edithatogo/nz-hansard-corpus huggingface dataset:
Brownlee GerryPETITIONS PAPERS SELECT COMMITTEE REPORTS AND INTRODUCTION OF BILLSSPEAKER: Petitions have been delivered to the Clerk for presentation.CLERK: Petition of Safeguarding Children requesting that the House review and amend the Children's Act 2014 to broaden and strengthen its capacity to protect New Zealand's children from abuse. petition of Rhodes Farming Partnership requesting that the House undertake an inquiry into virtual fencing. petition of Carjam Online Ltd requesting that the House urge the Government to reverse the decision to begin charging for free data as part of the planned Fees review".SPEAKER: Those petitions stand referred to the Petitions Committee. No papers have been delivered. A select committee report has been delivered for presentation. CLERK: Report of the Officers of Parliament Committee on the alterations to the 2023/24 appropriations for Vote Audit Vote Ombudsman and Vote Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment and the 2024-25 draft budgets for the Office of the Auditor-General the Office of the Ombudsman and the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.SPEAKER: That report is set down for consideration. No bills have been introduced."
Tuiono TeanauWEDNESDAY 10 APRIL 2024The Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.KARAKIA/PRAYERSTEANAU TUIONO (Assistant Speaker): E te Atua kaha rawa ka tuku whakamoemiti atu mātou mō ngā karakia kua waihotia mai ki runga i a mātou. Ka waiho i ō mātou pānga whaiaro katoa ki te taha. Ka mihi mātou ki te Kīngi me te inoi atu mō te ārahitanga i roto i ō mātou whakaaroarohanga kia mōhio ai kia whakaiti ai tā mātou whakahaere i ngā take o te Whare nei mō te oranga te maungārongo me te aroha o Aotearoa. Āmene. [Almighty God we give thanks for the blessings which have been bestowed on us. Laying aside all personal interests we acknowledge the King and pray for guidance in our deliberations that we may conduct the affairs of this House with wisdom and humility for the welfare peace and compassion of New Zealand. Amen.]
12. Question No. 12—VeteransGREG O'CONNOR (Labour—Ōhāriu) to the Minister for VeteransQuestion No. 12—Veterans12. GREG O'CONNOR (Labour—Ōhāriu) to the Minister for Veterans: Does he agree with RSA National President Sir Wayne Shelford that New Zealand has legislation that is discriminatory and inadequately provides for New Zealand's veterans of military service"?Hon ANDREW BAYLY (Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs) on behalf of the Minister for Veterans: I want to thank the member for his question and I also want to acknowledge all those who have served in the New Zealand Defence Force. I agree that there are improvements which can be made so we can provide more support for veterans. I would like to acknowledge the Royal New Zealand RSA for their consistent advocacy for veterans in New Zealand.Greg O'Connor: What will the Minister given that it is two weeks until Anzac Day be telling those veterans who have been removed from the waiting list for Veterans' Independence Programme (VIP) services?Hon ANDREW BAYLY: Well first of all I dispute the premise of that question. What has happened is that all those who have served the Chief of Defence has reallocated the staff to process the unacceptable backlog of health claims for those veterans with medical conditions associated with their service. And the reason he has done that is the dreadful legacy that the previous Government has left us to deal with because it's taking up to 361 days to process these medical claims and it is an outrageous situation for New Zealand veterans.Greg O'Connor: Does the Minister accept that less services will be available to veterans now as a result of the decision not to proceed with the applications of those on the waiting list?Hon ANDREW BAYLY: I dispute the claim that there will be less services available.Greg O'Connor: Is the Minister prepared to guarantee funding to the RSA to provide the services currently provided by the Veterans' Independence Programme?Hon ANDREW BAYLY: In terms of funding the veterans at the moment receive about $131 million for covering pension costs and there's another $30 million for administering the schemes including the VIP scheme that the member talks about. That funding is something that's under review in terms of whether that could be increased but that level of funding is something that keeps and supports New Zealand veterans and it is rightly so."
