edithatogo/nz-hansard-corpus huggingface dataset:
Tuiono TeanauTEANAU TUIONO (Green): Fakaalofa lahi atu Mr Speaker. Fakaalofa lahi atu ki a mutolu oti. It's Niuean Language Week—so big greetings to all our Niuean teachers out there and of course to all of our teachers across the great nation of Aotearoa who are doing it tough for all of our whānau particularly our teachers up in Auckland who are doing their jobs in lockdown.It's Groundhog Day: we're back here to list this amendment this bill and when I remember the first version of this bill that Groundhog Day was actually a lot quicker because we know that this is just dealing with a few technical changes that need to be done. And it reminds me of that whakataukī Ko te manu e kai ana i te miro nōna te ngahere ko te manu e kai ana i te mātauranga nōna te ao."—the bird that partakes in the berries their domain is only the forest; but the bird that partakes of knowledge their domain is the world. But sometimes birds drop a few berries here and there in the forest and they've got to go back and pick them up.So this bill is a quick tidy-up bill; it's not controversial. People have gone through the list of the different amendments that need to be done and I fully appreciate that as well—things like amending the sunset provisions clarifying the relationship between the Police vetting provisions ensuring regulations can be made to reflect a new requirement for proposed early learning services specifying the agencies that the Minister of Education and the Minister for Māori Crown Relations relate to as well and all of those types of things.There are a lot of issues at play in education and the Minister was right that this bill would not set this House on fire but I am mindful that there are places around the world that are actually on fire. And so by spending less time and less speech time on this reading we'll be able to focus on those bigger issues like where those fires are happening. So things around climate change education are really important making sure that we embed that within the Curriculum making sure that that learning follows through the Curriculum review making sure that that is part of the learning because it is actually part of the reality that our children are inheriting and are in today. I won't drag this out but I will say that the Greens do support this bill. Ngā mihi."
Eagle PaulPAUL EAGLE (Labour—Rongotai): Well thank you Mr Speaker. What a pleasure it is to be back in the House and to speak after the list member for Wellington Central Nicola Willis because I hosted her in the mighty Rongotai electorate recently at Newtown School. She was a lot warmer then. She was a lot cuddlier. She was holding hands well trying to but I said Two metres remember?"! She was a whole lot different. But I guess she was in a school and that's a good thing for any one of us in this House to be on the ground with the people with the children and doing good things like getting people vaccinated but I digress. Today however she's obviously not in the same mood.But I'm going to refocus and just talk about this very important amendment bill because as the Associate Minister said in introducing it it is small it is urgent but it's important. Those three words I hold dear because we do need to get this through. There are seven things on the list here that range from clarifying Police vetting provisions through to those in early childhood education around regulation-making power through to the statement of expectations relating to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and lots of other minor and technical changes. We could pull apart why how and spend months and years but that's not what the people of Aotearoa New Zealand want us to do. They want us to get on with it make these changes make anything possible to give—as the previous speaker said—our children all the education that they can possibly get. That's why I'm commending this bill to the House."
Lorck AnnaANNA LORCK (Labour—Tukituki): It's a bit rich for that side of the House to go on about what they know in education when you think about the abomination of national standards and what that did to our education system. We on this side of the House have an absolute desire and passion to ensure that education feeds the growing minds of this nation so that our young people learn and discover and thrive in a lifetime pathway of success. This bill has a few very short important issues that need to be addressed. This is why I support this with urgency and I commend this bill the second reading of the Education and Training Amendment Bill to the House because Labour supports and thrives in an education journey with teachers students and parents for a better brighter future for this country. I commend this bill to the House.
O'Connor GregGREG O'CONNOR (Labour—Ōhāriu): That previous speaker Penny Simmonds is living proof of the axiom that politics makes for strange bedfellows.Every speaker here today has mentioned professionalism so let's understand what we're talking about. A profession is defined as a unique body of knowledge and skills—something that our very professional teaching organisation has. It has an institutionalised learning and standards of qualified entry—again describing our teachers. It has a code of ethics it has a service orientation and it has—important in light of this legislation—a self-governing professional association or sanctioning body and that's what we're talking about here. To be able to call yourself a member of a professional body you simply have to have those five attributes and our teachers fortunately do. However without a self-governing professional association funded sufficiently to be able to do the job it is required to do then one cannot regard oneself as a member of a profession.What does that professionalism allow? The first thing it allows is it allows mobility. It allows New Zealand teachers to be able to go and work in Australia in the UK and in Canada because they have a recognised profession. So the price to pay for being part of a profession is to be part of a self-governing body and it means somebody's got to pay that bill. This legislation is about ensuring that that bill is paid and that teachers can justifiably stand and call themselves professionals. They are professional. We are well served by our teachers but it is important that there is a self-governing body around that to ensure that those standards are enforced. That's what this bill is about. For that reason I have absolutely no hesitation in commending it to the House. Thank you Mr Speaker.
