Martin Tracey: Social Assistance (Portability to Cook Islands Niue and Tokelau) Bill — In CommitteeText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMartin Tracey: Social Assistance (Portability to Cook Islands Niue and Tokelau) Bill — In Committee[Sitting date: 16 June 2015. Volume:706;Page:4452. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]TRACEY MARTIN (Deputy Leader—NZ First): Kia ora Mr Chair. I am taking just a quick call on behalf of New Zealand First on the Social Assistance (Portability to Cook Islands Niue and Tokelau) Bill. It has been an interesting debate so far and there seems to be some confusion. Let us just talk about the confusion from the Government benches’ side. On one hand the Government benches are trying to say that the relationship with these three islands is special it is different it is recognised as such they are members of the Realm they are islands of the Realm and then on the other hand the Minister has stood up and said that they are to be no different. So on the one hand they are special and on the other hand they are to be no different.If I was to pick up on the Minister’s comments about their being no different from any other New Zealanders and speak on the purpose the purpose that has been described inside the bill—what if we just actually used a bit of forethought and expanded on the purpose? What would happen if the Government did support Supplementary Order Paper 71 which the Rt Hon Winston Peters has placed on the Table to remove the 5-year restriction? What would happen to that purpose which is about allowing the Cook Island Niuean and Tokelauan New Zealanders to be at home on their islands? I cannot imagine that Mr Alfred Ngaro does not understand the concept and the reasoning as to why these people want to go home in their final years why they want to go back and put money into their communities to spend their pensions on those islands creating a whole other level of industry on those islands for example. There would need to be aged care. There would need to be some expansion of the hospital services. They could take their skills back in those last years and add to the increase in those services. New Zealand currently provides aid into the Pacific. Is this not another way? Instead of providing money in one way between $9 million and $21 million it could be provided directly through what are eligible New Zealanders with their pensions.The Prime Minister of the Cook Islands himself came to express at the Social Services Committee what he understood was promised to him and his people by that Government. He came to express it. I have no doubt whatsoever that the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands is a highly intelligent man. I do not believe he misunderstood conversations had with him by members of the Government. He understood as 12 out of the 13 submitters understood that there would not be this restriction.Should these islands be treated differently? We believe that they should. We believe that they are special. We do believe that there is a special relationship here. Does that then open the floodgates for Canada as Mr Ngaro said or any other nation? No it does not. We would suggest that this Government adhere to its word the word behind closed doors the word in the Swordfish Club the word taken by others to the Cook Islands community. The Government knows what the Cook Islands community the Tokelauan community and the Niuean community were seeking from it with this legislation. Half-pie is not ka pai. This is not good enough. This is another half measure by this Government that short-changes these New Zealanders.Again there is a Supplementary Order Paper sitting on the Table under the name of the Rt Hon Winston Peters one of the few members inside this House who advocates for and truly understands these islands and the purpose they are seeking from legislation here. He is an advocate for them and has been so for years. New Zealand First will be supporting the Supplementary Order Paper. We understand that the rest of the Opposition will be supporting the Supplementary Order Paper. It will be the Government members who fail these people. It will be the Government members who fail these New Zealanders who fail to see an opportunity to partake and participate in the future of these Pacific Islands through a very small measure for a very small number of New Zealanders who could do so much good if the Supplementary Order Paper were to be supported. Kia ora.