Quinn Paul: Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill — In Committee 
Quinn Paul: Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:657;Page:6544] 
PAUL QUINN (National) 
: 
 I look forward to taking this call in respectful silence. What we have just heard from the honourable member George Hawkins—and he is an honourable member—encapsulates how low the Opposition has taken this debate. He carried on with rhetoric and sensationalism and he talked about assets being sold but when challenged he said he did not know which assets. By his own admission swimming pools will not be sold and I forget the other thing he admitted will not be sold but when challenged to say what will be sold he said he did not know. What he did not say but what he meant is “It doesn’t matter. Don’t spoil my story!”. That is how low the debate has gone. 
An earlier speaker my friend and colleague from the Hutt Valley Mr Chris Hipkins got up and his contribution to the debate was to say that the bill is a Trojan horse for unitary authorities across the country. [ 
Interruption 
] Respectful interjections please I say to Mr Hipkins; he should bear in mind that people are listening to me. He said the bill is a Trojan horse. Again there was no contribution to the debate. He knows that his speech was absolute sensationalism. He had no grounds for claiming that. We went through this in the first reading when he made that claim. He scaremongered amongst the people of Upper Hutt but it was irrelevant. He was slapped around the ears and told to stop scaremongering because he had no basis for it. In fact there is no intention to do it. Again it was irrelevant. 
My friend and colleague Phil Twyford’s contribution to the debate so far this evening was to say we should increase the bureaucracy—spend more money. On the one hand we have the Hon George Hawkins talking about cost and on the other hand we have his colleague and friend Phil Twyford who is not so honourable at this stage talking about— 
Carmel Sepuloni 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. I am a new member but I think there is a Standing Order that says one cannot challenge the honour of another member. I think the member Paul Quinn over there just did that. 
Hon members 
: Oh! 
The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Rick Barker) 
: Excuse me I am about to rule. Let us have some quiet please. I say to the member Carmel Sepuloni that she might be new but this is a robust Chamber and people can make robust comments. Paul Quinn said something about honour but I did not think it crossed the line particularly. I cannot quite remember the phrase— 
Hon members 
: The less honourable. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Rick Barker) 
: The less honourable or less than honourable. I did not think that was particularly offensive. I do not think Phil Twyford is wincing with the pain of it either. 
PAUL QUINN 
: I do have a failing. An earlier speaker Shane Jones pulled me up for mispronouncing “nadir” so I have some human failings. In this particular case I meant to say that Mr Phil Twyford had not yet attained the honour of “Honourable”—that is what I meant to say. 
Phil Twyford 
: Oh yet? Yet. 
PAUL QUINN 
: Not yet. The point is that on the one hand the man who does have the title “Honourable” the Hon George Hawkins says that the process is going to be expensive and is going to blow more money yet on the other hand Phil Twyford who does not yet have the title “Honourable” wants more red tape more bureaucracy— 
David Bennett 
: A true Labourite! 
PAUL QUINN 
: Exactly the nanny State! He slapped down an amendment with all the drama of Shakespearian behaviour and said again that nanny State phrase: we know best. Labour members talk about protecting assets. I tell them to let the people choose. Let the people choose. The people of Auckland will decide. They will elect people in their ward who will deliver to them what they want. But no the Opposition wants the nanny State to continue. I implore Opposition members that if they cannot contribute positively to the debate then let us forget about it and call it quits because we are going round in circles.