Brooking RachelRACHEL BROOKING (Labour): Thank you Madam Speaker for this opportunity to make a much more positive contribution or a more positive speech at least than the previous speaker Joseph Mooney. Thank you for this opportunity to speak on this bill the Education and Training (Teaching Council Fees and Costs) Amendment Bill and I say the title there because we've seen the Supplementary Order Paper—which will of course be discussed in the committee stage—that changes that title to the Education and Training (Teaching Council Fees Levies and Costs) Amendment Bill. So that is the part that I'd like to discuss. The parliamentary process which I think has been very good is making some changes via the select committee process and then by the Supplementary Order Paper. I say that because I'm delighted to be a member of the Regulations Review Committee—Hon Chris Hipkins: A fabulous committee.RACHEL BROOKING: —a great committee—and that committee has the joyous task of looking at all the bills that come before this House where there is a regulation-making power. So the Regulations Review Committee looked at this bill and this bill as I've just mentioned referred to fees but not to levies and the Regulations Review Committee wrote to the select committee looking at this bill and said We think you need to be clearer about when something is a fee and when something is a levy." Fees are for a specific private benefit whereas with levies there is more of a benefit to the part of the community that the regulation is relevant to.The Regulations Review Committee wrote to the other select committee—the Education and Workforce Committee—and the select committee picked that up in their report and made the changes to the bill that we've heard the Minister speak about. Those are furthered in the Supplementary Order Paper with that change to the title as well.If this is something of interest to anyone I can recommend the Auditor-General's recent guidance: Setting and administering fees and levies for cost recovery: Good practice guide. That has just come out in the past couple of months—great reading with a two-page summary which is very handy.I'd like to end just by agreeing with the previous speaker about the importance of teachers particularly in these COVID times. As a mother of three I certainly appreciate all the hard work that the teaching profession is doing. On that note I'd like to commend this bill to the House."
Boyack RachelRACHEL BOYACK (Labour—Nelson): Thank you Madam Speaker. It's a pleasure to take a short call on the Education and Training (Teaching Council Fees and Costs) Amendment Bill. Just in response to the previous speaker Chris Baillie I just want to make some comments I guess about the excellent work that the Education and Workforce Committee did do on this bill which involved listening to teachers specifically about some of the concerns that they raised. I just want to draw attention to the House of two particular changes that were made to ensure that teachers' concerns were addressed as part of this bill. The first was around ensuring that the fees used by the Teaching Council and collected from teachers are only used for the specific cost of performing their function. So one of the concerns that came through from teachers in the select committee hearings was how that money that is collected is used and the purposes of it. So the bill is going to be amended to ensure that it only focuses on those specific functions of the Teaching Council that relate back to the work of teachers.The other which I think is really important is the importance of consultation. I note in the select committee report that the Teaching Council came to select committee and has assured members that they will be co-designing a consultation process alongside teachers and their representatives. Look from my point of view consultation that is genuine and fair—this is an important matter for the Teaching Council to be focused on. The select committee certainly agreed with the views of teachers on that and welcomed the position from the Teaching Council around having a proper focus on consultation around fees because that is exactly how fee-setting in this type of context should occur.So I think that the select committee has done an outstanding job here of listening to those concerns and amending the bill to ensure that they are addressed. On that note I commend the bill to the House.
Warren-Clark AngieANGIE WARREN-CLARK (Labour): Thank you Madam Speaker. I'm delighted to take a short call on this bill. I want to initially begin by acknowledging the very hard work that occurred during level 4 lockdown to get this bill to the state that it is in at the moment and I acknowledge my friend and colleague Marja Lubeck the chairperson of the Education and Workforce Committee and the entire team including officials for doing such sound work in trying circumstances. It was a limited period of time that was select committee had but they had over a thousand submissions and heard from over a hundred submitters during the select committee process.The thing that I am really delighted about is the changes that the select committee have made to the legislation. One of the two things I'm particularly delighted about is ensuring that the council does not set unreasonable fees or levies. So this change basically says that the fees and levies need to be fixed to cover actual and reasonable costs. That seems to me to be a very sensible change. The second thing that I think is particularly good about this bill is that the council must consult before fixing fees or imposing levies. So there is built into this legislation an obligation and process that means that they must listen to their membership and speak to their membership. This is not holus-bolus open slather on changing of fees at all; it is about a consultative and careful and respectful process. I would also like to remind this House that we have done this legislation for one reason and one reason alone: this was set up wrong in 2015 by the previous Government and we are fixing it. I commend this bill to the House.