11. Question No. 11—Housing (Social Housing)TOM RUTHERFORD (National—Bay of Plenty) to the Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing)Question No. 11—Housing (Social Housing)11. TOM RUTHERFORD (National—Bay of Plenty) to the Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing): What recent announcements has the Government made about emergency housing?Hon TAMA POTAKA (Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing)): It is calamitous to see so many whānau in emergency housing and we've recently announced a target of 75 percent reduction of the number of households in emergency housing by 2030. We want emergency housing motels and other accommodation to be a last resort for a short period of time for those in genuine need.Tom Rutherford: How realistic is the 75 percent reduction in emergency housing?Hon TAMA POTAKA: The target is deliberately ambitious. We want whānau and tamariki to have safe warm and nice homes. Emergency housing should be a last resort for a short period of time for those who genuinely need it. The mahi is not a quick fix—it's hard mahi. It requires sustained and coordinated effort something that in our role as the Kāwanatanga as the Government we are committed to do and setting a target rather than talk focuses attention.Tom Rutherford: What are the kinds of things the Minister will be doing to meet this target?Hon TAMA POTAKA: Tamariki are a big focus. No one wants to see tamariki our children growing up in these motels. And the Kāwanatanga has announced a priority one category for whānau with tamariki who have been in emergency housing for 12 weeks or more prioritising them on the social housing register. As my learned sentinel the Hon Chris Bishop has most recently said to end New Zealand's cataclysmic housing crisis we need to use many tools to increase housing supply and to enable more homes and houses for all New Zealanders.Tom Rutherford: Why is there a target for emergency housing and not another part of the housing system?Hon TAMA POTAKA: Emergency housing is the basis of a target because that's where we think we can have a significant impact on vulnerable New Zealanders. Long term large-scale use of emergency housing is a social moral and cultural catastrophe. We can make impact right now by prioritising tamariki in emergency housing—like a mother and her three tamariki who moved into a home in Tūranganui-a-Kiwa recently who said At one stage we were all living in a tent in a friend's backyard. That's where we were when Cyclone Gabrielle struck and that backyard got flooded. I've been grateful to have a roof over our heads even though it has been very cramped and restrictive. Four of us living in a small bedroom in a studio has been challenging." Kia kaha tātou. Mauri ora. [Let us all be strong. Power and wellbeing (to all).]"
9. Question No. 9—TransportTIM COSTLEY (National—Ōtaki) to the Minister of TransportQuestion No. 9—Transport9. TIM COSTLEY (National—Ōtaki) to the Minister of Transport: What recent announcements has he made on speed limits in Kāpiti?Hon SIMEON BROWN (Minister of Transport): Thank you Mr Speaker. Great news. On Tuesday I announced that the New Zealand Transport Agency has proposed to increase speed limits on the Mackays to Peka Peka and Peka Peka to Ōtaki sections of the Kāpiti Expressway to 110 km/h with consultation on these changes beginning 22 April. This road of national significance started by the previous National Government was designed to a safe standard suitable for 110 km/h and enabling these expressways to have this speed limit is part of this Government's plan to speed up our economy.Tim Costley: What reports has he seen on the safety benefits of the Kāpiti Expressway?Hon SIMEON BROWN: This particular road which is having a proposal to increase the speed limit to a 110 km/h is incredibly safe; started by the last National Government designed and constructed to a high safety standard. Since the expressway opened no one has died in a crash on this expressway and there's been a 70 percent reduction in roads in the Kāpiti district. The coalition Government is committed to delivering safe and new roads of national significance across the country to get people and freight where they need to go quickly and safely.Tim Costley: How does the proposed change of speed limit on the Kāpiti Expressway fit in with the Government's plan to get New Zealand moving again?Hon SIMEON BROWN: Well the coalition Government is stopping the previous Government's blanket speed limit reductions and is enabling new and existing roads of national significance to have speed limits of a 110 km/h. Rather than forcing people to slow down our plan ensures that when speed limits are set economic impacts including travel times and the views of road users and local communities are taken into account alongside safety.
4. Question No. 4—EnvironmentLAN PHAM (Green) to the Minister for the EnvironmentQuestion No. 4—Environment4. LAN PHAM (Green) to the Minister for the Environment: Does she agree with advice from officials in the Our Land 2024 report that An extractive approach to land reduces nature's ability to sustain itself and provide for us putting our economy and livelihoods food system resilience natural ecosystems and quality of life at risk"; if not why not?Hon PENNY SIMMONDS (Minister for the Environment): Thank you Mr Speaker and I thank the member for her question. I agree that we need to care for our land and our natural ecosystems. This Government absolutely believes that taking a balanced approach is necessary to best support our economy and livelihoods food system resilience natural ecosystems and quality of life.Lan Pham: Is she concerned that extractive industries will soon be able to bypass the environmental protections in New Zealand law including the Resource Management Act the Wildlife Act the Conservation Act and the exclusive economic zone Act through the Government's proposed fast-track process?Hon PENNY SIMMONDS: The fast-track consenting bill is before the select committee at this time and so it would be inappropriate for me to make any comment on that.Lan Pham: What advice if any was she invited to provide to Cabinet on the environmental risks of allowing extractive industries to fast track projects which are likely to harm natural ecosystems?Hon PENNY SIMMONDS: I know that the member is very interested in the report and the data that is in the report and absolutely policies and decisions that we will be making in the future will be informed by the data and the information that is in this report.Lan Pham: Is she concerned that having a Minister for the Environment outside Cabinet and no environmental Cabinet committee means that considerations about the environmental impact of laws and policies are not being given proper weight in the Government's decision making?Hon PENNY SIMMONDS: No I'm not. As a Government we are absolutely committed to protecting the resources and this simply shows that we have a range of Ministers that are interested in environmental factors. We will be taking an evidence-based approach to our decision making. So we welcome this report and the data that's within it that will inform our decisions going forward. Thank you Mr Speaker.Lan Pham: Is she concerned that she has been left out of the decision-making process in the Government's Fast-track Approvals Bill despite other Ministers being given the power to override legislation that is her ministerial responsibility?Hon PENNY SIMMONDS: Not at all. I've been very involved in the process and we are consulting widely and as we work together as a Cabinet I've said that there is a wide range of Ministers who have important interest in the environment and I'm pleased to be one adding to those voices."
