Macindoe TimHon TIM MACINDOE (National—Hamilton West): Thank you Mr Speaker. May I begin by congratulating the Hon Iain Lees-Galloway for bringing his first piece of ACC-related legislation to the House since the change of Government. But I also thank him for acknowledging the fact that—as I think is quite notable—this is yet another piece of legislation that essentially will move to enact measures that were commenced under the previous National Government. Of course while they are important nevertheless they tend to be and might even be fairly technical and in some cases minor amendments to the primary legislation that as I say were in the pipeline and probably just couldn't achieve the degree of priority in the legislative programme of the previous Government. But because the new Government has so little work of its own to bring to this House they are only too happy to pick up the National Party's good ideas and progress them. I'd also like to endorse the Minister's praise of our ACC regime which as he's rightly noted is the envy of many other countries and jurisdictions around the world. So if they were under any sort of doubt let me put them out of their suspense at this moment by confirming that the National Party will of course be supporting this very sensible bill. I note that the Minister in his introductory comments indicated that part of the intention of the bill is to make it kinder and fairer for New Zealanders posted overseas. So I have to say that I am even more disappointed that the Minister and his colleagues didn't see fit just three weeks ago on a members' day to support an equally sensible and closely related measure—the Accident Compensation (Recent Migrants and Returning New Zealanders) Amendment Bill which was advanced by my very good colleague Melissa Lee—because that particular bill was designed to fix an anomaly which prohibits migrants and returning New Zealanders from receiving ACC's support once they reach superannuation age. I dare say those who may be listening to this debate outside the House at the moment may even be a little bit confused as to why that particular measure doesn't count given the comments we have just had from the Minister because had Ms Lee's bill been adopted it would have addressed the anomaly—which seems to me to be very unfair—that a number of returning New Zealanders migrants and citizens are currently ineligible for weekly compensation because they cannot qualify for the residential criteria. However as I said Labour and their coalition partners and confidence and supply partners voted that measured down so I have to say that that means that one aspect of unfairness will remain in place under this particular piece of legislation. But nevertheless we do have an opportunity through this Accident Compensation Amendment Bill to make minor but necessary changes to the principal legislation. As I've said the proposals are sensible. They are changes that had been identified under the previous Government. They were in the pipeline and there are aspects that some of my colleagues will cover in more detail later in this debate but I just want to comment on the fact that the amendments in the bill were identified partly through the regulatory systems work programme of the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE). For the benefit again of those who may be listening outside the House it's the chief executive's responsibility under the State Sector Act 1988 section 32 for the chief executive to assist relevant Ministers with the regulatory stewardship of the legislation that the ministry administers. That may sound like a little bit of a mouthful but it then explains why these particular provisions have been identified. They include—I won't go through all of them—removing the election requirement for ACC clients to choose between weekly compensation and New Zealand superannuation after being entitled to a year of both amending the current provisions to ensure that all clients who are close to or above superannuation qualification age receive up to 24 months of weekly compensation allowing surviving spouses to receive up to five years of weekly compensation regardless of age and disestablishing the Accident Compensation Appeal Authority which hears cases under the 1972 and 1982 accident compensation legislation and my colleague Dr Reti will be dwelling on that particular provision in more detail later in this debate. The bill addresses fairness and sustainability issues as the Minister has already identified. It includes an amendment that will treat the spouses partners children and other dependants of New Zealand workers posted overseas who suffer an injury consistently with how they would have been treated had the injury occurred while they were living in New Zealand. That is important because coverage would primarily be on return to New Zealand as ACC doesn't usually cover overseas treatment costs. The Veterans' Support Act of 2014 includes a mirror accident compensation scheme for veterans that is aligned with entitlements provided in the Accident Compensation Act of 2001. Also the bill proposes a consequential amendment to Part 1 of the New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act. The proposed amendment is clearly beneficial for older people and will provide for a fairer and more consistent relationship between weekly compensation and superannuation by allowing an injured person's financial situation to more closely reflect their income had they not been injured because those people who continue to work past New Zealand superannuation qualification age are able to receive superannuation alongside any earnings from work and that of course is one of the features that the Minister was referring to when he said that our provision is so envied in other parts of the world. So as I've said most of the bill responds to measures that have been recommended to the Government. They arise from the New Zealand Productivity Commission's June 2014 report Regulatory institutions and practices. I think the Minister has given a very comprehensive introduction to the overall features of the bill. Other speakers I know will elucidate some of the other factors. I have to get off to a select committee now so I will leave it at that and I warmly welcome the introduction of this bill.