Webb DuncanDr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour—Christchurch Central): Thank you Madam Speaker. It's a pleasure to stand on this bill. That last speech from Nicola Willis was riddled with inaccuracies and misrepresentations. The first was some suggestion that the Minister by this bill is endorsing the unlawful behaviour of the Teaching Council. It's simply false. We heard the Minister state quite clearly that the illegal fees are not being reinstated and that the teachers council has to go back and correct its error and to suggest that this legislation in some ways gives carte blanche to the teachers council to impose what fees it wants flies in the face of the legislation and indeed the select committee report which was at pains to make sure that there was clear guidance and constraint about what the teachers council could charge its teachers and to make it very clear that it could only charge for the costs of discharging its statutory functions. Anyone who has sat on the Regulations Review Committee would know that it is often times a question for that committee as to what the fees charges and levies should be. There is a very robust framework for testing those and the select committee should be commended for its work in addressing the question and making it very clear that this council—a teachers council which is majority run by teachers elected by teachers—can only impose fair and reasonable charges and levies to discharge its statutory functions. This is an important piece of legislation to correct an error inherent in the National Party's previous work. It's unfortunate that it's had to come to the House to tidy that up but it's entirely appropriate that any professional body should meet the costs of operating its professional organisation and that is all that this bill does. I commend it to the House.
Dean JacquiMotion agreed to.Bill read a first time.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean): The question is That the Digital Identity Services Trust Framework Bill be considered by the Economic Development Science and Innovation Committee.Motion agreed to.Bill referred to the Economic Development Science and Innovation Committee.
Digital Identity Services Trust Framework Bill — First Reading (continued)
Leary IngridINGRID LEARY (Labour—Taieri): The digital landscape is hugely exciting as has already been mentioned by other members. It's democratising as we've seen with the innovation around blockchain and cryptocurrency—we're looking at that at the moment in the Finance and Expenditure Committee. It's really empowering bringing many voices to the table and it's exciting in terms of the new virtual realities that are available to people. But it's almost wholly unregulated and we've seen one of the biggest challenges for our country has been the misinformation that has led to vaccine hesitancy. We've seen misinformation in the recent US or not so recent US elections and of course there's online fraud and privacy breaches. At the heart of these issues is digital identity. It's absolutely crucial that we are able to keep our digital identity safe so that we're not exposed to fiscal issues around banking that we can move freely and restrict movement where necessary and just enjoy our freedoms in the non-digital world.So what this bill does really is it provides trust as has been mentioned. And my view is that trust is really becoming the new currency as we move into more and more digital spaces where we need to be able to understand the authenticity of what we're navigating. This bill gives us more control over our own information and how we share that information whom we can trust. It also means people can access new services without having to go through a whole lot of paperwork so it has pragmatic elements as well. As a member of the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee it's also crucial we have systems that align with our friends when it comes to being able to keep our world secure and have systems that complement each other where information can be shared safely. Security is crucial at this time and actually COVID has been another reason for us to see that we need to be able to be nimble to access essential services and do so in a digital way.Cyber-security is the key issue of our time and digital identity and protecting that is a critical element that we need to get right as we start to navigate this brave new world. So this is a very timely and important initiative and I commend the bill to the House.
Ngobi TerisaTERISA NGOBI (Labour—Ōtaki): Fakaue Mr Speaker. Faahi tapu he vagahau Niue. Happy Niue Language Week. It's always a privilege and an honour to take a call in the House. However given this is my first time in some time can I just really quickly thank and acknowledge the people of the Ōtaki electorate who turned out to get vaccinated on Super Saturday before and beyond so thank you.COVID-19 is a really good example of why this Digital Identity Services Trust Framework Bill is timely and critical. Our Kāpiti people are 70 percent fully vaccinated and our Horowhenua people are 62 percent fully vaccinated. It's a good start but we've got a really long way to go. I just also want to really quickly acknowledge and thank our health workers volunteers iwi and Pasifika providers and providers as a whole who have been working tirelessly to serve our people—the people of the Ōtaki electorate included—to keep our health needs going as well as vaccinating. So kia ora for that as well.But specifically to the bill: to ensure uptake and trust from New Zealanders who are providing their information online. New Zealanders want to know how and where their information is going and how it will be stored. These are all online security concerns that New Zealanders will have when providing their information online and rightly so. It's really important that we have a digital platform or framework that is trustworthy and that New Zealanders can rely on to store their information securely.This bill and framework gives New Zealanders that online trust but also it modernises the approach to digital identity and it'll provide a resilience to unexpected events like the situation we find ourselves in at the moment with COVID. And we still need to access those essential services online so this framework provides that trust for us. Again it's really timely and I commend this bill to the House.