1. Question No. 1—FinanceNANCY LU (National) to the Minister of FinanceORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSQuestion No. 1—Finance1. NANCY LU (National) to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has she seen about the economy?Hon NICOLA WILLIS (Minister of Finance): Yesterday I saw that the Reserve Bank's monetary policy committee agreed to leave the official cash rate at 5.5 percent. The committee noted that consumer price inflation is currently above the 1 to 3 percent target range and that a restrictive monetary policy stance remains necessary at this time to bring inflation back within the band.Nancy Lu: When will inflation be back within the 1 to 3 percent target?Hon NICOLA WILLIS: New Zealand has had a cost of living crisis in recent years with inflation being over 7 percent for the most of 2022. Inflation has been falling since then and the monetary policy committee is confident that inflation will return to within the 1 to 3 percent band in this calendar year. It is also consistent with the economic outlook Treasury published alongside the Budget Policy Statement two weeks ago.Nancy Lu: Can fiscal policy have an inflationary impact?Hon NICOLA WILLIS: Yes. Strong growth in Government spending can have an inflationary impact when the economy is operating above capacity and interest rates are restrictive. Recent history gives us a very salient example of exactly that. The issue of the interaction between fiscal policy and monetary was discussed at the recent monetary policy committee meeting. On the basis of the forecasts in the half-year update and the commitments outlined by the Government in the recent Budget Policy Statement the committee noted that Government spending is expected to decline as a share of the economy.Nancy Lu: Has the battle against inflation been won?Hon NICOLA WILLIS: No I would not say that. While the Reserve Bank is making progress in the battle against inflation it still currently remains outside the target band and further work is required to keep future inflation near the 2 percent mid-point. In the Budget Policy Statement the Government signalled a policy of ongoing fiscal consolidation to bring revenue and expenses back into balance and also to support monetary policy to bring inflation within target and maintain it there. We want to see inflation continuing to come down so that interest rates can eventually follow them giving New Zealanders cost of living relief and allowing the economy to start growing again.
Misuse of Drugs (Pseudoephedrine) Amendment Bill — Third Reading
Kuriger BarbaraMISUSE OF DRUGS (PSEUDOEPHEDRINE) AMENDMENT BILLThird ReadingDEPUTY SPEAKER: If we just—perhaps we'll just wait for a couple of moments just to give the group in the gallery a chance to just move. It might be helpful for the next speaker. I'm happy for you to retain your seat. You won't lose your call.Hon David Seymour: Madam Speaker the microphones only pick up who's speaking right in front. I'm happy to start.DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yeah no that's fine. It's for the benefit of those others in the House. Just making sure we can all hear. Right I think we're all good to go. I call on the Hon David Seymour.
Misuse of Drugs (Pseudoephedrine) Amendment Bill — Third Reading (continued)
Weenink VanessaDr VANESSA WEENINK (National—Banks Peninsula): Thank you Madam Speaker. I'm very proud to be able to speak in support of this bill in its third reading. In my previous contribution I spoke about some of the evidence for pseudoephedrine as being the only effective treatment that is available in the context of a nasal congestion or sinus congestion that prevents barotrauma of the tympanic membrane. The other medications that we have to treat cold and flu congestion such as nasal sprays are actually not effective for that outcome. So when you have a cold and your nose is blocked often your eustachian tube which drains the inner ear is also blocked. What can happen in environments that change the barometric pressure like going up and down in an aircraft the tympanic membrane—the eardrum—gets pulled or pushed out depending on the pressure change. That can lead to injury of the eardrum and can be quite severe. In fact it can lead to a rupture of the tympanic membrane. Nasal sprays don't prevent that but they give very temporary relief and it can help for a small amount of time. However like anything that is partly effective—anything that is effective often has a side effect as well and unfortunately with nasal sprays the over use of nasal sprays has actually led to a problem that we have; something else that can be a complication: it's called rhinitis medicamentosa. Good luck to the Hansard for that. So this is a condition where you get inflammation and overgrowth of the mucosal membranes of the nose causing narrowing of the nasal passages which is very uncomfortable and it is also very difficult to treat and often results in requiring surgical intervention. So basically what they have to do is go in there and ream out all of the nasal passages and get rid of all that mucosal lining so that people can breath better. So pseudoephedrine will reduce I think the need for all of those nasal sprays and hopefully we'll reduce the incidence of rhinitis medicamentosa. So this is one of those things where there are real clinical implications of changes. I talked previously about the fact that this is a very important medication for those who are in the aviation industry and so I'm looking forward to seeing this change when it comes in. We have talked about all of the problems with P in the community. Pseudoephedrine is not P. It's really important to understand that there is a difference between the two. So when we talk about this medication there are steps that need to be gone through for it to become methamphetamine or P. So the market drivers for people to do that we believe are probably not going to be a huge factor in increasing the supply of P in the community. There is a lot of work that needs to be done both within the health sector but also justice around methamphetamine and this is not necessarily addressing that. We're simply changing the classification of this medication and it is a very sensible and useful thing that we're doing and I commend the bill to the House.
