Horan Brendan: Crown Minerals Amendment Act 2013 Amendment Bill — In Committee Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHoran Brendan: Crown Minerals Amendment Act 2013 Amendment Bill — In Committee Third Reading[Sitting date: 16 May 2013. Volume:690;Page:10283. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]BRENDAN HORAN (Independent): When we look at the title the Crown Minerals Amendment Act 2013 Amendment Bill we see that it is clearly inappropriate. A better title might be the “Crown Minerals Amendment Act (Failure of the Responsible Minister to Ensure that Legislation is Free of Mistakes) Amendment Bill” or the “Crown Minerals Amendment Act (Failure of Simon Bridges) Amendment Bill”. Or we could have the “Crown Minerals Amendment Act (Failure to Look at Environmental Impacts) Amendment Bill” or the “Crown Minerals Amendment Act (Failure to Look at Ecosystems Vital to New Zealand) Amendment Bill”. The title could be the “Crown Minerals Amendment Act (Failure to Consult with Fisheries to See What Impact This Will Have) Amendment Bill”. Or we could have the “Crown Minerals Amendment Act (What Goes Under the Water—Take A Look at Open-cast Mining) Amendment Bill”. There are many titles that would be far more suitable for this bill.I cannot believe that this bill is actually coming into force on 24 May. This is a bill that would be better served in Cold War Russia under a totalitarian regime. Where is the democratic process? The Government is amending an Act due to come in on 24 May—that is next Friday. We can have no confidence at all that it is accurate. I mean this bill could be the “Amendment Act (Write It As I Simon Bridges Speak) Amendment Bill”. We may arrive back on the Tuesday after to find yet another amendment bill is to be debated. There is no point in attempting to pass the blame to Parliamentary Counsel Office staff and Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment staff as National is trying to do because the Government has ministerial responsibility. As Mr Speakerpointed out in his ruling on written questions as recently as Thursday Ministers have responsibility and it was Cabinet that signed off on the original totally messed up bill which is actually an insult to the English language.Hon Gerry Brownlee: The member shouldn’t be talking about anyone else messing up.BRENDAN HORAN: Really? Really? Am I supposed to have messed up Mr Brownlee?Hon Gerry Brownlee: You got sacked.BRENDAN HORAN: I prefer to think of it as being given a totally new perspective on life.Tim Macindoe: It certainly wasn’t a promotion.BRENDAN HORAN: If we are talking about messing up one may look at and address his own sartorial mistakes.Tim Macindoe: The tie isn’t that bad.BRENDAN HORAN: That means comb your hair Mr Macindoe. But if we have a look at the principal Act—Chris Hipkins: He hasn’t got enough.BRENDAN HORAN: —no—we might be better replacing this clause with the Civil List Act which governs ministerial salaries because Mr Bridges is obviously not worth the quarter of a million dollars a year. In the 32 days since the Act was passed that this bill amends Simon has been paid $25000. That is around $1200 for every clause of this bill that needs to be corrected. It is unbelievable.The other day Mr Macindoe stood up and interrupted the process. I cannot believe that Mr Macindoe would get up and say that I was out of order and that I was not following the rules when that side never follows the rules—never mind about democracy never mind about the democratic process.Tim Macindoe: That’s only because your speech was totally irrelevant. You didn’t know that the question was.BRENDAN HORAN: I must say it is very nice to be here on a Saturday morning and see you looking so chipper. This whole bill is a stuff-up—absolutely a stuff-up.Tim Macindoe: You kept getting the forecast wrong.BRENDAN HORAN: But worse than that I would ask some of those members—because for all of his chirping over there Mr Macindoe is a good man. He is an intelligent man. I would ask him to look inside and find that conscience. I know it is there somewhere. There are some very good people over there.