Logie Jan: Public Collections and Solicitations (Disclosure of Payment) Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeLogie Jan: Public Collections and Solicitations (Disclosure of Payment) Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 12 August 2015. Volume:707;Page:5772. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]JAN LOGIE (Green): It is with pleasure that I rise for the second time this evening to offer our support for a member’s bill this time the Public Collections and Solicitations (Disclosure of Payment) Bill. This time it is a bill sponsored by a Government member my fellow Social Services Committee member Matt Doocey.This bill seeks to bring transparency to public collectors who are paid to solicit donations or signatures to ensure that the public is fully informed as to all the relevant information when signing paying or donating to any cause. Under the bill collectors who fail to make adequate disclosures as prescribed commit an offence. The Green Party is happy to support this bill to the select committee and for us to have the discussion.Basically when we consulted with members or representatives of the community and voluntary sector about their views on this bill what they told us was that they were not convinced that this is wide enough to be really useful in terms of the issue around the neologism that is being quoted already around “chuggers” and giving people that sense of security on the streets or in their homes around the validity of an organisation. They noted that from their perspective the goal is to give people information when they are approached for donations or signatures on the street over the internet and over the phone by people who are being paid to do this on behalf of any group. What this bill provides for though is to give people information when they are approached for donations or signatures on the street by people who are being paid to do so on behalf of groups that are not registered charities.So already if you think of the streets of Wellington or of most other streets in New Zealand the main people whom we see collecting are young people paid by Save the Children or Unicef or Greenpeace. These are all registered charities and therefore not covered by this bill. I do take Labour colleague Poto Williams’ concerns around creating a sense of public distrust in fund-raisers and that is not something that we want to do. I am not for any second suggesting people should have concerns about people collecting for Unicef Greenpeace or Save the Children. But I do think that there is an issue that the sector has raised about ensuring confidence in fund-raising so that people are more confident about giving. What they are saying is that there need to be protections like this right across the board for all methods not just on the street and not just for non-registered charities.I do think the point that was raised in the example that was given of political parties that have staff members who were collecting was interesting. I think the provisions around name and organisation and being paid are not too much to ask. I do not think anyone would have an issue with that. I think it will be interesting to see us as MPs when we are on the street getting people to sign petitions whether it will apply to us—whether we will have to go through a pro forma disclosure when we are interacting with people. That might be an interesting process and not necessarily a bad one—placing us solidly within our communities and having the same responsibilities as others. But it will be a different scenario.In summary I do not want to speak for too long. I think this bill will go to the select committee and we can consider the detail of the bill and the possibility of expanding it there. I hope we can move the business before the House tonight a little bit quicker. We have had discussions around being able to drink during the Rugby World Cup. I would also like us to be able to ensure that organ donation is properly supported so I will finish my speech here.