McClay Todd: Regulatory Reform Bill Regulatory Reform (Repeals) Bill — Second Readings 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
McClay Todd: Regulatory Reform Bill Regulatory Reform (Repeals) Bill — Second Readings 
[Sitting date: 20 March 2012. Volume:678;Page:1135. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
TODD McCLAY (National—Rotorua) 
: 
 Where does one start? Can I say it is a pleasure to rise to speak to the Regulatory Reform Bill and the Regulatory Reform (Repeals) Bill. I want to start by saying that the National-led Government is working hard to secure a brighter future for all New Zealanders—a brighter future for all New Zealanders. I say to the Minister for Regulatory Reform who gave an excellent speech just a few moments ago that I have heard that phrase “brighter future” used recently on television. Who was that? 
Jonathan Young 
: David Shearer. 
TODD McCLAY 
: Very good. Others who are watching television tonight are wondering who the man was they were talking about the man who was speaking of the brighter future; it was Mr Shearer. Can I say to the last speaker in this debate that our red tape moves are cutting more than $200 million. Here we have two pieces of legislation before this Parliament. The first is to repeal 31 Acts of Parliament. It is interesting because we have heard that repealing legislation that is not useful any more and not used is actually a waste of time. Well the New Zealanders who voted last year did not believe that. Look at the changes in this House. Some people have returned but on the other side of the House others have left. New Zealanders decided that useless pieces of space were better to be freed up. 
Thirteen pieces of legislation are to be reformed. The best part about this reform is that it is delivering benefits directly to New Zealanders and to New Zealand businesses by reducing red tape and compliance upon them which is something that so many businesses asked us for and so many businesses will be thankful is being delivered for them. I congratulate the Hon John Banks on bringing this legislation back to the House and on steering it forward. 
Mr Cosgrove made reference to two former Ministers. One was Ms Dalziel who first started along this road to make reform and to recognise that. The second was Rodney Hide whom he likened to Rumpelstiltskin. Can I say even Rumpelstiltskin is laughing at that one. But a number of Ministers have been involved. 
This is very important legislation for New Zealanders. Why is that? Some of the changes that will be made will put more money in the pockets of these businesses and what is it that businesses do? They employ people. When do they decide to employ more people? When there are additional funds available to them when they can be more competitive and when they can be more productive. The one thing I think we do know is that when businesses are bound by unnecessary red tape they must do other things and focus on their raison d’être their reason for being which is to produce and manufacture goods and export them. 
I want to touch on just one part of this before we move on and that is an amendment to the Companies Act. Actually there are a number of changes that are coming through this bill that will free up businesses to get on in a new environment of the internet and the way that business is done. The first will be to change the Companies Act to enable companies to hold shareholder meetings over the internet and allow electronic voting. Well actually that is a reasonable thing. Let us say that there is a saving there and the early estimates are $1.5 million. This is about allowing businesses to do the things that they want to and where they want to do this within the realms of the legislation and I think that is a good thing. We should not underestimate the saving to small companies—even an insignificant saving to some in this House—and the difference that will make to them. A number of other changes are to the Conservation Act some more sense; changes to the Statistics Act; and amendments to the Films Videos and Publications Classification Act. Did I hear a member of the Opposition talking about that? Mr Jones—no he is not here. 
I want to commend this bill to the House. I look forward to being able to go into it in greater detail when we get to the Committee stage. Again to the Hon John Banks I say well done for bringing this to the House and for a very strong speech that set out the direction that this Government should move towards: reducing red tape and compliance on businesses where it is unnecessary and backing businesses in New Zealand to get on and do a much better job. That is the way that we will have a brighter future not stealing slogans and making them into speeches like last week. Thank you.