrupt the member but the time has come for me to leave the Chair for the dinner break.Sitting suspended from 6 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.Votes agreed to.
Borrows ChesterFinance and Government Administration SectorThe CHAIRPERSON (Hon Chester Borrows): Members we now come to the votes in the Finance and Government Administration Sector volume B.5 volume 5. The question is that Vote Audit Vote Communications Security and Intelligence Vote Finance Vote Office of the Clerk Vote Ombudsmen Vote Parliamentary Service Vote Prime Minister and Cabinet Vote Revenue Vote Security Intelligence and Vote State Services stand part of the schedules.Alastair Scott: Mr Chair?
Mallard TrevorExternal SectorThe CHAIRPERSON (Hon Trevor Mallard): Members we now come to the votes in the External Sector volume B.5 volume 4. The question is that Vote Customs Vote Defence Vote Defence Force Vote Foreign Affairs and Trade and Vote Official Development Assistance stand part of the schedules.
Williams PotoPOTO WILLIAMS (Labour—Christchurch East): I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. I wonder whether you could give us some clarification. As the Minister of Conservation has just taken a call but not from the Minister's chair could you clarify whether that is actually one of the Minister's calls or a National Party call.The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Trevor Mallard): I think what I can clarify is that in the end it does not make any difference. It will count as a ministerial call because she is a Minister but in the end because of the way that the spare calls are allocated—and there is a large number of them—when it all gets washed through it will not make any difference.
SpeechESTIMATES DEBATEIn CommitteeThe CHAIRPERSON (Hon Trevor Mallard): The Business Committee has determined that the Estimates debate will be 12 hours in length and will be divided into 10 separate debates covering the sectors set out in the Estimates of Appropriations for 2016-17. Each debate will be led by a call from the chairperson of the select committee nominated by the Government as the major committee reporting on the sector. Committee chairpersons are expected to focus their speeches on the major findings of the committee. I would expect following that that speeches may become more partisan. The Labour Party will have two calls. The Green Party will have one call. New Zealand First will have one call and the Minister in the chair will have three calls in response. All calls are 5 minutes in length and members may take unused allocated calls later in the Estimates debate. In addition there are 64 5-minute supplementary calls that have been allocated to parties and they may be taken as parties see fit during the 10-sector debate. At the end of each debate the question will be put that the votes in each sector stand part of the schedules so the time taken on each question is in the hands of members depending on parties' use of their allocation of supplementary calls. However this debate expires after 12 hours. The Estimates debate should be relevant to the Government's current spending plans as contained in the Estimates of Appropriations. The following sectors are currently available for debate: Environment; External; Finance and Government Administration; Health; Justice Primary; and Social Development and Housing. The reports on the votes relevant to these sectors are available separately on the Table.
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That the Smoke-free Environments (Tobacco Plain Packaging) Amendment Bill be now read a second time.Ayes 108New Zealand National 59; New Zealand Labour 32; Green Party 14; Māori Party 2; United Future 1.Noes 13New Zealand First 12; ACT New Zealand 1.Bill read a second time.Name changed to Smoke-free Environments (Tobacco Standardised Packaging) Amendment Bill.
Smoke-free Environments (Tobacco Plain Packaging) Amendment Bill — Second Reading
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That the Health (Protection) Amendment Bill be now read a third time.Ayes 109New Zealand National 59; New Zealand Labour 32; Green Party 14; Māori Party 2; ACT New Zealand 1; United Future 1.Abstentions 12New Zealand First 12.Bill read a third time.
Health (Protection) Amendment Bill — Third Reading
12. Tourism—Growth in Shoulder Season TouristsMAUREEN PUGH (National) to the Minister of TourismTourism—Growth in Shoulder Season Tourists12. MAUREEN PUGH (National) to the Minister of Tourism: What reports has he received about increasing numbers of tourists visiting New Zealand in the shoulder seasons?Hon PAULA BENNETT (Associate Minister of Tourism) on behalf of the Minister of Tourism: Recent figures show a nearly 20 percent increase in the number of tourists visiting in autumn 2016 compared with the same time last year. Our spring and autumn shoulder seasons are growing faster than our peak summer season. Budget 2016 of course also included $12 million to help some of our smaller regions pay for new tourism infrastructure.Maureen Pugh: Which markets are the increasing numbers of tourists coming from?Hon PAULA BENNETT: An increasing number of visitors from our key markets such as China the United States and Australia are choosing to visit New Zealand at different times of the year rather than just in summer. In May this year visitor arrivals from China were up 27.4 percent and arrivals from the US were up 10.5 percent.Maureen Pugh: What has the Government been doing to increase shoulder season tourists?Hon PAULA BENNETT: Tourism New Zealand has put a huge amount of effort into attracting tourists who want to visit outside the summer season and its work is really paying off. It has been targeting interest groups such as skiers cyclists and golfers who can enjoy New Zealand at different times of the year. Also the extra $8 million that was included in Budget 2016 is extra funding for Tourism New Zealand to particularly target those from the Indian and also the US markets who of course do travel outside of our summer season.
