Reti ShaneDr SHANE RETI (National—Whangarei): I rise to speak in support of this bill and to provide a Whangarei context which has received some commentary here today. Late last year the issue of Whangarei window washers came to national attention and I received a lot of communication from local constituents. I addressed this issue in an interview where I outlined my position which has not changed. I commend their endeavour but I am concerned for their safety. They must stop. Local people were writing to me last year on this issue and I responded by lobbying the New Zealand Transport Agency which manages the local highways. Unfortunately the window washers continued over summer and the situation became worse and not better. At one point I personally observed four groups of four youths 16 in total on either side of the traffic islands at the Kamo Road and State Highway 1 intersection and I was certain one of them would be hurt. I could also see that some drivers were feeling intimidated and so I did as we have been advised and personally laid a complaint with the police. The issue of intersection window washers is a national problem and the Government is supporting this member's bill to regulate against them. This is a first step but there is another side to this story. I believe we should also look to provide a solution for these young people who are clearly able and wanting to work—good on them for getting out there and doing something—so now let us make them safe and offer an alternative. In Northland there are currently many overseas orchard workers in and around Kerikeri doing seasonal work under the Recognised Seasonal Employer programme. Imagine if we could offer the window washers transport to and from Whangarei and a good day's pay for a good day's work on the orchard. I have proposed this to a senior Whangarei Work and Income executive and he and I have arranged to personally go down to the intersections and meet with the young people and have this discussion. Let us see whether we can work together as a community to harness these young people's initiative and help them into safe supported and sustainable alternatives. This then is the tension: we are encouraging of young people's endeavours but they must be safe. We want them to be safe and this is the first priority. Equally innocent drivers must also be safe. Motor vehicle versus pedestrian accidents often cause injuries to those in the motor vehicles either directly or as they seek to avoid pedestrians. The second issue is intimidation which does have some subjectivity around it. Some drivers do not feel affronted as the window washers approach and engage but others do and declining to allow or pay for the activity does not change the sense of intimidation. I have been written to by many constituents especially women who do feel intimidated by the window washers and this needs to be acted on. The Summary Offences Act provides some guidance on the issue of intimidation including the clause about a person who stops confronts or accosts that other person in any public place." Clearly this will apply to window washers and it needs to stop. Enforcement against window washers has been problematic. Some councils do have by-laws which can be prosecuted against and much can be learnt from their experience. Certainly evidence from Auckland Council suggests that the current prosecution regime for window washers has court costs that are substantive and it involves months of delay. In the overall context of issues this Parliament needs to address window washers may seem trivial. However I am of the view that if we do trivialise this issue one day someone will indeed be killed and that would be a tragedy. I come back then to the actions arising. We need to stop this practice now. At the same time we need to harness the endeavour and initiative that these young people are showing and look to provide safe and sustainable alternatives. So I congratulate very much the member Jami-Lee Ross on this bill. It is a pleasure to commend this bill to the House."