Coffey TāmatiTĀMATI COFFEY (Labour): Thank you Mr Speaker. I'm also happy to stand in support of this bill the Digital Identity Services Trust Framework Bill currently being debated before the House. We have heard from previous members about the need for a digital presence for digital identification services to better service us in the Government of New Zealand but also our Public Service and how that works and also the ability for people to have confidence in that system too. We've already heard some people and their experiences with the current RealMe service that has been rolled out and I've heard frustrations from a lot of people about their inability to be able to access that service. But this isn't necessarily just about that; this is about creating a trusted framework that New Zealanders can have faith in—that's going to help them protect their data but also give them control over their own data as well.One thing that I was incredibly impressed about when I saw the detail of this bill was around clause 46 which talks about the establishment of the actual board itself. It provides that The chief executive must appoint the members of the … board. The members may include public service employees and individuals from outside the public service." And: "When selecting the board's members the chief executive must ensure that members of the board include people with expert knowledge of te ao Māori approaches to identity". That will give a lot of whānau out there that are listening to this some comfort that actually we're going to be proceeding but with caution especially when it comes to the identity issue. On top of that board you'll also have a Māori advisory group and their advice—the advice that comes from them—must be given effect to by the board. The Māori advisory group is going to specifically focus on looking after Māori interests Māori knowledge as they relate to the framework and also all considerations around the identity of people in here. This is a good piece of legislation and I support it to the House."
Lorck AnnaANNA LORCK (Labour—Tukituki): Good morning Mr Speaker. I stand to speak on this bill and must say that as the digital environment goes from strength to strength in the world that we live in today this bill will touch the lives of every single New Zealander young and old as we work through how we connect in and protect our information.What I think is significant with this legislation is the framework where we will have a choice as a consumer from what I've read in being able to choose the information that we wish to share. The digital side of technology is going to change in light years. As we put those protections forward—and I was talking to the Minister earlier this morning around what this bill will actually practically mean how every single one of us will be using the technology to ensure that our information is shared quickly and efficiently. It will save on paperwork. It'll enable us to do a whole lot of things faster and smarter.But we do have some work to do still in connecting every single New Zealander to the digital world. We have work to do around rural connectivity and ensuring that all schools and people in various suburbs of New Zealand are able to connect in cost-effectively and efficiently and keeping up with the speed of sharing that digital data. So I'm looking forward to seeing the discussion that comes through on this bill as it's going to be one that as I said will be important to every New Zealander as we live in this very advanced digital world. Thank you Mr Speaker.
Bennett GlenGLEN BENNETT (Labour—New Plymouth): Kia ora Mr Speaker. Thank you to our previous speaker across the House the member Stuart Smith for that 10 minutes which did almost feel like eight years actually. It was amazing—incredible. But here this evening—it's still evening isn't it wherever we are? I rise as a member of the Economic Development Science and Innovation Committee which is going to be taking this piece of legislation on and I look forward to that and I thank the Hon David Clark for bringing this up. As he mentioned last night this is just one piece of our Government's digital strategy which we are progressing with.Now I was listening to a podcast over the weekend and it was around the iPhone. In 2007 I know some of us were a bit younger back then—but how quickly technology has changed how quickly our digital footprint has changed in that time when once upon a time in your bag you had a laptop and a GPS and a camera and an iPod and some kind of mobile phone and suddenly it was all in your pocket. We are now having to ensure that this piece of legislation which is around our digital footprint and our identity and the framework that it brings is fit for standard in 2021 and beyond.This bill is about our digital identity services giving people the ability to easily share trusted information about themselves to access the services that they need. This will also help with our consistencies our trust and the efficiencies of our digital identity services. It's important work and I look forward as a member of the select committee to hearing submissions from the public and I commend this bill to the House.
Rurawhe AdrianTUESDAY 19 OCTOBER 2021(continued on Wednesday 20 October 2021)DIGITAL IDENTITY SERVICES TRUST FRAMEWORK BILLFirst ReadingDebate resumed.DEPUTY SPEAKER: Fakaalofa lahi atu. Mōrena mai tātou. The House is resumed for the extended sitting. Members when we concluded business last night the Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications had moved the first reading motion and just finished his speech on the Digital Identity Services Trust Framework Bill. Therefore the question is that the motion be agreed to.
Tuesday 19 October 2021 - Volume 755
Animal Welfare Amendment Bill — First Reading
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That the Animal Welfare Amendment Bill be now read a first time.Ayes 77New Zealand Labour 65; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10; Te Paati Māori 2.Noes 43New Zealand National 33; ACT New Zealand 10.Motion agreed to.Bill read a first time.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean): The question is That the Animal Welfare Amendment Bill be considered by the Primary Production Committee.Motion agreed to.Bill referred to the Primary Production Committee.