Utikere TangiTANGI UTIKERE (Labour—Palmerston North): Kia orana. Thank you Madam Speaker. Can I just thank the member Dr Vanessa Weenink for what was a very descriptive analysis of the bill.Tom Rutherford: Your turn.TANGI UTIKERE: Oh don't you worry my turn is here all right and adjectives are part of the game.As colleagues have already said on this side of the House we will be supporting this piece of legislation this evening at third reading. I concur with the comments that have been expressed by colleagues around the fact the that there is no rush around this. Although given that members opposite seem to be taking lengthy calls well they wouldn't seem to be in any hurry to actually get this piece of legislation passed this evening. So that is a change in tack and a contradiction of fact.So this is a piece of legislation that effectively will change the classification of pseudoephedrine but will still maintain some oversight at a pharmacy level. What this means in practice is that there will still be easy access or easier access to pseudoephedrine but there would still be some regulation in terms of how it is accessed.I'm aware of the comments of the Associate Minister of Health (Pharmac) in introducing this bill at third reading and he's very negative actually about some of the steps that have been taken in this space by the previous Government. I think about the cutting exercise that the current Government seems to be under around reducing access for the flu vaccine as we head into a time of winter months and winter ailments and I challenge members opposite about aligning that fact with the comments that the Minister had made.I want to acknowledge the work that pharmacists actually undertake all around the country in communities all around Aotearoa New Zealand. There has been an increased expectation on the work that they do and this will assist with that.Colleagues have already mentioned the fact that Labour does support greater access to medications and so it will come as no surprise that that's one of the bases on which we are supporting this bill.My final contribution is around the sense of disappointment—that Government members have allowed this bill to go through a rather truncated process. There are some concerns that had been raised such as the safe care and custody of any controlled or restricted medication—that doesn't seem to have been addressed through the committee stage it doesn't seem to be addressed in what is the final part of the bill and that is only because of the rushed nature that this piece of legislation seems to be following through in terms of its passage this evening.So this is a piece of legislation that the Labour Party is very happy to support and on that basis I commend the bill to the House.
McLellan TraceyDr TRACEY McLELLAN (Labour): Thank you Madam Speaker and thank you for the chance to say a few words. It feels like we've been talking about pseudoephedrine for quite some time but we haven't because this has been quite a short process. It's just that it feels a little bit more dense because it's come back to the House a lot more quicker than would have been ideal when we think about the potential risks that are involved with this bill.As has been said we will be supporting this bill because we do think it's important to do things to remove barriers so that people can have access to effective medications. But as have many people said tonight I think it's a real shame that we weren't able to ventilate some of the concerns a little bit more robustly and to look at those risks.I think the theme of this third reading really has been that the Government has certainly I think overstated the protections that are in this bill because none of the things that have been talked about as protective factors tonight are actually in the legislation; in the bill. They are just things that people have essentially said are down to logical thinking or common sense or things that apparently we'll just keep an eye on. So that doesn't give me a huge amount of confidence.I think we've also underestimated the risks. I think some of the risks that we have raised during this process—even though it was a truncated process; even though it was a process where the public really didn't have a chance to have a good say; and as we've heard on several occasions we know that the pharmacy profession really wasn't well represented during this process. It was just a small handful of people and certainly not a robust sample of all of the considerations that should have been taken into account.So that is a shame and I think the risks not being taken seriously could have—there's just no rush for this bill. So we did have the opportunity to take those risks a little bit more seriously and those risks particularly being related to storage and particularly related to the real-time monitoring that could have been in place to better gauge and better keep track of not only the safety to what could have been a controlled substance but also the worker safety in those pharmacies.As I said it has been a truncated process. I think a lot of it has been based on assumptions that we've heard from the public—suitably—and from pharmacies which I don't think we have. I keep sort of circling back to that concept that the Minister said at the very beginning of this process—which really wasn't that long ago—about rational actors. I really still think that that's a bit of a red flag for me. It may be that the market forces in play within the illicit drug trade market up at the higher echelons may be subjected to some rationality but I think that the risks for people who are heavily addicted to a substance that can be manufactured should have been something that we should have looked at a little bit closer.But as I said Madam Speaker we will support this bill and thank you.
