Fenton Darien: Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Amendment Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeFenton Darien: Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Amendment Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 05 September 2013. Volume:693;Page:13357. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]DARIEN FENTON (Labour): It is a pleasure to take a call in the third reading of the Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Amendment Bill. It is the first time I have spoken on this bill but I have watched with great interest as it has done its circular dance through the process.Hon Simon Bridges: I’d like to see that.DARIEN FENTON: Would you like to see a circular dance Minister?Hon Simon Bridges: How does it go?DARIEN FENTON: Oh pretty good pretty good. I do notice actually that this had its first reading in Parliament on 14 March 2013 and it was really urgent then. It was referred to the Government Administration Committee chaired by my wonderful colleague Ruth Dyson who does a fantastic job. I think that what the select committee has expressed concern about was the fact that it was given initially 1 week to consider this bill because it was so urgent. It had to be back in place I think by 13 April so it could be applied. Of course that did not happen. Then it was extended by 2 weeks. We have seen this come and go on the Order Paper time and time again. From my perspective it has been a circular dance because I have had my name on the speaking list for this several times in the third reading and I have thought: “Well what am I going to say about the Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Amendment Bill?”. I have thought about it and put a lot of work into thinking about it. And then lo and behold it drops off the Order Paper again. Lo and behold it is not there. So I have finally got my great moment to talk about this bill.I am very interested in the comments that were made by the Hon Maurice Williamson who I thought seemed a little bit peeved actually—a little bit peeved—in his comments. Look the truth is that in the Committee stage I heard my colleague Raymond Huo offering real assistance to the Government. We were here to help on this bill. We were willing to help make it workable and make it something that we could livewith but guess what happened? What happened was that Supplementary Order Paper 204 which was put up by Raymond Huo was voted down by the Government. So look the Hon Maurice Williamson should not be peeved because the Opposition definitely tried to help on this bill. We definitely tried to do our best to make it work and to make it acceptable.This bill amends the Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Act 2006 to validate a disciplinary levy imposed under that Act between 1 April 2007 and 11 January 2012 and an offences fee prescribed by the Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board. Then there is another aim which is to correct the underlying problem by amending the Act to provide that board with a levy power to fund its functions and to institute prosecutions against persons for the breach of any Act or regulation relating to sanitary plumbing gasfitting or drainlaying. The Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board does play a very important role. Its job is to protect the health and safety of the public by regulating and ensuring the competencies of persons carrying out sanitary plumbing gasfitting and drainlaying work. It is a really important job and I have got a lot of sympathy with the plumbers gasfitters and drainlayers who have had a great deal of concern about this bill because they are skilled tradespeople. They are people who deserve to be listened to by this Parliament. I know that many members including me have been lobbied heavily about this particular bill and about the concerns and as I said they are not being particularly listened to by this Government.As I said the Labour Opposition is opposing the bill. It is around the issues of retrospectivity but as much as anything it is also around the fact of the process. The process was poor. It was far too short. We tried to help with a Supplementary Order Paper which would have actually provided a solution to the continuing problems that have plagued the board over many years. We have a lot of sympathy with this but what happened as I said was that in the Committee stage the Government was not prepared to accept the Labour Opposition’s help once again. Once again it refused our help. So I am sorry but Labour opposes this bill.