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That the Films Videos and Publications Classification (Urgent Interim Classification of Publications and Prevention of Online Harm) Amendment Bill be now read a second time.Ayes 110New Zealand Labour 65; New Zealand National 33; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10; Te Paati Māori 2.Noes 10ACT New Zealand 10.Motion agreed to.Bill read a second time.
Films Videos and Publications Classification (Urgent Interim Classification of Publications and Prevention of Online Harm) Amendment Bill — Second Reading
Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Legislation Bill — In Committee
VoteCHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): Members the question is that the Minister's amendment to clause 2 set out on Supplementary Order Paper 71 be agreed to.A party vote was called for on the question That the amendment be agreed to.Ayes 108New Zealand Labour 65; New Zealand National 33; ACT New Zealand 10.Noes 10Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10.Amendment agreed to.A party vote was called for on the question That Parts 1 to 3 and clauses 1 and 2 as amended be agreed to.Ayes 108New Zealand Labour 65; New Zealand National 33; ACT New Zealand 10.Noes 12Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10; Te Paati Māori 2. Parts 1 to 3 and clauses 1 and 2 as amended agreed to.Bill to be reported with amendment.House resumed.
VoteBARBARA EDMONDS (Associate Whip—Labour): I move That the question be now put.Motion agreed to.Part 2 agreed to.Part 3 Amendments to other ActsCHAIRPERSON (Hon Jacqui Dean): We now come to Part 3 the debate on clauses 36 to 43 and Schedule 3 Amendments to other Acts". The question is that Part 3 stand part.Part 3 agreed to.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jacqui Dean): The question is that the Minister's amendment to Schedule 1 set out on Supplementary Order Paper 63 be agreed to.Amendment agreed to.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jacqui Dean): The Hon Todd McClay's amendments to Schedule 1 set out on Supplementary Order Paper 67 are ruled out of order as inconsistent with a previous decision of the committee.Schedule 1 as amended agreed to.Schedule 1A agreed to.Schedule 2 agreed to.Schedule 3 agreed to.Clauses 1 and 2CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jacqui Dean): We now come to our final debate clauses 1 and 2. This is the debate on the title and commencement. The question is that clause 1 stand part.Clause 1 agreed to.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jacqui Dean): The question is that the Hon Todd McClay's amendments to clause 2 set out on Supplementary Order Paper 65 be agreed to.A party vote was called for on the question That the amendments be agreed to.Ayes 43New Zealand National 33; ACT New Zealand 10.Noes 75New Zealand Labour 65; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10.Amendments not agreed to.Clause 2 agreed to.Bill to be reported with amendment."
Financial Sector (Climate-related Disclosures and Other Matters) Amendment Bill — In Committee
VoteCHAIRPERSON (Hon Jacqui Dean): The question is that the Minister's amendment to Part 1A set out on Supplementary Order Paper 63 be agreed to.Amendment agreed to.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jacqui Dean): The question is that the Hon Todd McClay's amendment to Part 1A set out on Supplementary Order Paper 65 be agreed to.A party vote was called for on the question That the amendment be agreed to.Ayes 43New Zealand National 33; ACT New Zealand 10.Noes 75New Zealand Labour 65; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10.Amendment not agreed to.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jacqui Dean): The Hon Todd McClay's amendment to Part 1A set out on Supplementary Order Paper 67 is ruled out of order as inconsistent with a previous decision of the committee.Part 1A as amended agreed to.
VoteCHAIRPERSON (Hon Jacqui Dean): The question is that the Minister's amendments to Part 1 set out on Supplementary Order Paper 63 be agreed to—no not that one. The question is that the question be now put.Motion agreed to.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jacqui Dean): The question is that the Minister's amendments to Part 1 set out on Supplementary Order Paper 63 be agreed to.Amendments agreed to.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jacqui Dean): The question is that the Hon Todd McClay's amendment to Part 1 set out on Supplementary Order Paper 65 be agreed to.A party vote was called for on the question That the amendment be agreed to.Ayes 43New Zealand National 33; ACT New Zealand 10.Noes 75New Zealand Labour 65; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10.Amendment not agreed to.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jacqui Dean): The question is that the Hon Todd McClay's amendments to Part 1 set out on Supplementary Order Paper 66 be agreed to.A party vote was called for on the question That the amendments be agreed to.Ayes 43New Zealand National 33; ACT New Zealand 10.Noes 75New Zealand Labour 65; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10.Amendments not agreed to.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jacqui Dean): The question is that the Hon Todd McClay's amendments to Part 1 set out on Supplementary Order Paper 67 be agreed to.A party vote was called for on the question That the amendments be agreed to.Ayes 43New Zealand National 33; ACT New Zealand 10.Noes 75New Zealand Labour 65; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10.Amendments not agreed to.Part 1 as amended agreed to.
