McKelvie IanIAN McKELVIE (National—Rangitīkei): It is a pleasure to take a call on the Racing Amendment Bill or as the industry knows it as the race fields legislation. And as the previous speaker Kris Faafoi said it has been long-awaited. There are some very good reasons for it being long-awaited because when you are trying to extract money out of foreign entities—it is an issue that needs some significant care taken of it. It is also an issue that is going to be significantly challenging for this country to extract and to make sure it is managed in a manner that benefits all. That is the reason for it taking so long.I will get on in a minute or two to the reasons it is going to the Primary Production Committee but as I said it is a long-awaited piece of legislation. It has got the potential to return about $40 million to the New Zealand industry all going well. Having spent a bit of time with the Racing Board some 3 or 4 years ago on a business exchange I got to understand—even better than I already did understand it having been involved in the industry for longer than I care to mention—some of the challenges that the industry was facing.There is some $300 million or $400 million—or a bit more than that actually—bet offshore annually on horse races in other countries. That of course is a significant challenge for us because we—the industry and the Government—do not get the income from that. So that is the reason for this legislation.As someone who enjoys the occasional bet I am often reminded of a quote by Shakespeare which went: O for a horse with wings!". And of course it is quite appropriate because you do just about need wings to win in this business.The horse industry in its broader sense employs some 18000 to 20000 people and turns over in excess of $1.8 billion. It is a massive industry. It is bigger than racing; it is bigger than gambling. And I want to touch on that because I think that is where this legislation plays a very important role in expanding the opportunity for the horse industry in New Zealand to grow to breed a whole lot more horses and to capitalise on opportunities that are opening up in the world markets right now particularly as bits of China open up to this industry. We have an opportunity if we can breed enough horses to provide some into that market.So what has happened in the New Zealand racing industry and thoroughbred breeding industry—in fact the horse industry in New Zealand—over the last few years is that we have seen a dramatic drop-off in the number of horses bred in this country. It needs legislation like this to encourage that industry to pick up and to grow that breeding capacity. Of course that industry supplies horses to our Olympic equestrian teams and it supplies horses to numerous sports throughout the country—all coming out of one or the other of those horse industries. Of course it also provides gambling and betting opportunities for sport which is a hugely growing part of the business.So I think that the real key for me in this piece of legislation—not only will it strengthen the racing industry but it has got the capacity to significantly strengthen the breeding industry behind that business both trotting horses and thoroughbreds. I think it is very exciting because we certainly need to get that industry turned round and growing. The industry has got enormous potential for New Zealand. We are one of the four leading breeders of horses and providers of horses in the world and it is very important that we continue to do that. The other interesting thing about breeding horses is that it has a much lesser environmental impact on both land and the environment than many other forms of farming. So it is important that we encourage this and get the industry going strongly again.The bill has the potential as I just said to benefit the New Zealand economy in a major way. And I think it is really quite exciting that we have finally got this bit of legislation in a form that I hope can be implemented. That is the reason for the large amount of regulation that may potentially be needed to implement this legislation once it goes through the House as it is complicated and it will take some time to extract that money out of those countries and those entities that receive that betting money.I too want to acknowledge John Allen and the Racing Board which has put a lot of work into this over the years. They have put a lot of work into what is a testing business—trying to restructure an industry that needs to come into I guess the modern era. Whether we like it or not we do not have to travel. We can easily travel miles and miles now to the local racecourse. Of course when we were—or when I was young; I cannot say "when we"—there were many many racecourses in New Zealand. In my own area there were some seven different racecourses that make up what is now the Racing at Awapuni Otaki and Trentham Combined Enterprise. So there is some rationalisation that has taken place in some parts of the country which has worked really well. In other parts of the country it has not happened and it is necessary that it does.So in closing—and I have got another thing or two I want to say after this—I want to finish with another quote from Winston Churchill that says: "When you're on a great horse you have the best seat you'll ever have." And I want to remind a few in this House that of course some of us have better seats than that and Rangitīkei is one of those.Hon Jo Goodhew: Rangitata. Rangitata's another one.IAN McKELVIE: Rangitata right. And the Rangitīkei of course is one of those. In fact in the last 4 years the Rangitīkei electorate has bred the winner of every major cup and race in New Zealand of every major jumping race in New Zealand. I cannot claim the same about the trotting industry but we are very well-known for our race horses and our horse trainers. And of course just last week the eStar Winter Cup in Canterbury was won by another Rangitīkei horse.So I think this is really quite exciting not only for provincial New Zealand because for those who have been lucky enough to have a horse good enough to run at Ellerslie and places like that—even to take one to Australia—it is very exciting. It is an industry that has got great potential for New Zealand.I look forward to the progression of this bill through the House. I hope I am fortunate enough to be on the select committee that considers it in the next Parliament. I congratulate the Minister on his effort in getting this bit of legislation into the House and I look forward to its progress. So thank you—very good."