Hipkins Chris; Mallard TrevorCHRIS HIPKINS (Senior Whip—Labour): I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. By my count the next speaker will get less than a minute before they are interrupted so I therefore seek leave for the House to now adjourn.The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Trevor Mallard): Is there any objection to that course of action? As I said on one previous occasion there is no one that foolish.Debate interrupted.The House adjourned at 5.59 p.m.
Parmar ParmjeetDr PARMJEET PARMAR (National): Thank you for this opportunity. I am taking a short call to support the Smoke-free Environments (Tobacco Plain Packaging) Amendment Bill in its second reading. This bill is to introduce plain packaging for tobacco products and its aim is to reduce the number of young people who take up smoking and also to help smokers to quit smoking. This issue of smoking is one that I think is discussed in a lot of households. It is because there is a family member who smokes or it is because a parent or older members in the family are teaching young people in the family not to take up smoking. This is not the first time that it has been debated here in the House and in the community. I remember those days when smoke packs used to be really fancy and were displayed in cabinets just behind the counter in shops and supermarkets. It was very easy for young people to see the kinds of tobacco products that were available and what kinds of choices there were. We changed that packaging to the packaging that we have now which is showing pictures of diseased body parts or organs to show the ill effects of smoking. Also the display of smoking and tobacco products was then banned from behind the counter so that young people cannot see them so we can stop them getting attracted to smoking. As part of Budget 2016 we are increasing tobacco tax by 10 percent from 1 January each year for 4 years. We know that one measure is not going to make New Zealand smoke-free by 2025 and that is why we need a number of measures. This bill is one of those measures. I have already spoken about other measures that we have taken in the past. Those measures plus this measure will definitely give us the desired outcome. Speaking about plain packaging it is not really plain. There will be warning signs on packaging as there are now but logos and colours will not be as attractive as they are now. That will definitely help to reduce the advertising of tobacco products. In Australia as we have heard from other contributors this plain packaging regime was introduced in December 2012 and we have definitely seen that this has helped to reduce the number of people who take up smoking. It is not just one measure. As I said it cannot be claimed that it was just one measure that gave the reduction that Australia saw. There are a number of measures it has taken and similarly we are taking a number of measures to reduce the number of people who are smoking. We know that around 4500 to 5000 people die each year due to smoking-related illnesses. It is 4500 to 5000 people who die each year because of smoking-related illnesses and that comes to 12 people a day. Twelve people a day die because of smoking-related illnesses. If we can save these 12 people from dying then why not? That is why I support this bill and commend this bill to the House. Thank you.
King Annette; Lotu-Iiga SamHon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour): I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I have discovered quite an unusual situation. The Associate Minister of Health spoke in this second reading of this bill. I have just noticed that in fact this bill is still in the name of Tariana Turia and I am wondering whether this House needs to change the name of the Minister on this bill because it is an unusual situation where a bill we are debating is in the name of a Minister who is no longer in this Parliament but the Associate Minister is taking responsibility and credit for it.Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA (Associate Minister of Health): I will seek leave to change the name on the bill to my name.The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Trevor Mallard): I cannot stop the member seeking leave in that way but I think it would be slightly impractical for staff to go around with twink and sort of—does twink still exist—twink it out while we are mid-debate. Can I encourage the Minister to let me not put that leave. I will indicate to the Hon Annette King that the normal practice is for the name of the Minister to change when the bill is reprinted. We know that this has taken some time but I think I can remember that even when that member was an honourable Minister of Health she might have had some legislation herself that stayed in her name even when the Government changed. [Interruption] Order! So I think what we will do if it is all right with members is that I will not put the leave and we will continue. I think we will accept that it is an unusual situation for something to be in the name of someone who is not even a member none the less.
