Bennett GlenINSPECTOR-GENERAL OF DEFENCE BILLFirst ReadingDebate resumed.GLEN BENNETT (Labour—New Plymouth): Kia ora Madam Speaker. I stand here this morning and I see that you—I think I'm allowed to say you" when I'm referring to you—are wearing a poppy this morning. I know it has already been mentioned but obviously tomorrow is 11 November and that is Armistice Day where on the 11th day the 11th hour the Armistice was signed to end World War I and bring that horrific event—or those events—to an end. So I appreciate seeing that poppy being worn to commemorate for us to also mourn those who have been lost not only in the Great War but in many wars and conflicts around our world. Now the Armistice is to stand still is to pause and is to stop. As we look at this piece of legislation it's very much creating an inspector-general that can actually pause and stop and reflect on actions on what's taking place and on what's happening. So tomorrow we pause we commemorate we reflect and I'm aware that at Pukeahu the National War Memorial there will be a service at 11 o'clock tomorrow for us to remember at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.So this bill is obviously looking at our Defence Force and looking at its operation. It's looking at providing that independent oversight of the New Zealand Defence Force. It's time and it's important for us to do that. I don't want to sort of bring a negative cloud over the House this morning but there are some huge challenges going on in our world at the moment. We look around and you think of past wars but you look at the conflict obviously that Russia is causing in the Ukraine. You look at other unrest and conflict around the world. But you also look at that unrest that's going on whether it be in the Twitterverse or on social media and the misinformation disinformation and the extremists that are coming out and have been coming out for many years. That is really sad. For me as we reflect on this legislation—and like I say I don't want to bring that dark cloud over the House this morning—it is the potential of what could come what is possible. As we look forward as a nation we've always got to look in the rear-vision mirror and reflect on what has happened.So to have independent oversight of our Defence Force is key. We hope we don't have to go to war any time soon. We hope we don't have to be involved in conflicts any time soon. We hope we don't have incidents or reason to even use the inspector-general but I think it is important and I know it is important as a Government putting checks and balances in place to make sure that our Defence Force is one to be viewed around the world as the most non-corrupt as the most honest and as the most diligent.I know in my own whānau my husband was a member of the New Zealand Defence Force a number of years ago and was on deployment in the Solomon Islands in peacekeeping roles. That's so important and it almost fills me with I'm not sure if it's joy or hope—but that us as a Defence Force in New Zealand our role isn't to be this big heavy-handed presence around the world but it is to be a Defence Force that is rebuilding that is supporting democracy that is in places and spaces showcasing what a future can actually look like. I know as I've talked about Jon's time in the Solomon Islands it very much was that role. It was tough and there was conflict and yes there were guns and bombs and all the things that go with war but very much the stories that have come back to me from his time there have been around those villages where they were able to rebuild homes to rebuild infrastructure to keep peace and to show what is possible in terms of a democracy and where it is.So the Inspector-General of Defence Bill is something that again as I said brings transparency. I just want to reflect on one part which is around the protections of people and information. Particularly I want to focus on the protections of whistleblowers. Very much in a system like the Defence Force it is hierarchical and we know that. It's right for it to be hierarchical to have those systems in place and people who come in and do their basic training and move their way up to whether it be a captain or a general; I never quite know the correct language. I come from The Salvation Army. Our roles are a bit different and our epaulets were slightly different! But I know often in those hierarchical systems like our Defence Force that sometimes people are afraid to speak out sometimes people are afraid to blow the whistle on behaviours that aren't right because it might jeopardise their chances or because they're looking up the ladder and up the line rather than that equitable system that other industries have.So to have an Inspector-General of Defence is something that we as a Government are committed to as has been talked about in this House throughout the bill. Many people have actually spoken around the review that was done into Operation Burnham. Sir Terence Arnold and Sir Geoffrey Palmer identified the actions. So from that come recommendations and having an Inspector-General of Defence is one of those and is important.So I reflect on those protections for people and information protecting our whistleblowers. It also makes it an offence in this legislation to obstruct or to lie to the Inspector-General of Defence. It sounds sort of basic and simple I know but again it's making it quite clear that we need to make sure that our Defence Force is of a top class and is a defence force that whether you're young whether you're a new recruit whether you're a senior member you feel safe and empowered to speak up and speak out and ensure the protection of all people.In closing I'm grateful to be here this morning to live in a nation that is peaceful to stand in this Chamber and know that it's not just the here and now but to look around the room and see all the different names of the conflicts that the members of our Defence Force throughout Aotearoa have been involved in. So we have a wonderful Defence Force. We'll continue to have a wonderful Defence Force. It is important that the Inspector-General of Defence Bill is passed into law to ensure that checks and balances are in place and that all people who are in the Defence Force feel safe and affirmed and that all communities and countries and places where the New Zealand Defence Force is—that they see the authenticity the transparency and a Defence Force that is here to serve not only Aotearoa but our world."