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That the COVID-19 Response (Management Measures) Legislation Bill be now read a second time.Ayes 75New Zealand Labour 65; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 10.Noes 45New Zealand National 33; ACT New Zealand 10; Te Paati Māori 2.Motion agreed to.Bill read a second time.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean): I declare the House in committee for consideration of the Financial Sector (Climate-related Disclosures and Other Matters) Amendment Bill and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Legislation Bill.
COVID-19 Response (Management Measures) Legislation Bill — Second Reading
11. Question No. 11—Research Science and InnovationTĀMATI COFFEY (Labour) to the Associate Minister of Research Science and InnovationQuestion No. 11—Research Science and Innovation11. TĀMATI COFFEY (Labour) to the Associate Minister of Research Science and Innovation: What progress has been made on allowing more widespread use of rapid antigen testing for COVID-19?Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL (Associate Minister of Research Science and Innovation): As we enter a new phase of our COVID-19 response with more and more New Zealanders gaining protection through vaccination we can expand the tools we use to combat the virus. Last week the Government gave the green light to importation of 300000 approved rapid antigen tests that will be used by some of the country's biggest employers. These tests can provide a result within around 15 minutes and will be used for workforce surveillance testing. However they do tend to be less sensitive at detecting cases so PCR tests will remain the mainstay of our COVID-19 testing in most situations.Tāmati Coffey: Why is the use of these tests being limited to 29 businesses initially?Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL: It's important that we step through the introduction of new technologies carefully as part of our COVID-19 response. Rapid antigen testing was first introduced at Middlemore Hospital and is being rolled out in other hospitals. It will also be used as a point of arrival test in self-isolation pilots in Auckland and Christchurch starting later this month. Trialling workplace use of rapid antigen testing gives us the chance to refine learn and iron out any other issues before we look at how this testing can be rolled out more widely. It's important to note that some of New Zealand's biggest companies are involved in the scheme including Mainfreight Foodstuffs Summerset Group Vodafone The Warehouse and Auckland International Airport. Some of the businesses in this group are already using rapid antigen tests successfully overseas and their international experience has helped them develop this scheme in New Zealand.Tāmati Coffey: What reaction has she seen from businesses to the wider use of rapid antigen testing?Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL: Oh I've been pleased with the positive response from those involved. Foodstuffs' North Island chief executive officer Chris Quin said At a time where the challenge of Delta in New Zealand is greater than ever it's been renewing for everyone to be able to work together across Government and business to enable this additional testing solution. We need to do everything we can and this is a positive step in helping to further look after our teams in stores and the supply chain New Zealanders depend on." Auckland Airport's chief executive Adrian Littlewood thanked the Government the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment and the Ministry of Health "for their quick response to our request to import rapid antigen tests" and said rapid antigen testing "is a vital added layer of protection to help identify chains of transmission and ensure workplace continuity.""
9. Question No. 9—ConservationRACHEL BROOKING (Labour) to the Minister of ConservationQuestion No. 9—Conservation9. RACHEL BROOKING (Labour) to the Minister of Conservation: What recent announcement has she made regarding investment in a project to protect kea?Hon KIRITAPU ALLAN (Minister of Conservation): Last week I announced Jobs for Nature funding for a two-year project aimed at reducing lead poisoning of the endangered kea the world's only alpine parrot. Lead poisoning is a serious threat to this charismatic and cheeky mountain parrot as it is attracted to the sweet-tasting but toxic metal commonly used in building materials prior to the 1990s and the effects can be devastating. Kea are a taonga an icon in the mountains of Te Waipounamu but they are in trouble and need all the help we can give them to overcome threats like lead and predators.Rachel Brooking: How will this project be delivered and what will it involve?Hon KIRITAPU ALLAN: This project has been spearheaded by the Kea Conservation Trust. Government funding of $950000 will allow the trust to take on eight people from areas most affected by the COVID-related downturn in tourism. These people will be trained to work at heights and in roofing maintenance. Work will involve removing lead from private dwellings and replacing it with non-toxic alternatives working with property owners in areas surrounding the South Island including in the Tasman District Abel Tasman Golden Bay Arthur's Pass Aoraki Ōkārito Franz Josef Fox Glacier Haast Mount Aspiring and Piopiotahi. The trust project complements the Department of Conservation's own programme to remove lead materials from huts and other buildings on public conservation land.Rachel Brooking: Can the Minister reveal which bird or bat she is backing for Forest & Bird's 2021 Bird of the Year Competition?Hon KIRITAPU ALLAN: Well yes I can. This year I am proud to say I am backing the kea—a highly intelligent resourceful and a little bit of a rascal. Some characteristics could perhaps describe a few people in here. Some fun facts about the kea: a kea once learnt to turn on the water tap at the Aspiring Hut campground a kea once locked a mountaineer inside the toilet at the Moa Hut a kea once learnt to use tools to set off stoat traps to get the eggs. As I said earlier the kea is a threatened nationally endangered bird numbering between 3000 and 7000 and is under pressure from predators and human impacts. But through sustained action by the Department of Conservation the Kea Conservation Trust and countless others we can protect this taonga species if we put our all into it.SPEAKER: Yes I'm tempted to ask why the Minister hasn't re-opened the office at Arthur's Pass so visitors can see it better but—Penny Simmonds.