Kuriger BarbaraBARBARA KURIGER (National—Taranaki - King Country): It is a pleasure to be standing and taking a call on this piece of legislation this afternoon. It is not a new piece of legislation as we are hearing but it is a new piece of legislation to me. It is part of the goal of becoming smoke-free by 2025. The previous speaker Iain Lees-Galloway talked about—you know we have talked this afternoon about whether it is a silver bullet or whether it is not a silver bullet. I agree that everything we do in this process actually gets us to the goal of being smoke-free by 2025 and this is another avenue another piece of the puzzle that is going to help us get there. We have heard this afternoon about it not being so much plain packaging but standardised packaging. We have heard about some of the gory pictures that are going to be on this standardised packaging. I support that because honestly colours and images are the things that make for peer pressure and cool activities amongst our children and our teenagers and they are the very ones who should not be looking at this type of product and who should not be using it because we all know that the younger that those people start smoking the more chance they have of getting the diseases and the cancers and the emphysemas and everything else that comes from it. We talked about standardised packaging. The plain packages will likely feature a single colour - dominated background with pictures on it and the tobacco brand variant names would be in a very small font so they will not be out on there in large writing as they have been in the past. A package will not be showing off who produced it and who has got the brand and created it by a whole wow but actually it will be in just very small writing. We have done a number of moves by actually putting these products away in supermarkets so that young people do not get to view them in the way that they used to along with a whole range of things in terms of helping people to stop smoking. So there is not one silver bullet; there is a whole range of things. It is not easy to tell people to just stop smoking like that once they have started so it is actually much better if we can stop people getting attracted to it in the first place and this is very much part of that process. I want to say as well that there have been some conversations in the public world about a black market. It is still very important that anything that goes into a black market around any of this continues to be investigated and continues to be prosecuted. So it is a big pleasure to take a call on this bill this afternoon. Thank you.
Reti ShaneDr SHANE RETI (National—Whangarei): It is a pleasure to speak to this the third reading of this bill. This bill has been topical for a number of reasons but particularly for its attention to the UV suntanning component. I think that if we look back at Hansard we will see that attention has been paid to that part of the bill at a ratio of maybe 3:4 but I actually want to echo what one of my colleagues has said regarding the infectious diseases component because I think that part may have one of the bill's greatest long-term impacts for New Zealanders.I say that because of the manner in which it places chlamydia on the infectious diseases schedule. It will be a non-notifiable disease included under the Health Act schedule 1 Part 2 as amended by clause 10 of the bill. A 2014 report by the Institute of Environmental Science and Research looking at 2013 district health board data suggested there were 25000 positive chlamydia tests. This might seem like a nuisance condition compared with potentially fatal melanoma but those are 25000 positive tests that can have significant long-term implications such as pelvic inflammatory disease ectopic pregnancies and Reiter syndrome. In fact a quarter of all infertility cases may be due to chlamydia. So it remains my view actually that this section of the bill may have more impact on more people than the tanning component of the bill which I want to turn to here more in reflection of a comment that my colleague across the House Ria Bond made in the Committee of the whole House that was kind of interesting.She raised a question as to whether UV nail lamps should be included in the bill and said that the UV nail industry had been completely forgotten about. That is kind of interesting because you can certainly get melanomas around the fingernails. Under the fingernails you call them subungual and around the fingernails you call them periungual and they are actually a problem. They are a problem because they are painless and people often mistake them for catching their finger in the door or hitting it with a hammer inadvertently because they get that brown stain under the nail like you would normally do with a bruise. It is a bruise but in fact the bruise does not go in 3 weeks; it lasts for 6 weeks 8 weeks 9 weeks and by the time they realise they have had it that long it is often actually too late.I thought this was a really interesting question: whether UV tanning around the nail and in nail tanning clinics actually had any implications. I wrote to Melanoma New Zealand to seek its advice on that and it wrote back saying: The risk from nail curing UV lamps is thought to be small though there are still limited robust randomised controlled studies. Currently we would recommend using sunscreens or UVA-protective gloves to limit the risk or avoid drying by this method.". So yes clearly there may be some increased risk.In the overall context I think this is a very important bill. I appreciate how long it has taken to get to this the third reading but I think this bill now lands in a sensible and functional place that will benefit the health of all New Zealanders. I commend this bill to the House."