Kemp Takutai TarshTAKUTAI TARSH KEMP (Te Pāti Māori—Tāmaki Makaurau): Tēnā tātou e te Whare. I take the last call for Te Pāti Māori on this piece of legislation. What I want to do is actually paint the picture of what this legislation means to us in our communities our vulnerable communities our Māori communities and just share really what it's truly like to be on the ground with whānau on the daily experiencing what the impact of this drug has. P destroys our whānau. P is a killer of our māmā our pāpā our nannies our koroua our brothers our sisters our aunties our uncles and our cousins. This drug is a killer in our communities and it's available on every street corner. If you come to my local community it's everywhere. This legislation allows it to be even more accessible and put into the hands of our whānau who don't need this drug. It's already killing our families.Te Pāti Māori don't support this piece of legislation; we oppose it. Why? Because of the harm that it does to our whānau and to our communities right across Aotearoa. So we don't support this piece of legislation. Why? Because we're all about protecting our whakapapa. We're all about ensuring that our mokopuna have the best of their whānau around them for generations and generations to come. And we know that it's our people that are the ones that are impacted the most by this drug.Now it's hypocritical really from this Government—to know that they're lowering the class of this drug so it's more accessible for medication during the winter wellness. This is just going to allow more things to come—increased crime it's another avenue for the ram raids to happen. Our pharmacists are telling us they don't want to put it on their on their shelves. It's not that they don't want medication out there for our whānau to have access to but it's the risk that comes with the safety of their shops of their staff—having it available.We don't need this drug in our communities. We have enough issues amongst our whānau. On the daily in my mahi when I was the CEO of Manurewa Marae a lot of these families visited our marae for help. They need kai they need housing they need drug awareness programmes. What we're not seeing in this piece of legislation are enough solutions on how we help those whānau that need the support now who are already impacted with this drug.This drug kills our whānau. This drug breaks down and destroys whānau units. It's going to increase crime it's going to increase youth offending and it's all going to be at the forefront and the brunt of Māori communities that have to prop up our whānau that need support in order to have safety for their whānau.Te Pāti Māori oppose this piece of legislation. We want to ensure that our whānau are kept safe that we are making mokopuna decisions for future generations. We know that our kaumātua and that our tamariki are hit the hardest but we also need to make sure that they are safe and they are protected. That's why we will be opposing this piece of legislation. Kia ora.
11. Question No. 11—ResourcesJAMIE ARBUCKLE (NZ First) to the Minister for ResourcesQuestion No. 11—Resources11. JAMIE ARBUCKLE (NZ First) to the Minister for Resources: What recent announcements has he made?Hon SHANE JONES (Minister for Resources): Resources will play a critical role in our export-led recovery and as part of my strategy as the climate-smart mining Minister I have announced that settings will be developed to enable investors and other stakeholders to explore the potential of naturally occurring hydrogen as a contribution of lessening our reliance on overseas hydrocarbon fuels boosting our resilience and ensuring that there is a suitable framework enabling people to find this potential sooner rather than later.Jamie Arbuckle: What work is he doing on unlocking the potential of critical minerals in New Zealand?Hon SHANE JONES: Minerals are about to enjoy a resurgence in terms of contributing to our strategy of turning our economic fortunes around. Not only will a critical minerals list and associated strategies be delivered not only will studies be completed but we will ensure where people want to invest in the minerals sector in New Zealand there is certainty and no more of this nonsense such as no more mining on Department of Conservation land.Jamie Arbuckle: What work is the Government doing to enable regional and national significant mineral exploration to occur in New Zealand?Chlöe Swarbrick: Tearing up the environment.Hon SHANE JONES: Led by my colleague—oh hoihoi Jeremiah was a bullfrog—Minister Bishop the Government has introduced the fast-track legislation. It is evident that the Resource Management Act conservation Crown minerals legislative regime needs refining. This is an opportunity where the bill will facilitate the delivery of infrastructure development and regions will no longer be caught in protracted processes which are causing projects to be not only overcapitalised but for investment to dry up.Jamie Arbuckle: What are his ambitions for the resource portfolio over the next three years?Hon SHANE JONES: In keeping with my personality judicious and modest but let me elaborate.SPEAKER: Yeah it's probably enough.Hon SHANE JONES: We are telling global investors we are telling Kiwi investors our country is moving from cancel economics" to "can-do economics". We are open for business. We will have a legislative framework that rewards risk taking rewards investment and restores the place of the extractive sector to a place of pride that it enjoyed with the development originally of the party sitting on the other side of the House."