6. Question No. 6—Building and ConstructionTERISA NGOBI (Labour—Ōtaki) to the Minister for Building and ConstructionQuestion No. 6—Building and Construction6. TERISA NGOBI (Labour—Ōtaki) to the Minister for Building and Construction: What recent reports has she seen regarding building consents?Hon POTO WILLIAMS (Minister for Building and Construction): I've seen a report from Statistics New Zealand that shows that for the sixth month in a row the annual number of residential building consents has reached another all-time high. The number of new homes consented in the year ended June 2021 is at a record high of 46453. This is an increase of 24 percent from the August 2020 year. These figures show the Government's commitment to responding to increased housing demand is delivering the warm dry safe and durable houses New Zealanders need.Terisa Ngobi: What other trends does this report show?Hon POTO WILLIAMS: The report shows a steady increase in the demand for multi-unit homes with the total number of multi-unit homes consented in August 2021 at 21164 an increase of 35 percent from the year prior. There's no doubt that New Zealanders' needs are changing and the building landscape is evolving. It's encouraging to see a shift in the type of homes we're building as more apartments and townhouses will help us deliver affordable and healthy and energy-efficient homes.Terisa Ngobi: How is the Government supporting the building and construction sector to build this growth in consents?Hon POTO WILLIAMS: This Government's investment in the construction sector is creating more jobs helping us to retain and grow construction skills and building warmer drier secure housing at a critical time. More people have moved into construction than any other sector since the start of COVID-19. This is fantastic for our communities our economy and our housing delivery programme. A strong sector means we can build back better.
1. Question No. 1—FinanceDr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour—Christchurch Central) to the Minister of FinanceORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSQuestion No. 1—Finance1. Dr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour—Christchurch Central) to the Minister of Finance: What Government economic support has been provided to businesses since the Delta outbreak on 17 August? Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): The Government moved swiftly to provide significant support to businesses and workers in response to the Delta COVID-19 outbreak. The wage subsidy scheme and resurgence support payment were reactivated. Other existing supports such as the leave support scheme the short-term absence payment and the small-business cash-flow scheme have also been available as appropriate. In total the wage subsidy scheme has now paid out $3.35 billion and the resurgence support payment $1.13 billion totalling close to $4.5 billion. I am very well aware of the strain that the restrictions that are in place are putting on businesses and workers and we are continuing to talk to businesses and evolve our response. The Government has been working on an enhanced business support package which will have a particular focus on supporting businesses in the Auckland area and I'll have more to say about that on Friday.Dr Duncan Webb: Where has the support been targeted to business?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Under the wage subsidy scheme the data shows that as of 14 October 1.267 million jobs have been paid at least one payment. Some 39 percent of employees and 46 percent of self-employed have been supported by at least three payments. The analysis also shows that 65 percent of the employees supported by payments three and four are located within Auckland. A growing share of the jobs outside of Auckland that are being supported are in the accommodation and food services sector as industries such as construction return to normal outside of the Auckland area. Under the resurgence support payment which helps businesses with their fixed costs the proportion of payments Auckland businesses have received has increased for each successive round from 43 percent in the first payment to 64 percent in the second and currently 70 percent for the third. By sector construction has received the largest amount for the first two rounds of payments. For the first week of the third payment however that has changed with the accommodation and food services sector receiving the largest amount.Dr Duncan Webb: What other support is available to help businesses in response to Delta COVID-19?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: As I said these are stressful times for businesses and business owners—particularly in Auckland—who are doing it tough. Every week during lockdown the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has put out a specialist business support newsletter to more than 800000 businesses with help and advice on issues such as mental wellbeing. There is also a range of other resources available for small and medium sized business owners on the MBIE website which has a lot of practical resources and advice. On Friday we will have more to say about the support that we'll be providing to businesses.