8. Question No. 8—Building and ConstructionRYAN HAMILTON (National—Hamilton East) to the Minister for Building and ConstructionQuestion No. 8—Building and Construction8. RYAN HAMILTON (National—Hamilton East) to the Minister for Building and Construction: What announcements has the Government made around making it easier and more affordable to build in New Zealand?Hon CHRIS PENK (Minister for Building and Construction): This Government has a plan to rebuild the economy and lower the cost of living. A crucial part of this is making it easier and more affordable for Kiwi families to build homes. That's why the Government is amending the Building Act to remove artificial barriers to the use of building products from overseas by recognising overseas building product standards from trusted jurisdictions and requiring building consent authorities to accept products that are equivalent to or better than those already in use in New Zealand.Ryan Hamilton: Why are these changes required?Hon CHRIS PENK: What a constructive exchange! It is too difficult and expensive to build in New Zealand. The cost of building a house has increased by 41 percent in the last five years and it is around 50 percent more expensive to build a stand-alone house in New Zealand than Australia. It is almost impossible to use new building products in New Zealand without facing huge delays and compliance costs. This entrenches the use of well-known products thereby lowering competition increasing the risk of supply chain disruptions such as during the recent Gib shortage and ultimately makes it more expensive to build anything.Ryan Hamilton: What feedback has he received on these changes?Hon CHRIS PENK: The feedback has been extremely positive. The chair of the New Zealand Construction Industry Council Malcolm Fleming said that he is really pleased" and that this is "the industry's biggest issue starving demand for new construction." Julien Leys CEO of the New Zealand Building Industry Federation meanwhile agreed that this policy is a game-changer that will allow more building products into New Zealand bringing down costs while finally Shane Brealey managing director of Simplicity Living said "what's good in Australia or Japan or Korea should be good here. They should have done this years ago."SPEAKER: I'll just ask the speaker to speak into the mike if he asks a question. Thanks.Ryan Hamilton: What else is the Government doing to make it easier to build?Hon CHRIS PENK: This Government has a busy work programme in construction. You could say we are really building building momentum—you could say that but you probably wouldn't want to! In addition to improving competition for building products we are also putting the spotlight on building consent delays by requiring councils to supply building consent time frames lowering the building levy threshold meaning Kiwis doing small renovations don't have to pay it. Finally we have provided relief to rural New Zealand by exempting dams from under four metres from additional compliance costs and there is still much more to come."
7. Question No. 7—FinanceHon BARBARA EDMONDS (Labour—Mana) to the Minister of FinanceQuestion No. 7—Finance7. Hon BARBARA EDMONDS (Labour—Mana) to the Minister of Finance: Fa'afetai lava lou afioga Does she stand by all of her statements and actions?Hon NICOLA WILLIS (Minister of Finance): Yes in the context in which they were made. I particularly stand by my statement that hard-working Kiwis deserve personal income tax relief. Given that they've been waiting 14 years for it the coalition Government will be delighted to deliver it to them in the Budget in May.Hon Barbara Edmonds: Does she stand by her statement in the context of her fiscal savings programme Ministers will then consider those proposals. We might reject some of them we might ask some of them to go a bit further and then we'll take all of those together and assess the implications for headcount from there."?Hon NICOLA WILLIS: Yes.Hon Barbara Edmonds: Is it her expectation that vote Ministers will review and approval cost-saving plans prior to Cabinet considering the full Budget package?Hon NICOLA WILLIS: Yes.Hon Barbara Edmonds: Has she sought or received advice from Treasury on the implications of the fiscal savings made in each agency?Hon NICOLA WILLIS: Yes.Hon Barbara Edmonds: Why then is she and her ministerial colleagues claiming to be surprised by the impacts of her savings targets when she has confirmed that Ministers will approve these proposals?Hon NICOLA WILLIS: Well if the member had actually looked at her own questions she asked whether all of this would be subject to final Cabinet approval. Well Cabinet has not given final approval to the Budget yet."
5. Question No. 5—Prime MinisterHon MARAMA DAVIDSON (Co-Leader—Green) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No. 5—Prime Minister5. Hon MARAMA DAVIDSON (Co-Leader—Green) to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's policies and statements?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON (Prime Minister): Yes and especially the target that I announced yesterday for 75 percent fewer households in emergency housing. Too many children are being raised in motels and my Government is focused on reversing the huge growth seen under the previous Government and its homelessness Minister.Hon Marama Davidson: Will he guarantee to the representatives of Ngāti Tama Ngāti Mutunga Taranaki Iwi Te Atiawa Ngāti Maru Ngāruahine Ngāti Ruanui and Ngaa Rauru Kiitahi in Parliament today that the Trans-Tasman Resources seabed mining project will not be included in the listed projects in the fast-track approvals bill?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: I'd just say to you that the Government supports mining on a responsible basis and there's a process under way.Hon Marama Davidson: Does he share the concern of Ngāti Ruanui that the fast-track approvals bill will be used as a backdoor to gain consent for the mining operation" after Trans-Tasman Resources withdrew from the process to determine whether its application for seabed mining is environmentally safe?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: No I'm proud of the fast-track process that we're bringing.Hon Marama Davidson: Is it appropriate for the Government to enable mining companies to bypass court-directed consenting processes through which iwi environmental experts local government local communities and the fishing industry have been fighting for 10 years to prevent extractive industries destroying our marine environment?SPEAKER: Just make them questions not speeches. The Prime Minister may respond.Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Well to be honest I struggled to find what the question was.Hon Marama Davidson: Does he have confidence in the impartiality of Minister Shane Jones and his ability to balance responsibilities under different portfolios including resources regional development and fisheries in relation to decision making under the proposed fast-track legislation?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Absolutely. That is a Minister that is determined to grow this country to do the right thing by this country who thinks deeply about where it's going and he has my total backing."
11. Question No. 11—EnvironmentHon RACHEL BROOKING (Labour—Dunedin) to the Minister for the EnvironmentQuestion No. 11—Environment11. Hon RACHEL BROOKING (Labour—Dunedin) to the Minister for the Environment: Does she stand by all her statements and actions?Hon PENNY SIMMONDS (Minister for the Environment): Yes.Hon Rachel Brooking: Does she regret that the Minister for the Environment is not listed as a decision-making Minister in the Fast-track Approvals Bill when those decision-making Ministers can override Resource Management Act prohibited activities?Hon PENNY SIMMONDS: No.Hon Rachel Brooking: Does she regret that the Minister and the Ministry for the Environment have not been involved in work to extend marine consents by 25 years under the Resource Management Act?Hon PENNY SIMMONDS: No.Hon Rachel Brooking: Does she regret contacting the Otago Regional Council to slow down its water plan to improve water quality?Hon PENNY SIMMONDS: I contacted the Otago Regional Council to release them from the obligation that had been placed on them by the previous Minister for the Environment to ensure that I extended the date for their statutory deadline for notifying their freshwater planning instrument so that it was in line with all other councils.Hon Rachel Brooking: Does she regret the potential for extended marine protection today being taken off the table for the Kermadec Islands?Hon PENNY SIMMONDS: The Kermadec Islands have already got a considerable amount of protection and I'll list it for the member: there is a marine reserve around each Kermadec island out to 12 nautical miles; there are regulations prohibiting bottom trawling; there is a minerals reservation—prevents new mining permits; and there are a range of marine wildlife regulations. There are already a range of protections in place.Hon Rachel Brooking: Does she regret accepting the environment portfolio when she is powerless to protect the environment?Hon PENNY SIMMONDS: I reject that assertion.
9. Question No. 9—Building and ConstructionJAMES MEAGER (National—Rangitata) to the Minister for Building and ConstructionQuestion No. 9—Building and Construction9. JAMES MEAGER (National—Rangitata) to the Minister for Building and Construction: What announcements has he made on removing red tape in the building system?Hon CHRIS PENK (Minister for Building and Construction): Today I announced that the Government is cutting all that dam red tape. [Interruption] Thank you. Arguments in favour of retaining existing settings simply do not hold water. Dam safety regulations imposed by the previous Government are set to come into force on 13 May but farmers and growers have warned us about the downstream effects which include an unreasonable amount of compliance cost for the relatively low risk posed by small dams that are used in farms across New Zealand for water storage. This week the coalition Government has agreed to raise the height threshold of the dams caught by regulations from 1 metre to 4 metres.James Meager: What impact will these changes have?Hon CHRIS PENK: These changes will mean around 1900 fewer dams will be impacted by the new regulations reducing compliance costs by more than $13.3 million. It will also better align dam safety regulations with the requirement for dams over 4 metres to also have a building consent. This higher threshold strikes a balance between managing risk while easing the regulatory burden faced by owners of smaller dams such as farmers and growers.James Meager: What feedback has he received on these changes from regional New Zealand?Hon CHRIS PENK: The feedback's been extremely positive. By extraordinary coincidence it was from the member's very own electorate of the mighty Rangitata that we have heard farmers saying that they were attempting to comply with the regulations at the cost of some $5000 each not to mention the additional ongoing compliance burden and administrative costs. On-farm water storage is crucial for supporting greater resilience particularly with the impact of extreme weather events such as droughts. Rather than making life harder for rural New Zealand this Government is making it easier.James Meager: Is the Government planning on making more announcements on removing building red tape?Hon CHRIS PENK: Why yes; this Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so that we can get the economy back on track. You can expect to hear a lot more on how the coalition Government is going to remove unnecessary regulations that are merely adding costs and getting in the way of Kiwis trying to build.