Digital Identity Services Trust Framework Bill — First Reading
Bennett GlenGLEN BENNETT (Labour—New Plymouth): Kia ora Madam Speaker. Thank you for allowing me to take a call on the Animal Welfare Amendment Bill. Well what can I say really? It's been a night of quips a night of just the same old same old lines being rolled out like knee-jerk reaction" "virtue signalling" "Government edicts made on one single event". But we know on this side of the House that we're doing the right thing by our animal welfare system. We've got farmers on this side of the House we've got people who work in primary industry we've got friends and whānau who are engaged even as inspectors on these ships. So we're not here tonight to debate this because we know that we are doing the right thing by our farmers we're doing the right thing by our animals.For me as I listen tonight—I heard from the Opposition that we can get better at animal welfare. I heard lines around "If we just do what we've always done we'll always get what we've always got." We need to do the right thing—and I always heard a lot around money around money. We create $33.7 billion in income through our animal system over a year and so I think it's OK for us to ban this. I haven't heard anything from the Opposition tonight about anyone who's going to repeal this bill if you get into Government heard nothing about that so I think quietly you're going to make a fuss you're going to make a song and a dance to appease your small audience but you aren't talking about repealing this when you—if ever you—become Government again.So for me I'm glad this debate is over and we take it to select committee where we're going to have deeper discussions we can engage our communities. Because this side of the House we're committed to our rural committees we're committed to our farmers and I commend this bill to the House."
Roberts AngelaANGELA ROBERTS (Labour): I rise with pleasure to take a call on the Animal Welfare Amendment Bill. We're not scared of this just transition" conversation in Taranaki we're quite used to it. In Taranaki the conversation—we're at the pointy end of much of it. It's not just about a zero-carbon economy but also a sustainable future a thriving economy. So we're used to this and we're not scared of the conversation. So you know we've got a lofty goal we're ambitious for our primary industries. We want to be known as the most ethical producer of food on the planet and we want to be known as being able to use cutting-edge science to replace old ways of doing things with something that is better such as using dairy cow genetics and germplasm—I didn't know what that was until today but there you go we don't need to go any further into that one.All I need to say is that we're not scared of setting these lofty goals for our primary industries and then supporting our industry to shift using world class cutting edge science. So the other thing about this bill is the opportunity to have a just transition to give our farmers the time and the support to move. We want them to be able to honour the commitments that they already have overseas. We want them to be able to sustain and grow their relationships in foreign markets and we want them to be able to shift their business model so that we can reach that goal that lofty goal that they deserve us to be striving for and working to support them to do and that is like I say to become the most ethical producers of food. I'm really looking forward to seeing this go through select committee and to be able to make sure that we can support our primary industries in the best way possible as they deserve. I commend this bill to the House."
McAnulty KieranKIERAN McANULTY (Labour—Wairarapa): Thank you very much Madam Speaker. I wish to start my contribution tonight by acknowledging a constituent of mine whom I won't name who lost a dearly loved family member in the tragedy that has been expressed tonight. I'm sure the condolences of this whole House go to them and the other family of the other member that was lost in that tragedy. But it is I believe disingenuous to suggest that it is solely because of that tragedy that this piece of legislation is being proposed tonight. This legislation is much more far-reaching and much more looking into the future.There is a clear distinction on display tonight between the conservative side and the side that actually wishes to reform this nation to one that is prosperous for all New Zealanders. And they may scoff which they do but this is the Government that produced a plan to increase primary production exports by $40 billion in the next 10 years and animal welfare plays a key part in that. They live in a dream world: they believe that staying where we are and treading water and not changing and not reforming—Barbara Kuriger: Didn't say that. Didn't say we couldn't change.KIERAN McANULTY: —and not trying to keep ahead of the curve and not trying to get ahead of our competitors will earn us more money in the future. It will not. This is a competitive market and Barbara Kuriger should know that our value that we extract from our exports is purely dependent on our reputation on the international market and animal welfare is a huge part of that. It is an increasing part of that. We cannot expect that our reputation as an exporter will remain just as prevalent when countries like Ireland and much of the EU and parts of South America and even the US who has poor animal standards in part of it are catching up with us.And I say to that side they do not represent all farmers. They may believe they do but many farmers from my electorate have contacted me and said this is the right move. This is where we need to go. We need to keep New Zealand ahead of the curve and at the pinnacle of animal welfare and at the pinnacle of international primary exports. I say to them continue as you are; we will continue to look at the future. We will continue to deliver for rural communities and for primary exporters by making decisions like this and keeping New Zealand at the forefront of primary exports.