3. Question No. 3—EducationMIKE BUTTERICK (National—Wairarapa) to the Minister of EducationQuestion No. 3—Education3. MIKE BUTTERICK (National—Wairarapa) to the Minister of Education: What recent reports has she seen about student behaviour in classrooms?Hon ERICA STANFORD (Minister of Education): A report published by the Education Review Office this morning showed that behaviour in New Zealand classrooms is amongst the worst in the OECD. This report tells us an important story about what is happening in our society that is mirrored in our classrooms. It gives us the evidence that we need to make important changes to support our principals and our teachers including the ones we've already made to better support our hard-working teachers.Mike Butterick: What action has the Government already taken to improve behaviour in classrooms?Hon ERICA STANFORD: The report said that 51 percent of teachers mention device use reduced the ability to concentrate and may be one of the causes of worsening behaviour. We've already taken action to ban cellphone use in our classrooms and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Feedback from Hornby High School was that they had no reports of cyber-bullying since the ban was introduced. So we know the effects of this policy on behaviour is already having positive impacts. We will take the recommendations in the report and see what further we can do to support our hard-working teachers.Mike Butterick: What can we do to better support our teachers when it comes to student behaviour?Hon ERICA STANFORD: The report stated that less than half of new teachers reported being able to capably manage behaviours in the classroom in their first term. A significant number of teachers feel demoralised and are considering leaving the profession. I know that from talking to principals and teachers that initial teacher education is a key solution to helping our teachers manage behaviours in the classroom. Initial teacher education is a priority for this Government and we are already looking at what changes we can make to help better manage student behaviour.Mike Butterick: What comments has she seen on this report?Hon ERICA STANFORD: Ruth Shinoda from the Education Review Office said this morning We need a national approach to how we manage behaviour in our schools so our kids can get the best out of their education. We need to increase support for teachers alongside setting clear expectations from all of us about what good behaviour looks like so we can prevent and respond to this challenge effectively." I agree with Ms Shinoda that we need a more nationwide consistent approach to what behaviour is acceptable and what consequences there are for unacceptable behaviour. We want to support principals with minimum standards that are consistent across the country so there is agreed and widely-understood expectations in this area."
4. Question No. 4—Justice (Firearms)CAMERON LUXTON (ACT) to the Associate Minister of Justice (Firearms)Question No. 4—Justice (Firearms)4. CAMERON LUXTON (ACT) to the Associate Minister of Justice (Firearms): Is it important that licensed firearms owners take the time to revise the rules of firearms safety over the coming months?Hon NICOLE McKEE (Associate Minister of Justice (Firearms)): With the first cold snap of the year about to hit New Zealand many deer hunters are keenly anticipating getting out and about in the back country in search of roaring stags this long weekend. As licensed firearm owners it is our responsibility to ensure that before we hit the hills in search of rutting deer we have revised the rules of firearm safety. Understanding and adhering to these rules is crucial to prevent incidents and ensure that everyone has an enjoyable time in the outdoors.Cameron Luxton: Of the seven basic rules of firearm safety which is the most important?Hon NICOLE McKEE: All of the seven rules of firearm safety are important. However during the roar rule No. 4 identify your target beyond reasonable doubt is mainly the one to be emphasised. Failure to properly identify a target could lead to tragedy. No matter how experienced a hunter is they should take their time to keep a clear head and treat every roar as if it's coming from a fellow hunter because it very well could be.Cameron Luxton: What advice would she give licensed firearm owners who are travelling with firearms this roar season?Hon NICOLE McKEE: It is important that licensed firearms owners follow the guidelines for the storage and transportation of firearms and ammunition to the letter. These guidelines have changed significantly over the past couple of years so it's important that licensed firearm owners revise them again and understand what their new requirements are.Cameron Luxton: What other points would she like to make regarding firearm safety this roar?Hon NICOLE McKEE: Treat every firearm as loaded and pay attention to the firing zone. After properly identifying a target and before firing a hunter should ask themselves What could happen if I miss?" Hunters need to be sure of what is in between them and their target and what is beyond. A solid backstop is a must. Good luck out there to everybody who is going to be hunting during this roar and stay safe. As the old saying goes it's better to go home with no meat than no mate."
Regulatory Systems (Primary Industries) Amendment Bill — First Reading